Is Assistive Technology Enough? What Teachers Should Know About IT Accessibility
Abstract: As technology's role in education continues to grow, and as technologies become increasingly adept at making education more engaging, interactive, and effective, it becomes ever more critical for technology to be accessible to students with disabilities. Assistive technology is one component to students with disabilities having access, but an equally critical component is the accessibility of mainstream technology tools, applications, and resources. Ensuring technology accessibility in a school or district requires a coordinated, collaborative effort involving many stakeholders. Policies, procedures, and standards can help to organize and lend credibility to a school or district's technology accessibility efforts. As teachers and others within the educational setting learn to effectively utilize technology to support teaching and learning, accessibility must be an important part of that training.
Presider: Shawn Holmes, North Carolina State University