“Not a Choice for Us: Accessibility for Students Who Require It” was the session’s title facilitated by Liam Cruz, Cynthia Curry, Ella Johnson & Iliana Mejia. Curry introduced the student panel and spoke about the 2021 ED Games Expo: an event to share accessible resources. One student spoke about feeling discouraged by not having accessible educational materials. Another mentioned that a test was stressful because it was not stressful. Liam spoke about his interest in studying cultures and graduating from high school. He studied abroad in Japan three times! Curry asked several questions, and one was: “What does accessibility mean o all of you?” Liam talked about having a visibility and his accommodations: larger font, inverted text background, magnifiers books Ella Johnson disclosed being dyslexic and dysgraphic. Ella uses audiobooks and explained access to resources. Ella spoke about being able to take her time and how every standardized test has different accessibility needs. Ella shared the struggles of finding time for others to take advantage of resources and references by adding accessibility. Another participant in the student panel explained taking statistics and having issues with the accessibility of graphs. They were exposed to graphs through imagery and descriptions. They mentioned that tactile graphics is the best way to understand. Toward the end, Ella asked other panelists and students to share resources for job searching. Participants emphasized not to be afraid to ask for help. Liam spoke about teachers talking to him to learn. This session was entirely focused on what the students experienced and how they shared resources. It was a good reminder as the semester starts.
