Today we learned that #abed students will lose universal access to the Online Reference Centre next year, as #ableg defunds this resource. As someone who has taught students in grades four through twelve, across many subject areas and unique learning needs, this breaks my heart:
The ORC offered access to information at multiple reading levels, so students could all learn about the same curricular topic but at their own independent reading level. This was an invaluable tool when working with English Language Learners and later-literacy students.
Some students learn better from listening rather than reading, and many of the resources in the ORC offer text-to-speech functionality that is far superior to similar technology available through free plug-ins and apps.
Again, for our English Language Learners, the built-in translation tools are superior to copying and pasting into Google Translate, and allow those students to engage with the curriculum while they build their language skills.
And while @AdrianaLaGrange and the rest of the UCP have made it clear that academic integrity is not an area of interest, many ORC tools have great, built-in citation tools.
While we’re talking about Charlemagne, look at how the ORC allows students to explore reference materials, opinion pieces, journal articles, news articles and other types of text. With support, students could easily learn to differentiate between facts and opinions (sorry Licia).
The ORC brings history alive with visual sources ranging from photographs to maps to movies. The UCP wants first-graders to learn about legal systems in Ancient Athens and early settlers in Alberta; why take away the resources that bring these concepts to life?
Access to these resources shouldn’t be restricted to students at schools where parents can fundraise to afford licenses. It shouldn’t come at the expense of other school-based supports. Every student in #abed should be able to access the ORC next year, and every year after.
Thank you for attending my lecture. Like usual, please enjoy this capybara.

(For more capybara photos, videos and facts, please refer to the Online Reference Centre.)
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