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January 1997 |
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January 1997 |
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The Software Publishers Association recently published a listing of
State Technology Initiatives conducted by various state Departments of
Education. Copies of this report are available through the SPA
Fulfillment Department at (202) 452-1600.
The listing includes state legislative initiatives in which you may wish to become involved. Some of the listings of initiatives include the level of state funding. For example:
Arkansas will consider a state educational technology plan in the 1997 legislative session.
California's SB1510, the Education Technology Act, authorizes $13.4 million for educational technology in the schools.
Connecticut allocated $10.4 million from bond funds to assist local and regional school districts with infrastructure technology.
Georgia's general fund budget includes $12.8 million to hire technology specialists.
New Jersey appropriated $1.3 million for model distance learning.
North Carolina has a five-year, $381 million Instructional Technology plan.
Ohio is likely to release $275 million to schools in July for educational technology.
Rhode Island has set aside $1 million to help schools use technology in the classroom.
Tennessee has provided $98 million for education technology.
Now is the time to get involved and find out how this money can be used to ensure that students with disabilities are not left at the curbside on the information superhighway as states build their educational technology infrastructures. It is important to monitor and influence these state-controlled funding streams, and the authorizing state legislation, to ensure toddlers, children, youth, and young adults with disabilities benefit from a state's Education Department initiatives.
It is up to disability advocates, parents, and interested others to point out the need for disability access, to ensure participation by children with disabilities, and to create innovative learning opportunities that include children with disabilities. If you don't do it, who will?
It is unlikely that state technology education initiatives will include a disability perspective or component unless advocates for students with disabilities act to ensure such a perspective. Consider these action steps to guide your activities:
1. Review the listing of educational technology initiatives in your state.
2. Contact the person(s) listed in your state, and find out the status of the project(s) in your state. Ask for a meeting with the contact person or their designee.
3. Try to discover if other disability advocates or organizations are part of the planning and development process, and work with them. Consider forming a coalition.
4. Find out whether there is a disability component or how the needs of students with disabilities will be addressed in the state initiative. Don't take "no" for an answer.
5. "Brainstorm" about how the needs of students with disabilities could be addressed in various technology initiatives.
6. Monitor and influence any state level partnerships. For example, these partnerships might be between state departments of education, finance and administration, the Governor's office, and library associations.
7. Keep current about the involvement of the school principals group, the teachers association, or other professional educational groups that may be involved in developing your state's technology initiatives.
8. Curriculum and textbook development offices are often involved in these projects, as well as private companies (e.g., telephone companies, software developers, textbook publishers, computer system vendors). Consider working with these groups to ensure that disability access becomes an integral part of the initiative.
9. Meet with decision-makers in these agencies or partnerships to explore how students' disability access needs can be met.
10. Find out if an electronic network exists that distributes notices of educational technology activities and grant opportunities by the state education agency; find out how you can get online to have access to this information.
11. Find out other ways that notices are distributed about educational technology activities in your state; get on those distribution lists.
12. Ensure that the needs of students with disabilities are addressed as a priority in any legislative authority that directs funds to be spent for educational technology.
13. Try to become an active participant as a disability resource, designer of the network, partner in the service delivery, or provider of essential disability information. Your ability to do this will depend on your state's concept, its partners, and your ability to influence these initiatives.
Federal educational technology legislation applies to ALL students with and without disabilities. However, be prepared for the argument from state educational agencies, that the electronic communications access needs of students with disabilities will be taken care of through existing disability- specific funding and services. These persons may be unaware of - or may be ignoring - the overall system development issues and possible unintended effects that create barriers to access.
Ask questions like the following:
Will the initiative define textbooks to include materials in computer format (e.g., text or ASCII) so that children with learning, vision, and cognitive disabilities can "read" them?
If computers are to be bought, will computer stations be fit with software that makes them more accessible for students with disabilities? Will adapted keyboards, and other devices and accessories be treated as budget items?
Will computers be located in rooms that are accessible to users of wheelchairs and scooters?
Will all students have access to school libraries that go online?
As schools "get wired," will this include disability resource rooms in schools, as well as private providers of special education services?
If a project involves teacher training, will it address training about different disabilities and how to approach accommodations to electronic communication networks?
Will electronic textbooks or interactive software be usable by and accessible to students who need alternative formats (e.g., Braille, voice output, etc.)?
If the state sets up an advisory body to manage infrastructure development, will families of students with disabilities be represented and have an equal voice?
The federal role in determining educational matters is diminishing. In order to have a voice in determining how educational technology funds are spent in your state, you should become involved NOW. Your advocacy and involvement will also ensure that students with disabilities benefit from educational technology purchases made with the significant tax revenues that are collected from all taxpayers - including from the families and friends of students with disabilities.
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