Three-Year Local School District/Charter School Technology Plan Template
(2010-2013)

Accessible to All

There are many areas to consider regarding the issue of accessibility.  See K8 Access Center for many of the issues to consider.  http://www.k8accesscenter.org/training_resources/background.asp

Generally, the Alliance for Technology Access also outlines the considerations in four concise mission statements.  Information found at:  http://www.ataccess.org/about/principles.html

• People with disabilities have the right to maximum independence and participation in all environments, without barriers.
• Technology can be harnessed to diminish or eliminate environmental barriers for people with disabilities.
• People with disabilities have the right to control and direct their own choices, and the right to access the information they need in order to make informed decisions according to their goals and interests.
• People with disabilities have the right to employ assistive technologies, strategies for implementation, and necessary training support to maximize their independence and productivity.

Many resources are available to assist school districts and charter schools to incorporate these concepts into their technology planning.  Only a few of the many available resources are listed below.

http://ncam.wgbh.org/publications/adm/education.html - provides information on issues concerning access and students with disabilities.

http://www.ataccess.org/rresources/web/5firststeps.html - provides guidance on developing accessible websites.

http://www.cast.org/publications/ncac/index.html  - provides publications that were developed by NCAC researchers to support educators interested in learning about policies and practices related to improved access to the general curriculum. Most are available as Web pages and as downloadable Word and PDF documents.

http://nimas.cast.org/about/index.html  - provides information about NIMAS, the new law requiring that students have access to digital content.

http://www.section508.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Content&ID=11 – provides federal standards for technology accessibility and links to additional federal accessibility requirements.

A training presentation called “The Forgotten Barrier”