Article # 1:

AIM for Digital Equity

By Gayl Browser and Joy Smiley Zabala

This article is written by Gayl Browser and Joy Zabala. Both of these women are pillars in the world of technology education for students with disabilities. Their backgrounds in this field offers valid insights in this article and they make great points on UDL in the classroom. 

"Ensure that your instructional materials are universally designed to be flexible, accessible, and usable for 
students with and without disabilities."

The article discusses ways to increase equity for struggling readers and other students either with or without a reading LD diagnosis. AIM stands for ACCESSIBLE INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS, which are instructional materials provided in a variety of formats. They made an important point of acknowledging that there are many existing barriers found in a typical classroom. Relying solely on the printed word is still a reality for most schools in North America. 

By incorporating a technology-rich educational environment, teachers are providing beneficial strategies for ALL students, not only struggling learners. An example of this can be found in Dylan's story. When Dylan was struggling of understand what he was reading in his math textbook, his teacher demonstrated to the whole class how to access the audio version of their textbook, not only Dylan.  

  

Offering AIM materials does not simplify or diminish the learning outcome, rather they make them achievable. AIM materials does not imply mean an IPP is needed. The UDL model allows for these strategies and methods to be used by the whole class. 

"Technology-savvy teachers can integrate digital text and other 

accessible formats into classroom routines and activities in ways 

that generally do not require major shifts in their instructional practices."

Although these strategies and materials would benefit more than learning disabled students, Browser and Zabala note that there are problem areas.

1. Not all students have access to these materials. 
2. Not all versions of digital texts are the same as the printed version.
3. Most students do not the necessary technologies.  

They also give three suggestions to teachers to help eliminate barriers as we move forward into digital education:

1. Increase you awareness of the current resources available to you ~ Many classroom are already equipped with digital resources without anyone's knowledge. We need to know what we already have at our disposal. 
2. Educate yourself about AIM ~ In order to help your students, you must first have technological, pedagogical, and content awareness of digital tools in order to instruct with digital tools.  
3. Increase collaboration ~ Many hands make light work. Use the human resources at you school to help increase digital awareness and materials.