Accessibility

Accessibility

Educators should provide equal access to technology.

Rapid advancements in technology continue at a steady pace and are changing the way people work and live. Employers are beginning to demand workers with strong technological skills. At the same time, there is a whole world of cultural opportunities students can be exposed to and learn about from technology and the Internet. In order to prepare students for this technological world, educators need to provide all students access to technology.

According to the Webster's Dictionary, accessibility means easily obtained. As we move into the 21st century, educators are faced with finding ways to easily obtain technology while providing equal opportunities for its use. "Ensuring equitable access to technology is the first and most obvious step toward building a challenging learning environment." (Secretary's Conference on Educational Technology- Issue 1: Access and Equity,1995).

However, it must be noted that providing "quality access" is more important than the quantity of access (Burbules, 2001). As described below, putting students on the computers does not always correlate to equal accessibility . Instead, equitable access to technology must not only provide students technology, but also with opportunities for using that technology in an engaged learning environment.

Provide technological access to all students.

"Research shows that different groups of students use the computer in different ways" (Equity in Educational Technology,2000). Educators need to be aware of this to avoid unconscious stereotyping of the different groups of students. Educators lacking in this awareness may assume some low-achieving students only need computers for mastery of basic skills or that boys can handle more advanced technological skills better than girls. These assumptions often lead to inequitable use of technology between the different groups of students. The following paragraphs highlight how different groups of students are not always receiving equal access opportunities to technology.

Provide technological access to all students regardless of gender. "The gender gap in computer use is closing. But another deeper divide continues to widen. Although women entering college use computers almost as much as men, they are far less confident about their computer skills than their male peers, according to a survey by the University of California at Los Angeles." (Mayfield, 2001) Since girls/women are not as confident in their technology skills, they may miss out on an increasing number of technology-related job opportunities. Therefore, girls need equal access to technology beginning at an early age. This includes finding software geared towards them that is free of bias.
Provide technological access to all students regardless of their education. Students should have equal access to technology whether they are entering kindergarten or their senior year of high school. This does not mean students at different educational stages need the same technology. Instead, it means students should be provided technological access that will promote higher order thinking at their intellectual ability. Younger students can gain a tremendous amount of knowledge from computer use just as high school students can. As mentioned in the opening paragraphs, educators are preparing students for a technological workforce, as well as teaching them about the diverse world outside the school walls. This preparation should begin as soon as the students enter school.
Provide technological access to all students regardless of race. When access refers to the number of computers per students, the National Assessment of Educational Progress found that "traditionally disadvantaged groups such as Blacks and Latinos [were] not lagging behind the 'mainstream' population (Yau, 1999). However, when the definition of access was changed to the type of computer learning activities assigned, minority groups substantially lagged behind. Statistics show minority students "are much more likely to be assigned drill and practice rather than to problem solving activities." (Giftopoulos, 2000) Drill and practice tasks "do not correlate with higher achievement compared to tasks that involve "higher order thinking skills (Yau, 1999). Therefore, not only do minority students need equal access to technology they also need equal opportunities for higher achievement using technology as a medium.
Provide technological access to all students regardless of economic status. Technology has the potential to become the "wedge that divides the advantaged from the disadvantaged communities or a bridge that closes the gap." (Secretary's Conference on Educational Technology- Issue 1: Access and Equity,1995) In order to reach their full potential, students in urban, rural, or low income schools need to have access to technology. If equal access is not provided to the students living in these disadvantaged communities, they will never be prepared for the challenges technology will bring in the workforce or they will miss important cultural opportunities. Students should not be placed at a disadvantage for jobs or cultural opportunities because they were raised in an area that lacked access to technology.

The following website, provides strategies for addressing these access inequities and more:

Equity in Educational Technology

Provide access to all students with special needs... Includes students with hearing and visual problems, ESL students, physically challenged students, etc.

Assistive technology is needed to provide access to technology to students with disabilities. "Motor abilities may limit students' ability to use a standard keyboard, the standard monitor display may not be usable by students with visual impairments, and the speech output of an instructional program may not be understood by students with a hearing impairment". Just as ramps are critical for access to buildings, assistive technology is critical for access to technology. In addition, "if computer technology is part of a public school's education program, Section 504 and Title II of the ADA require a school to provide students with disabilities with accessible computer hardware and software so that they are not excluded from the education program. (RESNA, 1998) The following links provide resources to overcome this accessibility issue:

The Internet: An Inclusive Magnet for Teaching All Students by Betsy Bayha

ADA- Americans with Disabilities Act

EASI- Equal Access to Software and Information

ATA- The Alliance for Technology Access

LD Online- Assistive Technology and Learning Disabilities

Provide opportunities for parent (and/or community) access.

Often times, students go home to parents (and communities members) that have limited knowledge about technology. If they had a better knowledge of technology, they would in turn be able to help prepare children for the technological world of the future and increase their level of academic achievement. In addition, "technology can link parents with schools, encourage families to learn together, open up new options for homework, and provide adult education." (Secretary's Conference on Educational Technology- Issue 1: Access and Equity,1995) In order to accomplish all of these things, parents and community members need access to technology. This access can be provided by a variety of methods. To learn more about these methods, please refer to the Instructional Implications Page.