In secondary school settings the use of technology within the special education classroom is lacking. Special education class rooms and resource settings utilize only the basic, out of date technology that has been in use for many years. Typically the only available technology made available to special education or resource settings are the overhead projector, television, and tape recorder. According to the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (2009), seventy-five percent of students with disabilities rarely or never use computers. General education classes are more frequently equipped with current technology items such as smart boards, iPads, computers, projectors, write pads, and smart pens. Special education students, like their non-disabled peers, are learning 21st Century skills in the general education setting using 21st Century technology. Special education students needing remediation or small group instruction are hindered by the lack of available technological devices.
According to King-Sears, Mainzer, and Swanson (2011) technology can be universally beneficial for all students as a vehicle for learner engagement or conveyance of instructional content, and it can promote participation, learning, and performance by students with disabilities. Students with disabilities who used computer-based instruction made improvements using technology that matched their learning needs, (King-Sears, Mainzer, and Swanson, 2011).
Many students with disabilities have problems with mobility and use of their arms and hands. In classrooms where technology is obsolete it is impossible for these students to obtain educational success. Other students with emotional or social disabilities find it hard to convey...
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Students with disabilities are not the only students who can benefit from creative tasks, projects, and assessments. A positive and caring approach to dealing with all student regardless of culture, disability or any other thing that make then different from the norm is key to the success of all concerned.
By law, public school systems are responsible for providing each and every student with a disability with a free and appropriate public education. When IDEA was passed, increased emphasis was placed on where and when students with disabilities were educated. Because of this, the focus became access to classrooms and assistive technology was emphasized. AT has a very important role in the educational world. It is used constantly in special education and throughout the IEP process to assist and benefit students with disabilities
"When we talk about communication, we are talking about peoples' lives, no less than that - so there really are no degrees of freedom. If we get it wrong, if we miss the boat - people drown" (Mirenda, 2008). I feel that it is our duty to provide not only meaningful education but a means in which the students are given the tools necessary to function and communicate to the best of their abilities and AAC can do this. The Assistive Technology tools can assist the students to improve their communication and have a bright future in which they are a productive, independent adults.
Students with learning disabilities in the regular classroom may have challenges that require special attention. If the teacher is able to identify the disabilities and the features associated with them then the teacher can tailor the lessons to meet the needs of the students. These may include differentiated instruction and facilitating an inclusive classroom which will see inclusive strategies employed that will cater to the needs of students with learning disabilities. These inclusive strategies can range from individualized learning programs to team and co-teaching. In some cases, the teacher can arrange for a special education teacher or arrange for a pull out program to assist students who have learning disabilities. Strategies that will also cater to learning disabilities may also include the use of technology. According to Ford 2013 ‘In some situations it may be best for students with LD to be taught in separate pull out classrooms with a teacher who can provide targeted skill instruction in areas where a student is struggling.’ ‘When provided appropriate support within this setting, many of these students can achieve academically and develop positive self-esteem and social skills. (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association 1991). They also recommend that schools should ‘require in-service programs for all school personnel to give them the knowledge and skills necessary to provide education for students with learning disabilities in the regular education classroom.’ Schools should include activities to help participants learn strategies to meet individual needs of students, foster attitudes conductive to educating students with learning disabilities in the regular education classroom, and promote
There have always been implications in the way a teacher can teach a student. You have your perfect students who seem to know more than you, the bad student who doesn’t want to learn, and then you have your student with a disability. These students try hard to succeed, but without the proper equipment, are unable to do so. This comes into play especially with students who are unable to speak. There were many ways in the past to help people who couldn’t talk by either writing the words down all the way, to using sign language. Using these methods to convey a message to a person or group of people can take a long time. This could be, and is, very discouraging for someone who just wants to tell you the answer, or ask a question; however there isn’t an easy way to get it out. Luckily a company over in Europe developed a system that enables teaching and learning to come easier to a person with a disability. This system is called DynaVox.
Assistive technology is often used by individuals with a learning disability. A learning disability “describes a neurobiological disorder in which a person’s brain works or is structured differently” (Lee1). A person’s abilities can be severely affected from a learning disability. They may listen differently, talk differently, write, spell, organize, and work with school subjects in a different way. Learning disabilities also affect people’s individual and personal lives to a great extent. According to the National Institutes of Health, one in seven children has a learning disability. The disability manifests itself when the child shows difficulty in reading, writing, spelling, and conversing with others. The added time they need to process information may make them seem less intelligent then others around them, but this is not the case. Individuals with learning disabilities are just as smart as anyone else; they just need to learn in a different way. The earlier a learning disability is noticed and detected, the earlier a child may be able to learn how to deal with or compensate for it (Lee 1). This is where assistive technology comes into play.
