Special Education and Technology Literature
Review
Janice Chimezie, LeRhonda Greats, Cindy
Hinson, Krystle Pearson, and Eric Phillips
Liberty University
August 7, 2013
Abstract
Technology
has changed the way we think about education.
However, this change has provided the education community with a wealth
of resources, as well as, challenges and questions for students with
disabilities. Legislature has mandated
that students with disabilities receive a Individualized Educational Programs
(IEP) to provide them with resources and an educational setting that is most
appropriate for the student. Current
technology has provided the school district and teachers of students with
disabilities with new resources both in the classroom and home settings. With the help of Universal Design for
Learning, teachers can integrate technology to plan lessons that are specific
to students’ learning styles and ability levels. In addition, assistive technology devices
ensure that students with disabilities have access to leisure, learning, and
work environments with as much independence as possible. However, learning to use these technologies
outside of the classroom is less likely.
Most recently, teachers have begun to give more attention to the devices
that students bring into the classroom, such as cell phones and tablets. The phenomenon is known as Bring Your Own
Device (BYOD). Due to physical, mental
health, and behavioral disabilities students may not be able to attend school
for part or all of the school day.
Distance education and online courses has provided alternative ways for
these students to access the classroom.
Although technology is not lacking, the efficacy of the quality of the
research for students with disabilities continue to generate questions for
teachers about the integration of technology.
Keywords:
special
education, technology, integration, universal design, BYOD
The following is a Wiki Literature Review of research
surrounding uses of computer technology in the special education classroom.
This review covers the different ways that schools are using technology to help
students with special needs and their teachers gain access both from home and
in classes using a variety of different tools and methods. The review includes the research of five team
members researching topics such as bring your own device (BYOD), distance
education, universal design for learning, access and how technology is
impacting the ways that teachers are educating their special needs
students.
Many K-12 educators
feel compelled to provide support and encouragement to individual students with
diverse learning needs. Even though
educators are challenged, they are to provide a helping hand to each of their
students. In response to these
challenges many instructional tools, strategies, and technologies are used to address
students with their learning needs. Many
educators today utilize the Universal
Design for Learning teaching method to help students that have teaching methods
to help students that have special needs to connect to the content they are
about to learn (Edyburn, 2005).
Universal Design for Learning has become
very popular in helping to guide educators to ensure that all students
participate in general education program. According to Rose and Meyer (2002),
UDL provides the framework that gives educators a structure to develop
diversity among all learners. Even
though learners differ and they might perceive and comprehend information that
is present in the contents. Therefore,
in the field of education, pinpointing special education has become highly
recognized to educate regardless of their disability and learning needs,
according to the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) of 2004. Based on this response IDEA has put in place intervention
procedures as a means to ensure success both academically and behaviorally. The
UDL purpose is to cause educators to strive to find innovate ways to help
individual students of different backgrounds, learning styles and disabilities
in various learning capacities, to understand the curriculum.
Universal
Design for Learning Legislature
Due to legislation in 2001, the No Child
Left Behind (NCLB) Act, states that every student is to be provided with high
quality education, in spite of different learning styles. NCLB requires all students, including those
with disabilities to participate, and take part in closing the achievement gap.
Many schools are held accountable to ensure academic achievement and that proficiency
goals are met. Therefore UDL helps
educator’s work hard to identify and help remove different barriers in their
teaching and the content that they are about to teach (NCLB, 2001).
Universal Design for Learning helps to
set goals in helping student learning with public education. As a result, in order to maximize the goal
for UDL teachers apply the very principle of instruction of the delivery
method. It has been discovered that teaching the content in a redundant way may
actually improve the instruction for various students with learning
disabilities and cultural backgrounds. (Rose & Mayer, 2002)
Burgstahler (2012 writes that
successfully integrating technology into learning environments can benefit many
students. Therefore as stated many schools implement the requirements of the No
Child Left Behind Act (NCLB, 2001), everyone is requiring that every student
must be included particularly those that have disabilities. There is specific research that technology has
contributed to students’ academic success and has even helped students to maximize
independence, overcome shyness, engage in various discussions, gain access to
peers/mentors, and gain access to a full range of educational options
(Burgsthler, 2003).
