Today in class we were fortunate to have Chantelle Morvay zoom in to talk to us about technology and accessibility in schools. She is the secretary for BC EdAccess, a volunteer-run organization that supports learners and the parents of learners with learning disabilities and exceptionalities. As of now, they have over 5000 members all across BC.

One part that really stuck out to me from the presentation was the discussion of accessing supports for students. She mentioned the challenge of getting psycho-educational assessments for students. Either they need to cross their fingers and hope they are chosen from the school or cough up the 3000 dollars to have it done themselves.

I was also shocked to hear about how many ways and how frequently students with disabilities are excluded from school. It seems so insane that in this day and age somehow schools and districts are able to get away with overt discrimination based on ability. In particular, because of some of the ways students are excluded seems to be an easy fix. But even if it wasn’t, it is part of the Professional Standards for BC Educators that we “respect and value the diversity in (our) their classrooms, schools, and communities.” So I do not understand how parents are not provided with the information necessary to ensure their child is safe at school. Or that a student could be excluded from a class because the materials are not adapted.

With all that said, I am excited to see how we as new teachers can ensure everyone under our care is receiving inclusive education. Below is a Ted Talk by Shelley Moore called “The Importance of Assuming Competence”. She also has several shorter videos about inclusive education that are linked below.