Equal Access to the Digital World!

Providing equal access to the digital world is all about making sure that everyone has the tools, opportunities, and strategies to learn or make themselves productive when using new age technology. The digital world consists of everyone  who uses the internet to learn and research the world around them. Universal design exists to help students with disabilities and all learners in general, in the classroom setting, to learn regardless of their disabilities or various learning styles. By providing equal access to all learners, teachers are setting up accommodations that all students can use to learn. Teachers can accommodate students in the digital world in various ways like finding technological tools in the classroom that will target various learning styles, making sure that computer monitors are adjustable to accommodate their height, having students work in groups to find the solution to a question that requires research, or having students who have visual impairments sit closer to the board so that they can see better. 

Equal access to the digital world also means providing students with equal opportunities to use the technology so that they can become better and more effective at using it. Some students may not have access to a computer at home. This could create a flaw in universal design because students who have a computer in the home may know how to use the technology without much help. While students who do not have access to the digital world in their homes may feel the effects of this disadvantage. By making the technology available for students to manipulate and learn from, teachers are building confidence and providing an equal playing field for all students. Equal access attempts to close the gap between learners, bringing them together to provide success for everyone. Believe it or not, students can feel when they are at a learning disadvantage compared to their peers. Equal access to the digital world fills in that gap by providing students with tools that will accommodate their shortcomings and allow them to learn at their best