Information Technology in Special Education

This chapter sets out to examine the role that information technology can play in the education of students with special needs. The scope of such needs and the main issues in the field are set out briefly. The theories underpinning learning with information technology are outlined and the aims of integrating computing in special education are discussed. Research evidence supporting the perceived benefits of information technology in special education is assessed and the common applications are considered in the context of their special needs usage

Concept Mapping: A Visual Learning Strategy Benefiting Post-secondary Deaf and Hard of Hearing Accounting Students

Conventional wisdom in the world of academics holds that concept maps are tools useful only for science classes. Not so! Concept maps – also known as advanced organizers, graphic organizers, concept trees, visual maps, flowcharts, diagrams and mind-mapping – can be meaningful strategies for students who learn about technical accounting aspects discussed in the business classroom. Many educators promote concept maps – a component of visual learning – as an ideal teaching and learning strategy in the classroom due to its visual nature of organizing information and indicating relationships within that information. Action research involving concept maps was conducted in an accounting classroom on a university campus geared for deaf and hard of hearing students. These students were taught by a deaf lecturer. These students majored in accounting or business while pursuing associate-level degrees: associate of occupational science, associate of applied science, or associate of science. Many deaf and hard of hearing students – likely visual learners by virtue of their hearing losses – can benefit from this visual learning and teaching tool. This action research involved comparison of two accounting classes – an experimental class with concept maps as embedded curriculum components and a control class without the benefit of concept maps. All of the students in both classes studied the same accounting topics. Specific benefits of utilizing concept maps in the experimental classroom were observed, documented and analyzed. Active learning and meaningful student engagement took place in the experimental classroom. Software made specifically to create concept maps was utilized in this action research

A study of applications of microcomputer technology in special education in western Massachusetts schools.

The purpose of this study is to survey microcomputer applications in special education in Western Massachusetts Schools and, in particular, to assess the extent to which special education is moving beyond drill and practice software with special needs students. Data were collected from 185 special education teachers by a questionnaire and follow-up interviews from eleven special education teachers in Western Massachusetts. Results showed that computers and software are generally integrated in special education teachers\u27 curricula. They used the microcomputer as a compensatory tool to sharpen students\u27 mathematics skills, language arts and reading comprehension. Some special education teachers also used computers for language assessment, speech training, eye-hand coordination and communication. Apple computers were the most popular brand used in this study. Adaptive devices such as firmware cards, switches, and speech synthesizers were used to help special needs students access computers. Computer-assisted instruction, word processing and games were the most popular software used. Students worked on computers generally alone, or in a small group, or in combination; the amount of supervision required depended upon students\u27 functioning level and physical limitations. Most special education teachers did not teach and computer language; only a few teachers explored Logo or BASIC with their students. Special education teachers realized that the computer is a good tool to motivate students and to increase self-esteem and attention; they received some inservice training on computer uses, but complained that it was not enough to help their students. Factors making it difficult for special education teachers to use computers were: lack of appropriate software, teachers being behind the trend, not enough class time to use computers, and perceptions of computers as dehumanizing. The study concludes with recommendations for increasing special education teachers\u27 computer training via input from hardware and software experts, and for requiring special education teachers to take introductory computer courses such as Logo, BASIC programming, authoring language systems and software evaluation. Also, it recommends that school administrations give financial and technical support for such training in order to use microcomputers and related devices more effectively

"Dreaming in colour’: disabled higher education students’ perspectives on improving design practices that would enable them to benefit from their use of technologies"

The focus of this paper is the design of technology products and services for disabled students in higher education. It analyses the perspectives of disabled students studying in the US, the UK, Germany, Israel and Canada, regarding their experiences of using technologies to support their learning. The students shared how the functionality of the technologies supported them to study and enabled them to achieve their academic potential. Despite these positive outcomes, the students also reported difficulties associated with: i) the design of the technologies, ii) a lack of technology know-how and iii) a lack of social capital. When identifying potential solutions to these difficulties the disabled students imagined both preferable and possible futures where faculty, higher education institutions, researchers and technology companies are challenged to push the boundaries of their current design practices

Suffolk College inspection report

This inspection was carried out by OFSTED under section 62 of the Learning and Skills Act 2000. It was a joint inspection by the Office for Standards in Education (OFSTED) and the Adult Learning Inspectorate (ALI). Inspection week: 14–18 May 200

Teaching Learners with Visual Impairment

This book, Teaching Learners with Visual Impairment, focuses on holistic support to learners with visual impairment in and beyond the classroom and school context. Special attention is given to classroom practice, learning support, curriculum differentiation and assessment practices, to mention but a few areas of focus covered in the book. In this manner, this book makes a significant contribution to the existing body of knowledge on the implementation of inclusive education policy with learners affected by visual impairment

Teacher practices while interacting with preschoolers in inclusive settings

The overall purpose of this study was to examine, record, and describe teacher practices that were considered culturally responsive to preschoolers with disabilities who do or do not share the same racial background as the teacher. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were used to explore the relationship between the teacher’s racial background and her teaching practices when compared between two preschoolers with disabilities. First, it examined teacher practices of African American and European American teachers across specific teaching behaviors to determine whether or not similarities existed across these groups of teachers when compared between the two children. Second, it examined the same teacher practices to determine whether or not differences existed in the interactive patterns of African American (AA) and European American (EA) teachers across these same teaching behaviors and the same sample of children. Using a mixed methods research design, two African American teachers and two European American teachers from separate Head Start programs participated in this fiveweek study along with two children with disabilities; one from the same racial background and one from a different racial background as the teacher. Teachers were observed using a teacher-child interaction scale and missed opportunities records to document observed practices that could be considered culturally responsive. A single audiotaped teacher interview was used to examine each teacher’s articulated practices. Teachers were asked to complete two cultural-focused surveys to help gain insight in their self-reported practices that could be considered culturally responsive. The utilization of qualitative and quantitative measures helped to create a profile of each teacher’s practices (observed, articulated, and self-reported) as she interacted with the children under study. Results showed several similarities among the observed and self-reported practices for both groups of teachers, African American and European American. Across both groups, (a) the level of physical involvement differed between the two children; and (b) the teachers’ communicative style showed some variation between the two children, were common themes that emerged through the comparison. Additional outcomes suggested that some differences among the two groups were more indicative of each individual teacher’s personality and disposition, rather than solely her racial background. Future studies are needed on more pro-longed time within each teacher’s classroom to further understand the role of culture on the teacher and her practices

Teaching Learners with Visual Impairment

This book, Teaching Learners with Visual Impairment, focuses on holistic support to learners with visual impairment in and beyond the classroom and school context. Special attention is given to classroom practice, learning support, curriculum differentiation and assessment practices, to mention but a few areas of focus covered in the book. In this manner, this book makes a significant contribution to the existing body of knowledge on the implementation of inclusive education policy with learners affected by visual impairment

Getting a Feel for Science: Adapting Existing Non-Formal Education Techniques to Conform to Universal Design

This project implemented and tested methods to adapt Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) science programs to accommodate Australian students with disabilities. Universal Design principles were applied to the Tyre Track activity in the Forensic Frenzy program to improve the science experience for visually impaired students. The team gathered survey and observational data, evaluated activity effectiveness, and delivered recommendations and guidelines. Statistical analysis demonstrated that non-formal education programs modified to contain multi-sensory components increase student knowledge and understanding