Special Education Instruction Options Essay

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Technology & Education

There has been a fundamental change in almost all aspects of our life brought about by computer technology and the spread of digital media. Educationalists also agree that this development in technology has left an undeniable mark on the process of education reforms (U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Technology, 2010). Researchers also agree that technology has the ability to help students improve and enhance knowledge and skill acquisition. This, they say, can be achieved through learning with and about technology, which has become essential for students in the 21st-century society and workforce to gain competencies to perform well (Chen & Hwang, 2014). Additionally, student-centered learning can be well supported by technology since it is intrinsically motivating for many students and can be easily customized.

Academicians and researchers have defined technology as an articulation of a craft and deals with that branch of knowledge which can help in the creation and the use of technical means with constant interrelation to life, society as well as the environment and draws its source from subjects like industrial arts, engineering, applied science and pure science (Floyd, 2011). Technology can assume a number of forms in the classrooms from the low-tech pencil, paper, and chalkboard to more sophisticated and complex use of presentation software or the use of high-tech tablets and online collaboration as well as conferencing tools, etc. The latter of the technologies allows students and teachers to make use of virtual classrooms -- a thing that had never been possible before. In a nutshell, the use of the type of technology in a classroom is dependent on what one is trying to achieve (Patti & Vince Garland, 2015). Many of the researchers are of the opinion that technology in education is one of the key factors that can, and has to an extent, brought about radical changes to the formal educational system (Shehnaz & Sreedharan, 2010).

This has also led to the perceived enhancement of the use of technology in the classroom for special education to a greater extent compared to the regular classrooms (Boonmoh, 2012). Since the modern technologies are customizable and can be altered to suit a particular need, it can be assistive to suit the needs of different types of disabilities which plague special needs students (Saxena, 2016). A student with special needs tends to suffer from a variety of learning disabilities, including learning impairments in Reading or in Math or in any other subjects. Intellectual disability, language comprehension problems and emotional or hearing or visual disorders are among the other special needs of such students.

The types of assistive technologies that help students with special needs include computer software, devices for communication and displays and learning enhancing devices. Technology is also adapted to suit the degree of challenge in special needs students. For example, the students with a mild cognitive disability in reading are helped by reading skill software and technologies like text-to-speech products and interactive storybooks among other technologies. On the other hand, voice recognition and software for word prediction is often used for students with impairments in writing.

In a survey conducted by Marino, Israel, Beecher, and Basham (2013), who examined the perceptions among the students of middle school conducted across 14 states in the U.S., showed that a significantly high number of students preferred the use of virtual learning environments over and in addition to the traditional instructional methods like class discussions, reading and labs (Marino, Israel, Beecher, & Basham, 2013). The explanation offered by the authors is that difficulties in the skills of reading and writing of students are enhanced by the traditional learning methods as they rely on reading and writing only and hence impact content instruction. However, even though the efficacy of the use of mobile devices and apps in learning is still an emerging subject of research according to Nordness, Haverkost, & Volberding, (2011), there is some evidence that these technologies are helpful for students with disabilities and with special needs who run the risk of learning failure.

Statement of the Problem

Technology has somewhat changed the way students are learning these days. The advent of handheld devices and the internet had encouraged a section of the student to use such technologies (LI, 2015). One of the reasons, according to Davis (2012) for the use of technology by a section of students in schools is their assessment of the need to do so with respect to their performance levels compared to students who have access to technology and uses it to good effect (Davis, 2012).

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In fact, education today requires the use of technology in the gathering of information and research since the access is to it easy. However, according to Robinson and Sebba, (2010), lack of adequate training is the leading barrier to the use of educational technology in special education classrooms.

Technology comes in handy for students who are physically or mentally challenged. For such students, the use of technology often becomes imperative as they are almost unable to continue learning or benefit in any significant manner from the traditional education or classroom set up. Huang, Kinshuk, and Spector, (2013) in their book "Reshaping Learning" notes the advantages that the use of technology can bring for students. It equalizes students because of the ability to adapt to minor impairments as well as more severe disabilities. Technology allows students, including those with no disabilities, to actively participate, and learn from their interaction.

Purpose of the study

The purpose of this study is to understand the extent to which technology can help or does help students with special needs and the prevalence of the types of technologies. Apart from this study will also conduct a qualitative investigation about the attitude of parents, the teachers, and the educational authorities and the government towards more use of technology in the learning process for students with special needs.

It has been established from previous studies like the one done by S. Molina, (2015) that the students with special needs often tend to lag behind in comparison to their mainstream counterparts due to the owing to a lack of access to learning techniques that are adaptive and customize to meet their needs. One reason for this is that stakeholders in the educational sector do not fully understand the role of technology in facilitating the learning process for this particular group (Molina, 2015).

This current study examines the effect of technology on the performance of special education students in the fourth and fifth grade, and the specific tools utilized by special education teachers to maximize outcomes for different learner groups.

Research Questions

The following questions will guide the author in understanding the impact technology policies have on fourth and fifth-grade special need students when it comes to the use of technology.

What is the prevalence of the use of technology in learning for students with special needs?

What are the specific advantages that are reaped from the use of technology for learning in the case of students with special needs?

Is there any empirical evidence to suggest technology improves learning the process of students with special needs?

What is the attitude of the stakeholders in the education process -- parents, teaching community and the government, towards the use of technology in learning for students with special needs?

What government policies aid can foster the enhanced usage of technologies in learning in of students with special needs?

What are the technological tools being used to aid the learning process of students with special needs and what does the future of such technologies hold for such students?

Conceptual Framework

In a section of modern education set up, there is a certain degree of prevalence of combining curriculum and technology (Molina, 2015). While technology has already taken a very important place in our everyday lives, it is slowly but surely expanding its influence in the education sector also. This is also true for the use of technology for students with special needs. Hence, while trying to find out the impact of technology on the teaching and the learning abilities of such students and children, it is also pertinent to consider and discuss a conceptual framework that could help to achieve the desired results.

The conceptual framework will include:

Independent variable:

Use of TPACK Framework for teachers as a guiding tool for technology assistance in teaching

(Source: Hanover Research, District Administration Practice, 2013)

The TPACK or the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge framework would be the basic framework where the teaching staff has to be made aware of the framework for the use of technology for teaching students with special needs. This would take into account the pedagogical needs of technology and their capabilities and integrate them with available technical knowledge, technology and the content to be delivered. As the above diagram illustrates, the framework is a combination of complex intersections between the core areas. For example, technical pedagogical knowledge is created by the intersection of technical knowledge (TK) and pedagogical knowledge. Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge,.....

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