[Cynthia Curry] Hi, I am Cynthia Curry from the National AEM Center. 

Welcome to this AEM takeaway. What is the meaning of accessible? Often the term accessible is used interchangeably with terms like available, free and open, accommodation, or assistive technology. In this takeaway, we're addressing the key question, why is it important to have a common definition for accessible? Accessibility is a simple concept in theory, but in practice, it requires a narrow focus on the unique experiences of individuals with disabilities. This is because accessibility is shaped by what we need to do, our interactions with the environment and our personal preferences. So accessibility really is individualized.
                                                       
In fact, according to the Office for Civil Rights, accessibility is happening anytime a person with a disability can acquire the same information, engage in the same interactions, and enjoy the same services as a person without a disability in an equally effective, equally integrated manner and with substantially equivalent ease of use. When we understand that accessibility is about individual needs of learners with disabilities, it becomes clear that we need to move beyond asking if something is accessible. We should also be asking to whom is it accessible, under what conditions, and for which tasks. Here to help us unpack what accessible means is Dawn McNeeley, special education director for Smithton R-IV School District in Missouri. Dawn.

[Dawn McNeeley] We know that education should be challenging for all learners to an extent. However, for many of our students, their learning experiences present problems that can't be easily overcome by studying longer for tests and quizzes and practicing more. Accessibility in education gives all students the access to educational experiences that they need, the services, the information, whether that person has a disability or not. More and more the teachers in our district are beginning to see the importance of accessibility for all of our students, and that they're going to provide this for them, whether they have an IEP or not. And in doing what's best for our students and providing accessible materials for them, we're allowing them to maximize their learning to their fullest degree.