The Accessible Learning Experience
By CAST
Music: Season 1 - Honey Bee by Kevin MacLeod (CC BY 3.0); Season 2 - Funky Life by WinnieTheMoog (CC BY 4.0); Season 3 - Staying Positive by spinningmerkaba (CC BY NC 3.0).
The Accessible Learning ExperienceNov 16, 2021
S.03, Ep.07: A Student's Perspective: Connor Joyce
A key goal for this podcast is to share the lived experience of learners who use and benefit from providing accessible educational materials and technologies. In that spirit, this month we are lucky to have Connor Joyce on the podcast. Connor is a student at Gettysburg College double majoring in Emerging Threats in National Security and Political Science and minoring in History. In 2018 he was awarded the first copy of Pennsylvania House Resolution Bill No. 1044, which designated October as dyslexia awareness day in the Commonwealth, and in 2021, he received the Pennsylvania Governor's Civic Engagement Award for his work in the community.
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.
S.03, Ep.06: What’s New from the Technical Assistance Centers at CAST
The federally-funded Technical Assistance centers based at CAST are always working on new resources to help the field implement best practices in the provision and effective use of high-quality accessible materials and technologies. This month, we are pleased to share two new resources from the AEM Center. Michelle Soriano shares information about a new Family’s Guide to Accessible Educational Materials designed to help parents and caregivers work with their child’s teachers and education team to make sure each child receives the AEM they need in a timely manner. Kelli Suding then introduces a new Online Learning Series on Accessible Materials and Technologies, which are delivered through Canvas and are ready for you all to add to your professional development offerings. But first, we have the pleasure of introducing our new AEM Center Project Director, Dr. Elizabeth Barker. Elizabeth brings a wealth of experience with accessibility and has a rich background in special education as well. We are thrilled to have her on our small but mighty team!
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.
S.03, Ep.05: Inclusive Early Childhood Education for Students with Visual Impairments
Diana Garcia-Mejia is a Pre-K teacher of students with visual impairments who is passionate about accessibility and inclusion for all students. On this episode, Diana shares many practical tips and ideas for ensuring young learners with visual impairments get off to a strong start in their educational journey. That includes learning about braille and other supports, including assistive technology, as early as possible. The conversation with AEM Center Technical Assistance Specialist Luis Perez touches on the importance of involving families in braille education for young learners, ensuring representation by providing role models for young learners with visual disabilities to emulate and be inspired by, and much more. Stay tuned to the end to learn about an exciting project Diana was involved in: What I Can Be Is Up to Me, an accessible children’s book featuring characters who are blind or visually impaired.
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.
S.03, Ep.04: UDL, Accessibility, and Podcasting: A Conversation with Loui Lord Nelson
For our final episode of 2023, we are excited to welcome Loui Lord Nelson to the podcast. Loui, who herself is a master podcaster and the creator of the popular UDL in 15 minutes podcast, is an international UDL educator, consultant, speaker, and author. She has worked with schools, districts, universities, and ministries of education around the world to support UDL implementation and research, and you will hear about some of those experiences in this episode. Loui will share her UDL journey which began at Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation (BCSC) in Columbus, Indiana, her insights on the importance of accessibility for UDL practitioners, and her tips for getting started with accessible podcasting as a way to grow the UDL community by sharing the work of the many great educators she has met on her UDL journey.
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.
S.03, Ep.03: Building Inclusive Technology Systems, Stories From CITES Districts
On this episode, we welcome CITES Framework Development District partners Janna Greathouse and Samantha Reid with Jenks Public Schools in Oklahoma, and Bijul Dalal with Grossmont Union High School District in California. Janna and Bijul serve as their districts’ assistive technology leads, while Samantha Reid serves her district as the ed-tech lead. CAST Senior Technical Assistance Specialist and CITES Project Director Maggie Pickett talks with Janna, Samantha, and Bijul to pull back the curtain and share their stories about what worked to build and sustain inclusive technology ecosystems in their districts.
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.
S.03, Ep.02: Fostering Inclusive Early Childhood Education
The AEM Center has enjoyed an exciting partnership with Step Up AT and the Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center (ECTA) . On this episode, CAST Technical Assistance Specialist Maggie Pickett is joined by Michelle Schladant and Austin Garilli from Step Up AT and Jani Kazlowski from ECTA to discuss how their respective centers are working to foster more inclusive learning in early childhood settings. All three centers are funded by the Office of Special Education Programs to improve outcomes for children with disabilities. Over the past year, the teams collaborated on a workshop series to help early childhood education providers better understand how the use of assistive technology (or AT) and accessible educational materials (or AEM) relates to the successful development of infants, toddlers, and preschoolers with disabilities.
