Chapter 24: Designing for Inclusion - Exploring barriers to learning for learners with disability - Part 2

Chapter 24: Designing for Inclusion - Exploring barriers to learning for learners with disability - Part 2

Date/Time: 5th September 2024 , Friday 7:38 pm

Sharing some important learning points from the ISTE Course online "Design for Inclusion" module 1. There was an interesting image shared with 3 different individuals who had limb issues. The task asks you to discuss barriers to learning. Each of the individuals who have limb issues will suffer in some way. They might have writing issues, writing speed may be affected, shifting between multiple tabs can be difficult, creating slideshow or presentation will be challenging, coding or programming tasks may also have issues. Carrying devices and textbooks may also be a challenge and support may be required to do usual chores.

There was an interesting video where a writer Sinead Burke talks about how her short height is seen as a disability and the problems she encounters on a daily basis. The simplest being the design of un accessible washrooms in public places, issues while ordering something to eat, moving around an airport! Now all these places are designed for common people, not for people with dis-abilities.

The same is true for our schools, as far as the government sector is concerned, they don't even have enough space and furniture to accommodate learners in a class. During a visit to a government school, I observed around 50 students jam packed in a class. These schools have no furniture to support learners with physical disabilities nor do they have wheelchairs for children. Even the washrooms were not appropriate, not for normal people , nor for people with disabilities.

Another interesting video mentioned how these dis abilities actually empowered some people and enabled them to design solutions for real life challenges. This includes using UDL to design solutions and design thinking to come up with innovative solutions. These included designing a solar panel to keep the animals and farmers safe, and eye glasses with an LED light to know about the presence of sound. Another interesting video talked about using captions to support people with hearing disability and YouTube actually lets you put captions on videos, or using speech to text writers for people with writing disability or using text messages for people who have hearing issues.

Now think about it, how many schools in Pakistan are actually designing for inclusion? how many teachers encourage use of captions while watching videos? or encourage speech to text options?  How many schools have audio textbooks or design specific furniture keeping in mind learners with variability? Do schools have teachers who work with these learners? Are these teachers trained? Does the school have ample resources for these varied learners? Does the classroom environment support these learners? Do they have escalators to support learners on wheelchairs? Do they have a curriculum which supports variability?

If we think about whats App audio messaging, it supports people with writing difficulties, tools like Flip Grid support visual learning. I can link this to Meyers 12 Multimedia principles and how appropriate and consciously placing text and image on screen can benefit both learners and teachers, not over burdening cognitive skills of learners. So we might be using tools not knowing they are supporting learning for learners with disabilities. A chatbot could also be used to assist in tasks. Note taking in a journal or Google Keep can help remember the key points that may be forgotten otherwise. GMAIL has a translation feature which is used for translating emails in different languages.

The image shared by Michael Giangreco reflected clarity on how supporting learners with disabilities could support growth and development of all learners, it was about clearing the ramp for a learner on a wheelchair could actually clear the way for all learners, who might be waiting for the worker to clear the staircase to move up. At times designing for learners with disabilities can lead to creating solutions for all learners.

Some more ideas and I will share in the next post soon InnShaaAllah.

Happy Reading!

Regards and prayers

Sheeba Ajmal