New media and a new definition of literacy cause us to rethink student capacities.

Changes brought about by new media reach beyond literacy and curriculum, affecting our understanding of the very nature of individual differences. In particular, as educators, we are reconsidering our views about "ability" and "disability" in children.

The nearly total focus on the technology of print as the basis for literacy has ensured that some children are unsuccessful in spite of great potential. For children who are blind, or who have motor disabilities that prohibit the use of tools like pencils and books, the barriers in traditional tools are completely exclusionary. For the child with dyslexia, the exclusive focus on print literacy is likely to lead to his or her identification as impaired.

Now that the learning toolbox is expanded, it seems obvious that the options for literacy learning should be as varied as are the children themselves. This is even more essential for children at the extremes, those we call disabled. When we limit a child with dyslexia to expression through print, we practically ensure that failure will dominate over success. When we provide a full palette of communication tools, such as those supporting graphics and sound as well as text, we provide opportunity for an education in which success and challenge are balanced.