Magazine

SPECIAL FOCUS: CMC AND DISABILITY

EDITOR'S PAGE

Computer-Mediated Communication and Disability

by Jennifer Gold

One year ago, in the January issue of CMC Magazine, I touched on the topic of computer-mediated communication and disability in an article entitled, "Does CMC Present Individuals with Disabilities Opportunities or Barriers?" Receiving favorable response to the article, we decided to devote an entire issue to this very important topic.

In my call for contributions to this issue, I asked for articles from a variety of perspectives, providing either research, examples of effective practice, or first-hand experience with the issues surrounding computer-mediated communication and disability. I am pleased to announce that the response to the call for articles was excellent. As a result, both the January and February 1998 issues of CMC Magazine will be devoting to the topic of "Computer-Mediated Communication and Disability.

The January issue explores three important topics in this arena:

• In Electronic Parenting or, It Takes a (Listserv) Village to Raise Families with Disabilities, Dona Avery describes the benefits and dangers of parents of children with disabilities interacting in a listserv environment.

• In Educational Equality on the Web, Anne Macleod examines the pitfalls of ThinkQuest, an international educational Web design contest, in terms of the barriers it presented for her son in participating.

• Finally, in Making Web Pages Universally Accessible, Sheryl Burgstahler raises issues around creating Web pages that ensure accessibility to all.

Fortunately, this issue serves as a starting point in an ongoing discussion surrounding CMC and disability. Please check back next month when we extend the conversation further, hearing from authors who will share additional experiences, research, and perspectives on the topic.

Jennifer Gold (JGold@edc.org) is a Research and Technology Specialist at Education Development Center, Inc., located in Newton, Massachusetts. She divides her time between three projects: The Urban Special Education Leadership Collaborative, the National Institute for Urban School Improvement, and Voice Recognition and Secondary Students with Disabilities. In addition, she is a contributing writer to CMC Magazine and will be editor of the February 1998 issue as well.

Copyright © 1998 by Jennifer Gold. All Rights Reserved.