Bookshare memberships are for students who are blind, have low vision, have such learning disabilities as severe dyslexia, or have a disability such as cerebral palsy that could keep them from holding a book. Such students have what are collectively called print disabilities—a distinct departure from saying “learning disabilities,” said David Rose, the chief education officer at the Center for Applied Special Technology, or CAST, in Wakefield, Mass.
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Using the phrase “print disability” said Mr. Rose, “is co-locating the problem. Print is part of the problem.” His nonprofit organization works on expanding learning opportunities for all individuals, especially those with disabilities, through a set of principles called “universal design for learning.”
“We can convey that information in a whole host of ways now. In that world, you go, ‘Print is not very good for a lot of kids,’ ” he said.
Angela Nelson on 12 Dec 12PresenceLearning allows students to receive speech therapy services online. Willows is a tiny farming town in Northern California about 20 miles from where I grew up. Imagine my surprise as I read this article and realized that the superintendent they were quoting, Vicki Shadd, was actually my Jr. High School volleyball coach. The real benefit of distance therapeutic services in this instance is the ability to provide services to rural students who would would otherwise be neglected due to the school's location and budget.