Inclusion/Inclusive
There
are so many aspects to the field of education. Due to the recent inclination in
inclusive students with disabilities can have access, contribute in, and
validate progress in the general educational. The students with learning
disabilities may have limits to academics, but are not limited to cultural, etymological,
functional, and developmental skills and career province. In addition to these findings research shows
there is a affiliation between special education technology and techniques for
inclusion.
The
Assistive Technology (AT) Act provides support designed to promote greater
levels of everyday life activities and normal functioning skills for
individuals with a disabilities and learning disorders. The AT Act ensures that
all students have access to technology that supports the activities of life
such as learning, leisure/recreation, and work. Under the law, state projects
are required to spend 5% of total funding for transition activities (i.e.,
transition to higher education, vocational school, job, or community living), including
student support for those receiving transition services under IDEA. States will
be required to provide device reutilization, device demonstration, and device
loan programs (Martin, 2005).
Dominate Themes in Special
Education-Technology Literature and Synthesis
The
importance of inclusion with students is one of the enlightened aspects of
educational technology. Along with technology integration, there are several
dominate themes in the field of special education. There are annual uniformities in discoveries
are palpable in more issues of procedures in special education technology are
published yearly (Martin 2005). Although technology integration was one of the
highest occurring topics, the synthesis did not include a breakdown as to
learner-centered or instructor centered integration of technology or whether
technology integration was at the teacher education program level or the K-12
classroom level. Software evaluation was also minimally represented as was
alternative assessment and study tools. The research provides a way for researchers to
identify gaps in literature and to have a comprehensive resource that synthesizes
content in special education and technology journals (Martin,
2005).
The
Council for Exceptional Children gives research based suggestions on an
analysis in the field of special education as well as gaps in publication areas
similar to special education and technology. The research states that there should be a
link between computer use in the classroom and its related impact on language,
communication skills, study skills, social skills, and citizenship. The use of technology
with at-risk students connecting to real-world problems, to encourage problem solving,
and higher order thinking skills are areas lacking for school aged students
with disabilities (Martin, 2005).
Technology
or Digital Environment
The Universal Design for Learning has a
prime root and focus on using verses and computers to convey traditional
learning materials. Through technology computers are flexible in uniquely
transforming learning that can better match varies learning styles. For example, many learners learn by video
clips which many auditory individuals can learn from the caption that is embedded
in the video clippings. If students are having a reading problems with reading
or a reading disability, a reading software that have text-to-speech will help
them to effective comprehend the text. However,
many student that are facing sever
disabilities will still need proper assistance such as wheel chairs, dressing
themselves, and using public transportation.
Having an accessible computer interface
can have a great social impact on students with disabilities. Many students with sensory disabilities can
actually use a computer to achieve their learning goal and master the content.
From various research articles computers have provided assistance for special
needs students, especially those with motor skills.
A study was conducted of 4th
and 5th grade students with learning disabilities in a UDL reading
classroom. In this UDL class setting there were a variety of learning tools
such as regular books and computerized books. The classroom population
consisted of 15 girls and 10 boys with special needs. According to the research
the reading books and the computers was divided among the students. The boys
were to get the books and the girls were to use the computers. This study was
very well executed and the teachers reported that the girls did great on the
computers in reading versus the boys. It was suggested that this occurred
because the boys required assistance with reading the books.
On the following day the boys had the
opportunity to use the computer to read the assigned books and they did great
versus the girls that had the actual reading books who struggled as the boys
did with getting help. It is proven that universal design components of technology
used by these students were beneficial and impactful.
Access
to Technology
The literature the addresses the concept of access
to technology with students who have physical disabilities will often speak
about the challenges that schools face finding the right tools for the students
to use. When thinking about providing
technology for students who are living with disabilities the possibilities are
endless. Technology is designed to help
make life easier in so many ways.
