The link is: access2excellence.wikispaces.com
Thoughts:
1. We are better together.
I think that this page could be a great foundation for collaboration & consultation, sharing practices, disseminating research, etc. With a "common" place to go to find information we can support each others needs despite location. In order to truly embrace inclusive practices we need to share our knowledge with eachother. We need to include all teachers, administrators, etc.
2. Accountability is collective.
As we embark on changing the ways in which we go about business, we must include others in the process. Though our language often refers to students as "your kids" or "my kids" we are all accountable for the success, growth, and achievement of every last one of them. Regardless the circumstance, they are all "our kids".
3. People teach people; the tools help us to make meaning.
Twitter, Google Apps, Wikispaces, Diigo,... Are all just tools. They are certainly worth our exploration. They allow us to connect, share & learn......if we use them in productive and useful ways. They can promote and nurture learning, and thus have a place in our practice. They can break down barriers and create points of curricular access. They can provide an alternative to the traditional way in which we measure growth, competency, progress. They can build bridges to new ideas, and increase our understanding. We need to learn how to use these tools. Not just the ones of convenience (ie. Facebook, which so many already use) but the ones that supplement learning and allow students access where previously it was not (speech to text tools like Dragon). We as educators, in whatever our capacity, administrator, interventionist, special service provider, ...owe it to "our" students to know these tools, to learn how to use them for learning, & to allow them to engage in learning with them.
