Technology And The Special Education Classroom

It is necessary for teachers and IEP committees to consider assistive technology for students with disabilities because AT offers many different benefits to students. AT can be used to assist students with communication deficits, assist students in completing assigned daily tasks, as well as assisting students in accessing materials and navigating the classroom. Assistive technology allows students to meet their goals academically and it allows students to access and

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).

al, 2016). ICT provide safe and controlled environments, motivation, high level of interactivity, immediate feedback, and contribute to the improvement of visual processing skills and short-term memory or working memory inadequacies (Kalyvioti et. al, 2012). They also help develop interactive experiences and optimistic learning surroundings, that can motivate and help children, thus helping them address their disability early on and possibly mitigate its various negative effects (Skiada et.al, 2014). The use of ICT offer support in several fields concerning learning difficulties (Kalyvioti et. al, 2016). Digital technologies can be used in order to train, assist and even enable the learning process (Skiada et.al, 2014). Specifically designed applications can stimulate students interest, but may also help students with disabilities fit into and progress within mainstream school environments (Skiada et.al, 2014). One of the main groups of people with special educational needs, such as dyslexia, could potentially gain many benefits from ICT (Skiada et.al, 2014). As an ICT, this Chrome Extension has the ability to be able to motivate and help children learn and improve their comprehension of the English

In this artifact, I researched for alternative technological tool(see Assistive technology.doc) for students with disabilities to represent how technology could be a great assistance for them. This assignment represents how technology could be used by all students no matter what they need. Therefore, in this assignment, I looked for tools and ways to implement access to technology resources for students who have neuromuscular difficulties, and/or difficulties of counting with her finger to show that there are varieties of technological tool for all the needs.

The world is constantly changing and evolving. Yet mankind does not like change. Many people resist it for as long as possible. One of the biggest changes in the past few decades has been the development of the Internet. With the Internet came a plethora of different advancements in how we communicate with each other. There have been so many recently with everything from e-mail to Facebook; it is difficult to keep up. Which is why some people don’t bother. Technology has endless possibilities especially when it comes to education. It can allow us to communicate in new and more effective ways to reach students who may have had trouble in the past due to disabilities. Technology should be integrated into the classroom to help students with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) and/or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) because technology allows them to learn more.

Technology can be found in every classroom of schools today and continues to grow as the field of technology continues to advance. School age children today know more about technology than most middle-aged adults because they have been exposed to it from such an early age. We live in the technology age and it’s clear that technology is here to stay and has permeated every area of our lives including home, work and leisure. Because of this, educators and school staff have been tech-savvy and must continue to keep up with the technological advances in order to present as competent to the student body. Technology has impacted the way our students learn and has provided avenues of learning to disabled students that they didn’t have in the past and has provided teaching staff with a multitude of resources and diversity in class activities to aid in teaching (Pearson, 2010). Without a doubt, technology will continue to impact our educational system as new technologies emerge and our country competes to keep up with a new globalized economy. Schools will implement these technologies into the

We can utilize iPads or tablets and provide students with fun educational games. They can also utilize computers for several activities. Technology also offers exceptional methods to assess children. When we observe a child at the computer it provides us with a “window into a child’s thinking process” (Weir et al. 1982). Technology in some cases can mean that a child can talk through a special device that helps him/her communicate such as an Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) device. A device as such is known as an Assistive Technology device. Assistive Technology devices are used to help individuals with special needs in life. “Integrated curriculum allows students to employ technology in ways that enhance learning” (Jackson, 2009). A SMART board can also be classified as an assistive technology device because it magnifies the information that teachers are showing to students. “As technology becomes increasingly infused in instruction for the general student population, the options for curriculum access, participation and progress increase for students with disabilities” (Jackson, 2009). When it comes to students who speak a different language, they can utilize a translator to help them translate from their language into English and vice versa. Technology can fit into a developmentally appropriate program because students can do age appropriate work such as educational games and assignments. Developmentally appropriate practice (DAP) is “a framework of principles and guidelines for best practice in the care and education of young children, birth through age 8” (Helm, 2008). Technology can fit into a DAP because students learn at their own level. Play is an important vehicle for children’s social, emotional, and cognitive development, as well as a reflection of their development. Understanding that children are active constructors of

Students who suffer from disabilities like cerebral palsy or speech impediment need extra tools to help them accomplish tasks that other students can do on their own. Therefore, using electronic devices will help them experience a better opportunity in class and still feel connected to the students and teachers. For example, “Eight-year-old Alysa Dvash suffers from cerebral palsy;” however, that does not stop her from learning”(“Girl, 8, Fights to Find a Voice”). Her “speech therapist recommended a Dynavox - an electronic device that would help her communicate in class and engage in school activities”(“Girl, 8, Fights to Find a Voice”). Not only will electronic devices help them engage in school but also boost up their self-esteem when talking with others or just inputting their

The author provided a literature review of the popularity of use of the iPad in the classroom, among students with or without disabilities. The review found that students with disabilities had greater engagement and behavioral response rates when using iPads and teaching applications on the iPads as opposed to more traditional methods of teaching. Through this background knowledge, the author sets up her research proposal.

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.

In 1984 five clinicians from North Shore Children’s Hospital in Salem, MA founded the Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST). They met in a local pizza parlor and conceived the idea to “explore ways of using new technologies to provide better educational experiences to students with disabilities.” They were given an anonymous grant of $15,000 to get started and CAST began to focus on how technology could enhance the learning experiences for students with disabilities (CAST Timeline 2015). Today UDL is being applied in classrooms other learning environments to better accommodate the learning styles of all students. UDL is a powerful and flexible form of curricula, which is designed to embrace and enhance the natural variability of learners (Glass, Meyer, Rose 2013).

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.

Educational Technology has been used by teachers for hundreds of years going back to the discovery of chalk and black boards. However, educational technology was developed for the masses, while assistive technology breaks down the child’s needs. Similarly, an example would be that a student with Down Syndrome may need software on his iPad to help him read, write, or talk, while a peer without this disability would not need that assistive technology. In this case, students with Down Syndrome benefit substantially from the various aspects of assistive technology. The ever growing field and knowledge of assistive technology has really helped students with DS. “Assistive technology for Down Syndrome is a new method that has been developed specifically to help special needs children in the classroom.” (Concordia Online Education, 2013) There are five big areas where assistive technology for students with Down Syndrome can assist the special needs of children in their classrooms. These areas include cognitive, writing, and cutting skills, as well as tactile opportunities and every changing technology. (Concordia Online Education, 2013) A common misconception of assistive technology is that it only pertains to devices of the electronic nature, but obviously this is not true. assistive technology can vary anywhere from a

Technology assisted instruction is a critical area of study in current 21st century education for all learners but specifically for learners with disabilities. As technology becomes more readily

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)