Assistive Technology – Building a Bridge
In the US and many industrialized countries, a parent has a child and begins to dream of his or her future. That might include what primary or secondary school the child will attend or if and where a child may obtain a higher education. The fear of parents with children born with special needs is that their children will not have the same opportunities as main stream kids. The questions begin with a diagnosis… Will my child need to be in a special school? Will there be a special classroom? Are there colleges that will accept and facilitate my child’s learning? This is a global challenge.
Assistive Technology has the ability to bridge the gap in Special Education and help students work towards an even brighter future than might previously have been imagined. It is even being used in higher education, in schools such as Barnard and the University of New Hampshire. At these universities, K-12 schools and other institutions of learning, TECHNOLOGY is helping students with all kinds of special needs to learn. They can use iPads, text to speech, even a device that will highlight words on the screen as they are spoken out loud. This article (http://www.thetechedvocate.org/assistive-technology-students-disabilities/) talks about Assistive Technology with a little more depth, even highlighting one state that is working hard to make it possible to students.
Global Learn Day is a celebration of learning. We believe that education is a basic human right and should be accessible by every person on the planet. It is through education that mankind builds a bridge to a better future, a better tomorrow. In the case of students with special needs, using Assistive Technology allows the world to open up. It recognizes that a person can learn with the right tools. That is the beauty of education, with the right tools, it is available to each of us.
What tools help you to learn? Do you know of someone who is innovating education, creating new ways to help his or her students learn? Let us know!
