Focus on Diverse Learners and Students with Disabilities

Activities and Advice:

As you begin your library research, make the most of technological transfer systems at your college or university. There are tools to convert written notes to audio files, audio files to visual graphics, and even visual texts to written descriptions.

Consider the following resources available to you:

• Braille Note-taker
• Braille display to read Web texts and handouts
• Close-caption video translation of lecture or audio file

As you look for materials for your research topic, consult sources that offer alternative format texts, such as the Canadian National Institute for the Blind, which offers online access to its digital library through this site. If you are not a client, you can select the “guest” option on the log-in screen to browse. http://www.cnib.ca/library/

Note to Peer Learners without Disabilities: Select a research project that explores the experiences of learners in your class with specific learning disabilities. The Disabilities Social History Project, for instance, provides users access to an online exhibit of buttons, postcards, and other visual artifacts used in to promote awareness about disabilities. http://www.disabilityhistory.org/exhibits.html