Students with special needs have a need for specialized technology as
well.
The literature states
that if a student is visually impaired they could certainly benefit from
hardware devices that allow them to use other senses to help them learn. If the student has a hearing deficiency then
they would benefit from things that will help them to read and see things more
clearly. If a student’s special need was a motion deficiency or they were
unable to walk then mobility devices such as wheelchairs that they can control
with their voice would help.
In special education parlance, assistive technology
(AT) is any piece of equipment used to improve a student's functional
capabilities; it could be as simple as a pencil with a rubber grip or as
sophisticated as a computer enhanced for use by a quadriplegic. (Shea, 2008)
Students with special needs may benefit
from the advances in technology in a way that would make their ability to learn
much better. In one case a student with
autism had anxiety about attending high school. It seemed like such a big
place, but a teacher who knew that the student enjoyed making videos had an
idea. He suggested that the student
video tape his older brother and narrate what a day in his high school was
like. The autistic student created a
video that he was able to play repeatedly. This form of technology integration
helped to calm his anxiety about going to high school. This is a great example of the ways that technology
can assist students who have learning challenges. Learning is very important, but many students
have a desire to fit in and not call attention to myself especially around a
thing that makes me different.
When it comes down to it, teenagers are
basically the same whether they have a visual impairment, hearing impairment,
Down’s syndrome, or Tourette’s. Regardless of their disability they really
don’t like to call unnecessary attention to themselves. Technology innovators
have to take this into account when they are designing the assistive technology
device that would help a visually impaired student to see better, but that
would be worn over their head is not ideal.
They just don’t want to do it because it would make them stand out even
more than their disability does. A
device like this would help them see better but the students have not been
using them because they draw attention to them that is not wanted at all.
In the United States there are laws in
place designed to prevent students from being excluded from getting an
education. For example, there was the Brown vs. the Board of Education decision
that now requires schools to acknowledge that special education students are
protected by The Education for All Handicapped Children Act (P.L. 94-142)
There are many other devices, like
printers that can print and the ink will expand causing it to be raised on the
paper and making the image one that is similar to braille helps the visually
impaired student thrive in their learning environment. There are advances that have been made in
technology and how they are helping students to be successful in a more
mainstream type of classroom.
This morning an able-bodied student came
to me because she had lost her voice, probably from too much girl talk the night
before. She was using her iPhone to
speak for her as she typed her message. It was a perfect example of the power
of assistive technology to a student who knows that her voice will return with
just a little rest and time. Too often
people don’t think about the challenges that students who have special needs
have, but once they are personally affected and inconvenienced by something
like my student’s laryngitis then they gain a better understanding and empathy.
Technology has offered many advantages to
students in the classroom. There have
been advancements in the way technology allows us to connect with the outside
world. There are many devices that allow students who are visually impaired to
thrive in their education and in the world.
There are devices that make it easier for students who don’t have
perfect vision to participate in Advanced Placement classes and play video
games that before had been very difficult.
The advances in technology have helped students participate in
activities that had been limited only to those with perfect sight. The article about the various Berberi (Brann,
A., et.al, 2008) tools helps the reader understand the ways that technology is
working to help students who have disabilities learn just as much as their able
bodied counterparts.
There are handheld devices that are
wireless in which all students who have disabilities can have access to
technology. These devices allow them to write and speak content into devices
that will then translate their ideas into a format that others will
understand. Through voice recognition
software users who have difficulties with their motor skills can also speak
into a system and have it translate for them.
Once teachers have been introduced to
various forms of technology that can be used to help their students learn, the
next challenge is to make sure that the teachers have the training to use the
assistive technology. Often what will happen is that a teacher will discover a
new tool and then introduce it into the classroom. In terms of access it has to
be determined whether or not the students can then afford this new
discovery. If they cannot afford to own
one for themselves maybe they will only use it while at school.
