Accessible Digital Textbooks For Special Needs Children
By: , October 10, 2022
Photo: Adrian Walker
Minister of Education and Youth, Hon. Fayval Williams (seated, right) along with (seated from left) United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Jamaica Country Representative, Mariko Kagoshima; Acting Chief Education Officer in the Ministry of Education and Youth, Dr. Kasan Troupe and grade-seven student at St. Hugh’s High School, Shakacia Greenland, view a digital textbook, at the recent launch of the Accessible Digital Textbook Prototype in Jamaica at the Joyce Robinson Hall, Kingston and St. Andrew Parish Library. Others (standing from left) are Founder and Chief Executive Officer, BookFusion, Dwayne Campbell; Regional Inclusive Education and Disability Specialist, UNICEF, Cynthia Brizuela and Director General, Jamaica Library Service, Maureen Thompson.
Photo: Adrian Walker
Minister of Education and Youth, Hon. Fayval Williams (left), listens to Executive Director, Jamaica Library Service, Maureen Thompson (right), at the recent launch of the Accessible Digital Textbook Prototype in Jamaica, at the Joyce Robinson Hall, Kingston and St. Andrew Parish Library. Also listening (from second left) are Acting Chief Education Officer in the Ministry of Education and Youth, Dr. Kasan Troupe, and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Jamaica Country Representative, Mariko Kagoshima.
Photo: Adrian Walker
Minister of Education and Youth, Hon. Fayval Williams, addresses the recent launch of the Accessible Digital Textbook Prototype in Jamaica at the Joyce Robinson Hall, Kingston and St. Andrew Parish Library.The Full Story
The learning requirements of Jamaican children with special needs is being bolstered through the provision of Accessible Digital Textbooks (ADT).
The materials, developed in keeping with the Universal Design for Learning principles, will be made available to students who are visually or hearing impaired and those with intellectual developmental or learning disabilities.
Writers, teachers, publishers, organisations for persons with disabilities, technologists and representatives of the Ministry of Education and Youth were brought together to develop the guidelines to produce the textbooks in the accessible digital format.
The provision of ADT locally, is part of a global initiative by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in collaboration with its partners, to make textbooks available, affordable, and accessible for children with disabilities in all contexts.
ADTs allow children with different learning needs to access the same content, participate in the same textbook-based activities in and outside the classroom, with equal opportunities to achieve positive educational outcomes.
Education and Youth Minister, Hon. Fayval Williams, in her remarks at the recent launch of the ADT Jamaica Prototype at the Kingston and St. Andrew Parish Library, said that the Ministry understands the difficulties faced by children and youth with disabilities.
She noted that the Special Education Unit continues to make learning materials inclusive and accessible to all students at an affordable cost.
Over the years, the Ministry has developed policies that protect and promote the rights of children and youth with disabilities and developed curriculum for students with moderate to profound intellectual disabilities and continue to support the special education centres across the island.
Minister Williams encouraged teachers and school administrators to get on board with ADT as it “not only stands to benefit the learning outcomes of your particular institutions but parent-caregiver support a well.”
“We are confident that by using the approaches offered through this initiative, we will be able to offer educational access to children with exceptional barriers to learning,” she said.
United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Representative in Jamaica, Mariko Kagoshima, said that the one size fits all approach to education fails to recognise the learning styles that benefit learners.
“ADT … can help address the issues of accessing learning materials, which is one of the many elements needed to promote an inclusive environment for persons with learning disabilities,” she said.
Ms. Kagoshima noted that the Universal Design for Learning principles utilised in developing the ADT, brings the material alive, making it more relatable, improving engagement and reducing stigma.
The ADT initiative is being implemented by BookFusion, which is a global technology platform that provides digital solutions for readers, publishers and authors, business, educational institutions.