Assistive Technology

I’ll admit that I did a bit of internal complaining while I was working on my website this week.  I was trying to figure out how to make my website accessible and feeling frustrated that I did not have the technical expertise to make that happen.  My frustration lies with the fact that I am not a professional web developer and I don't work  for a company that has all the money and experts to help make the sites fully accessible.
I never thought about accessibility until we discussed the topic earlier in the semester.  I imagine that someone with a disability could feel frustrated and left out if they don’t have full access to a web page.   With this knowledge in mind, I will go out of my way to make my sites accessible, not because accessibility is the law, but because it is the right thing to do. 

Even though I am using the website I’m creating for a private studio where I give students one-on-one instruction and can accommodate any disability, I will still strive for full accessibility.  My website will also be a resource for parents and it is quite possible that I could encounter a blind parent.

I also never thought that assistive technology could be used in music.  A friend of mine posted this video on his Facebook profile last week and it made me think of the possibilities for students with impairments.  The student in this video seems to love music and really wants to play.  It looks like he had supportive parents and band directors who focus on what he can do rather than what he can’t do.  Imagine what his life would be like if he couldn’t play an instrument.  Assistive technology helps him to live as close to a normal life as he can.

This video helped me to have a more positive outlook on accessibility.  Through this video, I have seen how technology can help benefit such students.  In the future, if I have a student with a disability who wants to participate in music and technology can help, I will find a way to make that happen. 

Technology resources for students with disabilities:

Access IT is a website by the University of Washington and it contains resources for accessibility.  Some information here can be helpful in developing a website.

Information Technology and Disabilities E-Journal contains articles on how technology is being is accessible to people with disabilities.

Council for Exceptional Children contains information on laws and resources available to children with disabilities.