Tracy Humphreys joined the class via zoom today! She represents BCEdAccess, a society of volunteer-run organization serving families of students with disabilities working toward equitable access to education.
Tracy hears from parents about how their children are being denied access to technology that could be extremely helpful in supporting their education, or how the technology available is outdated anyways. Even when schools do have technology available, there’s usually no one to to turn to for assistance or teaching how to use the tech. Parents could really benefit from being trained in certain technology to support their kids, but there’s currently very little support.
To access a designation to get funding for their kid, parents usually need prior diagnoses. Without one, a psycho-educational assessments is usually required when a teacher or school wants to apply for a designation.
Using technology with the goal of “independence or resiliency” to stop using the tech is a skewed perspective, because many students will always need that technology to be independent. Some of my favourite moments working with kids at the physio clinic have been when they got a new wheelchair that allowed them to zip around the clinic without any assistance, or when they got an iPad and could tell me by pointing at pictures what games they wanted to play during the session for the first time.
The same can happen in the classroom when we find ways to enable learning through technology. Even something as simple as having subtitles on videos for the hearing impaired students or image descriptions for visually impaired students can be hugely helpful. Seamlessly integrating this into lessons without making the students with designations or disabilities feel singled out is also really important. And making it normal in the classroom, including talking about why those technologies are important and helpful for some students, helps not only the students with disabilities but also helps the rest of the class build perspective and empathy. You might also find that certain strategies meant for IEP students are beneficial for other students with no IEP.
She also gave us advice on where to start by asking “How do we determine how or when to help the student?”
1. Read the IEP
2. Ask the family
3. Ask the student
4. Find out what resources you have available in the classroom
There are steps for parents to advocate for their children when they feel that their children are not getting the support they need. Knowing how to help parents go through the proper avenues and who to speak with is part of the teacher’s role.
Tracy’s closing remark was a really good reminder: “Technology is not your silver bullet; it’s a tool is your toolbox.” Not every student will be able to engage the same way with the same resources, and I hope that being aware of this and being flexible will always be part of the growth mindset of my pedagogy.