We had an amazing guest speaker Zoom in to talk with us about technology and accessibility in schools. Tracy Humphries, the founder of BCEdAccess, shared an informative presentation that really got us thinking about how technology can be used to support all student learning in the classroom.

Over the years, inclusion through the use of technology has improved (eg. FM radios, speech-to-text software and other AAC devices, smart boards, etc.) and the curriculum has become more inclusive. The only problem is that the tech has some downfalls. A couple examples are that it may be outdated, not available in the school (budget), or not have any training or support in order to use – not including the concept of who is the knowledge keeper for the tech. Is it the teacher? The admin? The family? The answer is a bit of a grey zone, and that never leads to success for students.

We need to meet students where they are at in all cases: teaching and learning will never be a one-size-fits-all because we are all different! On the same note, assessing and addressing need for support has to occur as soon as possible so that students have what they need to receive an equitable education. In terms of designations, an assessment is required – regardless of a diagnosis – so that the schools understand the student’s needs (this may lead to another exclusion issue, but more on this later). Assessing and addressing needs should be an early response tool instead of a reactive response – being proactive means that students are getting what they need sooner and will face less frustration and lack of support.

Circling back to that idea of exclusion issues: BCEdAccess created an Exclusion Tracker to report how many times a student is asked to not participate (eg. shortened days or staying home) or miss instruction time due to their disability. This is actually really interesting as the 2018/2019 Final Report showed various reasons for exclusion, including a lack of staffing, improper funding, and course materials not being adapted. Technology has improved so much so quickly that it seems like we maybe haven’t caught up to what is available yet with regards to making a more inclusive classroom.

So what can we do?

Get to know the student and the home team! Families don’t know what they don’t know for in-school supports so building a strong relationship that fosters collaboration is one of the best ways to support students. Families know their kids better than anyone else, so make sure you engage with them and find out what works best for their child (keep in mind that while technology allows for independence, it isn’t for everyone!)

Advocate! Teachers can advocate for the needs of their students by contacting their school admin to see what barriers are in place that are getting in the way of accessing supports. They can contact the BC Teacher’s Union as well to see what resources can be offered.

All in all, I learned a lot of incredible information about what kind of technology can be beneficial and how important it is to ensure that my classroom is inclusive of all abilities so that each learner has access to an equitable education. We also need to build relationships with our students and their home teams in order to proactively meet their needs so that it doesn’t become a problem before anything is done. This includes learning about the available technology and what else could be used to help your students and ensuring your classroom is a safe, collaborative, engaging, and inclusive place for every learner to achieve their learning goals.