Stories of Success

Welcome to the place that highlights stories of success! You'll find stories of how eliminating barriers to access have made significant impacts across systems, within districts, for specific educators, and for individual students and families. The page is continually updated as the stories of success roll in. Please visit again when craving a little inspiration and motivation to support this important work!

From Theory to Practice: Demystifying Assistive Technology through the Lens of UDL

Posted by: Mimi Zimlich, M.S., PPS, UDL/AT Content Lead, Open Access Photo by Wix When we talk about Universal Design for Learning (UDL), we might imagine a wide, smooth road that welcomes every learner, a road built with flexibility, options, and access in mind. But sometimes, even with a thoughtfully designed road, a few barriers remain. The path is clear for some learners but uneven for others. This is where Assistive Technology (AT) comes in. AT can be the bridge that con

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mzimlich

Dec 17, 20254 min read

Deep Play, Deep Learning: A Forest Friday Reflection

Posted by: Emily DesJardins, M.A., SpED, UDL/AT Content Lead, Open Access Photo by Emily DesJardins As I approached the trailhead, two hours after the Transitional Kindergarten (TK) class had begun their weekly Forest Friday adventure, I couldn’t help but wonder how I’d ever find them in such a vast stretch of forest. Still, I trusted my instincts and followed the main path. A few minutes in, I reached a fork: three trails, three choices. I paused, unsure, then chose the wid

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Emily DesJardins

Nov 7, 20256 min read

Designing Lessons for All Voices: Planning for Learner Variability and AAC Users

Posted by: Jennifer Wright, M.A. , CCC-SLP Photo by Open Access Every classroom includes a range of learners, each with their own ways of engaging, understanding, and expressing themselves. For students who are non-speaking or minimally speaking, Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) systems may be used as part of their receptive and expressive language system. Supporting AAC users goes beyond ensuring they have tools and strategies available; it’s about designing

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