Special education classes often have to
be more flexible and the teachers have to adjust themselves to the needs of the
students that are enrolled in their classes.
This flexibility may result in the teacher or the school purchasing a
piece of hardware to be used in the classroom. This is no different than what
happens in a traditional classroom, but in the special education classroom they
may have a student with severe motion limitations be able to use a headband
that can sense the movement of their eyebrows to communicate.
There is a wonderful story about a
student who could not walk or talk or move his hands or legs but it was
discovered that he could move his eyebrows to let people know how he
feels. This student is given a computer
that can sense the movement of his eyebrow and with each motion he can express
different feelings. This is a true
advancement in assistive technology; the person who designed the device is
certainly responsible for changing this person’s life for the better.
Once the devices that will best assist
the students in a special education class are identified and will work with the
student the next hurdle for the teacher to overcome is ways to make sure that
the technology is not only used at school but also at home. This need will require training on the part
of the caregiver of the student. The
caregiver who will communicate with the student who uses the computer and his
eyebrow motion will have to be trained to understand the computer software and
hardware. This training may fall on the
teacher as well because they will be the expert who may have recommended the
assistive technology in the first place.
Access to training for the teachers,
access to equipment, training for the student, and access to training for the
caregivers are all very real concerns as you add more technology into the special
education classroom. In classrooms that
are equipped with the latest technology it is very important that the focus not
just be on providing the latest technology to the students but also to make
sure that the teachers are trained.
While laws are in place that says every
student has the right to an education in the United States, the type of
education that they get is still pretty much in the hands of the individual
school districts. The school districts are
charged with educating so many different types of students on such a limited
budget that when students have special needs, even though there are often
additional funds to support their education, those funds rarely include
training for the faculty or caregivers.
Distance
Education
Technology has changed the modality of
education in the 21st century for all students. Most school districts offer some online
learning or distance education courses in K-12 schools. All students are required to participate,
including students with disabilities. Since distance education is growing so
rapidly, the research community has not established best-practices for students
with disabilities. With the rapid growth
and lack of research, the research community still needs to answer the
question: Can a quality education be provided for students with special needs
through distance learning?
Vasquez III and Straub (2012) provided a
foundation for beginning this research by synthesizing the current data. In addition, Anderson and Drone (2011) seeks
to define the theory of distance learning and to question if it is rooted in
pedagogy, technology or both. Anderson
and Drone’s (2012) pedagogical viewpoint weighs heavily and can lend great
merit to the development of online courses and distance education for special
education.
Efficacy is a question when it comes to
educating students with disabilities in a distance learning environment. However, Vasquez III and Straub (2012)
offered that online instruction does provide educators with a mode of providing
students with accommodations, such as extended time through distance education
and variety of presentations through multimedia. Vasquez III and Serianni first offered
several definitions of distance education by other authors. All of the sources’ definitions shared a
commonality that distance education is (a) instruction by an instructor (b)
through technology (c) without the teacher and the student sharing the same
space. Next, the authors of the article
explored the resources media.
According to Vasquez III and Serianni
(2012), “New media are typically compared to traditional face-to-face
instruction to determine whether the new media is more, less, or similarly
effective relative to traditional instruction” (p.33). Some resources argued that media delivery was
most important and other argued that instructional design was most important to
student success. In addition, several
researchers argued that both methods had an impact on student success. Upon further exploration, Vasquez III and
Serianni (2012) learned that although many studies have been conducted, not
enough research has been conducted to determine if distance learning will be
effective for students with disabilities.
Pedagogy is important when discussing
any type of learning method. As a result,
Anderson and Drone’s (2012) research is vital to topic of distance education as
a valid practice for students with disabilities. Although Vasquez III and Straub (2012) and
Vasquez III and Serianni (2012) shows there is a lack of research for students
with disability, they did offer that distance learning has could provide
“advanced student skills, increasing access, and potentially lowing the cost of
educational services” for students with disabilities in a distance learning
environment. Anderson and Drone (2012)
suggest that many educators, even those that offer distance education, consider
their instruction to be driven by pedagogy rather than technology. In addition, they offer that technology is
used as a means to allow the student and educator to communications. Distance education has survived through three
generations from the mail correspondence course to the online courses that we
currently use today with Web 2.0 technologies (Anderson and Dron, 2012).
