July 6

In the early 80's I was convinced widespread personal computer use would be bad for society as a whole and education in particular. I suspected it would isolate us and change how we existed in the world together. During my B.ed in 85-86 at the Mount I took an introductory course from Bill Hunter. He challenged us to consider the upside of what the technology could mean for all students but especially for special needs kids.

I was hooked almost immediately. I was caught up by exactly what had initially worried me. Computers did have an amazing effect on learning and communication. This was my first experience with word processing and spell check ...God love them both and how they made my life long issue with spelling and cursive writing melt away. My classmates and I were able to chat with each other and Bill via email ...also my first encounter with another exciting form of communication. As a group we celebrated the dawning of a new era when all classrooms would have smart boards and there'd be a computer on every desk!! I remember a class trip to Bill's office where, using a modem that the phone hand piece locked into, we were given our first taste of the "world wide web".

So here we are 25 years later and as you all know, much has indeed changed. We're still waiting for the smart boards and laptops for every student are still a long way off. However today I'm feeling just as excited about the possibilities that technology offers.