When Screens Go Away, Who Loses Out?

When schools remove devices in the name of wellness, who actually pays the price? For students who rely on assistive technology, screen-free doesn't mean equal. This round table discussion challenges educators, designers and school leaders to move beyond binary thinking about technology and ask how, when and for whom. Explore research-backed frameworks and classroom strategies for designing inclusive digital learning communities where belonging is intentional, and see why blanket tech restrictions can deepen inequity for vulnerable learners. Leave with a practical digital diet framework for assessing each learner's appetite, sensitivities, vulnerabilities and hard limits, plus a four-step inclusive integration model: know your learners, build a menu of options, embed digital wellness practices and iterate with feedback. Launch a digital diet check-in the next school day, audit policies through an equity lens to protect assistive technology users and shift from technology as a mandate to technology as a menu.