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Conference Program

Part 1- The Why & What of Access for All Students with Accessible Materials & Technologies
Presented by: Kelli Suding
Date & Time: Thursday, April 27, 2023 9:00 AM - 11:45 AM ET
Location: Madison Bldg - Henrico A

Part 1 and Part 2 will explore different content.

Creating our classroom instruction with learner variability in the forefront will allow us to be mindful in meeting the needs of all of our students. Oftentimes, the use of assistive technology is the appropriate accommodation to meet those needs. Statements such as "That's cheating. They need to do that by themselves," are often comments aligned with the use of appropriate accommodations of accessible educational materials (AEM) and assistive technology (AT) for students with specific disabilities. But how can we promote a culture of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and at the same time step outside of our "No, it's not cheating" echo chamber to have meaningful conversations with educators who may see AT accommodations as a crutch?

Part 1 of this workshop will explore ways to debunk the mindset of "it's cheating" through personal stories, understanding learning disabilities, short simulations, discussion of the different skill sets of reading and the "what" is accessible educational materials (AEM) and most importantly the "why." You will want to stick around for Part 2 to dive into implementation!

This will be a fun, fast paced session that will get you all set for Part 2!

For copies of presentations and handout materials (including accessible versions), please contact ksuding@cast.org.