Apply and Discover 9.1

Providing Equal Access to the Digital World

“Providing equal access” has a whole new meaning in today’s digital world. The idea itself remains the same, but we now have more means to do so. We are now able to use technology in order to provide equal access to students.

There has been a lot of development and advancement in the world of educational technology. I’ve discussed some technology tools in a past post. Another assistive technology worth mentioning is Kurzweil 3000, which scans a printed document and then reads the document out loud, while highlighting each word as it is said. It also allows students to pause on a word and ask for the definition. This software could be used with a textbook, giving a student with a reading disability greater access to the course content. I know that math textbooks aren’t particularly enjoyable or easy to read. Kurzweil can help students tackle those tough textbooks. Supported eText software like Kurzweil doesn’t only help with reading comprehension and fluency. They also give students access to information that they might not have been otherwise ready to read, hence a new way of providing equal access!

Providing equal access means doing whatever we need to do in order to provide students with high-quality education. It just so happens that nowadays, the best way to do that is to use technology. There’s a variety of assistive technologies available, which we should be using in order to address students’ diverse needs and expand their learning opportunities. “Many more students with disabilities are now able, with the provision of supplementary aides and services, to participate in regular education classes” (U.S. Dept of Ed, 2011). We have taken down barriers that once prevented students from receiving a high-quality education. This accomplishment can be attributed to both, civil rights laws and technology. Civil rights laws and the advancement in technology have worked hand-in-hand to change the meaning of “providing equal access.”

References

Kurzweil. Retrieved 14 August 2012, from www.kurzweiledu.com.

U.S. Department of Education. (2011). “Ensuring Equal Access to High-Quality Eduation.” Retrieved 14 August 2012, from www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/ ensure03.htm