The Accessible Learning Experience

On this episode, CAST Technical Assistance Specialist Maggie Pickett interviews the authors of Inclusive Learning 365: Edtech Strategies for Every Day of the Year. The authors’ contagious passion for inclusive learning will be quickly evident as they each start with a brief description of what drives their work as advocates for inclusive technology and accessibility. This is followed by a  great conversation on the importance of an inclusive mindset, how to build an inclusive strategies toolkit, and the authors’ vision for a more inclusive future. Visit aem.cast.org for show notes. If you’re getting value out of this podcast, please share it with others and let us know by providing a rating and commenting wherever you get your podcasts! The contents of this podcast were developed under a cooperative agreement with the US Department of Education, #H327Z190004. However, those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the US Department of Education and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government. Project Officer: Rebecca Sheffield, Ph.D.

Mark Nichols is the Senior Director of Universal Design and Accessible Technologies at Virginia Tech and a longtime friend of the AEM Center and CAST. This episode starts with Mark sharing the personal experience that drives everything he does as an accessibility professional. We then explore the exciting Choose Accessible Learning Materials, or CALM, initiative and how it has helped Mark and his team “franchise” digital accessibility at Virginia Tech. Mark also touches on how the AEM Quality indicators have informed that work from the beginning. And stay tuned until the end for information on how you can get access to design files you too can use to create your own campus digital accessibility initiative. Visit aem.cast.org for show notes. If you’re getting value out of this podcast, please share it with others and let us know by providing a rating and commenting wherever you get your podcasts! The contents of this podcast were developed under a cooperative agreement with the US Department of Education, #H327Z190004. However, those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the US Department of Education and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government. Project Officer: Rebecca Sheffield, Ph.D.

On this episode we are excited to welcome CAST CEO Lindsay Jones to the podcast! Lindsay discusses technical assistance with the entire TA team at CAST, which spans two national technical assistance centers: the National Center on Accessible Educational Materials for Learning (AEM Center) and the Center for Inclusive Techology and Education Systems (CITES). After explaining what makes the approach to technical assistance at CAST unique, the team shares favorite resources based on the different roles and tasks involved in the provision and use of accessible educational materials and technologies. With the resources shared on this episode you will be well on your way to becoming an accessibility ally and hero! Visit aem.cast.org for show notes. If you’re getting value out of this podcast, please share it with others and let us know by providing a rating and commenting wherever you get your podcasts! The contents of this podcast were developed under a cooperative agreement with the US Department of Education, #H327Z190004. However, those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the US Department of Education and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government. Project Officer: Rebecca Sheffield, Ph.D.

Procuring or purchasing accessible educational materials and technologies will make it more likely that learners with disabilities who use assistive technology (AT) will have access at the same time as everyone else. In this episode, a team from the Francis Howell school district in Missouri speaks to the collaboration across departments that has helped them improve how accessible educational materials and technologies are purchased and provided throughout their district, with the goal of ensuring all learners are able to participate and make progress in their learning in a meaningful way. Visit aem.cast.org for show notes. If you’re getting value out of this podcast, please share it with others and let us know by providing a rating and commenting wherever you get your podcasts! The contents of this podcast were developed under a cooperative agreement with the US Department of Education, #H327Z190004. However, those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the US Department of Education and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government. Project Officer: Rebecca Sheffield, Ph.D.

The research is clear. Implementing strong, authentic family engagement practices has a positive impact across the board for educators, families, and learners themselves. In this episode, you’ll learn how the Center on Inclusive Technology and Education Systems (CITES) is elevating this critical piece of district technology implementation across the five areas of the CITES framework - Leadership, Infrastructure, Teaching, Learning, and Assessment. Our guest Yokasta Urena then shares her unique perspective on family engagement based on her lived experience as both the parent of a student with a disability and an education professional supporting families in a variety of roles. Visit aem.cast.org for show notes. If you’re getting value out of this podcast, please share it with others and let us know by providing a rating and commenting wherever you get your podcasts! The contents of this podcast were developed under a cooperative agreement with the US Department of Education, #H327Z190004. However, those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the US Department of Education and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government. Project Officer: Rebecca Sheffield, Ph.D.

In this episode, AEM Center Project Director Cynthia Curry chats Dr. Eric Moore, Director of Learning Technology at the Kennedy Krieger Institute. Dr. Moore’s passion for designing inclusive learning environments has been informed and inspired by his own lived experience as a person with a disability and the many roles he has had in education, both in the U.S. and abroad. Tune in to hear Dr. Moore’s insights on how we can all work to create more inclusive workplaces where “people in all their variety are at the table, with disability being part of that variable tapestry that makes up our humanity.” Visit aem.cast.org for show notes. If you’re getting value out of this podcast, please share it with others and let us know by providing a rating and commenting wherever you get your podcasts! The contents of this podcast were developed under a cooperative agreement with the US Department of Education, #H327Z190004. However, those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the US Department of Education and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government. Project Officer: Rebecca Sheffield, Ph.D.

We are excited to launch Season 2 of the podcast with a conversation between AEM Center Technical Assistance Specialist Michelle Soriano and Kelli Suding. Kelli works for the PATINS (Promoting Achievement through Technology and Instruction for all Students) Project in Indiana, which was a 2014-2019 National AEM Cohort state. She is an experienced educator and assistive technology expert, and in this episode she shares many practical tips and ideas that will help you get the new school year off to a great start in order to ensure all your students have the access they need for success. You’ll learn how Kelli approaches the selection of technology tools through the SETT framework, and why she thinks using assistive technology and accessible educational materials is not cheating!  Visit aem.cast.org for show notes. If you’re getting value out of this podcast, please share it with others and let us know by providing a rating and commenting wherever you get your podcasts! The contents of this podcast were developed under a cooperative agreement with the US Department of Education, #H327Z190004. However, those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the US Department of Education and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government. Project Officer: Rebecca Sheffield, Ph.D.

