Our class has been discussing how schools have changed in the past 100 years, and how they might look 100 years in the future. We have been brainstorming how schools can increase and improve student engagement and success. One factor that we are examining is how accessible a school is. Accessibility means that all students and staff, regardless of their strengths or challenges, have equitable access to resources and equal chance at being successful. One key way to support everyone, especially those with diverse needs and disabilities, is to understand Assistive Technology (AT). AT can help folks with disabilities perform everyday tasks with increased independence, can help with social connections, and can support their success at work and at school.
Today, we explored how accessible our own school is for people who use mobility devices. This could be someone who uses assistive technology such as a wheelchair, someone using a walker, or someone using crutches. Feel free to click the link below for our PowerPoint of key terms:
We also listened to a TED talk by Jane Velkovski, a young activist who speaks up about the importance of AT. We learned that while 1 billion people need AT, over 90% of people do not have regular access to AT. You can watch this TED talk below:
Some questions to consider at home:
-what examples of Assistive Technology (AT) have you seen?
-what are some ways we can make schools more accessible to folks who use mobility devices?
-what can be done, on a local and global level, for the 9 out of ever 10 people who do not have regular access to AT?