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.
S.03, Ep.01: Collaboration for a Greater Impact, Digital Accessibility at the U.S. Department of Education
We are excited to launch season 3 of the podcast with a conversation between AEM Center Technical Assistance Specialist Kelli Suding, Rebecca Sheffield from the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), and Ellery Robinson from the Office of Educational Technology (OET). Rebecca is an Education Program Specialist at OSEP and the AEM Center’s Project Officer, and Ellery has been an Education Pioneers Impact Fellow at OET. Rebecca and Ellery discuss a number of exciting initiatives related to digital accessibility at their respective Department of Education offices, as well as how their two offices are collaborating to share resources and ideas in order to have an even greater impact on the lives of all students who can benefit from technology, including those who have disabilities.
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.
S.02, Ep.11: From Compliance to Culture: Digital Accessibility in South Carolina
This Season 2 bonus episode originated from the AEM Center being introduced to leaders at the South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE) by both the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) and the Office of Educational Technology (OET) at the U.S. Department of Education (USDE). Throughout May, OSEP and OET partnered on a month-long public campaign to celebrate Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD). On GAAD, May 18th, the two Offices hosted a joint webinar featuring the evolution of SCDE’s digital accessibility initiative. Alerted by a 2017 letter of complaint from the Office for Civil Rights at USDE citing accessibility violations on its website, SCDE has taken multiple actions to improve digital accessibility within the agency and for districts across the state. In this episode, AEM Center Project Director Cynthia Curry interviews SCDE digital accessibility leaders, Valarie Byrd, Senior Consultant, and Lydia Hutto, Training Coordinator & Staff Technology Instructor.
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.
S.02, Ep.10: Intersectionality, UDL, and Communities of Belonging in Higher Ed
On this episode, we welcome Zebadiah Hall to the podcast. Zebadiah is the first Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the University of Wyoming, and he has a long career in the field of disability services in higher education. He was previously the Director of Student Disability Services at Cornell University, where he was a champion for integrating Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles into the work of the disability services office. Our conversation focuses on how we can celebrate the intersectionality and variability learners bring into our learning environments and through the application of UDL along with accommodations when they are needed, create communities of belonging for all learners.
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.
S.02, Ep.09: Emphasizing Accessibility in Virtual Learning Programs
On this episode, CAST Disability and Digital Inclusion Lead Luis Perez chats with Mia Murphy and Chris Smith from the North Carolina Virtual Public School (NCVPS). Mia and Chris have been great partners in supporting the work of the technical assistance centers at CAST, especially the Center on Inclusive Technology and Education Systems (CITES). In 2022, CITES launched its Virtual Learning Project to learn about promising practices related to educating and supporting students with disabilities in virtual learning programs and their families. The CITES team connected with a number of school districts and organizations dedicated to virtual learning and we are excited to share the work of one of them, the North Carolina Virtual Public School.
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.
S.02, Ep.08: Systemic Improvement with States at the Design Table
If you are interested in learning more about efforts to coordinate work around Universal Design for Learning across states and make it more systemic and sustainable, this episode is for you. CAST Technical Assistance Specialist Michelle Soriano has a great conversation with Zach Smith, who as a Senior Project Director at West Ed, leads a UDL Deep Drive group as part of his work at the National Center on Systemic Improvement. NCSI is federally funded through the Office of Special Education Programs or OSEP, and its mission is to support state education agencies in developing and improving their general supervision and professional development systems in order to better meet the needs of all students, including students with disabilities and their families.
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.
S.02, Ep.07: Inclusive Learning 365
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.
S.02, Ep.06: Digital Accessibility at Virginia Tech
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.
S.02, Ep.05: Technical Assistance at CAST
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.
S.02, Ep.04: Procurement as a Collaborative Process
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.
S.02, Ep.03: Family Engagement and Inclusive Technology Practices
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.
S.02, Ep.02: Inclusive Workplaces
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.
S.02, Ep.01: It's Not Cheating! Myth Busting
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.
S.01, Ep.08: Making Learning Inclusive with Clusive
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.
S.01, Ep.07: Stepping Up for Young Children with Disabilities with Assistive Technology
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.
S.01, Ep.06: How Assistive Technology Opens the Door to Opportunity in Oregon
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.
S.01, Ep.05: Oklahoma’s Five Star Rubric Promotes Accessibility in Workforce Development
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.
S.01, Ep.04: Georgia's State-District Partnership for Accessibility
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.
S.01, Ep.03: Accessibility at CAST, The Legacy Continues
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.
S.01, Ep.02: Accessibility at CAST, Moving into Policy
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.
S.01, Ep.01: Accessibility at CAST, The Early Years
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.