Creating equitable access to websites for all students in a classroom is very important. With the overabundance of information, activities, and resources found online these days, it is my duty as a classroom teacher to make sure all my students are granted access to these resources. According to ISTE, equitable access makes sure students know how to use the technology, where to get help, and must be adaptable to meet diverse learner needs.
My classroom is fortunate enough to have a classroom set of Chromebooks with internet access for every student. Additionally, we have two desktop computer stations for any student that may require a larger screen or the use of a physical computer mouse. We take time, at the beginning of each year, to teach students how to properly access online content, and how to adjust their online settings such as font size and color, background color as well as audio options for text to speech. Many students carry headphones with them; however, we also have them available in the classroom.
Students have two different options should they need help with classroom technology or accessing online materials. They may raise their hand and I would come to their desk for assistance, or the second option allows them to scan a posted QR code and submit a technology help request. The latter is helpful to those students who do not feel comfortable asking questions out loud or those requests that do not require an immediate response.
Technology becomes useful once each student has mastered skills to level online content to aid in their success.
References
Equitable Access. ISTE. (n.d.). Retrieved June 22, 2022, from https://www.iste.org/standards/essential-conditions/equitable-access