This week in class we chatted to Tracy Humphries from BCEDAccess. BCEDAccess is a volunteer run organization that serves families with students with disabilities and complex learners. They advocate for equity and inclusion for all. When thinking about equity, people often confused the term with equality… and they are not the same thing.
Tracy talked about the role of technology in bridging the gap in learning environments. There are many ways to integrate technology, but the gold standard would be to integrate it in such a way that all students get to use it. In this way, no student is singled out for have different “allowances”. However, if this isn’t possible the equity vs. equality model can be introduced. Through experience, I have found that this model is easy for high school students to grasp. The think is to bring equity and inclusion into the classroom from day one, setting up a space and having dialogue that encourages the class to have empathy for others and value equity. Letting students know that everyone has different learning needs is step one.
However, integration of technology sometimes does not fill the needs of all students. Educators should find multiple ways to serve the needs of their students and most importantly – ASK the student and the family what they need!
