Understated Assistance

                The readings this week introduced the concepts of universal design and universal design for learning and also provided some practical ways to locate and utilize technology in order to benefit all students. The information about where to find apps, software, and devices will be extremely important as I move forward in my career as a school librarian. 

                However, as I reflected on the readings, one of the thoughts that kept occurring to me was simply related to the terminology being used. The devices intended to aid students with disabilities are called assistive devices or assistive technology, but to me these terms seem like gross understatements considering the doors the devices can open for these students. After all, what is all technology, but assistive? We are so immersed in technology and surrounded by devices that assist us in our daily tasks that sometimes it is easy to forget just how hard things would be for all of us without this help.

                Also, as our articles point out, utilizing technology correctly in the classroom means that all students should benefit, not only those students with disabilities. Finally, more than being just assistive, the devices that help students with disabilities are equalizing, confidence-building, and integrative. They allow disabled students to compete on equal footing with their peers. They help the students prove that their disability does not mean they are not as capable as other students and therefore help them to succeed, not only in school, but throughout their lives.