Distance Education for Students with Disabilities
History of Distance Learning and Learning Disabilities
With the rise in technology and internet access, there has been an increase in schools and universities that offer courses online that make education accessible to people all around the world. This has allowed many options for students that may not have otherwise had access to the education that they wanted and an increase in a number of options to best suit them. This includes those with disabilities. Students with disabilities can access their classes in the ease and comfort from their own home and on their own time. However, even with the variety of resources used in distance courses, such as videos, audio lectures, PowerPoints, and forums, these classes may not give the disabled learner all of the support that they need (Banerjee & Brickerhoff, 2002). In addition, while there have been many laws and regulations passed for giving all of the accommodations and support students with learning disabilities need in face-to-face classrooms, there are few regulations that outline what needs to be provided in distance education courses. Many of these laws and regulations were passed before the rise of the technological advances that allow students to pursue education online (Edmonds, 2004). Due to this, many distance courses do not have accessible formats for all learners.
Successes and Experiences of Students with Learning Disabilities and Online Courses
Students
The right of entry to education resources is more than uncomplicated admission to a college. The right to use means to provide students with the devices they will need to be victorious in higher learning. Students with a recognized disability ought to be no omission. In reality, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, “ensure that all qualified persons have equal access to education regardless of the presence of any disability.” Objective replacement, class waivers, and revision of classroom management, testing and course necessities are all illustrations of behavior to supply access for the learner with a disability. A break down to the creation of such practical adjustments can place schools in breach of federal and state statutes, ensuing expensive fines.
This article focuses on the many forms of technology in relation to special education. The article discusses the “high” and “low” forms of technology that is available for students with special needs to help “bypass” or “compensate” for their disabilities. The article goes on to survey the current status of assistive technology for the special education population. In the end, the article uncovers that the use of assistive technology for the special education population is promising though uncertain. Assistive technology has proven to be beneficial for students with learning disabilities, as it would empower them to work beyond their normal capabilities (Lewis, 1998).
In the educational world, there are countless programs, curricula, strategies, manipulates, and resources for teachers to pull from in order to aide in the teaching of concepts and learning of students. Whatever method(s) a school or district has deemed best practice, or adopted as their curriculum, tend to be the instructional practices or resources utilized the most by those teachers. Additionally, teachers will also have preference to teaching styles, resources, and materials they use for their students. While autonomy in any classroom is important to students’ academic growth, one must also be careful to select and implement instructional with great intention and purpose. Consideration to students needs is equally important as the mandate of teaching standards and demonstrating proficiency amongst students. Even when teaching non-disabled students, it can be time consuming and overwhelming to plan lessons so just how much more is involved when planning for students with significant disabilities (SD)? Better yet, what are appropriate instructional strategies to use for students with SD? Regardless of the instructional setting, these are considerations that must be given when teaching students with SD in order to maximize their learning opportunities to learn
The other example he gives is of a girl who’s was 18 when the paper was written and just graduated from Wookstock Academy in Wookstock, Conn., but took several classes through the Maynard, Mass-based Virtual High School Global Consorium which allowed her to stay at home without exacerbating the fibrodysplasia ossificans progressive, which is a painful condition that causes extra bone to form in her muscle and other connective tissues. With those testimonies the author of the paper is trying to illustrate the advantages of distant learning which is another implementation of artificially intelligent tutoring system. The author not only fills his paper with advantages but also with some disadvantages. He says that not all online classes are welcoming to students with disabilities, the course might not be accessible to them or the student may never be offered the course. To prove this, he gives quotes of people from the united states department of education and from people from high schools and universities, he also does provide some
Educating students with disabilities has evolved immensely throughout history. Initially, students with disabilities were isolated and institutionalized. Society 's perception was that it was not necessary or beneficial to invest time or resources into this group of people (Spaulding & Pratt, 2015; Dybwad, 1990; Winzer, 1998). Direct advocacy and litigations caused changes in federal legislation (Griffith, 2015; Lloyd & Lloyd, 2015). Due to the civil rights movement, stu-dents with disabilities became part of the public educational system. Our current system has evolved to the level that educators work as teams to create individual learning plans for students
Postsecondary education offers students with intellectual disabilities more than simply the routine of attending class or even learning the content provided through a course. Although both of these elements are significant, there is a bigger picture that concentrates less on which classes these students take and more on the potential outcomes a
The use of technology in educating children with special needs has widely grown in the past few decades, and has since has changed the way people with disabilities live, work, and learn” (Winzer, 2002, p. 98). Individuals with special needs are unique and all have different areas in which they need assistance. Due to the advancements in assistive technology, computer programs, software, and other technology tools, have helped people to find useful and easier ways to become educated.
