Inclusive Computing in Special Needs Classrooms (original) (raw)
Related papers
As computer programming and computational thinking (CT) become more integrated into K-12 instruction, content teachers and special educators need to understand how to provide instructional supports to a wide range of learners, including students with disabilities. This cross-case analysis study examined the supports that two students with disabilities, who were initially disengaged during computing activities, received during computing instruction. Data revealed that students' support needs during computing activities were not CT-specific. Rather, supports specific to these students' needs that were successful in other educational areas were also successful and sufficient in CT. Although additional studies would need to be conducted to ascertain the transferability of these findings to other contexts and students, our results contribute evidence that students with disabilities can and should participate in CT and be provided with the supports they need, just as in all other areas of the curriculum. We present a framework for evaluating student engagement to identify student-specific supports and, when needed, refine the emerging K-12 CT pedagogy to facilitate full participation of all students. We then offer a list of four implications for practice based on the findings.
Building Inclusive Learning Environments With 1:1 Devices
Journal of Special Education Technology, 2020
With emphasis placed on the least restrictive learning environments under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), students with disabilities are often placed in general education classrooms. As a result, the discussion of inclusion strategies has increased in special education. The rise in 1:1 device initiatives offers the inclusionary practice of giving all students within a school access to their own device, with Google's Chromebook and Apple's iPad being among the most common device choices. This article explains the potential uses of 1:1 devices for students in inclusion settings, including built-in accessibility features and implementation strategies for educators.
Information Technology in Childhood Education Annual, 2003
Working with special education teachers in elementary settings student instructional designers created three instructional tools based on the concept of" Learning Objects." Graduate and undergraduate students under the supervision of two faculty members in their university's Department of Teaching and Learning worked with local teachers to produce flexible, computer-based, interactive instructional activities, designed for use in both one-to-one and group settings. The following is a description of why and how the Learning ...
2021
Leaving the feld when conducting research in situated contexts, and fnding ways to sustain project outcomes beyond academia, is an ongoing struggle in HCI. In our research project, we co-designed technologies with children in classroom contexts for three years. Nearing the projects' end, we focused on creating resources that enable teachers to continue our work with their pupils. In collaboration with teachers, we developed socio-material tools that support them in empowering neurodiverse children to engage with technology in creative ways and create their own technologies. While the majority of technology design toolkits are stand-alone artefacts, part of our toolkit is an infrastructure to keep guiding and supporting teachers beyond the project's end. In this paper, we discuss the teachers expectations and requirements for a toolkit and argue that an infrastructure must be part of a toolkit. We present a set of guidelines for researchers planning for a project's end.
How to Use Low-Cost Devices as Teaching Materials for Children with Different Disabilities
Interface design exists at the junction of computing sciences, design arts and social sciences. Human-computer interaction (HCI) is a discipline concerned with the design, evaluation and implementation of interactive computing systems for human use . The purpose of interactive design in HCI is to improve the experience for students with www.intechopen.com Assistive Technologies 4 disabilities of direct feedback. Computer-mediated communication facilitates the understanding of communication patterns, forms, functions and subtexts, which can in turn engender an understanding of how to derive meanings within such contexts . Patterns or figures are increasingly being used not just in education, but also in many other areas such as software engineering, engineering and business management, and are also frequently advocated for teaching HCI principles . Interactive whiteboard systems comprise a computer linked to a projector and a large touch-sensitive electronic board displaying the projected image. Children or teachers can operate the content from projector directly by an IR device . Because intuition is an operating feature of assistive technology, it is not necessary for operators to use a tool, such as a mouse or keyboard, to learn how to control it. Therefore, it is easier for users to touch the low-cost assistive technology. In this way, information and communication technology is a powerful tool for learning and rehabilitation, which has prominent influences on helping teachers explain difficult concepts, giving access to a huge range of examples, resources and inducing pupils to engage in learning easily .
Technology for Students with Learning Disabilities in Classrooms
2015
When we think about the perfect classroom now, we think of a technology filled room from Smart Boards to laptops and everything in between. Technology to students today is just like a dictionary or an atlas to students a decade or two ago all are simply used as tools for learning in class. These technological tools can be very beneficial to students for learning and for making school more interesting. Technology can also benefit teachers, by making their jobs easier and by allowing them to focus more on every student’s needs for teaching bodies it is necessary to understand the benefits of educating a diverse student body. The simplest explanation of assistive technology is that it is technology that allows people to compensate for, or work around, their disability. By doing so they are able to improve their ability to function both in and out of the classroom, and are better able to learn and perform on par with other students. Some of these aids are specifically designed for peopl...
Inclusive Education Technologies
Extended Abstracts of the 2018 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, 2018
Technology has become central to many activities of learning, ranging from its use in classroom education to work training, mastering a new hobby, or acquiring new skills of living. While digitally-enhanced learning tools can provide valuable access to information and personalised support, people with specific accessibility needs, such as low or no vision, can often be excluded from their use. This requires technology developers to build more inclusive designs and to offer learning experiences that can be shared by people with mixed-visual abilities. There is also scope to integrate DIY approaches and provide specialised teachers with the ability to design their own low cost educational tools, adapted to pedagogical objectives and to the variety of visual and cognitive abilities of their students. For researchers, this invites new challenges of how to best support technology adoption and its evaluation in often complex educational settings. This workshop seeks to bring together researchers and practitioners interested in accessibility and education to share best practices and lessons learnt for technology in this space; and to jointly discuss and develop future directions for the next generation design of inclusive and effective education technologies.
The Impact Of Digital Tools On The Learning Of Students With Special Educational Needs
This study evaluates the impact of digital tools on the learning of students with Special Educational Needs (SEN). Using a systematic review, we investigate how reading and writing apps, Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) software, adaptive learning platforms and interactive digital games contribute to the inclusion and academic development of these students. Data sources include Google Scholar, Scopus, Web of Science and Scielo, covering studies published between 2017 and 2024. The results show that these technologies not only improve communication and academic skills, but also increase student motivation and engagement. However, challenges such as technical limitations, teacher training and lack of resources are highlighted as significant barriers. Based on these findings, it is recommended to implement public policies that encourage continuous teacher training and improvements in school infrastructure to ensure effective inclusive education. Suggestions for future research include exploring the long-term effectiveness of these tools and comparative studies between different technologies.
The diversity of contemporary schools including trends toward inclusive classrooms for students with disabilities inspires a paradigm shift in the university preparation of general education teachers. The use of special education technology has recently trended towards a Universal Design approach. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) emphasizes an integration of multiple learning strategies and content enhancements in addition to multimedia presentation and digital materials that promote accessibility. Given the traditional nature of teacher education programs that rarely emphasize methods for teaching academically diverse students, there continues to be a need to prepare students to integrate technology and accessible materials into content instruction. This paper will focus on policy developments and case examples of teacher educators attempting to include UDL principles in methods courses, as well as the current instructional approach of a practicing educator integrating technology in his classroom to serve diverse populations.