For families with disabilities, technology makes things POSSIBLE!
My students need their parents to have access to a computer and reliable internet, in order to thoroughly understand their students' IEPs and to learn ways to help support their students' difficult needs.
In our school, almost 75% of the students and their families are living below the poverty line. Many of them struggle on a daily basis to access food and appropriate and consistent shelter. All of my students have been diagnosed with special needs and require additional supports to be successful. Our school neighborhood consists of a large area of motels and temporary housing. Many of our students have progressed farther in their educational progress than many of their own parents.
Even when dealing with significant difficulties due to their disabilities, hunger and homelessness, my students come to school almost every day, ready to learn.
My students are all in the 4th, 5th, and 6th grade. They are at the pivot age where they are building foundations that will set the tone for their successes as young adults as they move on to middle school, high school, and then adulthood. I know that I have to give them to tools to help overcome their disabilities and find ways that they can be successful.
My Project
This project is to create a parent resource center, in our school, for parents of students' who have disabilities. This computer will be used to facilitate individualized educational plan (IEP) meetings, be a space that resources will be stored on for parents to access information regarding special education strategies, and a place that parents could come, with their students, to find information that could help navigating the world of special education.
In low income areas, especially in special education, the focus is often on helping the students, but we forget that support for the parents as well is often needed to ensure the students are successful.
This computer will be placed in a centrally and easily accessed area of the school and will be made available to all parents of students who have disabilities in our school. All of our IEP meetings will be conducted in the same room as this computer, and will allow for parents to have quick access to information. The parents in our school zone are working to support their children's educational careers but often times lack the access to information or support to be as effective as they can. This computer will give them the ability to research the latest strategies for homework help. Or allow them to research in more detail, the disabilities that their students are facing.
Working in a low income area and with students with disabilities, its difficult to watch parents want to be able to provide everything they can for their children, but because of their circumstances, not have access to the resources that would help them provide that. For families without disabilities, technology makes things easier. For families with disabilities, technology makes things possible (IBM). Help me to make things possible for my students and their families.
Nearly all students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mrs. Burnett and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
