Article Review

How All Students Can Participate in Internet Research and Distance Education

URL - http://www.techlearning.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=164302301

Authors - This article was written by Christine Y. Mason, Ph.D. Educational Consultant and President, Mason & Associates, Senior Research Scientist, New Editions, Inc., McLean, VA and Richard Dodds, Director of Instructional Technology, Lasell College, Newton, MA. Another article written by Mason and Dodds: Bridge the Digital Divide
for Educational Equity. Education Digest, 70, 25. 

Thesis - Even though some students are limited by physical or learning disabilities, there are ways to provide adaptations which make the same Internet resources available to all students.

Content -The authors discuss the importance of the Internet in the classroom and the barriers that may be presented to some students. They provide some hardware and software solutions. A list of principles to consider to facilitate accessibility is included and several resources to aid in the provision of assistive technology.

Conclusions - Mason and Dodds state that it is possible to provide adaptations to technology to make Internet research and distance learning possible for all learners.
This article offered many suggestions that covered a wide range of factors that can affect a student’s ability to learn. The principles to consider that facilitate accessibility were helpful to me in my “regular education” classroom. Last year, one of my students was in a wheelchair with both legs in an a-frame brace. Since he could not pull up under most of our tables, it was much easier for him to use the laptop computer. Next year, there is a student that has limited physical ability. She has an adapted keyboard and scanner. Becoming familiar with resources and knowing that many adaptations are possible are beneficial for me and my students.