When developing online course, pedagogy
must be considered. Anderson and Drone
(2012) offered that cognitive and behaviorist theories focus on how students
function and understand information.
This concept is especially important to those planning for students with
disabilities because many times these students will have difficulties with
processing speeds, working memory or delays in specific areas.
According to Anderson and Dron (2011),
“Much research using this model proceeded from empirical testing of multimedia
effects, cognitive overload, redundancy, chunking, short- and long-term memory,
and other mental or cognitive processes related to learning” (p. 82). One of
the advantages offered by Anderson and Drone for the cognitive and behaviorist
theorists the ability to provide “student freedom” which leads to
individualized instruction in the world of special education.
Although students with disabilities need
individualized instruction, they do not need to be isolated from their same age
peers. Actually, legislature mandates
that students with disabilities must be educated in the “least restrictive
environment”. Therefore, they should
remain in a group with their same aged peers even in online environments. Anderson and Dron (2011) suggested that the
social-constructivist pedagogy is a vital part of distance education when
considering efficacy.
When students learn through distance
education environments, they miss some of the face-to-face contact that
classrooms may provide. However,
Anderson and Dron (2011) offered that social barriers are erased by some of the
technologies that allow all students to communication in an online environment,
such as WebEx.
Finally, the Anderson and Dron (2011)
introduced the connectivism pedagogy developed by Canadians George Siemens and
Stephen Downes. In addition, they
provide the definition for this new term that could provide insight for those
planning for students with disabilities.
Anderson and Dron (2011) assume that the learner’s role is to be able to
find information when it is need instead of memorizing or understanding
everything. In addition, they suggest
that machines should be used to compensate for the mental processes and problem
solving. This concept has huge implications
for students with disabilities because usually these students have deficits
that cause or lead to their disabilities.
With the pedagogy and research in
distance education, a strong case can be made for applying technology to the
education of special education students.
Edyburn (2012) suggested a paradigm shift to use current technology to
create subject content wikis with information based on state standards. As a result, textbooks would become obsolete
and any student would be able to use assistive technology and/or universal
design for learning technology when it was deemed necessary. First, Web 2.0 has
allowed students to collaborate and share knowledge.
Next, Creative Commons allows companies
to protect their “intellectual property while sharing the fruits of their
labors with the larger community” for the purpose of education (Edyburn, 2008,
p. 63). Finally, Edyburn (2008) discuss
open sources software and defined it as software that can be used by
anyone. This software can be changed as
needed by the user. He stated that
federal laws tend to restrict special education teacher, on the other hand,
open source instructional materials tend to provide students with access to
resources for students with disabilities.
Bring
Your Own Device (BYOD)
E-learning is a form of technology that
is currently influencing how learning is approached in higher education. It is
the new learning communities and the potential influence of e-learning to which
we must turn our attention. It is evident that understanding of the emerging
educational context and how we create learning environments that will
facilitate development of higher-order cognitive abilities and encourage these
to thrive in what has been described as the knowledge era (Garrison &
Anderson, 2003). E-learning in the 21st
Century Framework for Research and Practice, challenges the myth that
higher education today comprises a community of learners dedicated to achieving
higher-order learning outcomes.
Teachers and educators have used various
forms of technology tools within instruction for several years. It is believed that
those resources have promoted student achievement and engagement within
instructional practices. There are many forms of technology resources such as
interactive whiteboards, student response systems, multimedia cart, computer
labs, iPod/MP3 Player, and iPads to name a few. Using these tools can produce
amazing results for the educational enhancement of students.
