Chapter 4: Technology for Diverse Learners Brittanie Hensley

Learning Outcomes Identify… Select… Examine… Describe… technology solutions for the unique and diverse leaners you will in find your classroom technologies that facilitate computer use by students with special needs the opportunities and challenges that need to be addressed when supporting students with special needs Select… and apply technologies to assist students with special needs in achieving content area objectives And apply technologies to meet the needs of students who are gifted and culturally diverse Examine… the opportunities and challenges facing teachers supporting students who are gifted and culturally diverse Describe… universal design and apply it to the integration of technology to support diverse learners

Technology Solutions for Students with Special Needs Students with Special Needs: students that have disabilities that interfere with learning Physical restrictions such as affects on walking or motor coordination Learning disability such as reading and writing difficulty Other disabilities such as visual impairments, hearing impairments, attention deficits, developmental delays, intellectual disabilities, and autism Students with Exceptionalities: students who are gifted and may need special instructional strategies to reach their potential Talented and Gifted (TAG) students Need continual challenges to maintain interest and motivation to meet their personal potentials

Technology Solutions for Students with Special Needs Technology solutions can be effective in assisting and supporting the needs of students with these diverse disabilities needs. Also although gifted students do not need support or remediation for minimal skills, technology can help to keep them challenged and interested in school. Whether a student is physically challenged, has learning issues, or is gifted, technology can play a significant role in enhancing and supporting his or her learning. In addition, technology solutions that have a specific role in targeted content areas are available to help diverse learners address and achieve success in defined content areas.

Technology Supports for Special Needs in Content Areas Whether helping students read, write, do math, or organize abstract ideas, technology offers students with special needs tools to meet their academic goals. Software and hardware can be used to enhance students success Content areas WRITING READING

Writing Students with physical disabilities such as cerebral palsy and muscular dystrophy and students with other disabilities, such as Autism, Down Syndrome, and learning disabilities, often find handwriting to be very challenging. Many either cannot hold a pencil or lack the fine motor coordination or the focus to write legibly or at a functional rate. Illegible handwriting makes rereading and editing their own work difficult or impossible. The entire process of writing– brainstorming, drafting, reviewing, editing, and sharing– overwhelms many students with learning disabilities, attention deficits, and intellectual disabilities. Technology can play a huge role in these situations.

Writing Technologies for Students with Special Needs

Reading Being able to read and understand textbooks and other required reading material is critical for academic success, especially as students advance from upper elementary to middle school, high school, and college. When students, leave elementary school, they are required to have completed extensive reading on a daily basis—textbooks, works of literature, journal articles, reference materials– much of which may have readability levels well beyond their skills. Technology can support students who struggle with reading by providing alternative ways to access text-based materials.

Technologies for Reading

Technology to Enable Computer Use for Students with Special Needs The computer empowers students with special needs to accomplish the same work as their peers who do not have disabilities. Appropriate accommodations can minimize or even eliminate barriers to general education curriculum imposed by a disability. Three Categories of Accommodations: Low-Tech Adaptations Alternative Input Devices Alternative Output Solutions

Low-Tech Adaptations Typically use no electronic components, are usually inexpensive, and are often built into the computer operating system Examples: Sticky Keys: a feature that allows students to press keys sequentially to execute functions that are typically require pressing the keys Mouse Keys: feature allows users to direct mouse pointer and execute all mouse functions using numeric keypad on the keyboard Keyboard labels and guards: large letters and high contrast letters and numbers and metal covers with wholes for each letter increase typing accuracy

Alternative Input Devices Alternative Mouse Devices: large and small trackballs, adapted joysticks, track pads, and touch screens Touch screen: is a monitor or attachment that is responsive to a simple touch on its surface, making it an intuitive interface for young children or children with severe disabilities or autism Alternative Keyboards: Expanded keyboards Mini- Keyboards One-Handed Keyboards Customizable Keyboards On-Screen Keyboards Switch Devices: can allow control of a computer with one single movement and then the computers scans through items the operator can choose from

Alternative Output Devices Screen Magnification Software: magnifies the entire visual display– the desktop, menus, and documents within applications, and it can benefit students have limited vision Screen readers: can support students who have no useable vision or become fatigues from using screen magnification, speak the contents of everything on the screen, also alert users to new windows opening and the presence of graphic images

Assistive Computer Devices

Technology for Students with Special Needs: Opportunities Support both teachers and students in meeting diverse learning circumstances Help remediate when learning deficiencies impact a child Facilitate when physical conditions limit activity Maximizing opportunities to engage in active learning Energize instruction by making it more interactive and interesting

Technology for Students with Special Needs: Challenges First challenge is determining which technology solution will be most effective. Crucial that technology solutions match and meet the specific needs of students. Second challenge is training teachers to use technology. Teachers must know how to operate and work with devices before being able to teach their students to use devices. Third challenge is the requirement for collaboration between assistive technology personnel and information technology personnel. They share the responsibility for providing appropriate technology and technical support t students with special needs. If they do not work together, the student will not be able to thrive and succeed.

Technology for Talented and Gifted Students Computer technology can help TAG students remain engaged in the learning process even when they have already mastered the content being presented or when presented with new concepts. Students can research, use multimedia tools, create presentations, and etc. Differentiated Instructions: is an approach that recognizes and targets instruction to the varying abilities found in the same classroom.

Technology for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students (CLD) English Language Learners (ELL) are among the most rapidly growing students populations in K-12 schools. Most are of Spanish speaking backgrounds but others are from diverse international heritages. Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) organization has developed goals and standards that guide teachers in developing their capacity to support all students in achieving the digital literacy that will help them to address their unique needs. Technology can give teachers ideas for lesson plans and help teachers enhance vocabulary lessons for these students.

Technology for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students (CLD) Comprehensible input: is information in the second language (ex: English) that the learner is better able to comprehend. Designed to support netter understanding for students whose culture and language differ from that of the classroom context

Technology has a solution for all learners!! The End