Assistive technology is becoming more prevalent in today’s classrooms. It is helping students with disabilities to access curriculum they were not able to in previous generations. Many laws have been put in place to ensure the availability of assistive technology to all who need it. Laws such as Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) have put an emphasis on public education systems providing necessary funding for these individuals placing their needs first.
The Distance Education homepage can be found at http://www.lonestar.edu/lsc-online/. I would like to repeat again a few statements from the course set up above. I realize that distant education is a wonderful opportunity to complete a class without having to physically come to class. But this opportunity comes with added cost of more effort from each student. Please review the following items to verify that you have the basic skills, equipment and much needed ambition to properly complete this course.
The summary of this article is to look at using technology and how it can help students with disabilities to enhance and improve their independence in academic and employment responsibilities, their participation in classroom discussions, along with helping them to accomplish some difficult academic tasks. This article discusses the role and benefits of using assistive technology in the Universal Design for Learning (UDL), in academic skills, and in transition services. The article summarizes the important principles that are needed to be considered in the incorporation of technology in educating or training students with
This is just one example of how a student can be held back from being comfortable on a campus. Another challenge is staying technological advance in the resources that help support a student who has disabilities that may not be visible. For example, students with a learning disability might need to be able to see words typed in a larger font or need to record class sessions. When institutions do not have these technological advances, students might struggle more. In addition to this, another challenge professionals will have is working with difficult faculty members who might not see the need to accommodate a student’s needs because they do not want to change the way they do things in their classes. As a result, these professionals in disability
Though students will be able to communicate using their devices, they must still be able to physically be present to participate and contribute to classroom activities as well. The use of wheelchairs and walkers are already sound Assistive Technology devices that would allow students with disabilities mobility. However, devices in this case are not enough to support a student with disabilities inside of a classroom. The classroom itself must also be structured in a way that supports an Assistive Technological driven class.
The use of technology in educating children with special needs has widely grown in the past few decades. Individuals with special needs are unique and all have different areas in which they need assistance. Due to the advancements in assistive technology, computer programs, software, and other technology tools, it has become much easier for people to find useful and easier ways to become educated. Because of this, “technology has changed the way people with disabilities live, work, and learn.” (Winzer,98)
Non-traditional students are finding it easier and easier to maintain a job, a family, and pursuing a college career at the same time. This is possible because more and more non-traditional students are receiving an education using distance learning, as opposed to traditional, in-the-classroom teaching. Distance learning is basically taking college level, credit-bearing courses via the Internet. One of the most obvious advantages of distance learning is that it puts the classroom in your home, office, or wherever you can find a computer and log on to the Internet. However, there is much controversy regarding the quality of the courses being offered on the Internet versus the quality of
On the other hand, an online course permits students the option and availability to enroll in a vast array of course choices regardless of their location. In so doing, it allows a student a unique opportunity to further their education anywhere in the world. After all, if one is in the United States or on a military base in Japan students can still attain an education from their home country and in their mother tongue via the Internet. However, lessons that take place in a physical classroom are confined to that location. Thus, students situated within the nearby vicinity of the school building typically can access the instructor’s lessons. Consequently, this creates a clear disadvantage to any student residing outside of the classroom’s surrounding area.