The American with Disabilities Act, Online Instruction and “Section 508 of the Rehabilitation

Act” 1

"The American with Disabilities Act, Online Instruction and “Section 508 of the Rehabilitation

Act"

Madison S. Moore

University of A&M Commerce

Robert Wolfe

01W-Madison Moore-Unit 3-Disc#2

June 20, 2019

 The American with Disabilities Act, Online Instruction and “Section 508 of the Rehabilitation
Act” 2

What is online instruction? Online instruction is when a teacher uses the available

technology to be able to educate their students, such as online classes. As technology progresses

the more it becomes incorporated into education with easier navigation and access to more

information. This helps universities and schools be able to help teachers and students manage the

resources more efficiently while promoting valued learning that one can learn from a traditional

classroom with efficient online learning management systems “such as Blackboard, eCollege,

Moodle, and Sakai” (Hubbard, n.d.).Whereas online classrooms are promoting more access to

easier communications between teachers and students which in turn creates a better

understanding of the material that is being taught.

Technology is helping make learning more efficient and accessible, which in turn will

also help people with disabilities as well. With the Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, where

federal agencies need to make sure that disabled individuals have easy access to technology and

education. “Congress amended the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to require Federal agencies to

make their electronic and information technology (EIT) accessible to people with disabilities”

("IT Accessibility Laws and Policies," 2018) An example, some technology caters to people with

different types of disabilities, and for those who require auditory or visual methods to obtain

knowledge; there are some programs that students can use to assist in their learning process.

These technologies are incorporating themselves in the forms of iPads and other tablet-based

technology, which is becoming familiar to the modern student generation. Each of these tablets

can be multi-purposed as well, and either can have apps or pre-programmed technology that can

assist students in their visual and auditory learning strategies.

Technology is evolving, and as people, engineers and scholars are working to incorporate

everyone into the education scene “The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires covered
 The American with Disabilities Act, Online Instruction and “Section 508 of the Rehabilitation
Act” 3

entities to furnish appropriate auxiliary aids and services where necessary to ensure effective

communication with individuals with disabilities” ("Applying the ADA to the Internet: A Web

Accessibility Standard," n.d.) The ADA allowed for all of this technological progress to take

place, and with it, allows for anyone to access anything, no matter who they are. Compensation

is key, and as more technologies come out that covers more bases for various students, it is

creating a universal scene in which, no matter the format of the piece of instruction, anyone can

learn it in their own way. Online Instruction and Technology go hand in hand, as with an online

database, its format can be easily adjusted and formatted to up and coming technology, whether

it be auditory or visual. Humans have quite a role in this as well, giving instruction on how to use

and adapt to the technology, and show it's every function so that students can become self-

sufficient. Overall, it is something remarkable, due to the fact that we are not only eliminating

the threat of discrimination, but allowing for our common knowledge to be accessed by anyone,

no matter what holds them back.

 The American with Disabilities Act, Online Instruction and “Section 508 of the Rehabilitation
Act” 4

Resources

Applying the ADA to the Internet: A Web Accessibility Standard.(n.d.). Retrieved from

https://corporate.findlaw.com/law-library/applying-the-ada-to-the-internet-a-web-

accessibility-standard.html

IT Accessibility Laws and Policies. (2018, November). Retrieved from

https://www.section508.gov/manage/laws-and-policies

Hubbard, E. (n.d.). The Art of Online Instruction. Retrieved June 21, 2019, from

https://www.onlineuniversities.com/articles/educators/the-art-of-online-instruction/