This week in tech, we discussed accessibility in the classroom and how technology can be used to support diverse learning needs.
We watched two videos. The first video had a group of people with different disabilities discussing the changes that needed to be made to meet their particular needs. Whether it was a ramp for wheelchair users or subtitles on a video for the deaf community. After watching this video, I realized how privileged I am to not worry about any of these things. However, I know that as a future educator, I will need to worry about adapting/modifying lessons to make them accessible for all learners.
The second video discussed different ways to use technology to support diverse learners. This video instantly made me think of my younger brother, who has a learning disability, which makes reading and writing quite difficult for him. Growing up, school was always a constant struggle for him because he was not at the reading or writing level of his classmates. He hated school because it was so difficult for him, but looking back, I do not think there was sufficient support for him to succeed. Watching this video, a tool that really stood out to me was text-to-speech and speech-to-text. I wonder what my brother’s motivation for school would have looked like if his teachers provided him with alternate learning tools, such as a computer for text-to-speech and speech-to-text.
As a future teacher, I hope to provide a warm and inclusive learning environment for all my students. I know my younger brother’s learning experiences have shaped how I view learning, along with how I teach in the future.