Accessibility
Introduction
Accessibility of education is a gift that can totally change a person's life and future for the better. However modern schools and teachers aren't always fully equipped or educated in how to make sure ALL students get the same level of education at their peers.
Why Put this Page Together?
I'm putting this section together as an adult, thinking back on they years where I struggled to read due to my mother refusing to let me be evaluated for the obvious problems I struggled with including dyscalculia, dyslexia, and Irlen Syndrome, which made it nearly impossible to keep up with my peers until I learned to read slowly at around 8 years old, then finally caught up with basic math around the age of 16. I was constantly told I was "smart", but struggled to pay attention (ADHD) or follow basic directions in class. The adults in my life assumed I was lazy and "not trying hard enough" which made me start to give up on my dreams of becoming a scientist, paleontologist, vet, or any of the other amazing careers I had dreamed of at a young age.
At 14 I remember crying after a test because I didn't understand how "everyone else's letters slide into place so much faster than mine" because it never occurred to me that other kids didn't see the letters swimming around each other, and changing places or shapes entirely. It wasn't till I was in my 20s that I learned about Irlen Syndrome for the first time.
Today I'm as obsessed with science and the natural world as I was when I was a small child. College was a challenge, but slightly easier with the skills I picked up by that point and the tutors who believed in me when everyone had given up on me.
Goal of this Page
This section is for all the kids with visible or invisible disabilities/conditions which might make learning or participating harder. By helping educators know about these differences and the little ways they can help students overcome them, we can help lay the foundation for a world where anyone can be a scientists, architect, lawyer or whatever else they might dream of. The world needs more creative minds, and these pages are indented to help bring down the barriers faced by so many students.
Types of Difficulty for Students
Blindness
Many people assume blindness means people see total blackness, but there are many types of vision loss, and a person doesn't have to lose all of their sight to be considered legally blind, nor to have it greatly impact their learning experience.
Click the Blindness button to learn about vision impairment, and ways that we can make education feel safer and more inclusive for these students.
Deafness
When a student is deaf or hearing impaired (this can include audio processing disorders which jumble up words and sounds), it can make understanding peers and teachers difficult or impossible.
It is best to learn sign language from a certified teacher, or by asking people in the deaf community. Click on the Deafness button to find sign language resources (listed by region where each language is used), educational packets, and to learn about ways to make a classroom more inclusive for deaf or hard-of-hearing students.
Learning Disabilities
Some students may have mild to extreme learning disabilities or challenges that don't technically fall under "disability" yet still make learning incredibly challenging.
Having a learning disability doesn't mean a student is "too stupid to learn", but rather that there is something neurological that makes the process more challenging in class settings than it would be for people without the same condition.
It is possible for people to have more than one challenge or disability. Some might be diagnosed, while others may have been missed, or worse, their parents/guardians may refuse to have the child diagnosed from fear of social repercussions.
If a student is routinely struggling in areas that their peers are not, then some of the methods may help them overcome these issues. Click the Learning Disabilities button to learn more about what educators and students can do to make learning easier.
Mobility
Depending on the student, mobility issues might range from trouble writing, to difficulty in walking, or they may not able to do either at all.
Our Mobility page is intended to help educators implement solutions that will lower barriers to engaging in learning and play.
Grants & Funding
Explore what types of financial support you may be able to access for individual students or to make your school more accessible in general. Including, money for equipment, safer infrastructure around schools, and funds for sensory gardens which all students can enjoy.