hi every day one in seven students is woken up by their parents rushing them
woken up by their parents rushing them
woken up by their parents rushing them telling them not to be late for school
telling them not to be late for school
telling them not to be late for school and as they good they get up they brush
and as they good they get up they brush
and as they good they get up they brush their teeth and they comb their hair
their teeth and they comb their hair
their teeth and they comb their hair they think to themselves I don’t want to
they think to themselves I don’t want to
they think to themselves I don’t want to go back to that place I don’t want to go
go back to that place I don’t want to go
go back to that place I don’t want to go back to the place where the children
back to the place where the children
back to the place where the children laugh at me the teachers don’t
laugh at me the teachers don’t
laugh at me the teachers don’t understand me and the assignments I
understand me and the assignments I
understand me and the assignments I cannot do I don’t want to go back to a
cannot do I don’t want to go back to a
cannot do I don’t want to go back to a place where I am alone every day and
place where I am alone every day and
place where I am alone every day and where I feel stupider each day more than
where I feel stupider each day more than
where I feel stupider each day more than the last then as their rush off into
the last then as their rush off into
the last then as their rush off into their car and their parents kiss them
their car and their parents kiss them
their car and their parents kiss them goodbye as they drop them off in front
goodbye as they drop them off in front
goodbye as they drop them off in front of the large brick schoolhouse the
of the large brick schoolhouse the
of the large brick schoolhouse the student gets out they look around and
student gets out they look around and
student gets out they look around and they see everyone else smiling and
they see everyone else smiling and
they see everyone else smiling and rushing into class and they think why
rushing into class and they think why
rushing into class and they think why can’t I just be normal like everybody
can’t I just be normal like everybody
can’t I just be normal like everybody else this is how I felt every day
else this is how I felt every day
else this is how I felt every day growing up as a student with a learning
growing up as a student with a learning
growing up as a student with a learning disability I am dyslexic I’d like to
disability I am dyslexic I’d like to
disability I am dyslexic I’d like to tell you a little bit about dyslexia for
tell you a little bit about dyslexia for
tell you a little bit about dyslexia for some people who are unfamiliar with it
some people who are unfamiliar with it
some people who are unfamiliar with it it is the learning disability that
it is the learning disability that
it is the learning disability that creates it a hard problem with reading
creates it a hard problem with reading
creates it a hard problem with reading sometimes writing spelling and
sometimes writing spelling and
sometimes writing spelling and comprehension it can make it very
comprehension it can make it very
comprehension it can make it very difficult in school to understand
difficult in school to understand
difficult in school to understand projects assignments or be able to read
projects assignments or be able to read
projects assignments or be able to read out loud so I’d like to tell you about
out loud so I’d like to tell you about
out loud so I’d like to tell you about my experience as a child I went into
my experience as a child I went into
my experience as a child I went into class and our teacher would ask us to
class and our teacher would ask us to
class and our teacher would ask us to sit down and read a reading assignment
sit down and read a reading assignment
sit down and read a reading assignment so we would bring out our books and each
so we would bring out our books and each
so we would bring out our books and each student would read one passage this
student would read one passage this
student would read one passage this terrified me it was so scary to think
terrified me it was so scary to think
terrified me it was so scary to think that I was going to have to read in
that I was going to have to read in
that I was going to have to read in front of people and I couldn’t even
front of people and I couldn’t even
front of people and I couldn’t even understand the words that were in front
understand the words that were in front
understand the words that were in front of me so I would sit there and I would
of me so I would sit there and I would
of me so I would sit there and I would count out the students who were going to
count out the students who were going to
count out the students who were going to read in front of me and then I would
read in front of me and then I would
read in front of me and then I would flip through my book until I found the
flip through my book until I found the
flip through my book until I found the passage that correlated with mine I read
passage that correlated with mine I read
passage that correlated with mine I read it over and over and over again until
it over and over and over again until
it over and over and over again until hopefully I could read some of the words
hopefully I could read some of the words
hopefully I could read some of the words and I could feel my teacher staring at
and I could feel my teacher staring at
and I could feel my teacher staring at me I knew she thought that I was
me I knew she thought that I was
me I knew she thought that I was ignoring her I was ignoring the
ignoring her I was ignoring the
ignoring her I was ignoring the assignment and I wasn’t paying attention
assignment and I wasn’t paying attention
assignment and I wasn’t paying attention in school she thought I was a bad
in school she thought I was a bad
in school she thought I was a bad student at that point and she knew that
student at that point and she knew that
student at that point and she knew that I would make a joke and she thought it
