Technology and the Disabled
By Dr. Steve Broskoske
Misericordia University
Many Types of Disabilities
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Visual acuity or perceptual problems.
Hearing impairments.
Cognitive impairments.
Physical disability/poor motor skills.
Individualized
Education Plans
(IEP’s)
Unrecognized Impairments
But you may have students in
your classroom who have
impairments that have not been
recognized.
Impairment Is Relative
Tired.
Too early/late.
Mind is elsewhere.
Forgot glasses.
Emotional.
Feeling sick.
Universal Design for Learning
UDL (universal design for learning)
prompts teachers to create teaching
materials that will be accessible to ALL
students, whether they have recognized
impairments or not.
Why Should I Make Educational
Materials Accessible?
• If you make information accessible to ALL
learners…
You will help
many students,
and you will feel
like an angel.
Why Should I Make Educational
Materials Accessible?
LAWYERS
Rehabilitation Act of 1973
Section 504
Public agencies and recipients of
federal funds have to provide
necessary modifications,
accommodations and services
for persons with disabilities so
they can participate in activities
and programs.
Rehabilitation Act of 1973
Section 508
Ensure that users with disabilities can access
and use the same computer applications and
also communicate electronically with the same
results as other users.
Technology-related Assistance for
Individuals with Disabilities
Act of 1988 (Tech Act)
Enables some individuals with disabilities to:
 have greater control over their own lives;
 participate in and contribute more fully to activities in
their home, school, and work environments, and in their
communities;
 interact to a greater extent with non-disabled individuals;
 and, otherwise benefit from opportunities that are taken
for granted by individuals who do not have disabilities
Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act
Amendments of 1997
• Strengthens academic expectations and
accountability for the nation's 5.8 million
children with disabilities.
• Bridges gap between what children with
disabilities learn and what is required in
regular curriculum.
Windows Accessibility Options
Available on Every Computer
Resizing the Screen
Hold the control key and spin
the wheel on the mouse to
resize the screen quickly.
Ease of Access Center
Making the PC Easier to See
Using the PC
without a Mouse or Keyboard
Making the Mouse
Easier to Use
Making the Keyboard
Easier to Use
Using Sound Alternatives
Speech to Text
(Voice Recognition)
Start—control panel—speech recognition
Text to Speech
(Screen Reader)
Start—control panel—ease of access center—use the computer
without a display
Making It Easier to Focus
Young Computer Users
• What kinds of difficulties do young children
typically encounter when using a
computer?
• Which accessibility options could
potentially help these young PC users?