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Share Your Views on Technology

Below are views on issues related to using technology as an empowering tool. Send your views on one or more of the following issues to doit@u.washington.edu.

Tell what technology, including computers, adaptive technology, and the Internet, helps you maximize your independence and productivity in school or work.

  • The computer helps me organize my thoughts. I can read and make improvements with ease. I can check all of my papers for spelling errors before I send them. I am a really BAD speller. (high school student with a learning disability)
  • I use a combination of a palmtop note taker computer and a desktop computer to write. Without them I'd be lost. (college student with mobility/health impairments)
  • Without computers or the Net I would not be doing many things that I'm doing today. For instance, I am involved in a writing forum on the Net that lets writers talk about writing and share their pieces of literature with each other. Since I want to be a writer this has been VERY helpful. (high school student with Dyslexia and Attention Deficit Disorder)
  • One of my two or three best friends—maybe best next to my wife-and I met on the Internet, and we are not only friends but close working colleagues. (professor who is blind)
  • I use word processing programs to compose my assignments, and the spell check feature to make my writing as professional as possible. I'm a terrible speller. (college student with a brain injury)
  • I use a computer every day to complete English and history assignments. I input them into a word processor via dictation software. This is because my spoken grammar is better than my written grammar. I am able to focus more on the learning and ideas, instead of the methods and mechanics. (high school student with Dyslexia and Attention Deficit Disorder)
  • I use a computer with a speech synthesizer, screen reader software, a scanner and optical character recognition software, a Braille printer, Braille translator software, and Internet services. The technology has really helped me with my schooling. I can do my homework using a word processor; communicate with my family, teachers, and friends using email; scan printed documents using my scanner and optical character recognition software; and do online research using the Internet. (college student who is blind)
  • The computer technology I use has a large monitor that makes it easier for me to read and edit my work while it is on the screen and avoid visual fatigue. The computer helps me write and edit my papers for school quickly. I can get information from the Internet for research papers. (college student who is visually impaired)
  • I use a Braille 'n Speak™ (an electronic note taker with a Braille keyboard and speech output), with the disk drive accessory. I also use a computer with screen reader software, and a speech synthesizer. I use the Braille 'n Speak™ for taking notes, keeping track of appointments and things to do, a scientific calculator, and a notepad for small writing projects. I use the computer for writing reports, reading email, surfing the Internet, and putting the finishing touches on the above small writing projects. (college student who is blind)
  • With computer technology, I am able to type most of my assignments instead of trying to write them. I'm left-handed and my left hand is considerably weaker than my right, making it difficult for me to write. (high school student with a mobility impairment)
  • I use the Internet to look up information on various subjects. (high school student with a psychological impairment)
  • I can type faster than I can write papers for school. On the computer it is also easier to correct any mistakes. (high school student with a mobility impairment)
  • I use a computer every day to complete English and history assignments. I input them into a word processor via dictation software. This is because my spoken grammar is better than my written grammar. I am able to focus more on the learning and ideas, instead of the methods and mechanics. (high school student with Dyslexia and Attention Deficit Disorder)
  • Email helps tremendously when doing group work and communicating with professors. (graduate student with a hearing impairment)
  • Since I have a hearing impairment and cannot use a regular telephone, I don't know what I would do without email! Email is how I contact professors and the Disabled Student Services office at my college. Some of my professors have web pages, and I use those a lot to help me with classes. Some web pages have lecture outlines/notes for upcoming lectures, exam dates, sample questions from previous years’ exams, and other valuable tools to help you succeed in class. (college student who is deaf)
  • Electronic mail allows me to keep in contact with instructors if I am absent from class. (high school student with a learning disability)
  • The computer is an invaluable tool when it comes to research. If I need to look something up for a term paper, I no longer need to go to the library; rather, I can obtain the information via the Internet. (high school student with Dyslexia and Attention Deficit Disorder)
  • The Internet has been very useful in my college search. It has helped me find specific schools that have the programs I'm interested in. The Internet has also allowed me to stay in contact with the disability services coordinator at the school I'm planning to attend, which is out of state. (high school student with a learning disability)

What advice would you give to parents and teachers about encouraging students with disabilities to use computers in school?

