Upon reflection of my research about technology and
Special Education, I have found many wonderful resources which will be beneficial
in my preparing lesson plans. The school where I teach have some of the
technology tools which are considered part of the 21st Century
technology tools, such as the iPad, Smartboard, and a couple of Promethean
Boards (5th grade only). For my special needs students, we use the
computer lab but have to reserve it. My students are more motivated to learn if
they know we are going to the computer lab. They want to complete research (on
their level) of different topics. It is great to watch them search for
different topics on the Internet. You can see the wheels turning in their minds
when they are using the Internet and different technology tools.
The digital age can provide more than just education
for special needs students. It can also offer something more valuable—freedom that
they have not had in previous years. Many special needs students are taking an
on-line class which helps them when they are not able to travel back and forth
to school. Another digital age technology is voice recognition devices which
can help students who have difficulty in speaking.
In the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), every student
has the opportunity to get an education, whether the student has a disability
or not. This act has made schools be more responsible for the student’s grades.
Schools have to provide special assistive devices for special needs students if
it is written in their Individual Education Plan (IEP). Many schools are trying
to find the funding for these assistive devices. For example, if a student is diagnosed
with Autism and his or her IEP has been written to include an iPad. The school
or county system must furnish this student with the iPad. This assistive device
may enhance the student’s ability to communicate.
21st Century skills and education should
be a main focus for all schools especially for special needs students. Many of
these special needs students will lead a fulfilling life if they are trained
correctly to be independent and to use technology to their advantage. Every
perspective of our education should be united to prepare students with 21st
Century skills they will need to compete in a global economy. In the past the
United States had many factories or textiles mills where U. S. citizens worked,
but in the past five to ten years many of these jobs have been out-sourced to
overseas to be produced at a lower cost. We as Americans must learn about a service
economy and be able to have the knowledge, information and innovation to
immerge as a nation with 21st Century Technology skills and tools. According
to many different researchers, it is vital that our students learn as much
knowledge, skill and innovation to increase their potential as a key resource
for competitive advantage. Our special needs students should be prepared learn
about 21st Century technology and tools which will enhance their learning.
I found a great blog on Glogster Edu at http://rkasumu.edu.glogster.com/technology-of-special-education/.
The author is very informative about special needs students and gives great
examples of 21st Century Technology devices.
Terry, your post this week has not an educational connection for me but a personal one. My husband is visually impaired. His vision is leaving him slowly and he has had this issue since the age of about 10. He and his mother have told me about how hard it was for him going through school. There are so many technologies that exist today that didn't 15 years ago. So many times, Josh will say, "I wish they had that when I was in high school...it would really have helped." It is so exciting to know that this 21st century learning helps ALL students!
ReplyDeleteAmanda, you are so right about 21st Century learning. It is amazing how technology has improved. I can feel for your husband. Mine stuggles with a hearing problem. The doctors have told us a hearing aid would not benefit Alton. He has lost the hearing in one ear and partial hearing in the other. He has had several operations, which the doctors tell us would help to improve his hearing, but he is slowly losing it.
DeleteI just hope for both your husband and mine that some new type of technology will be invented in the near future to help hearing and visually impaired people. There are so many that need help, but some just hate to ask if there is some type of technology which would help them. But maybe the future will hold the answers for us.
Terry, it often amazes me how much my special education students already know about so many technology devices. Technology is a part of their everyday lives. My school is working on making every classroom a 21st Century classroom. All teachers are getting mounted projectors and Smartboards. Two years ago they all received ELMO document cameras. I love that every classroom will have this because it is embedded into the curriculum. I totally agree with you, that student seem more eager to learn and mine are more actively engaged in the general education classroom.
ReplyDeleteLeah, Yes students are moreactively engaged when technology or computer use is mentioned. One of my students is Autistic and does not communicate well, but when you give him a computer, it is amazing what he looks up and researches. Maybe one day all schools will be furnished with all the technology which will help all students.
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