I would make a joke and she thought it
I would make a joke and she thought it was to make fun of her curriculum
was to make fun of her curriculum
was to make fun of her curriculum so she she would yell at me all the time
so she she would yell at me all the time
so she she would yell at me all the time telling me please stop flipping the
telling me please stop flipping the
telling me please stop flipping the pages and reading ahead you need to stay
pages and reading ahead you need to stay
pages and reading ahead you need to stay with the group but little did she know I
with the group but little did she know I
with the group but little did she know I was not reading ahead
was not reading ahead
was not reading ahead I could barely read the words that were
I could barely read the words that were
I could barely read the words that were right in front of me and so I struggled
right in front of me and so I struggled
right in front of me and so I struggled and when it was my turn I made a joke
and when it was my turn I made a joke
and when it was my turn I made a joke I read a little bit and I joked because
I read a little bit and I joked because
I read a little bit and I joked because the kids would laugh at my jokes instead
the kids would laugh at my jokes instead
the kids would laugh at my jokes instead of laughing at me it was hard and as it
of laughing at me it was hard and as it
of laughing at me it was hard and as it got closer to my turn my palms began to
got closer to my turn my palms began to
got closer to my turn my palms began to sweat and my heart began to race and I
sweat and my heart began to race and I
sweat and my heart began to race and I felt sheer panic fall over me this was
felt sheer panic fall over me this was
felt sheer panic fall over me this was so hard to not be able to do one of the
so hard to not be able to do one of the
so hard to not be able to do one of the simplest tasks that everybody does in an
simplest tasks that everybody does in an
simplest tasks that everybody does in an everyday setting read and so as I
everyday setting read and so as I
everyday setting read and so as I entered fourth grade I came in with low
entered fourth grade I came in with low
entered fourth grade I came in with low hopes thinking it would be just like any
hopes thinking it would be just like any
hopes thinking it would be just like any other year but that was the year that it
other year but that was the year that it
other year but that was the year that it changed that was the year that my
changed that was the year that my
changed that was the year that my teacher mrs. Ahuja came in she was the
teacher mrs. Ahuja came in she was the
teacher mrs. Ahuja came in she was the most caring teacher I’ve ever had she
most caring teacher I’ve ever had she
most caring teacher I’ve ever had she changed my views on education she
changed my views on education she
changed my views on education she created what I am today she was someone
created what I am today she was someone
created what I am today she was someone who was kind caring empathetic she
who was kind caring empathetic she
who was kind caring empathetic she understood each student and she wanted
understood each student and she wanted
understood each student and she wanted them to learn she wanted them to go the
them to learn she wanted them to go the
them to learn she wanted them to go the way that it was that made most sense to
way that it was that made most sense to
way that it was that made most sense to them and so she took time to learn each
them and so she took time to learn each
them and so she took time to learn each individual person and that is what makes
individual person and that is what makes
individual person and that is what makes a good teacher and so she was the one
a good teacher and so she was the one
a good teacher and so she was the one who taught me that I wasn’t stupid and
who taught me that I wasn’t stupid and
who taught me that I wasn’t stupid and that being normal was just overrated
that being normal was just overrated
that being normal was just overrated being different allows you to have so
being different allows you to have so
being different allows you to have so many more advantages and you can learn
many more advantages and you can learn
many more advantages and you can learn so many different things and help
so many different things and help
so many different things and help improve other people’s lives as well so
improve other people’s lives as well so
improve other people’s lives as well so as I grew up I kept thinking to myself
as I grew up I kept thinking to myself
as I grew up I kept thinking to myself there was no way she was the only one
there was no way she was the only one
there was no way she was the only one there had to be other empathetic
there had to be other empathetic
there had to be other empathetic teachers out there and so I looked and I
teachers out there and so I looked and I
teachers out there and so I looked and I did more research about learning
did more research about learning
did more research about learning disabilities and I learned that 52
disabilities and I learned that 52
disabilities and I learned that 52 percent of teachers have no training in
percent of teachers have no training in
percent of teachers have no training in students with learning disabilities but
students with learning disabilities but
students with learning disabilities but 15% of our population has a learning
15% of our population has a learning
15% of our population has a learning disability that’s a large portion of our
disability that’s a large portion of our
disability that’s a large portion of our population that is being ignored and
population that is being ignored and
population that is being ignored and neglected in school we need to change
neglected in school we need to change
neglected in school we need to change our education system we need to find
our education system we need to find
our education system we need to find more teachers like mrs. Ahuja and so I
more teachers like mrs. Ahuja and so I
more teachers like mrs. Ahuja and so I set out to create them this is what I
set out to create them this is what I