The Center for Inclusive Software for Learning (CISL) at CAST is an OSEP-funded project that developed Clusive as a free, flexible, adaptive, and customizable web-based digital learning environment . On this episode, Lynn McCormack and Kristin Robinson from the Clusive team join us to explain the many accessibility features and Universal Design for Learning supports that are built into Clusive to create a more personalized learning environment that adapts to individual needs and preferences of each learner, including display options, text-to-speech, word lookup, affective measures and more. Stay tuned to the end to learn about some exciting new features that make it even easier for students, teachers and parents to use Clusive with their own materials. Visit aem.cast.org for show notes. The contents of this podcast were developed under a cooperative agreement with the US Department of Education, #H327Z190004. However, those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the US Department of Education and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government. Project Officer: Rebecca Sheffield, Ph.D.

Step UP AT is an OSEP-funded project that coaches teachers, teacher assistants, families and school districts to adopt evidence-based assistive technology (AT) practices shown to improve early literacy outcomes for young children with disabilities. On this episode, Step UP AT’s Michele Schaldant and Austin Garilli explain how Step UP AT is addressing the challenge of building capacity for the effective use of AT in the diverse settings where young children with disabilities and their families receive services, including a video library with AT demonstrations, online modules and more. Visit aem.cast.org for show notes. The contents of this podcast were developed under a cooperative agreement with the US Department of Education, #H327Z190004. However, those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the US Department of Education and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government. Project Officer: Rebecca Sheffield, Ph.D.

Bruce Alter and Jamie Maier have developed a strong partnership aimed at improving access for all students in Oregon’s Tigard-Tualatin School District.  On this episode, Bruce and Jaimie share powerful personal and professional stories highlighting the power of assistive technology and accessible educational materials. They also share a number of tips and lessons learned from their district’s experience ensuring continuity of learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Visit aem.cast.org for show notes. The contents of this podcast were developed under a cooperative agreement with the US Department of Education, #H327Z190004. However, those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the US Department of Education and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government. Project Officer: Rebecca Sheffield, Ph.D.

The need for accessibility doesn’t stop when learners transition into the workforce. In this episode, we continue our discussion of effective partnerships, this time with a focus on efforts to improve the timely delivery of high-quality accessible materials and technologies to job seekers with disabilities.  Our guests from Oklahoma’s Able Tech and Department of Rehabilitation Services explain how they collaborated on a Five Star Rubric that will drive continuous improvement on accessibility for workforce development agencies in Oklahoma, and the lessons they learned from the process that can inform similar efforts in other states. Visit aem.cast.org for show notes.  The contents of this podcast were developed under a cooperative agreement with the US Department of Education, #H327Z190004. However, those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the US Department of Education and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government. Project Officer: Rebecca Sheffield, Ph.D.

Developing a robust system that improves the timely delivery of high-quality accessible educational materials and technologies requires coordinated work at both the state and district levels. What does that kind of partnership look like? On this episode, Carson Cochran, from the Georgia Department of Education, and Somer Smith, from Marietta City Schools, share the insights and lessons they have learned through their collaboration as part of the National AEM Cohort. And stay tuned until the end to learn about Take a Minute!, an exciting new initiative to bring a more intentional consideration of assistive technology and accessible educational materials into the IEP process in Georgia.Visit aem.cast.org for show notes. The contents of this podcast were developed under a cooperative agreement with the US Department of Education, #H327Z190004. However, those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the US Department of Education and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government. Project Officer: Rebecca Sheffield, Ph.D.

In the conclusion of our three-part series exploring the history of accessibility at CAST, co-founders Skip Stahl and David Rose reflect on how that history continues to inspire and inform the work of the technical assistance centers based at CAST. The episode concludes with a touching tribute to the life and work of Joy Zabala, with information on how you can contribute to the Joy Zabala Fellowship fund and continue her legacy as a leader in assistive technology and accessible educational materials. Visit aem.cast.org for show notes. The contents of this podcast were developed under a cooperative agreement with the US Department of Education, #H327Z190004. However, those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the US Department of Education and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government. Project Officer: Rebecca Sheffield, Ph.D.

In part 2 of our three-part series focusing on the history of accessibility at CAST, CAST co-founder Skip Stahl picks up the story from David Rose in the mid-1990s, when CAST becomes more involved in the world of policy in order to have a broader impact with initiatives such as the National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard or NIMAS, and creation of the National Center on Accessing the General Curriculum. Skip and David speak to the consensus building and collaboration needed to bring a range of stakeholders to the table in order to make meaningful change and concrete outcomes, which continue to have a significant impact on learners everywhere to this day. Visit aem.cast.org for show notes. The contents of this podcast were developed under a cooperative agreement with the US Department of Education, #H327Z190004. However, those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the US Department of Education and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government. Project Officer: Rebecca Sheffield, Ph.D.

In Part 1 of our three-part interview, CAST co-founders David Rose and Skip Stahl look back to the early years of accessibility at CAST and the work that laid the foundation for a number of innovations that continue to shape the field of education today. This includes the development of the earliest electronic books to include accessibility supports, which were based on the lessons learned form CAST’s early work with learners with disabilities and the appropriately named “Pioneers” program. We also hear about the creation of the award-winning—and first of its kind—Bobby web accessibility checker. David explains how a meeting with Ron Mace, who coined the term universal design, led to the creation of Universal Design in Education, what we now know as Universal Design for Learning. Visit aem.cast.org for show notes. The contents of this podcast were developed under a cooperative agreement with the US Department of Education, #H327Z190004. However, those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the US Department of Education and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government. Project Officer: Rebecca Sheffield, Ph.D.