Assistive Technology

Assistive Technology and Universal Design for Learning are not things I remember having access to when I was in grade school.  In fact, I find it difficult to recall really any specifics about elementary school, except listening to the teacher lecture, doing math drills, and occasionally playing Jeopardy to help us study for tests.  Maybe it's because I was deemed a typical kid, but as I've grown and matured I have learned that I am a hands on learner, and I learn better when analogies or connections to real life are made.  Knowing this now as an adult, it makes me wonder what learning strategies would have helped me learn better in subjects I wasn't strong in, like math and science.
I think these two things, AT and UDL are now accessible because of situations like mine, and others that may be more extreme.  Not everyone is able to learn the same way, and instead of just labeling children as stupid, or just not as smart, we have discovered that a child may just need the information to be presented to them in a different way.
AT and UDL make it possible for all children to learn the things they need to in school, and in a way that works best for them.  It also allows them extra time and help in areas where they may need it, so they can be up to speed with the more typical children in the class.  I really think this is amazing, and I hope it helps kids become more enthusiastic about learning and exercising their brains.  I hope it also gives kids who may not be strong in a particular subject more confidence to try harder and not think themselves stupid just because they way a peer is learning does not work for them.