set out to create them this is what I learned about virtual reality
learned about virtual reality
learned about virtual reality for those of you who are not familiar
for those of you who are not familiar
for those of you who are not familiar with it it’s a very immersive program
with it it’s a very immersive program
with it it’s a very immersive program it’s a headset you put on yourself and
it’s a headset you put on yourself and
it’s a headset you put on yourself and you can experience people’s lives places
you can experience people’s lives places
you can experience people’s lives places activities and things all from the
activities and things all from the
activities and things all from the comfort of just sitting right here but
comfort of just sitting right here but
comfort of just sitting right here but you can be anywhere virtually in VR
you can be anywhere virtually in VR
you can be anywhere virtually in VR let’s say have you ever been to Mars I’m
let’s say have you ever been to Mars I’m
let’s say have you ever been to Mars I’m sure you haven’t have you swam with
sure you haven’t have you swam with
sure you haven’t have you swam with sharks have you seen the Eiffel Tower
sharks have you seen the Eiffel Tower
sharks have you seen the Eiffel Tower well in virtual reality you can and when
well in virtual reality you can and when
well in virtual reality you can and when you’re inside you get the emotion you
you’re inside you get the emotion you
you’re inside you get the emotion you get the feeling of actually physically
get the feeling of actually physically
get the feeling of actually physically being there that is what makes all the
being there that is what makes all the
being there that is what makes all the difference
difference
difference vr has allowed us to create immersive
vr has allowed us to create immersive
vr has allowed us to create immersive understanding technology unlike what’s
understanding technology unlike what’s
understanding technology unlike what’s currently out there currently everyday
currently out there currently everyday
currently out there currently everyday you use your cell phone you call you
you use your cell phone you call you
you use your cell phone you call you text you write emails and you feel that
text you write emails and you feel that
text you write emails and you feel that that’s a great connection with somebody
that’s a great connection with somebody
that’s a great connection with somebody else but is it really the connection
else but is it really the connection
else but is it really the connection you’re looking for do you feel
you’re looking for do you feel
you’re looking for do you feel empathetic to somebody can you
empathetic to somebody can you
empathetic to somebody can you understand a story that they’ve
understand a story that they’ve
understand a story that they’ve explained in words probably not most of
explained in words probably not most of
explained in words probably not most of the time you just think of it as your
the time you just think of it as your
the time you just think of it as your daily life and so now virtual reality
daily life and so now virtual reality
daily life and so now virtual reality allows to do something completely
allows to do something completely
allows to do something completely different it allows us to be immersed in
different it allows us to be immersed in
different it allows us to be immersed in the emotion the understanding and
the emotion the understanding and
the emotion the understanding and experience things that you might never
experience things that you might never
experience things that you might never have been able to experience prior to
have been able to experience prior to
have been able to experience prior to that and so with virtual reality I soon
that and so with virtual reality I soon
that and so with virtual reality I soon learned that it was not a toy it was not
learned that it was not a toy it was not
learned that it was not a toy it was not a game but it could be used to make real
a game but it could be used to make real
a game but it could be used to make real change in people’s lives we could
change in people’s lives we could
change in people’s lives we could improve the education system by teaching
improve the education system by teaching
improve the education system by teaching our teachers our educators our parents
our teachers our educators our parents
our teachers our educators our parents our friends our family about learning
our friends our family about learning
our friends our family about learning disabilities from a first-person
disabilities from a first-person
disabilities from a first-person perspective of a student with a learning
perspective of a student with a learning
perspective of a student with a learning disability and that is why I’ve created
disability and that is why I’ve created
disability and that is why I’ve created peers a virtual reality company that
peers a virtual reality company that
peers a virtual reality company that teaches teachers about students with
teaches teachers about students with
teaches teachers about students with learning disabilities within the
learning disabilities within the
learning disabilities within the experience of teacher a parent a friend
experience of teacher a parent a friend
experience of teacher a parent a friend like I mentioned can all be immersed in
like I mentioned can all be immersed in
like I mentioned can all be immersed in the moment understand what those
the moment understand what those
the moment understand what those emotions are experience something that
emotions are experience something that
emotions are experience something that is more than you ever thought you could
is more than you ever thought you could
is more than you ever thought you could and in VR what’s so interesting about it
and in VR what’s so interesting about it
and in VR what’s so interesting about it with a learning disability is that those
with a learning disability is that those
with a learning disability is that those teachers the teachers I had as a child
teachers the teachers I had as a child
