A Researcher’s Experience with Accessibility & Learning Capabilities

April 7, 2021

Dr. Cary Supalo, a Research Developer at ETS, discusses his learning journey growing up as a student with immediate vision impairment and blindness. After a long hiatus from school because of his sudden vision impairment, Dr. Supalo was able to re-start his educational journey. As he entered back into the classroom, his appetite for learning greatly increased, eventually leading him to complete a Ph.D. program in which he focused on developing methodology and best practices for teaching science in a hands-on way to students who are blind.

For students to succeed on their learning journeys and get the most out of their educational experience, Dr. Supalo believes it takes the efforts of not only the learning community, education nonprofits, and leaders, but drive and determination from the students as well. As exemplified by his reintroduction to education and subsequent successful journey into education accessibility research, he believes students should use the challenges in their lives to their advantage as best as they can.