Computer technology has fundamentally changed the way we learn and has both made it easier and presents new challenges for students with disabilities to obtain the same quality education as their peers. Accessible documents and online videos with closed captioning have moved us closer to the promise of full access for people with disabilities, but we still have a long way to go. To help achieve this promise, policymakers are playing a critical role in helping students with disabilities gain greater access to the same tools and services as their classmates.
Earlier this month, Reps. Phil Roe (R-TN) and Joe Courtney (D-CT) introduced the Accessible Instructional Materials in Higher Education (AIM-HE) Act to ensure that students with disabilities have access to the same education as everyone else. The bill will establish an independent commission to develop voluntary guidelines for creating and integrating accessible electronic instructional materials and technologies in classrooms across the country.