As a teacher, I need to be aware of all of the possible obstacles my students may face. Not every student will be challenge free. In fact, most students will face some learning obstacles during their academic career. As a result, it is important that I am not only aware of these potential obstacles, but of their possible solutions.
Through this research I was able to educate myself on various assistive technologies that will help my students who face challenges be active participants in their education. It's easy to think that these technologies are expensive and potentially unrealistic for every day classroom use, but that is simply not the case. I was surprised to find that some of the most helpful assistive technologies are included as part of the standard package with Windows operated PCs and Apple computers. From "sticky keys" that transform multiple key strokes into one to simply enlarging the text on the screen to make it easier to read, assistive technology is everywhere.
There is a quote that I found extremely inspirational during this research and in general:
"I have discovered few learning disabled students in my three decades of teaching. I have, however, discovered many, many victims of teaching inabilities." ~ Marva Collins
It is my responsibility to ensure that none of my students are abandoned at the doorway because they face challenges I am unwilling to help them navigate. I am their educational advocate. There is no such thing as being too prepared to help a student learn because at the end of the day, there is no such thing as a student who can't learn, only a teacher who is unwilling to figure out how.
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