Most of us use technology devices every day. Yet, many of the same technologies that we take for granted to access our world and that students use in their day-to-day lives are not always available to them in the classroom and are not permitted on assessments. On Wednesday, June 28, 2023, from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., NCEO and the Council of Chief State School Officers’ (CCSSO) Assessment, Standards, and Education of Students with Disabilities (ASES) collaborative will jointly hold a forum on issues surrounding the use of technology students use in their day-to-day lives and what that means for assessment participation. This in-person forum will be held immediately following the National Conference on Student Assessment (NCSA) in New Orleans, Louisiana. After a presentation on the historical context of accessibility, a panel of state education agency staff will describe how they are thinking about technology and accessibility in their state and then a panel of experts will share their thoughts and perspectives, and react to the state discussion.

The purpose of the forum is to develop a better understanding of how the technologies students use daily might provide accessibility in instruction and assessment, the challenges in doing so for both students and educators, and ways everyone can work together to rethink accessibility and what it really means today.

Following the panels, breakout groups will discuss how to rethink meaningful accessibility for different groups of students (e.g., students with sensory disabilities, students with significant cognitive disabilities, students with high incidence disabilities, English learners), and how it can help support positive assessment participation experiences. A report will be produced that summarizes the session and discussion. 

Register for the Forum, What Does Meaningful Accessibility Really Mean?