Equal Access to the Digital World!

"Equal" does not mean "same".  In other words, in order for all students to access the digital world, it does not mean that it needs to be accessed in the same exact way by every student.  Equal access means that every student can access the same information - but not necessarily in the same manner.

Students in a classroom come with a variety of strengths and challenges.  No two students in a population are exactly alike.  Learning styles, interests, intelligences, and abilities widely vary, making "cookie cutter" lessons nearly impossible, including lessons using technology.  Like any lesson, differentiating student access to the digital world is essential to meet the needs of the learners in a classroom, and to ensure that every student is equally provided with the same content.  While we often don't think about technology itself being a barrier to accessing the curriculum, for some students it can be just that.  Students process visual and auditory input differently, and motor skills are often utilized during technology use.  Because of this, modifications can be necessary in order to provide equal access to the digital world for all students.  Modifications to visual organization or auditory input or elimination can make all the difference for a student.

While access to the digital world may not be the "same" for every child, with the knowledge that exists today about differentiation, "equal" access is most certainly possible!