Balancing Screen Use and Accessibility for Students with Disabilities

CONCORD, Calif. — Ninth grader Soraya Martin is a social and lively teenager who has found a newfound interest in creative writing. Despite her dyslexia, Soraya excels by leveraging her cellphone and other technologies. These tools help her with tasks like dictating her writing, listening to books, and photographing classroom notes, transforming her academic experience.

Her mother, Heather Martin, highlights the advantages screens offer to students with disabilities, though she fears that these students might be overlooked amid increasing school screen bans. Over 30 states have restricted cellphone use in schools, and some propose removing screens like laptops and tablets entirely.

“I’m not stupid, I have so much to say,” Soraya shares about her improved confidence and grades due to assistive technology.

Advocates like Lindsay Jones of the Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST) express concern over potential negative effects of rapid screen bans on students with disabilities. These students often rely on assistive technologies such as speech-to-text, audiobooks, and screen magnifiers.

Some states have laws targeting screen limitations, taking effect soon, like in Alabama, Tennessee, and Utah. Jones urges more thoughtful consideration and inclusion of educators and disabled individuals when crafting these policies. Assistive technology should be explicitly considered.

At Soraya’s high school, where cellphones are locked during the school day, Heather Martin fears that broad bans might impact accessibility.

“A completely screen-free environment feels like it’s throwing the baby out with the bathwater,” she comments, noting that screens are crucial accessibility tools for some students.

While screens can serve as distractions, Soraya also relies on her phone for note-taking and as a contact point for emergencies like panic attacks. Her Individualized Education Program (IEP) permits phone use for educational purposes, although teachers are adjusting to recent policy changes.

Jones emphasizes the importance of Universal Design for Learning, a framework by CAST encouraging diverse learning methods in classrooms. Examples include using various teaching aids for better comprehension and providing e-books for accessible reading options.

As policy changes affect schools, stakeholders must ensure that students with disabilities maintain their rights and access to supportive technologies. For Soraya, these tools have enhanced her ability to share her thoughts and accept her learning differences more fully. She recently completed essays on dyslexia, showcasing her newfound academic strength and confidence.

Visual design and development by LA Johnson