Reimagining Assistive Technology in the Classroom

Date & Time

Friday, March 17, 2023 - 4:20 PM PST  

Location

Orange County 1-2  

Description

Addressing the pandemic’s consequences is ongoing. But one aspect from millions of students being forced to do everything online gives us a real opportunity: to rethink the definitions and roles of “assistive technology” in the classroom. Even before the pandemic there were signs of change – districts were buying products traditionally used by students with disabilities for all their learners. The continued influence of universal design for learning, combined with unexpectedly having to use technology for most activities, added momentum. The possibility of broadly integrating assistive technology without the need for traditional processes for every use case could have a major impact in education. In this session we will discuss the: • Market dynamics fueling his change • Types of products becoming more mainstream • Benefits of removing the stigma of using AT • Potential barriers from “old school” IEP and 504 thinking • Evolving expectations for digital educational materials • Imperative of ensuring those who need AT the most aren’t left further behind. It is interesting to note that the newest cohort – dubbed “Generation Alpha” – will be the first born totally in the 21st century and will be in front of screens for so much of their lives that some are referring to them as “Generation Glass.” Given that future, it is critical that we reevaluate the role AT can play in supporting learning not just in school, but also for learning during the rest of their lives.

This Presentation Link is provided by the Presenter(s) and not hosted by the Center on Disabilities at CSUN. The Center on Disabilities has confirmed, as of March 13, 2023, content linked is relevant to the presentation, but has not been reviewed for accessibility nor will the Center on Disabilities attempt to remediate any accessibility issues in the linked content. Please contact the Presenter(s) with any accessibility concerns.

 

Audience

• Higher Education
• Information & Communications Technology
• K-12 Education
• Media & Publishing

Audience Level

Intermediate  

Session Summary (Abstract)

The pandemic created unprecedented challenges in education. But it also provides a chance to dramatically change how we think about AT. We’ll discuss why reimagining AT can benefit how all students learn now – as well as throughout their lives.  

Primary Topic

Education  

Secondary Topics

• Blind/Low Vision
• Captions & Transcription
• Deaf and Hard of Hearing
• Digital Accessibility

 

Session Type

General Track  

Presenter

• Rick Ferrie
  Savvas Learning Company

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