Author Regina L. Garza Mitchell places a focus on technology integration
within the realm of higher learning. Planning for Instructional Technology in the
Classroom talks about the
instructional needs on college campuses.
On most college campuses, instructional technology tends to be
thought of as the technology tools (e.g., clickers, learning management
systems, iPods, iPads, etc.) instead of a process that involves planning,
implementing, evaluating, and managing the use of technology to enhance
teaching and learning. It is important to learn how it is perceived by
stakeholders, in the process, when planning for instructional technology. This
is to ensure that those involved in planning have similar understandings of
what it is and how it should be approached. Therefore, one of the most common
reasons for incorporating instructional technology is to improve student
learning.
According
to the research in Using Technology in the Classroom,
it is stated that the use of interactive teaching methods in the classroom can
significantly increase learning and retention through interactive teaching
methods in the classroom (Moorhead, 2009). The use of these technologies can
help overcome many challenges by helping engage students in an otherwise
one-way teaching environment.
Two
current classroom technologies that can dramatically impact overcoming
classroom challenges and improve student retention are the use of interactive
whiteboards and student response systems (Moorhead, 2009). The Interactive whiteboards allow instructors
to record their instruction and post the material for review by students at a
later time. The student response system is a technology that allows an
instructor to present a question or problem to the class, students to enter
their answers into a wireless device, and instantly summarizes students’
answers for the instructor (Moorhead, 2009).
Although
these two forms of technologies provide excellent resources for technology
integration, there are several barriers that can occur during implementation.
Some of the barriers to implementing new technologies in the classroom are the
cost of the new product, the thought that instructors must learn new skills/new
roles, and planning the curriculum around new technology (Moorhead, 2009). In addition to the implementation of
interactive whiteboards and student response systems, students and teachers
alike are now moving towards the world of Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)
The
BYOD movement has taken wings. It has not only showed presence in the General
education classroom setting, but has also landed in the Special Education
classroom. One might wonder; how can technology/BYOD be used in the special
education classroom? At Northdale Middle School in Coon Rapids, Minnesota,
students with developmental and cognitive disabilities utilized a variety of
technology tools. These technology tools included the use of iPads which can be
used as BYOD resource.
In the lesson the students matched pictures on
a projector screen and their iPads to vocabulary words about desert biozones as
a part of a unit on ecosystems. The addition of the iPads to the special
education mixture raised the bar for student achievement at Northdale Middle
School (Baca, 2012). In addition to utilizing the BYOD devices, students are
using tablets. This integration has led to an increase in student engagement
among some of the most severely disabled students and has accelerated their
learning (Baca, 2012).
In
Powell, Tennessee a 4th grade Down syndrome student named Sloan was
given the opportunity to use a device to help convey her sometimes-garbled
words. After her mother researched different solutions to help her child, she
found a list of applications for the Apple iPad (a BYOD tool) that helped
children with disabilities communicate. In past attempts to communicate, Sloan
would become upset and leave the room in a temper tantrum. After implementing
this BYOD to her curriculum Sloan is now using the application Proloquo2Go as a
tool for learning. This tool has shown evidence to attract other students,
boost her self-confidence, and offered Sloan the communication tactics that she
needed to interact with her peers (Shah, 2011).
This form of integration showed an increase in student achievement and a
decrease in student behavior. Thus, indicating that the BYOD can provide
positive results for student learning.
In
the article, iPads Ramp up Special
Education, educators used iPads as a form of student learning. Four
students were given a 20 question quiz on a story that their teacher read to
them. The students indicated their responses by tapping out answers onto the
screen of the iPad. The structure of the assessment mirrored the standardized
test that the students take each year. After seeing the success of their
children some of the parents have allowed them to bring their own iPads from
home to use during instructional time (Baca, 2012). This type of integration
has infused the BYOD movement within the classroom.