  • The Internet is a valuable tool. Parents and teachers should do everything they can to provide access to the Internet to their students/children and then encourage them to use it. (college student who is blind)
  • I would advise a parent or teacher to tell kids that computers are the future and if they don’t know how to use one then they will get lost in the dust. (high school student with a learning disability)
  • Being able to use a computer is a great skill to have today. Don't be afraid of computers! They won't bite. Kids with disabilities benefit extremely from access in their everyday academic lives. It is a tool that "levels the playing field." Computers and the Internet also promote social interactions. (high school student with a mobility impairment)
  • If you want to encourage a kid to use a computer, it is very important not to force them to do it. Everyone learns better when they are pursuing a personal interest. (high school student with a mobility impairment)
  • I would encourage students to join discussion lists that cover topics they are interested in. (young person with a mobility impairment)
  • (1). Give your kids an early start at learning technology. They should at least understand word processing, email, World Wide Web, and even some spreadsheets and databases. (2). Teach them a wide variety of programs to increase their chances of getting jobs. (3). Give them the opportunities to do internships to practice using technology on the job. (college student who is blind)
  • Experience, enjoy, and apply the concepts gained in everyday situations. (physics professor with a mobility impairment)
  • Parents and teachers should make sure that disabled students have easy and frequent access to computers and that students know how to use their technology comfortably without much assistance. DO-IT is great for learning how to effectively use email and the Internet—today I'm still using a lot of things that I learned at the Summer Studies. (college student who is deaf)
  • Let them work at their own pace. If they are totally for it the first time you ask them, great! However, if it takes a few times of urging them to use computers at school, just be patient with them. They will catch on sooner than you expect. (high school student with a mobility impairment)
  • Before you invest in a computer for a student, give him an opportunity to try out different types of technology. Let him pick out the hardware and software that works best for him. Don't make false assumptions! Just because a device works well for some doesn't mean it will work for all. Get a complete idea of what the student needs, and use all the resources you have to learn what is available. Let him get recommendations from others and try out different pieces of equipment. From that point, you and the student can decide what kind of technology works best. (college student who is blind)
  • Email requires deaf individuals to really focus on developing English skills. Encourage students to always proofread their messages before sending them. Once you hit the send button, it's too late to go back and change something. (employee who is deaf)
  • My advice to students with disabilities and their parents and teachers is that technology is not a nicety; it is a necessity. Get it, learn it, and use it. (college student who is blind)

Tell how computer technology supports your personal and social life and helps you give and receive help from others. For example, have you made friends on the Internet? Have you received help from someone, such as a mentor? Have you been a peer helper or mentor to someone else?

  • I have a couple of mentors who have helped me along my career path, and they have saved me from making some mistakes that they made. The Internet is a valuable tool in locating and communicating with mentors in your career area. (high school student with mobility impairment)
  • Computer technology has really helped me with my career preparation. I use online communication all the time to learn about job opportunities in different areas. For example, I can go to the employment department online and download information about technical support positions in my area. I can do so many things with online communication that can't be done over the phone. If I get hold of information I want to take with me somewhere, I can load it into a word processor, delete unnecessary text, and then translate the message into Braille for a quick reference. (college student who is blind)
  • The technology has really helped me with my career goals. I have had several computer-based internships while still in college. My experiences helped me develop and apply my computer skills and made me decide to get a degree in computer applications so I can assist others with technical issues. (college student who is blind)
  • I use a word processor, online communications, and other programs. Technology has helped me complete three successful internships where I used my online and word processing skills to do my work. For example, I just completed a summer work experience at the public library and I did a lot of online research. I even got the opportunity to train other staff members in how to use special technology. (college student who is blind)
  • The computer has become a real asset to my social life. Because of a voice impairment, it is sometimes difficult for me to communicate with people in person. However, with the advent of electronic mail, that is no longer an issue. Electronic mail allows me to communicate with friends without being hampered by my voice. Electronic mail also allows me to keep in contact with family members and friends who live out of state. (high school student with a speech impairment)
  • I have made many, many friends over the Internet—more than I have in "real" life. This includes people who have the same interests as me and who do the same work as I want to get into. (young person with a mobility impairment)
  • The Internet allows me to keep in touch with friends who live far away from me. I have received help from mentors through the 'Net. It is always great to have contact with people who can help you out with a problem or help you find what you are looking for. (college student who is blind)
  • I can communicate with my mother and father without having to pay long-distance charges. I also use a financial program to keep track of my checking account charges. (adult with a visual impairment)
  • I am deaf and I can't hear over the phone. I have to use a special machine and then call the operator. It takes a long time. When I use the computer to communicate, people don't even know that I am deaf. I just type the words. I like that. (high school student who is deaf)
  • I receive help from a mentor via email and spread some wisdom of my own. (college student with a mobility impairment)
  • I find it's difficult to make friends because people judge me before they know me. I'm quite shy, but to people who actually know me, I'm quite the 'hyper-hellion.' I think this has a lot to do with my disability, because it just turns into a label for me to wear. You try to explain your disability, which is part of you, and all you get back is sympathy. Making friends on the Internet allows me to escape my label. (high school student with a mobility impairment)