Brittany Anderson

ETEC 424
8/13/2015

The American with Disabilities Act and Online Education

My Discussion Post:
As a part of ADA and section 508, there are laws in place that prevents students with disabilities
from receiving the proper help and aid needed for them to succeed just as students without a disability.
Though difficult to implement at times it is now mandated for all classes to be accessible to all students
no matter their disability or specific learning needs. A reasonable thought and plan of action many
teachers often lack are the tools and technical knowledge base to effectively teach students according to
their individual education plan. With that being said one article I read talked about how in a traditional
classroom students can let their teachers know of their learning disability but in the online classroom
identifying students with disabilities and the type of disability becomes an imperceptible challenge. But
the goal of the ADA and IDEA requirements make it necessary to not only anticipate different disabilities
but to be sure to incorporate the proper means of communication and aid to all students. I think these laws
and amendments are necessary to prepare all students, with or without a disability, for the ever advancing
technological world and though difficult to learn and implement new materials as an educator, this
initiative becomes vital in the overall success and development of each child in our classrooms.
James Crams Response to My Discussion Post:
With the advent and the ever growing boom in technology soon enough every disability
could be covered in online or distance learning.

Monique Burkleys Discussion Post:

Acts such as the Americans with Disability Act of 1990 are put into place to prohibit
discrimination against people with disabilities in employment, transportation, public accommodation,
communications, and governmental activities. The ADA also establishes requirements for
telecommunications relay services.(Disability Resource) This means no matter your disability you should
be accommodated so that you have equal opportunity just like everyone else. With Section 508 of the
Rehabilitation Act requires access for both members of the public and federal employees to such
technologies when developed, procured, maintained, or used by federal agencies.("United States Access
Board") Laws and Acts like these are important in the classroom. In the sense of a classroom setting,
everyone learns at their own pace and students with disabilities have other factors contributing to their
learning process, because of these accommodations students have access to resources other students have
to increase their leaning. Also you can not necessarily accommodate every students needs at once but you
could incorporate online resources to help assist students with assignment so that everyone is able to learn
and no one is being left out. Another thing that these laws and acts bring fourth is something that some
may not have initially thought of but students with ADD may have a hard time reading an online
assignment but with certain accommodations such as voice reading they are able to listen to the reading
instead. These Acts and Laws help those with disabilities in many areas, and itsa great thing that these
Acts and Laws are in place.
References:
Disability Resources.(n.d.). Retrieved August 5,2015.
United States Access Board. (n.d.). Retrieved August 5,2015

Brittany Anderson
ETEC 424
8/13/2015
My Response to Monique Burkley:
I think that you addressed well the issue of a teacher trying to reach and compensate in
the online classroom for the deficit in knowing which disability is present and cover every base.
Even in the traditional classroom it is practically impossible to address every single child's
specific learning need and now with the enforcement and maintenance of these laws is difficult
because it forces teachers to try to predict all of the disabilities they may encounter in an online
setting instead of learning the most effective ways to reach all students. For most teachers this
becomes a daunting task as you said they attempt to accommodate every students' needs at once
but I think your suggestion for a list of resources and helpful tips that will connect students to the
proper services is a great suggestion. Not only does this idea address the requirement by law to
provide equal opportunity to all students in the online classroom but it also gives teachers a way
to moderately approach this broad and often times tedious task of finding a solution to every
single disability in each class that gives all students options for locating the right resources for
them.

Jazmine Jacksons Discussion Post:

The Americans with Disability Act (ADA) of 1990 is a law that prohibits discrimination of
people with disabilities. It prohibits discrimination in employment, public services, public
accommodations, and telecommunications. Section 508 of the act was put in place to require electronics
and information to be accessible to all disabled people. I believe that this act was very necessary and
important to those who have disabilities because they still need to be able to function on a daily basis and
get things accomplished the same way that others do. For example in school if students have disabilities
they are able to take tests and in a separate and proper environment that is comfortable for them. Another
example could be ATMs that now have an option for the hearing impaired who need help so that they
dont have to be inconvenienced and go in the bank to withdraw or deposit money. In today as technology
becomes more and more of a big factor in almost everything that people do I believe that it is important
for these accommodations to be put In place.

My Response to Jazmine Jackson:

I agree 100% that technology is one of the big factors and a game changer in today's
classrooms. I noted in my post though that it will be difficult for us as teachers to find a
"solution" to every disability as our classrooms have increased technology standards and tools for
teaching but if we can find simple solutions, like the ones you listed that we may have a path to
reaching more students. Because these learning aids have become a mandate in classrooms, I
think many teachers (including myself) are afraid of forgetting a specific disability or not having
the proper tools to aid a child with a certain disability. And though this is a rational fear, finding
ways to simplify this very broad expectation, as if it were a traditional classroom environment,
can help to eliminate that fear and promote the goals of the ADA and Section 508. In the the
online environment it is not as easy to separate students or make testing accommodations but
finding out new ways to cover the curriculum in the most diverse and accessible way can help us
to achieve the goals of the ADA and Section 508 with similar solutions as to those you provided
above.