When shining the spotlight on
different types of BYOD’s, there are many ways these technologies can enhance
student learning. According to article, Technology
in Action, teachers and educators can use the following BYODs: Cell Phone,
iPod/MP3 players, Clickers (student response systems), and iPads. Cell Phones
have features such as calendars and alarms that can remind students about
homework, classroom activities, self-monitoring checklists, and calculators. In
addition the internet access on cell phones provides a multitude of
opportunities to look up information online (Bassette, Bouck, et.al, 2012).
IPods/MP3 players can provide audio or video prompting to students with
disabilities in providing a list of tasks to complete, steps for lessons, and
reminders.
Clickers
can provide students a response system for progress monitoring,
self-monitoring, and assessment of content/on-task behaviors. Finally iPads can
provide educational apps. These apps can give visual, auditory, and tactile
learning opportunities to students with disabilities (Bassette, Bouck,
Flanagan, Miller, 2012). Some of these resources include the need for Wi-Fi
connectivity, small group interactions and teacher prompts which can be a task
for teachers in larger group settings. However, by utilizing BYODs teachers can
not only enhance the educational experience of their students, but students can
gain a wealth of knowledge while being abreast of current technologies that are
beneficial to their learning.
The
Teacher’s Perspective
This research is to get teachers to
continue to further explore effective ways of decreasing the gap between
software programs and assistive technology (AT) tools for educational creation
and instructional learning purposes. Research shows that some parents of
special education students know little about technology. Getting teachers to educate on technology
practices can be problematic, but providing extensive training, information,
resources, and materials can provide assistance.
The research states that gross domestic
product also has much to do with incorporating instructional and educational
technology into the market. This is
mainly due to how vendors market their technology products to the educational
sectors in terms of price for educational and non-educational use. The benefits
of knowing about the technology market is it helps teachers and instructional
technology designers, and educational technologists, to understand and know how
to create equal access to a number of AT’s, technology, and tools that
incorporate the correct educational software, applications, and programs that
needed to work correctly with basic organization and communications technology
regardless of all students.
Teachers
can collaborate with instructional and educational technologists to learn,
substitute, integrate, and incorporate certain assistive technology tools in
and out of the educational setting. In
doing so special education teachers can understand how students learn in
preferred ways. In addition updated
instruction and curriculum can enhance the cognitive, social, psychological,
emotional, and physical educational skills.
Teachers do not overwhelm students in learning with various
instructional tasks taking place to help build the students schematic or
scaffolding experience. Teachers also help all students learn better
communication technology skills and educational knowledge and skills.
With various technology tools all students can
understand and learn the skills to apply in their classrooms and at home. By linking instructional skills and knowledge
students can synthesize, problem solve, explore, experiment and communicate
better in the home, school, and community. Research shows that a lack of all variables
mentioned is happening and to slow progress in the classrooms. Teachers using
the latest technology and attempting to stay abreast or up-to-date with the
newest audiovisual and other technology tools can be left behind in terms of
professional development. One main
reason is a lack of access to various technology devices. There is a need for
more hands-on and video step-by-step instructions that will teach how to work
or execute certain video, audio and technology tools that emerge in case
studies and in the field of instructional technology. Research shows that
special needs students benefit from some computer and technology tools as their
non disabled peers. Some components and
structures within educational learning, can add up to a high cost for both the
students and the schools. Research found that the layout and design of technology is setup in classrooms and
could affect student learning. In addition, infrastructure location and area
can have an effect on students’ ability to use various assistive technology
tools that are not internet accessible.
Research
suggest that teachers must adapt their way of thinking in terms of beliefs,
perceptions, attitudes, and values while incorporating assistive technology
tools into the learning process. The findings further suggest that teachers
felt his/ her teaching and learning with instruction and technology was still
not relevant to keeping up with what are new assistive technologies,
technology, or technology tools are currently available. Research shows in case studies and interview
some teachers were indecisive about certain assistive technologies, technology,
and technology tools that could work effectively within/outside of the
classroom setting. Some teachers’ voice
more concern about not having the right technology tools, especially assistive
technologies. When right technology was provided like assistive technologies
being able to use them correctly, and not knowing enough research to be
self-assured about the right assistive technologies or technology, or
technology tools was problematic too.
