Accessing the Classroom

In order to get a good education, children need to access the curriculum. That's at the heart of their education. Some of the key challenges of getting students both their education and access to their voice in the class is simply understanding. 

For example, how does someone with a severe physical disability access standardized material? If I have a disability, which doesn't allow me to turn a page, I should have a page turner provided or even better, today I should have a screen reader reading that text for me.

Preparation for the student with disabilities is key. We have to foster success. We have to build a sense of success in the beginning. That starts with understanding the abilities of that student. 

To get an idea of what this can be like for a student, imagine a student rolling into a classroom that is equipped with technology to meet their needs. This means that there are computers that are accessible. There are boards that are accessible and there's curriculum that's accessible. 

Ultimately it's important to understand that we're not asking our students to do different things, but rather we're here to support them to do the same things differently.