Even though K-12 schools had to adapt to remote and hybrid learning arrangements with the onset of COVID-19, most educators are probably unaware that providing equal access to digital education tools is still required by the Americans with Disabilities Act and other federal and state laws, advocates say.
The pandemic accelerated the shift from print-based learning to digital content, necessitating the creation of accessible learning materials for students who have visual, hearing, motor and cognitive impairments, according to a September 2022 report from Codemantra, a Boston-based technology company that specializes in digital document accessibility compliance.
“Schools and school districts are increasingly contending with the pressing task of creating accessible learning content. The use of presentations, course content, supplemental materials, OERs, instructional materials, et cetera, in the K-12 education system has soared during the pandemic,” the report said, adding that 11 percent of U.S. K-12 students between the ages of 6 and 17 had some type of disability as of last September.
“The shift to digital work has allowed teachers who instruct kindergarten to the 12th grade to continue with classroom interaction. But it has also meant that teachers have to contend with the volume of content that has to be made accessible and maintain the quality to disseminate to students with disabilities and their non-disabled peers,” the report said. “For students and teachers with...
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