Assistive Technology: Module 5 - Curriculum

As the AT Discovery Modules conclude, I think of the many hours put into the various exercises. If we hadn’t had to do this, I don’t think I would have learned a much.

Doing these exercises in March, and not October (Disability Awareness Month) made it difficult to do a whole lesson (teachers are busy with District Assessments and STAR test preparation). However, I had the art class in the LMC this past Thursday where there was a “teachable moment”. This class is taught by the MR teacher and 1/3 of the class are students with severe disabilities. The special ed students were dismissed before the general ed students allowing time to get to PE. The remaining students had not been the best behaved. The teacher and I started a discourse on the maturity and self-control of the special ed students, something the remaining students should model. One student spoke up in admiration for the special ed group. I think they got the point.

It’s difficult to think of just one thing when there was so much information. I was impressed with many of the websites that brought attention to the plight of the disabled. I was overwhelmed with the products available to the disabled and their supporters. I was humbled by the courage of the disabled. Most important, I was motivated by what I learned in these modules to be a proactive educator – seeking equality for all.

I believe Librarianship programs should make this a requirement. Although time consuming, you can’t put a price tag on the wealth of knowledge provided. In the Teacher Librarian role, I will continue to teach my teachers about servicing the disabled through modeling lesson plans, acquisition of software, hardware, furniture and equipment and through promoting literature that make us more sensitive to those with special needs (which I can do through many sources including LibraryThing).