The Family Center on Technology and Disability

Chris Bugaj

There is a scene in the movie The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King where a pyre atop a large tower is set aflame to signal a call for aid. Miles away a sentry atop a similar pyre witnesses the flames blazing from the first tower and lights his own fire signaling a third tower which, in turn, signals a fourth. In this way, one by one, a message is sent over a wide expanse of rugged terrain binding the people of these distant lands together. In present day, if a hideous horde of drooling creatures were attacking your fortress you’d just pick up your cell phone to call for help and then, maybe even using that same phone, do a quick Internet Search for “How do I hold off a horde of monsters who are attacking my castle?” You wouldn’t wait for days hoping against all hope that your signal got through and that help was coming. You’d know instantly if your allies would be hopping on their noble steeds and riding to your aid. You’d know instantly how to defend the walls of the stronghold until help could arrive. The power of the Internet and social media lies within the increased rate at which one can connect with others to share information.

The ability to communicate has been around since the dawn of man. With each generation new and better tools have emerged to help humans share information faster. At first there was yelling out your window which gave way to two cups tied to a string which gave way to the telegraph which gave way to the telephone which still exists but is expanded upon by text messaging and video conferencing. The need and desire by humanity to connect has always existed and with each successive generation we’ve gotten better at it.

Integrating social media into your life and investigating its uses for educational purposes spawns an array of questions. Is this a good tool? Should I invest time into learning this tool and, if so, how much time? Is it safe for my students and if it’s not safe, can I still use it for professional development purposes? With so much “out there” how do I even begin deciding what’s right for me? Will this tool add enjoyment to my life or will it suck even more of “My Preciousssss” minutes away from me? How will I find time to do all the other stuff I need to do if I start using another tool? I know so little about these tools that I don’t even know where to begin or what questions to ask, so should I even use these tools? And the list goes on.

Social media and all that it encompasses is a tool, like any other tool. It can be intimidating at first. It takes some time to explore a tool and learn to use it efficiently and effectively. The first time you picked up a hammer you may have hit your thumb a few times. Every once and awhile you might cut yourself with the kitchen knife. But those setbacks didn’t stop you from hanging the picture on the wall or enjoying that tomato on your sandwich. In time you learned. The use of social media tools, both personally and professionally, will come along the same way if you let it providing you with new and exciting ways to educate students.

Alice Wershing

The field of assistive technology has grown exponentially since I first began as a staff member at the Disabled Children’s Computer Group in Berkeley, CA, now known as the Center for Accessible Technology. As the Alliance for Technology Access (ATA) began with this center and 10 others in the late 1980’s (wasn’t that just yesterday?), it was clear that we all were venturing into new territory. The need to communicate about the daily challenges that fledgling centers faced in meeting the needs of individuals with disabilities in their local communities brought about a new sense of being together for a common purpose. We all fielded requests for assistance, challenges to take the technology of the day and make it accessible in ways it had never been before.

Before the World Wide Web, we were limited to talking to each other about what new solutions we’d found through Apple Talk and the early days of what we now know as email. We got together regularly at conferences and the networking continued face to face. The dialogues began early in the morning and ran late into the night. It was an exciting and daunting time, in that the options we had then pale in comparison and number to those of today, and those that are being developed as I write this piece.

The buzz that went across the wires in those early days of the ATA continues today in the form of new social networks, blogs, listservs and the endless possibilities of Google and other search engines. Answers can be gotten in minutes as opposed to those early days of letter writing to companies in order to find new solutions for individuals who came through our doors. Instead of waiting to see new products at the next conference exhibit hall, one can now use the Internet to see first hand how a device works through video, online chatting or by attending online webinars, where the actual software can appear on your desktop, for either observing or actual hands-on experience. I am not suggesting that this replace attending conferences or trainings in person, but it is not always possible. Social networking tools can offer similar content and dialogue, inspiring new ideas and the use of new tools.

Twenty some years later, as the field continues to explode and new technology abounds, the excitement I felt in those early days is still present. There are so many new developments around us, both in our field and in the world of technology in general. Every day is a new learning experience, finding more and more new resources as I search for solutions or ways to create access.

So how is it possible to keep up and find the new solutions that can assist those in our communities? Social networking enhances our access to new information and to be able to share with others how technology can improve the lives of those we work with, and even ourselves. It also challenges us to learn new ways to manage our time, to keep our privacy when needed, and to not add to that ever-increasing feeling of information overload. What do we do with what we learn, how do we file it for future use? Is anyone else getting weary?

We also must look at some critical issues related to this fast growing phenomenon to insure that by depending on these very networks that we are not excluding others who may not have access for multiple reasons. Especially in this global economy, are we creating an elite group of those who can have access to technology, engage in learning and move forward versus those who continue to struggle with basic needs? The literacy level required to participate in social networking can be high, having a computer or other device that opens this door can be costly. Are those who do not have access or know how to use these tools missing out? And if so, how do we create an inclusive network, so that all can be excited, motivated, and life-long learners? It remains to be seen where this new set of tools will lead us. Just like in those early days, someday we’ll be looking back and remembering when social networking was just beginning. So bring along your thoughts, your experiences, and let’s journey on.