Thanks to more accessible technologies and a nationwide effort to engage underrepresented populations in STEM fields, more students with disabilities than ever are pursuing careers in science and engineering. However, many students with disabilities still lack access to a rigorous and accessible STEM curriculum, and may get the message that STEM careers are not for them. Did you know? STEM jobs are among the fastest growing and highest paid occupations, with STEM jobs expected to grow to more than 9 million by 2022. Given that it is likely that all your students will need some degree of scientific and technology literacy in future jobs, it is imperative that schools and districts ensure that ALL students have equal opportunity to pursue STEM careers. Where should we start?

• Understand how Universal Design for Learning (UDL) strategies can help support more inclusive, personalized, and accessible learning opportunities
• Wherever possible, use activities and materials that allow students multiple ways to engage with content and make meaning, and are multisensory 
• Ensure that teachers know where they can find and how to create accessible learning materials

Over the next few weeks, we’ll dig deeper into some of the challenges facing students with disabilities when they engage in STEM-related activities, and how you can use universal design principles and accessible technology tools to personalize the instructional strategies you develop for STEM lessons. In the meantime, explore some of these resources to get you started:

1.  Perkins School for the Blind: Science Lesson Plans 
2. National Science Digital Library: Use advanced search features to search by accessibility features
3. Accessibility Guides: Creating Accessible Materials