100% Committed: Sustaining Inclusive Technology Practices in Online Learning
Christine Fox directs the planning and implementation of Center on Inclusive Technology & Education (CITES) activities, including the evaluation and reporting, budgeting, and leveraging of internal and external partnerships. She is a lifelong learner and former classroom teacher with nearly 20 years of experience in education technology.
DLC is pleased to be a CITES sustainability partner, supporting continued access to the CITES Framework and its resources supporting inclusive education systems for our members and DLAC attendees.
Is your educational program committed to supporting students with disabilities? Are you 100% committed to sustaining inclusive technology practices, or are you working to build capacity or just getting started?
Proactively leading inclusive technology systems not only meets federal requirements of Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), but more importantly, it positively impacts teaching and learning for students to thrive. Digital learning environments require safe access to digital tools, resources, and materials. Ensuring these resources are accessible and interoperable with assistive technologies used by students with disabilities is an essential component of inclusive technology systems.
Whether your program is on track to sustain an inclusive tech system or getting started, the Center on Inclusive Technology & Education Systems (CITES) is pleased to partner with the DLC to support your work. Launched in 2019, the goal of CITES is to empower school districts to create and sustain inclusive technology systems that serve all students. As referenced in the October 2022 DLC blog post, the CITES Virtual Learning Project focuses specifically on promising practices related to educating students with disabilities and their families in online or blended programs.
Online programs involve designing systems to support students with disabilities in various ways. Your school or district may manage the provision of assistive technology and accessible materials, or you may coordinate with your students' school of record. Either way, CITES now has additional resources to support this process. Based on feedback from experts in the field, district, and virtual program leaders, CITES has added guides for administrators and educators to support the implementation of Assistive Technologies (AT) and Accessible Educational Materials (AEM), navigating Individual Education Plans (IEPs) and supporting professional learning. Plus, multiple schools and districts, including North Carolina Virtual Public School provided their Request for Proposals (RFP) questions and/or guidance as related to procuring accessible educational materials. Below is a specific list of new resources.
Making a commitment to implement inclusive technology systems is a journey and CITES is here to take that journey with you and your team. The CITES Framework and its resources are openly licensed, therefore educators are encouraged to reuse and remix the content to best meet their needs.
In October 2023, the Center's next five-year round of funding will launch and continue through 2028. As part of the work, CITES will leverage Active Implementation Frameworks (AIF) to support sustained and scalable systems change tools to ensure alignment with state-adopted frameworks, such as Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) or Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), as well as state accountability systems. Findings from this work, along with a national data collection, will support the continued refinement of the CITES Framework.
Stay engaged and stay committed to an inclusive future. Visit https://cites.cast.org/ regularly to access updates and new content to create and support more inclusive technology ecosystems.
This content was developed under a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, #H327T180001. However, the contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government. Project Officer: Anita Vermeer, M.Ed.