http://www.disabilityworld.org/06-08_02/access/students.shtml

A bimonthly web-zine of international disability news and views € Issue no. 14 June-August 2002

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U.S. Coalition for Technology & Disabled Students

Washington, D.C. - More than 25 disability and education organizations have joined forces as the Technology, Education, and Accessible Media (TEAM) Coalition to propose that principles of universal design be incorporated in the reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Operating on a consensus basis and led by a four-member steering committee, the TEAM Coalition has united a diverse cross-section of the disability community in a striking convergence of interests. Steering committee members include: Jamie Ruppmann, TASH; Patti Ralabate, National Education Association; Joy Relton, American Foundation for the Blind; and John Flanders, Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.

The TEAM Coalition seeks to incorporate into the reauthorized IDEA:

*    The concept of "universally designed technologies" with funding support for research and development of these technologies;
*    Expanded personnel training and preparation in the use and implementation of universally designed technologies and assistive technology devices;
*    Requirements to ensure the accessibility of both educational materials and IDEA grant deliverables, including print materials, electronic media materials, web sites, videos, software, CD-ROMs and DVDs; and
*    Increased funding for Part D programs by indexing Part D funding at 10% of funding for Part B.

"Despite the emergence of universally designed technologies, which allow access to be built into educational programs right from the start, the concept of universal design is absent from current law. This reauthorization affords us an excellent opportunity to update IDEA for the 21st Century and ensure that IDEA students gain access to a wide array of cutting-edge technologies and educational resources," said Jamie Ruppmann, Policy Advocate for TASH, a civil rights organization for, and of, people whose significant physical and cognitive disabilities that make full integration a challenge.

Speaking to the TEAM Coalition's recommendations on increased technology professional development for special education personnel, Patti Ralabate, a Senior Professional Associate with the National Education Association, stated: "One of the greatest barriers for special education students who need access to books, videotapes, DVDs, CD-ROMs, and all of the resources of the Web is the lack of professional development in how to use and integrate universally designed technology and assistive technology into the classroom. The adoption of the TEAM Coalition's recommendations will go a long way towards upgrading the technology skills of our general and special education teachers and improving the academic lives of all students."

Joy Relton, Government Relations Representative for American Foundation for the Blind, also commented on the TEAM Coalition's effort to ensure the accessibility of educational materials: "How can we expect children with disabilities to succeed academically if they don't even have access to educational materials at the same time as their non-disabled peers? Last year, Congress made a promise to ensure that no child is left behind in our educational system. That commitment extends to children with disabilities, and access to educational materials is a critical first step towards fulfilling this obligation."

John Flanders, Children's Rights Advocate with Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing stated: "I was gratified to hear Governor Branstad, the Chair of the President's Commission on Excellence in Special Education, acknowledge in his recent Senate testimony that universally designed learning environments are important to the success of students with disabilities. However, we cannot translate Governor Branstad's vision into reality without increased funding. That is why the TEAM Coalition's proposal to augment Part D funding is critical to our effort to deliver universally designed technologies and assistive technologies into every classroom, and to ensure that every special education teacher receives the necessary technology training."

The recommendations can be accessed online at the American Association of People with Disabilities website at http://www.aapd.com/downloads/IDEA%20Recommend%2002.pdf.

The following TEAM Coalition members have signed on in support of the recommendations: ADA Watch, Alexander Graham Bell Association For the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, American Association of People with Disabilities, American Council of the Blind, American Foundation for the Blind, American Society for Deaf Children, Assistive Technology Industry Association, Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired, Association of Tech Act Projects, Association of University Centers on Disabilities, Center for Applied Special Technology, Cochlear Americas, Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund, Conference of Educational Administrators of Schools and Programs for the Deaf, Easter Seals, Education Development Center, Inc., Center for Children and Technology, International Dyslexia Association, Learning Disabilities Association, National Association of the Deaf, National Association of Protection and Advocacy Systems, Inc., National Center for Accessible Media at WGBH, National Center for Learning Disabilities, National Education Association, Parents' Voice, Inc., Self Help for Hard of Hearing People, TASH, Telecommunications for the Deaf, Inc., United Cerebral Palsy and Verizon.


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