Inclusive Learning Through Technology Damian Gordon

Question? Have you ever had a learning experience where the content was OK but the manner in which it was being delivered put you off? Maybe the lecturer was using an analogy you weren’t familiar with, e.g. the rules of soccer, or characters in Neighbours? Maybe the lecturer asked you to download some software that didn’t work on your computer (wrong operating system, wrong version of Java, etc.)? Maybe the lecturer was too boring, or trying too hard to be funny, or to be cool? Spend 5 minutes thinking of examples of this type of situation that you have personally experienced as a student.

Question? How much worse is this in an eLearning environment? Wouldn’t it be great if we, as teachers, could minimise these issues from occurring in an eLearning context? Well that’s what this module is all about. We want to look at ways to make eLearning materials more accessible to everyone. We’ll use students with special needs as a focus, but the lesson learned should apply to all students.

Contents Module Description Module Aim Learning Outcomes Module Content Module Assessment Recommended Reading

Module Description (1/2) The goal of education is to develop within each individual the desire and the ability to learn. Technology can provide a means by which all learners are afforded an environment where they can pursue their learning process in ubiquitous and unobstructed manner. Typically the view of how this is achieved is that for some students this means providing them with the appropriate eLearning technologies to achieve this goal, and for others with special needs this may require additional assistive technologies (“technology ramps”) to achieve this.

Module Description (2/2) Increasingly, the gap between what constitutes an eLearning technology and an assistive technology is consistently diminishing, e.g. Virtual Learning Environments were developed as an eLearning technology but have significant benefits and potential for learners across the continuum of degrees of ability.

Module Aim The aim of this module is to identify a technology continuum upon which both eLearning tools and Assistive Technology exist, and to develop ways in which eLearning tools can be used in the context of Assistive Technology, and how Assistive Technology can be used in the context of eLearning.

Learning Outcomes 1. Discuss the history of education and the main theories of learning 2. Select and employ the learning theories for a specific AT context 3. Justify the use of learning theory in the development of eLearning systems 4. Illustrate commonalities between eLearning tools and Assistive Technologies 5. Select and employ the appropriate adaptive or augmentative device for interfacing to an eLearning tool 6. Investigate novel applications that integrate eLearning and Assistive Technologies 7. Compare and contrast traditional eLearning approaches to Assistive Technology approaches

Module Content Teaching & Learning – The History of Education – Behaviourism, Cognitivism, Constructivism – Pedagogy – Instructional Design – Differentiated Instruction – Creativity and Critical Thinking – Counselling Theory

Module Content Technology Terminology – Etymology of technology – Low-Tech, Medium-Tech, High-Tech

Module Content eLearning Tools – Computers – The World-Wide Web – Virtual Learning Environments – Blended Learning – New Technologies

Module Content Interfacing Issues – Specific Learning Difficulties – Cognitive Issues

Module Content Assistive Technology – Specialized Interfaces – Augmentative Alternative Communication – Switch Access – New Technologies Legal, Ethical, and Professional issues

Module Assessment Continuous assessment will comprise 50% of the marks for this module. An end of module examination will comprise the remaining 50%.

Recommended Reading Papers will be given throughout the classes.

BREAK

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“90% of errors in thinking are errors in perception not judgement” David Perkins, Harvard

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