Salman Khan, founder of the academy, is not only expanding his reach into the non-English speaking world. He also makes his greatly popular education videos accessible to people who are Deaf or hearing impaired. His global initiative is supported by Universal Subtitles, an NGO focusing on web accessibility through captioning.
With proven benefits for all students, captions - subtitles that include speech and other sounds - are a tool already available on many DVDs, online videos and TV programs used in the classroom. By simply turning captions on, teachers can help bridge the gap for Deaf and hearing impaired students, ESL students, struggling readers and students with learning disabilities, while benefiting the whole class.
In May this year, Prime Minister Gillard announced the $200 million ‘More Support for Students with Disability’ initiative. Based upon the specific and diverse needs of students and schools, support can be negotiated and implemented to ensure greater equity in education.
