While the final presentation looks nice, it was frustrating to use Adobe Spark to make it. Recording the audio took an especially long time, as you would need to end a second or two before the timer stopped in order to prevent cut off words. I had to edit my original text and re-record each slide about 3 times.

What is also disappointing is that there is no built-in captioning feature for Adobe Spark. This means that any Deaf or hard-of-hearing users will need to access the transcript below. But they will not be able to access both the Digital Story and the transcript simultaneously, creating an inequitable experience.

Link to Krista’s Digital Story called The Story Behind My Profession.

Transcript of Digital Story

I work in one of the best professions — helping students with disabilities obtain accessible versions of textbooks. This means I get to work with both students and technology

I could choose to tell you HOW I landed in this profession. But today, I want to tell you WHY this work is so meaningful. It starts at a barn dance in July 1954.

My grandfather, Marlow, and grandmother, Gayla, met for the first time. Grandma thought grandpa was handsome.

She even tried to grab his attention by throwing a rusty can of water. It sort-of worked as they did became pen pals while he served a mission for the LDS Church.

With permission, Marlow wrote a very special letter with gold ink. In it, Marlow confessed his love and offered marriage. Gayla said yes.

He came home, they married and eventually had 4 children. Theirs was a typical life full of happiness and challenges.

One day, in 1988, Marlow was working in the yard, kneeled over, and it was discovered, he had a stroke.

The stroke paralyzed his dominant side and his speech and overall health were greatly affected.

I was born in 1989 and Grandpa used a wheelchair. This in no way limited him from being one of the best grandpas.

He taught himself how to paint again. He taught me how to play the card game FreeCell and how much to water the garden. He even sharpened our knives, one-handed.

Grandma feels that I never knew the “real” Marlow Freckleton. I disagree. For inside his decrepit body, existed a loving man.

Grandpa only lived for the first 14 years of my life. In many ways, Grandpa was a MORE impactful person BECAUSE of his disability.

Through him, I learned that disability is not bad; it’s just different.