The purpose of technology is to help make us better. The way technology is to make us learn new things like graphing calculators, emails. Computers help our education to makes us better because it builds or modifies our personal skill with vast amounts of talents or skills. Today’s teachers uses computers to help teach the class nor do they give too much attention to computers. Schools won’t probably be called schools no more because of the vast amount of computers that it will become a learning institution. The technology can be a way of communication like the “way of communicating with other classmates or teachers” (Hill). Students no longer need to carry books, notebooks, pens and pencils. The computer has online books, Microsoft Word, and other software. Without technology there would be no smart homes, smart phones, smart cars, and smart TVs. How will the students with disabilities learn if technology was not a good teaching tool if they have a hard time focusing or has hearing loss or has a learning disability and the students are very slow learners? Students with Disabilities have the need to use a computer do homework or taking notes. Some problems that teachers have are students with disabilities of various types. The students with disabilities require more attention like my older brother Derrick because he has a learning disability so he gets a lot of attention. My brother Derrick also has a hard time walking, so my brother Derrick uses a walker to help him walk and he uses technology when he is in class. The second example of students with disabilities is me because I have ADHD which stands for Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. I have a hard time focusing and sitting still and very often I forget things or I get very confused and I usually get bored very quick; therefore I get a lot of attention from
In order to discuss how technology motivates reluctant learners, we must first agree upon what exactly a reluctant learner is. According to Joyce M. Herzog, a reluctant learner is one who "is not interested in life at all, is not interested in what you are teaching, and is not able to learn in the time-frame or manner of presentation" (2002). There are several reasons as to why the student may feel the way he/she does. As a teacher, one must be very careful to make sure to take into consideration all of the reasons as to why a student may feel reluctant to put forth the necessary energy in the classroom. One reason may be that the student suffers from a learning disability, which is defined by the educational dictionary Wordsmyth as "any of various conditions thought to be associated with the nervous system, that cause difficulty in mastering a basic skill such as reading" (2002). "Various disabilities include ADD, communication disorders, and behavioral disorders" (Woolfolk, 2004, p.124-131). Students with these disabilities are often seen as disadvantaged when it comes to learning in a typical school setting. Problems at home could also be a cause for reluctancy of students.
Assistive technology plays an important role in the learning process for individuals with disabilities. Assistive technology is defined as "any item, piece of equipment or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities." (Maushak, Kelley & Blodgett, 2001, p. 419) Assistive technology is very beneficial to individuals that have disabilities. For example, students with mental retardation benefit from extremely organized learning situations because of their limited cognitive abilities. Students who are hearing impaired, blind, or visually impaired may need differentiated pedagogical materials. More emphasis should be placed on visual materials for students with hearing impairments than for other students. Modifying instruction for all students, especially exceptional students, requires strong dependence on media, materials and technology and the right choice of these components to fit particular ends. Moreover, research has indicated that technology not only can be adapted for use with students with disabilities, but when used can enhance students' educational achievement and self-image. (Duhaney & Duhaney, 2000, p. 393) With this knowledge, there have been many new products that have been developed to help individualize programs to fit the criteria for specific disabilities. Through out this paper we will be disusing three different pieces of assistive technologies. We will be looking at Dynawrite, AlphaSmart, and Texthelp and the benefits of each program.
How can ICT support the learning of children with special educational needs? ICT can support the learning of children with special educational needs [SEN]. It enables children with SEN to overcome barriers to learning by providing alternative or additional methods of communicating within the learning process. Moreover, it also helps teachers to create a supportive framework, which can enable autonomous learning. When used creatively, ICT can enrich and enhance teaching, motivating pupils and engaging them in active learning.
In less than a decade, computer use progressed from programming classes for a few of the better students, to literacy classes for all students, to the integration of computers and technology into the curriculum. Now, there is a goal for educators to use technology as a tool in efforts to teach more effectively by using a variety of strategies to meet different needs in a diverse classroom. This will take training and commitment to keep up in an area that changes quickly, but the benefits to teachers and students are greater that the effort it will take to stay informed; computers increase productivity of students and make learning a fun experience. They help students become better problem-solvers instead of just rote learners.
Male, Mary (2003). Technology for Inclusion: Meeting the Special Needs of All Students. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
In the past, technology was something that was only used in our homes and by the wealthy. However, this has become a thing of the past. Classrooms have become more interactive and lessons seem to be more engaging. Students have been given the opportunity to use Smart Boards, document cameras, projectors, and wireless slates. In order for our students to feel comfortable, when using the different technologies, they must have some amount of background knowledge. If a student is not given this background knowledge, they will have more difficulty utilizing the technology than someone who has the background knowledge. Teachers in classrooms today must also have some type of knowledge of the technology being used. A great way to build this knowledge is to attend training sessions that your district may be holding, and utilize the technology as much as possible.
Technology has many different effects on education, one of them being enhancing the students learning. Technology may enhance the students learning and may assist most students in achieving their academic standards. When technology and appropriate teaching methods are combined, technology may increase the academic achievement. Positive effects have been found in all major subject areas, from preschool to higher education, both regular and special needs students. Educational technology has been found to have a positive effect on a student’s attitude toward learning and on self-concepts. The introduction of technology into the learning environment has allowed the learning to be more student-centered, to encourage group learning, and helps to stimulate an increase in the student-teacher interaction. Technology has shown a shift from a focus on a student’s memorization to their problem solving. Through technology’s use, learning opportunities have become unrestricted by time or place, allowing lifelong learning. Student use of technology through communications can also help to enhance access to a career and continued education. Students are more likely to use a computer to get help because they can to it themselves. Technology is helping students to become independent.
Technology properly used in the classroom has many advantages to a student’s learning. Technology can help students become more involved in their own learning process, which is not seen in the traditional classroom. It allows them to master basic skills at their own rate rather than being left behind. Teachers and students alike can connect to real life situations by using technology in the classroom; this can also help to prepare students for real world situations. Technology can be used to motivate students as well as to offer more challenging opportunities. It can also be used as a visualization tool to keep students interested in the subject that is being taught. When technology is used effectively, students have the opportunity to develop skills that they may not get without the use of technology (Cleaver, 2011). Assessing and monitoring students is easier on the teacher because of the ability to use technology in the classroom. When technology is used correctly it offers limitless resources to a classroom atmosphere.