teachers the teachers I had as a child the teachers that are learning teaching
the teachers that are learning teaching
the teachers that are learning teaching every single day understanding training
every single day understanding training
every single day understanding training they can now understand what it was to
they can now understand what it was to
they can now understand what it was to feel the way that I was feeling
feel the way that I was feeling
feel the way that I was feeling the way that many other people are
the way that many other people are
the way that many other people are feeling and what’s great about that is
feeling and what’s great about that is
feeling and what’s great about that is that you can truly when my teacher would
that you can truly when my teacher would
that you can truly when my teacher would look back she could truly understand
look back she could truly understand
look back she could truly understand that I wasn’t just flipping the pages to
that I wasn’t just flipping the pages to
that I wasn’t just flipping the pages to ignore her I wasn’t trying to make a
ignore her I wasn’t trying to make a
ignore her I wasn’t trying to make a trouble and I wasn’t trying to make
trouble and I wasn’t trying to make
trouble and I wasn’t trying to make jokes I was trying to protect myself
jokes I was trying to protect myself
jokes I was trying to protect myself from people laughing at me I was trying
from people laughing at me I was trying
from people laughing at me I was trying to understand the material by slowly
to understand the material by slowly
to understand the material by slowly reading ahead and learning word by word
reading ahead and learning word by word
reading ahead and learning word by word the way that was best for me and so what
the way that was best for me and so what
the way that was best for me and so what I’ve learned is virtual reality doesn’t
I’ve learned is virtual reality doesn’t
I’ve learned is virtual reality doesn’t just create empathy but empathy within
just create empathy but empathy within
just create empathy but empathy within itself creates innovation people when
itself creates innovation people when
itself creates innovation people when they understand the experience and I
they understand the experience and I
they understand the experience and I mean truly experience and understand
mean truly experience and understand
mean truly experience and understand something they want to create change
something they want to create change
something they want to create change they want to create solutions and they
they want to create solutions and they
they want to create solutions and they want to find help to other people so
want to find help to other people so
want to find help to other people so when teachers experience virtual reality
when teachers experience virtual reality
when teachers experience virtual reality of learning disabilities they’re able to
of learning disabilities they’re able to
of learning disabilities they’re able to understand what a student’s going
understand what a student’s going
understand what a student’s going through and then in turn make it better
through and then in turn make it better
through and then in turn make it better teaching better programs better
teaching better programs better
teaching better programs better experiences for so many students that
experiences for so many students that
experiences for so many students that are struggling out there virtual reality
are struggling out there virtual reality
are struggling out there virtual reality can bring us back to something that we
can bring us back to something that we
can bring us back to something that we never thought we’d have true connection
never thought we’d have true connection
never thought we’d have true connection with somebody else
with somebody else
with somebody else an emotional feel and so I would like to
an emotional feel and so I would like to
an emotional feel and so I would like to say that learning disabilities are not
say that learning disabilities are not
say that learning disabilities are not an issue they’re not a struggle I wasn’t
an issue they’re not a struggle I wasn’t
an issue they’re not a struggle I wasn’t just trying to make problem this is
just trying to make problem this is
just trying to make problem this is something we can create change for we
something we can create change for we
something we can create change for we can help people we can help all those
can help people we can help all those
can help people we can help all those people out there who are looking for
people out there who are looking for
people out there who are looking for solutions who are looking to feel
solutions who are looking to feel
solutions who are looking to feel something and we can connect on a deeper
something and we can connect on a deeper
something and we can connect on a deeper level that will allow us to understand
level that will allow us to understand
level that will allow us to understand each individual person and so my
each individual person and so my
each individual person and so my teachers or the teachers out there will
teachers or the teachers out there will
teachers or the teachers out there will know what everybody is doing they’ll
know what everybody is doing they’ll
know what everybody is doing they’ll understand it will create a better
understand it will create a better
understand it will create a better education system and with technology we
education system and with technology we
education system and with technology we can take children like myself scared
can take children like myself scared
can take children like myself scared timid students who are afraid of school
timid students who are afraid of school
timid students who are afraid of school and their peers and turn them into
and their peers and turn them into
and their peers and turn them into successful entrepreneurs nurses lawyers
successful entrepreneurs nurses lawyers
successful entrepreneurs nurses lawyers or maybe even a teacher thank you
or maybe even a teacher thank you
or maybe even a teacher thank you [Applause]
”
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