In Rwanda, the lack of accessible teaching and learning materials for learners with disabilities is often a major barrier to access and inclusion. Learners with visual disabilities often wait for braille materials, while learners who are deaf or hard of hearing lack access to materials in Rwandan Sign Language and are unable to participate in mainstream classrooms where learning is conducted in spoken language.
In late 2021, 18 teachers in Rwanda’s inclusive model schools received training to help bridge that gap, thanks to eKitabu, one of three innovators awarded funding through All Children Reading: A Grand Challenge for Development’s (ACR GCD) UnrestrICTed challenge.
In collaboration with the Rwanda Basic Education Board (REB), Rwanda Union of the Blind (RUB) and Rwanda National Union of the Deaf (RNUD), eKitabu held a four-day training to equip the teachers with the skills to use accessible digital content and learning materials in their classrooms by applying Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles so that no child is left behind in “learning to read and reading to learn.”