Access to the Digital Community (Participate 3.1.1)

When educators are utilizing technology in the classroom (or for online teaching), it's imperative that they ensure that the information is accessible to all students.  Many students face barriers to web access because of geography, socioeconomic status or physical disabilities.

By using different online tools, we can determine the speed of our internet connection.  When I checked my personal connection using Ookla's speed test, for example, I learned that my internet connection is faster than that of 73% of the United States.  It takes hardly any time for me to allow a video to buffer or to read through a website that has many pictures and gadgets on it.  For many others, though, who access the internet through a 3G or 4G network on a phone or tablet, or through a slower internet connection at home, it can take much longer to watch a video or download a file.  There are rural areas where fast internet access is difficult to obtain, and we need to be cognizant of that reality when designing online lessons and assignments.

Another obstacle to web access that so many citizens face is socioeconomic status.  Many students come from families who may have to choose between putting dinner on the table or paying the cable or phone bill.  Although these students can usually access the internet at public libraries or schools, often times they are limited in the amount of time they have to be online.  Educators (and informed citizens) need to work actively within communities to support initiatives such as this one in Illinois that will provide internet access to all citizens, therefore making opportunity more equitable for our students.

Finally, if we want everyone to be able to access online learning communities, we must consider the needs of those people who have physical disabilities.  These disabilities can range from color-blindness to quadriplegia, and educators need to work to accommodate any special needs people may have.  Often times, we can help a person with a physical handicap through a simple solution such as providing audio either by a voice-over or through a program such as JAWS screen reading software.  We can be sure to include captions for audio for our deaf students, and we can minimize the number of mouse clicks required to assist a student with quadriplegia.  By taking simple measures to include everyone, we can establish a more inclusive, more equitable online learning community.