Selecting and purchasing education technology (ed tech) products that are accessible to students with disabilities requires engaging a variety of stakeholders throughout the five-phase process described in our original guidance on procurement (June 2019).
During the rapid transition to distance learning in response to COVID-19, decisions were made quickly to keep staff and students safe and healthy, educate students remotely, and finish the school year amid the crisis. As planning for the next school year begins, leaders and educators can use this opportunity to make more strategic decisions about ed tech that are inclusive and designed to benefit all learners, including those with disabilities.
In support of state leadership, SETDA recently published the State Education Agency Considerations for CARES Act Funding as Related to Digital Learning. As state education agencies (SEAs) plan for the 2020-21 school year and work to ensure that high quality learning opportunities are available to all students, each has the opportunity to demonstrate leadership. To support equitable opportunities for all students across a state, SEAs can provide direction and resources to help ensure that all students, regardless of location, race, language, special needs or socio-economic barriers have access to quality digital learning experiences.
The Congressional Research Service issued the following report highlighting models of state broadband leadership and solutions to inform plans around efficiently delivering broadband to all areas, especially under-served regions:
The report is a close cousin to SETDA’s various iterations of The Broadband Imperative and highlights the great work of many of our SETDA members. We may want to lean on its content to shine a light on our own best-practices programs and argue for CARES Act and other funding sources to expand broadband in our states and regions.
This federal student data privacy resource is designed to provide school districts with a concise overview of federal data privacy laws along with five action ideas they can implement in their own systems. Download all the State Papers:https://www.catchon.com/resource_library/student-data-privacy-resources/
Tech for Learners is a project by the Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA) and their partner organizations to support to those involved in education at all levels and from all communities as they scale up capabilities for online learning.
