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Temple University Center for Research
in Human Development and Education |
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Technology: Is It Accessible to All Students?
139
by
Patricia Hendricks and Jennifer Daley
Temple University
Technology is a valuable resource that can enhance student academic achievement by supporting rigorous academic explorations, delivering curriculum, simulating real world problems, and maintaining student collaboration. However, with all of its benefits, technology may not be accessible to all students, particularly those with physical and mental disabilities. This Techno-Brief will discuss some common accessibility problems with instructional software and online content and outline alternative instructional strategies and accommodations that educators can employ to overcome these problems.
Two underlying philosophies guide these recommendations: All students can become independent learners, and all students need to experience technology integration because multimedia and digital content can help all learners achieve academic success.
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Additionally, the recommendations for this Techno-Brief are built on the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles. UDL challenges old assumptions about teaching and learning in four fundamental ways:
- Students with disabilities fall along a continuum of learner differences rather than constituting a separate category
- Teacher adjustments for learner differences should occur for all students, not just those with disabilities
- Curriculum materials should be varied and diverse including digital and online resources, rather than centering on a single textbook
- Instead of “fixing” students so that they can learn from a set curriculum, it should be made flexible to accommodate learner differences (Rose & Meyer, 2002).
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