Overview
In today’s classrooms and schools, digital accessibility – the inclusive practice of removing barriers that prevent interaction with, or access to, websites, digital tools, and technologies by people with disabilities – is a prerequisite for student success. School- and system-level edtech leaders are critical in ensuring that the equitable edtech systems they oversee provide access to all students, regardless of their unique needs or ability status. This resource provides guidance to users of the EdTech Systems Guide, created by The Learning Accelerator (TLA) in partnership with the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Office of Educational Technology (MA DESE OET), on how to prioritize accessibility in their edtech decisions and practices.
Before you Begin: Understanding what we mean by equitable edtech systems. We believe that unlocking the potential of edtech systems to promote equality requires intentional selection, implementation, and evaluation processes that:
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Practices
Many participants of the 2023-24 EdTech Peer Learning Cohort facilitated by TLA in partnership with MA DESE OET identified digital accessibility as a critical focus for their edtech systems improvement efforts. For some, their focus on accessibility took the form of creating selection processes that considered edtech products' accessibility features. For others, this looked like supporting teachers to implement edtech tools' accessibility features and engage in more accessible instructional practices. From their work, a clear set of opportunities to support digital accessibility through edtech selection, implementation, and evaluation processes emerged. These practices are outlined below.
Selection
School- and system-level edtech leaders can use the influence of their decision-making role to ensure the tools that enter their school’s or system’s digital ecosystems are accessible. When considering new edtech tools for selection, the following accessibility considerations must be non-negotiable criteria:
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Principles: Do the edtech tools follow UDL principles and provide multiple means of representation, expression, and engagement?
Assistive Technologies: Do these tools integrate with assistive technologies such as screen readers, text-to-speech software, and alternative input devices to support students with disabilities?
Legal and Policy Compliance: Do the tools comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, which are laws that require educational institutions to provide equal access to technology for students with disabilities?
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) Guidelines: Do these tools follow WCAG direction to ensure digital content is perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust for all users?
Accessibility Features: Do these tools allow customization of text size, color contrast, and background settings to meet individual student needs? Do they ensure that videos include captions and transcripts and that text alternatives accompany audio content? Do they verify that all interactive elements can be accessed and operated using keyboard-only navigation for students with motor impairments?
Implementation
In addition to selecting tools for accessibility, you must equip the users of these tools with the knowledge and skills needed to implement them effectively. To understand if you are supporting edtech implementation in ways that promote digital accessibility, consider the following:
Training and Professional Development: Do you provide regular training for teachers and staff on how to use accessible edtech tools and incorporate accessibility features into their teaching practices? Do you educate students on the accessibility features that exist and how to use assistive technologies effectively? Do you provide implementation support resources for accessibility tools, like those created by Leominster Public Schools for the Read Aloud Google Chrome extension?
Collaboration and Partnerships: Do you work closely with edtech vendors to ensure their products meet accessibility standards and address the specific needs of your students? Do you partner with organizations specializing in accessibility to stay informed about best practices and emerging technologies?
Awareness and Advocacy: Do you promote awareness about the importance of accessibility within your school community or highlight success stories and the positive impact of accessible edtech on student learning? Do you advocate for policies and funding that support the adoption and implementation of accessible edtech tools and practices?
Creating an Inclusive Environment: Do you develop and implement policies prioritizing accessibility and inclusion in all aspects of your educational technology strategy? Do you empower students with disabilities by involving them in decision-making process and providing opportunities for them to advocate for their needs?
Evaluation
In addition to selecting and supporting the implementation of accessible edtech tools, school- and system-level edtech leaders must evaluate the tools in their edtech portfolios with digital accessibility in mind.
Evaluate Impact on Key Subgroups: What data are you collecting to understand the impact or effectiveness of accessible tools (or accessibility features within tools) for the students and other stakeholders who use them? Are you disaggregating larger data sets to understand if general usage and impact trends are the same or different for students with disabilities or students who are learning English?
Solicit Feedback: Do you conduct regular accessibility audits of your edtech tools and resources to identify and address any barriers? Do you gather feedback from students, families, and teachers to understand their experiences and needs related to accessibility? Have you discussed the usefulness of tools and specific accessibility features with the educators who work closely with students with disabilities, students who are learning English, and multilingual learners?
Run and Evaluate Pilot Programs: Do you implement pilot programs to test the edtech tools in a real classroom setting that allows you to monitor and document the experiences of students and teachers to identify any accessibility barriers? How do you plan to document the effectiveness of the tools?
This strategy is a part of TLA's Driving EdTech Systems series, which accompanies the EdTech Systems Guide developed in partnership with MA DESE OET. Explore the full guide to find additional strategies, insights, and resources.
Strategy Resources
Chicopee Public Schools’ EdTech Evaluation Criteria Rubric
Chicopee Public Schools developed an edtech evaluation rubric as part of their participation in the... Learn More
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Natick Public Schools’ EdTech Selection Tool
Natick Public Schools uses this spreadsheet to help leadership make decisions about new edtech tools... Learn More
Leominster Public Schools’ Read Aloud Extension Support Document
Leominster Public Schools created this public-facing support resource for the Google Chrome extension Read... Learn More
Leominster Public Schools’ EdTech Support Site
Leominster Public Schools created this public-facing website to house edtech support resources as part of... Learn More
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