More research from findings show how more special education on the
topics discussed is needed on the instructional part as far as proper education
about incorporating technology instructionally. Finding suggest even though some teachers
have capable means of technology usage in the classroom, despite the various
external and external factors it still does not mean that all teachers will
use assistive technologies or
appropriate technology for the setting
or use technology effectively.
Further research is needed on
being able to further explore how the basic organization and systems
structures at some schools and
universities instructional and technology wise still prevent, and make it
somewhat difficult for most teachers to utilize a majority of assistive
technologies, technology, and technology
tools for special education student needs. ( Flanagan et al, 2013).
In
general terms of pedagogy some
teachers are still having a hard time incorporating or executing various
educational technologies/assistive technology tools that involved task related
skills in /out of the classroom.
Finding suggest more analytical research is needed to get teachers to
explore deeper how to apply all technology within curriculum and instruction with lesson plans,
educational activities, and educational events etc. In addition, more professional development
is needed to promote work in professional teams, to provide more workspaces, to
meet, and attend events where each teacher in the educational setting gets the
need educational technology answers to address the needs for special education
students needs. Possibly having teacher demonstrate step by step techniques of
audiovisual technology and how assistive technologies work at home or in the
schools.
More research is still ongoing in the area to
help teachers and students work with several types of technology and technology
tools. This will work to help the special education student to glean
instructional skills and knowledge, and to help eliminate as much as possible
unintentional mistakes of not integrating technology in/out of classroom
professionally or effectively. Equity also seems to be the big gap, and
research hopes to support that equity will not be achieved to decrease the
digital divide in teaching students with certain assistive technologies, and
technology tools unless teachers include them and apply them more to the
classroom setting instructional and educational etc. In doing so, teachers will eliminate some of
the rift, and provide easy reach for all students to learn the various
instructional lesson plans and curriculum intended.
In
order to close up certain misconceptions about teachers un intended use of( ATs), technology, and
technology tools, research suggests teachers being provided industry and
instructional and educational technology
extra tech support will validate some of the findings that have or have
not been proven theory wise. Research suggests
teachers can group or provide instruction based on the need to retrieve
instructional technology teaching and learning assignments. Teachers will be able to go outside and
further look for more material that is not license like Creative Commons
programs or applications for computer to meet student’s different educational
needs. Students can reach out quicker
with assistive technologies /technology tools more easily than without
them. As far as learning styles and
learning environments the findings can be applied to understand how to use and
construct lesson plans, instruction, and curriculum to fit special education
needs to learn effectively. The finding suggests teachers should incorporate assistive
technologies and other technologies into the student everyday life
educationally through school and from the school setting, to help build the
student own schematic learning.
Conclusion
Technology
has advanced at a rapid rate and many teachers who have the challenge of
teaching special needs students have been left behind. Teachers offer support
to a small number of students compared to the higher number of students who do
not require special learning accommodations.
This literature review still raises questions about the true validity of
students of special education and the accommodations. The research proves an
increase in academic achievement in regards to the BYOD movement. The schools
are pressured by federally mandated laws to provide a quality and fair
education to all students. Evidence is shown that is can be harder to do with
the cost of technology and the varying needs of the students.
However, in the Universal Design Learning
approach educators can reach more students in special education in varied subjects
such as Math and Reading. Students with learning disabilities are often faced
with academic limitations, however the integration of technology resources have
been proved to curtail those limitations. Distance learning is an excellent
alternative for students who are unable to attend a traditional school because
of their disabilities. Furthermore, it
can provide students with cultural, etymological, functional, and developmental
skills which can aid in future career and educational opportunities. In agreement NCLB 2001, all students should
have the opportunity to learn, in spite of their accommodations and limitations. The use of technology for students with
disabilities can be quite effective within the classroom setting. It is
imperative for educators to understand that we must teach all in order to reach
all.
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