kids technology 4 learning
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
Linda Lazenby
EDITOR
Yvette Poshoglian
DESIGNER
Anh Ha
CONTRIBUTOR
Megan Anderson
Dale White
T4L Kids is created on Gadigal Land. For more information, visit T4L.link/T4Lkids
Hey there T4L Kids!
Tech is a gamechanger which can help all of us in the community! We all have different needs, and the good news is that everything from your phone, to computer device, to the tools and platforms you use every day can support you! Whether it’s changing a font size to support a low vision reader, to high-end advanced technology like F1 racing teams making wheelchairs to support elite athletes, tech provides amazing solutions. Could you come up with a tech solution to help support people in your school or community?
Send us your ideas!
Linda Lazenby Director, Technology Enablement, Schools and Skills
Teachers
past issues are full of great ideas! Read Madison de Rozario’s amazing story and learn how technology powers her journey in the sports issue. Learn how to design and build an app to support all travellers on public transport in NSW.
We’ve got you! Learn about the assistive and inclusive technologies available to you in the classroom, download our teacher’s edition.
Inclusive tech
Technology designed specifically to support different learners or people with disabilities is called inclusive or assistive tech. It includes and assists people with disabilities to reach their potential and have more opportunities to participate in a wide range of activities.
Athlete tech
Many athletes like Dan Michel (pictured) who competed at the Paris Paralympics use assistive tech. Dan plays a sport called boccia and competes with cerebral palsy. Boccia is game of skill and accuracy involving rolling balls, similar to bocce and a bit like lawn bowls. There is a lot of tech involved in competing, including ramps to roll the balls. Dan and his assistant Ashlee Madden both took home silver in Paris! Congratulations!
Books in braille
Vision Australia, a service provider supporting people with low vision and blindness, has made an awesome range of picture books featuring incredible Aussies living with low vision. Inside, you can read the text in Braille, too! Braille is produced by a 3D-UV flatbed printer.
3D printing prosthetic limbs
Students from The Rivers Secondary College in Lismore assembled 10 prosthetic hands to be distributed to recipients in countries including India, Ethiopia and the Philippines. 30 students in Years 7-12 built the limbs with the Helping Hands project. The prosthetic hands that the students made cost around $495 but are provided free to those in need.
Phto credit: Paralympics Australia
Phto credit: Vision Australia
Phto credit: Vision Australia
Take the inclusive tech challenge!
Design thinking
Design thinking is a creative process that encourages you to put yourself in someone else’s shoes to develop innovative solutions. By focusing on the needs and experiences of all individuals, especially those with disabilities, you can design products, spaces, or systems that are more inclusive. How could you apply design thinking to make your school or community more accessible for everyone?
Quiz your class!
Take a poll around your class or at your school - how could you make your school more inclusive for everyone? Collect the data using a form or create a quiz, then deliver the results with an infographic to teachers and the school community to make a positive change.
Prototype an app
Could you design and prototype an app to assist and include everyone in your school or community?
} Could you create an app for public transport that enables all users to depart and arrive safely?
Create a podcast
Podcasting is a powerful tool that can help amplify voices and create accessible content for everyone. Whether it’s creating audio guides, sharing stories from diverse perspectives, or providing information in an easy-to-consume format, podcasting can make a real difference in supporting those with different needs or disabilities. How could you use your voice to help build a more inclusive community?
