At the July meeting of EdTech Mondays, held by Mastercard Foundation in collaboration with Co-Creation Hub, education stakeholders and teachers were encouraged to use technology to provide access to education for underprivileged children, especially those with physical disabilities. Participants believed that utilising technology in teaching and learning would guarantee student equity. During a session titled “Technology as an enabler for equity and inclusion in education,” Helen Akintemi, Assistant Education Officer at the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), discussed how her organisation uses technology to promote refugee inclusion.
Akintemi mentioned that the UNHCR, which is a non-governmental body, remains at the forefront of protecting the interests and well-being of refugees and those who have been displaced internally in Nigeria by using the deployment of technology. While she acknowledged the importance of cooperation in the process of providing education to children with physical disabilities, she also pointed out that the support of the government, along with that of other partners, was essential to the successful execution of digital projects among refugees.
Stakeholders should collaborate to boost learning.
Bitebo Gogo, the founder of the Keeping it Real Foundation, which is a non-profit NGO that is disability-inclusive and whose main goal is to inspire change through learning, explained that the organization’s prospect to utilise technology for this category of children was made in order to guarantee that they will have access to education. Gogo stated that the organization’s donation of books has sparked positive development and confidence in children from low-income communities and those with physical disabilities.
He stated that the foundation is already having a big influence on the lives of children who have disabilities by providing technology-driven educational platforms that would assist in the children’s academic development. Gogo encouraged stakeholders to work towards boosting the campaign against stereotypes while also working towards finding a solution to the problem of internet access and power that is affecting the country. He also highlighted some of the problems faced while delivering technology to this group of children.
Advancement in technology has impacted learning in the country.
On his part, Kayode Alabi, who is the founder of the Kayode Alabi Leadership and Career Initiative, stated that the organisation has been harnessing technology to boost learning amongst students who have disabilities and their teachers. Alabi revealed that the foundation has so far supported over 6,500 children in Nigeria’s underserved communities in acquiring 21st-century capabilities and other life skills. These children represent a variety of backgrounds, and all of them come from communities that lack enough resources.
Moreover, Ngozi Ukpai-Okoro, who is visually impaired and the co-founder of Projects Enabled Africa, a community development scheme that advocates for the rights and empowerment of people with disabilities in Nigeria, pointed out that the beneficial effects of technology can not be over-emphasized given the extent to which it has assisted her in accessing good education. Speaking further, she acknowledged that some of the difficulties she encountered when learning at a young age had been alleviated because of those technological advancements.
Nigeria has about 20 million out-of-school children.
According to a report by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Nigeria is still home to around 20 million children who are not in school; among them, a large percentage are children with disabilities. There is a growing interest in incorporating technology into Nigeria’s educational system, and doing so will ensure that students from every aspect of life, including those with special needs, those from low-income families, those who live in rural areas, and women and girls from underrepresented groups, have access to quality education.
Related Link
UNHCR: Website
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Technology to help children with disabilities. – Utilising technology in teaching and learning would guarantee learner equity. – Express your point of view.
I completely agree! Utilizing technology in teaching and learning can greatly benefit children with disabilities. It can provide them with equal opportunities to access education and enhance their learning experience.
Technology can be a powerful tool in addressing the unique needs of children with disabilities. It can offer personalized learning experiences, adaptive materials, and assistive technologies that cater to their specific requirements. For example, educational apps, interactive learning platforms, and assistive devices can help children with visual impairments, hearing impairments, or mobility limitations to actively participate in educational activities.
Furthermore, technology can facilitate communication and social interaction for children with disabilities. Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices, speech recognition software, and social skills apps can support their communication development and enable them to engage with their peers and teachers more effectively.
In addition, technology can provide a platform for inclusive education, allowing children with disabilities to learn alongside their peers in mainstream classrooms. With the help of accessible digital content, online resources, and remote learning tools, children with disabilities can participate in lessons, collaborate with classmates, and access educational materials that are tailored to their individual needs.
However, it’s important to ensure that technology is accessible and inclusive for all children with disabilities. This includes considering factors such as usability, compatibility with assistive technologies, and providing appropriate training and support for teachers and students.
Overall, incorporating technology in teaching and learning can promote learner equity by empowering children with disabilities to reach their full potential. It can foster an inclusive educational environment where every child has equal opportunities to learn, grow, and succeed.
Equity and inclusion will be ensured by the use of technology to assist Nigerian children with disabilities in accessing education. This invention will benefit students with disabilities in the educational system.
Making use of technology usually help in all ways now Technology to help children with disabilities to enable equality among them this is a great move to help disabilies in education sector
Technology usually helps mankind many ways, with this new discovery Technology will help children with disabilities to enable equality among them. With this move to help disabilies in the educational sector and thereby assisting Nigerian children with disabilities in accessing education the invention will benefit students with disabilities in the overall educational board.