Addressing the needs of every learner: A look at developing Born Accessible

A considerable amount of time has been spent by publishers on developing educational resources that address different learning styles, making sure that the needs of every child is met. Without pointing fingers, the core issue of ensuring that all learners can engage meaningfully with educational resources has been an after thought. Learners with disabilities need to have access to not just text but also images, interactive simulations, and a variety of manipulatives. While Section 508 dictates that all users regardless of their disability must have access to educational assets this seems to be treated as a recommendation and not a requirement. In this show we will explore ways to architect solutions from early in the development process to address the needs of all learners.

Guests at the table:

1. George Kerscher, Secretary General at  DAISY Consortium
2. Robin Seaman, Director of Content at Benetech
3. Clayton Lewis, Professor of Computer Science at University of Colorado, Boulder