http://www.edtechmagazine.com/k12/article/2013/03/how-technology-helping-special-needs-students-excel
The main point of this reading is that technology really impacts the education of students with disabilities. In the past only the most severe students could get the use of the technology, but now, anyone has access. One of the programs, Dragon Naturally Speaking even has a free app that anyone can download onto their phones to use for everyday life. Most of the newer technological innovations have been made smaller and more manageable, easier for students to not only use, but to carry. Many devices are smaller so that their regular books can and will still fit on their desks. If technology is used properly, students' learning can be greatly impacted.
This is important because students with disabilities have such diverse needs and need things that the normal general education student doesn't need. Students with disabilities often struggle with reading, writing and concentration. These students, the ones who typically have a learning disability often need to be with their peers in a regular education class, but with their needs in the past have been removed.
I agree with the use of technology with students with disabilities as long as it is used properly. So many times students are given a computer and told to type. If a student has motor skill issues, he or she may not be able to type at a rate that will make him or her successful. If a student needs to dictate answers due to inability to write, or the focus needed to complete notes, recording notes works, but only if the student listens to them at a later time that is relevant.
In our district we have technology, but we don't always have the right specific kind that our students need. We can borrow for a short time some of the technology from the county special education coop. What we really need is for our students to have e-readers with the text we use in the class. Both of these needs cost the district money and due to that, our district often doesn't have the specific things and we tend to make do with what we have, which is not always what could work better with that student. However, the only way to find out if an accommodation works is to try it.
I agree with a lot of your points. I feel that today we do have many more tools available to our students with special needs though technology. I have seen how that availability has benefited students in my district, whether its an e-reader to verbalize the text or a dictation app to assist a student that struggles with the fine motor skills for writing.
ReplyDeleteI also agree that funding for the cost of appropriate equipment is severely lacking in our school districts. In addition to the lack of money, I feel we are also challenged by the lack of training and instruction to use these tools. The tools that are available (some for low or no cost) are sitting idle because training is lacking or limited to both the teachers and the students. I equate it to throwing a bucket of Lego's at someone and demanding he or she to build a complex structure without any directions. Without the training, the tools just sit there idle, waiting for use.
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ReplyDeleteJodie is right. Funding is an issue around here. I was amazed at some of the technologies highlighted in the article. It's like Stephen Hawking is getting assistive devices into the mainstream...well, mainstream for special-needs students. Having those devices in the "hands" of the special-needs students will then raise awareness for the traditional student. Those "normal" kids can see how special-needs students ARE capable.
ReplyDeleteYour article reminds me of mine in that devices are becoming more mobile and they have the potential to be accessed easier. I agree that these devices are difficult to get due to financial restrictions, but it is important to try with what we do have. This is a problem that will always be around. Schools in the past (and currently for that matter) have insufficient texts. It seems teachers will always have to be creative with limited resources.
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