Accessibility at Apple and How We All Benefit
A Presentation by Meg Wilson
Our Universal Design for Learning class was recently visited by Meg Wilson from Apple. She shared a lot of information and helpful resources with us about technology and accessibility that can help everyone, not just our students with special needs. I was shocked to see some of the statistics that she shared with us. For example, I learned that 1 in 7 people in the U.S. have documented disabilities. I know that many people live with invisible disabilities that you cannot see and often do not know about, but I was still surprised to learn that so many people are living with disabilities.
I also learned that 1 in 5 students in the U.S. have dyslexia; I was truly shocked by this information. As a special area teacher with 850 students, it is hard for me to read and remember everything on all of my students' IEPs. To hear that 1 in 5 of my students has dyslexia was surprising, but it also gave me valuable information that I can take forward as we practice reading music in class.
Meg also shared many accessibility features built into Apple devices can be useful to everyone, which aligns perfectly with the core values of Universal Design for Learning. For instance, Siri is a convenient feature for iPhone users; you can ask her a question or ask her to call someone without having to spend the time typing. Many people with and without disabilities use Siri, but Siri can be crucially necessary for an iPhone user who is blind. Asking Siri to look up an answer for you or call a friend removes the barrier of sight for these phone users and makes everyday technology accessible.
Below are the links to the resources that Meg shared with us. I hope that everyone can find something that they can use in their classrooms!
Hi Tyler,
ReplyDeleteI think your page looks nice! My site is from scratch too. They will be full of resources and information by the end of the semester. I feel that Meg provided us with some interesting statistics and insight on how much is going on at Apple. I like how you included the information Meg provided us to share with your viewers.
Hello Tyler,
ReplyDeleteI can not find my original response to your blog post from D2L, so I am posting a new comment here! I loved what you shared from the class with Meg Wilson. I also love how you included links to the documents she provided us with. That way you will be able to continue referencing them even after you finish this class!
I think that what stuck with me the most about your post was the information about Siri. Just as Meg mentioned, anyone can use Siri. I use Siri all the time when I am driving so that I am not looking at my phone. I will tell Siri to text a friend or family member to let them know that I am on my way. I have even using Siri to order a pizza so that I am not distractedly trying to navigate a website. Thank you for sharing!