THE PRACTICE: Accessibility Technology must be readily accessible in a way that meets the needs of all learners.
Content Presented By:
NEIRTEC, Northeast & Islands Regional Technology in Education Consortium

Resources related to this practice:

• A Successful Model for School Improvement
  http://4teachers.org/keynotes/lawrence/

  In this Web-based article, Dr. Judith Lawrence describes the successful staff development efforts of Orange School District, New Jersey, to implement technology into every aspect of the curriculum.

• CAST: Universal Design for Learning
  http://www.cast.org/udl/UniversalDesignforLearning361.cfm

  Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a new paradigm for teaching, learning, and assessment which draws on new brain research and new media technologies to respond to individual learner differences. You'll find qualified links to Theory & Research, Tools & Resources, Examples & Illustrations, Activities & Collaborations.

• Design Online
  http://www.edc.org/spotlight/Tech/imaginationp2.htm

  Imagination Place sites in Australia and the United States use the Internet to engage girls in technology. Research shows that girls use technology as a social tool. This article features an online project that offers girls a chance to become innovators and designers, not just consumers of technology.

• District Technology Planning for All Students: Helping to Meet the IDEA '97 Mandate
  http://www.edc.org/LNT/news/Issue9/feature1.htm

  School districts today are faced with multiple needs generated by standards-based reform, the implementation of technology, and the mandates of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Through the collaboration of general and special education in its technology planning, Concord, New Hampshire has worked to align those efforts.
  Authors: Denise Ethier, Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC), with contributions from Donna Palley, Mark Denoncour, Steve Rothenberg of the Concord, NH School District, and Skip Stahl of the Center for Applied Special Technologies (CAST).

• Edtechnot.com
  http://www.edtechnot.com/

  This site might be called a meeting of ed tech leaders throughout the world. Its purpose is to bring those who are guiding technology use in schools together to discuss divergent opinions. The site includes information on plans, web logs, books, and ideas related to educational technology.

• Explorathon AZ
  http://explorathonaz.keeptheinternetfun.org/

  The ExplorathonAZ site from the University of Arizona provides information and links about use of technologies by girls. The emphasis is upon keeping the Internet fun.

• Level of Technology Implementation
  http://www.lotilounge.com/

  The National Business Education Alliance offers this framework (LOTI or Level of Technology Integration) and associated instruments for helping educators assess their level of implementation of instructional technology.

• Listing of Available Accessibility Software Tools
  http://trace.wisc.edu/world/computer_access/multi/sharewar.htm

  Links to freeware or shareware for accessibility software.

• Making Technology Happen
  http://www.southern.org/pubs/MTH/makingtech.shtml

  Making Technology Happen: Best Practices and Policies from Exemplary K-12 Schools, published by The Southern Growth Policy Board, addresses findings on best practices in the implementation of technology in schools. This online version of the book reviews how more than 200 exemplary schools are bringing technology into their classrooms. Areas of discussion include planning, training, providing technical support, re-engineering organizations, obtaining resources and evaluating how district, state and federal policies impact the process.

• The Equity Network
  http://ra.terc.edu/resources/equity/equity.html

  This Web site provides tools and strategies for achieving equity in K-12 classrooms. Its resource links provide general information about equity and specific information about equity issues related to women and girls; people of color; people with disablitities; and math, science, and technology classrooms.

General resources related to this spotlight:

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This resource is developed and maintained by The Education Alliance at Brown University. Seed funding was provided by the U.S. Department of Education. Send comments to: loom@alliance.brown.edu