CoSN & CAST Partner to Make Digital Learning Inclusive, Effective
Washington, D.C. (October 17, 2022) – CoSN today announced a partnership with the Center on Inclusive Technology & Education Systems (CITES) at CAST. CITES, which is funded by the U.S. Department of Education Office of Special Education Programs, creates and disseminates a framework of evidence-based practices to help instructional technology and assistive technology programs at local education agencies work together to support all students’ success. An inclusive technology infrastructure includes safe access to assistive technologies and accessible content that supports all students, including those with disabilities. Building and sustaining such an infrastructure requires careful attention to the selection of appropriate hardware, software and connectivity, and the CITES Framework supports that decision making.
The CITES Framework includes specific practices and actions for each of the following topics: leadership, infrastructure, teaching, learning, assessment and family engagement. The framework supports improvement plans by implementing collaboration of education technology and IT teams with assistive technology and special education teams. Districts interested in implementing the CITES Framework should visit the Get Started page.
“Accessibility does not just affect some students. In the digital age, all school systems must address seamless, equitable access to digital tools and resources head-on so that all learners, including those with disabilities, have personalized access to assistive technology tools and accessible resources to support quality learning opportunities. Accessibility for ALL must be our ultimate goal,” said Keith Krueger, CEO of CoSN.
“CITES is proud to partner with CoSN to champion the collaboration of district leaders from edtech, IT, assistive technology and special education to ensure that all students are included from the moment learning launches. Securing accessibility features and the interoperability of devices with assistive technologies to meet personalized learning needs of learners from the start is imperative,” said Christine Fox, Project Director, CITES at CAST.
As part of this partnership, CoSN is hosting two podcasts with CITES staff and district leaders. The first episode, Creating a Framework for Inclusive Technology, is now available. In addition, CoSN will host a webinar with district leaders participating in CITES on November 17, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. ET, Critical Considerations: Inclusive Technology Practices for All Learners.
About CoSN
CoSN (the Consortium for School Networking) is the premier professional association for school system technology leaders. CoSN provides thought leadership resources, community best practices, and advocacy tools to help leaders succeed in digital transformation. CoSN represents over 13 million students in school districts nationwide and continues to grow as a powerful and influential voice in K-12 education. cosn.org
About CAST
Founded in 1984, CAST is a nonprofit whose mission is to transform education design and practice “until learning has no limits”®. Winner of the Smithsonian Innovation in Education award and many other honors, CAST conducts research and development, provides technical assistance and professional development, and publishes exceptional media for the education market. CAST authored the widely used Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework and UDL Guidelines. www.cast.org
MEDIA CONTACTS:
CoSN: Kate Klimaszewski, kklimaszewski@fratelli.com, 202-822-9491
CAST: Mia Gross, mgross@cast.org, 781-245-2212
