The BCEd Access Society is a volunteer-run organization that serves BC families of students with learning disabilities and complexities and helps them attain equitable access to education. BCEd Access is responding to the growing demand from parents to support their role in facilitating the use of technology for their children: more and more parents are facing difficulties with access to technology and understanding the tech their children are required to use. Additionally, BCEd Access promotes community awareness, provides education for families, facilitates support for families, and even helps in the diagnostic/assessment processes. BCEd Access Society was started in 2014 and hosts a support group for over 4,000 parents who share their storeis over an online discussion board.
Chantelle spoke about the implementation of technologies in the classroom to help students wth designations betterc ommunicate and engage in the activites with the rest of the class. What those technologies look like and accomplish can look very different from student to student, based on their needs and previous experiences/successes. Some students may require more complex technologies, such as a laptop or a tablet (with programs like ‘speech-to-text’) to accomplish the same tasks as another student; these helpful technologies could also look like a fidget or a desk with a swinging bar that allows a student to overcome a physical requirement in order to focus their mind on a task. Students with designations may or may not demonstrate self-efficacy, knowing and expressing difficulties with learning and what tools they might need to overcome them. BCEDAccess also investigates students with designations that are excluded and undersupported with their exclusion tracker. These exclusions include access to courses, extracurricular activites, and field trips, saftey info, technologies, physical accessibility, as well as due to the requirement of an EA. BCEd Access affirms that BC school districts have an obligation to support students with designations and to find the funds to adapt their classrooms, curriculums, and extra-curricular activities to include them.
What steps can educators take to cater to students with designations? Communication with the family and fostering a relationship there allows educators to connect with students on a deeper level. Reading information such as IEPs (Integrated Education Plan) can help educators understand the specific needs of students with learning disabilities. Educators can look into what technologies are currently available for their students and even inquire and advocate for further support, especially in the realm of tehcnology. Educators have the power and knowledge to advocate for their students, something that can take a lot of the pressure off of families. Cultivating an inlcusive and supporting environment and creating a strong relationship with students is key in having success with all learners, espicially those with designations.