President George W. Bush signed the No Child Left Behind Law into effect on January 8, 2002. Under the new law, states and school districts will develop strong systems of accountability based upon student performance. The new law also gives those states and school districts increased local control and flexibility, removing federal red tape and bureaucracy and putting decision-making in the hands of those at the local and state levels. Parents of children from disadvantaged backgrounds will have options under the new law to participate in public school choice programs or obtain supplemental services such as tutoring. And teachers around the country will be encouraged to use teaching methods that are based upon scientific research demonstrating that they work.
As the law has now moved into its second year of existence, there are strides that are being made to encourage the integration of technology and students with disabilities in the classroom.


Department of Education Seeks Broad Input for New National Education
Technology Plan
AccessIT

The U.S. Department of Education today announced that it is calling for
broad participation and input from a wide array of education
stakeholders in crafting a new National Education Technology Plan, as
required by the recently enacted No Child Left Behind law.

The department is actively seeking advice from a variety of
constituencies in education, especially students, parents, K-12
educators, colleges and university leaders, and business and industry.
Individuals and organizations are being asked to identify and
communicate to the Department of Education their top issues, priorities,
concerns, and barriers that need to be addressed for technology to
improve teaching and learning in the 21st century. Interested parties
can give their input by visiting the National Education Technology
Plan's Web site at http://www.NationalEdTechPlan.org, and clicking on
the "Participate in the Plan" link.

U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige said the long-range plan has a
sharp focus on students. "The plan will center on how to help students
as they grow up being exposed to various technologies," he said. "As
technology continues to be an important part of children's lives outside
of school, it is shaping their expectations of what school will be like.
The National Education Technology Plan intends to explore this trend and
the implications for creating digital age educational opportunities to
match the expectations of digital age students."

The department's plan will serve as a valuable tool for education
leaders to set a strategic direction to meet the demands of life and
work in a future that will continue to change as a result of technology.

"This effort will set new priorities and actions that all stakeholders
can rally behind to ensure technology is being used effectively to
prepare students for their future, not our past," Paige added.
"Technology provides new ways of explaining and enhancing educational
opportunities for students. When used effectively, technology can help
prepare our nation's children succeed in the 21st century."

"But first we want input from a variety of sources," said John Bailey,
director of educational technology at the department. "More
opportunities to provide comments and recommendations will occur once
the priorities have been identified. Ultimately, this feedback will
ensure that policymakers at all levels of government can understand how
to use technology effectively and how states can employ technology to
help meet the goals of No Child Left Behind."

The No Child Left Behind Act charges the secretary of education with
developing the nation's third National Education Technology Plan. The
plan will establish a national strategy supporting the effective use of
technology to improve student academic achievement and prepare them for
the 21st century. It provides an opportunity to reflect on the progress
our nation has made as a result of a decade of increased federal, state,
local and private investments in connecting classrooms to the Internet,
providing students with computers, and equipping teachers with the
skills they need to use technology as an instructional tool.

No Child Left Behind is the landmark education reform law designed to
change the culture of America's schools by closing the achievement gap,
offering more flexibility, giving parents more options and teaching
students based on proven education practices. For more information on No
Child Left Behind, visit http://www.nclb.gov.


Terry Thompson
AccessIT
National Center on Accessible Information Technology in Education
The University of Washington
Web: www.washington.edu/accessit