rubric for which specific tools and strategies can be incorporat- ed throughout the learning environments and experiences. Ac- commodations, when used as a resource to design instruction, become shortcuts and guides for how to construct and deliv- er lessons. Using accommodations in this way saves educators time, energy and effort. Educators who look at the list of accom- modations and say, “Oh, why don’t I just provide this to all the students?” are exhibiting a mindset primed for inclusion. Migrating supports from Tier Three to Tier One can also be cost effective. Purchasing supports for individuals is often less cost effective per student than purchasing them for the masses. An analysis of the number and cost of tools used to implement a specific accommodation can provide a quantifiable amount. This number can be compared to the cost of providing the sup- port universally. Time spent evaluating the need could also be a factor in this consideration. When a support is available to be tried by any student, more students can try them for longer pe- riods of time and demonstrate evidence of need more expedi- tiously. No one needs to wait, qualify or demonstrate a need to access a Tier One support. Accessing Tier One supports empowers students to take ownership of their own learning including the tools and strate- gies that are most effective to meeting their own needs. Further, as students discover they utilize a Tier One support, they often share that support with peers. Students with disabilities can be- come leaders in how to personalize the learning experience and champions for other students who are also working toward be- coming masters of their own learning. Students with disabilities can become the technology and learning leaders among their peers. Care should also be taken to realize that accommodations are only counted for those who have been identified as need- ing them. There could be an entire population of students who also require them but who have yet to be identified. Further, the practice of provisioning supports based on tiers is not unique to students with disabilities. Providing a support to a greater number of students could assist other minority populations of students as well. Words of Warning Accommodations that become Tier One supports continue to need to be listed as accommodations. Availability does not ne- gate need. The charge of the Individualized Education Plan team is to outline what a student requires to guarantee a free appro- priate public education. Because Tier One supports are variable based on location, the IEP team should be sure to document and specify needs regardless of what is available to all. The practice of strategically and systematically making spe- cific Tier Three supports available to all should not be confused or misinterpreted as being a claim that Tier One supports are all that is needed. There will likely always be a need for Tier Three supports. Student needs vary greatly from individual to indi-
vidual. Certain students will require supports that are uniquely specialized and customized to meet the needs of the individual situation. Providing supports as a Tier One increases the access and availability to supports most students might need. An Intentional Plan For the Future What are currently the most frequently occurring accommo- dations right now? Are there certain accommodations on the rise? Will these accommodations one day also become some- thing adopted by the masses? History says that is likely. A claim could be made that there is a rise in the number of students who have access to augmentative and alternative communication devices and supports that use symbols to assist in the represen- tation of words. Is the use of tools like emojis, avatars, memes and gifs in text messages an indicator that the general public has begun to use alternative, picture/symbol based commu- nication methodologies for general communication? Will this trend continue? As eye control, voice recognition and artificial intelligence technology continues to improve, will the primary way users interface with their devices become a combination of voice and eye gaze? As developers of new technologies and designers of instructional practices, we can look to innovations used by people with disabilities to inform the future. The year is 2029. Every student, regardless of ability, is includ- ed in every environment with peers participating in educational experiences designed around personal needs. Most students have taken charge of their own learning, with educators guid- ing and coaching them along individual journeys of discovery. The multiple forms of technology students use supports their learning, works seamlessly whenever they need it, and is as available as the air they breathe. Students transition from tool- to-tool and place-to-place based on what works best for them to accomplish what they hope to learn. There are still students who require Tier Three supports that are highly specialized and customized to meet specific needs. This number, however, has grown increasingly smaller. Tier Two and Tier One supports have swelled and, in truth, aren’t even thought of as supports to the educators who put them in place and the students who use them. Instead, these tools and strategies have just become standard operating procedure in a world that has become more accessible to everyone. Is this what the future of education looks like to you? What future do you want to see become a reality? What actions will you take to get us there as fast as possible? This new world did not happen by accident. It was designed. The march toward inclusion was intentionally built on the tech- nology used by those people, including students, with disabili- ties that came before. Together we can build a more inclusive fu- ture purposefully designed for everyone based on the historical lessons they’ve taught us.
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