Making It Work Using Technology in a Classroom for Young Children with Multiple Disabilities
Learning & Leading With Technology Volume 26 Number 8 Pgs. 28-31
Technology can be successfully used to improve teacher instruction and student development for students with special needs. Technology can greatly enhance the curriculum when it is developmentally based using a total communication approach. The benefits of using computer technology in a special needs classroom environment are enhancement in language development, improvements in socio-emotional, cognitive, and physical development. Students have opportunities to be independent and to learn through active exploration and play. Technology can be used for group or individual activities, for developing skills. This gives special needs students independent work and play time to help staff with paperwork completion and communication with parents. The use of the software program Boardmaker to develop a picture system for young nonverbal students saves needed time. Pictures and symbols provide a uniformity for the students and can be used for locations, selecting songs or stories. The symbols can be placed on a talking communication device so students can point to and hear their selection. The symbols can be added to books which can make the books interactive for the students. Sign language symbols can also be added to the stories. During inclusion activities students with disabilities are able to interact with their peers by sharing stories, and the students without disabilities learn new ways to communicate whether by sign language or picture. This can be combined with a talking device such as CheapTalk or BIGmack where the teacher can record a story. The student can touch the communication board and hear the recording. Intellipics software can be used to learn colors, animals, picture names and counting. Among the other software programs which would be beneficial in assisting special needs learners are Reader Rabbit Toddler, Millie's Math House, Bailey's Book House. Many software companies will provide a free demonstration version to schools for a 30-day trial period. Some states like Massachusetts have software technology libraries where teachers can try out the software technologies. Assistive technology teams can visit schools to assess the students and help teachers to determine the best technology.
1. How can you use Boardmaker and Cheap Talk or BigMac?
Boardmaker will help the visual and auditory learners because the activities all come on CD's and enable a teacher to create pictures or signs quickly and inexpensively. CheapTalk or BigMac are very useful when dealing with students with speech problems. The following websites can give us more detailed information regarding these products.
http://www.mayer-johnson.com/MainBoardmaker.aspx?MainCategoryID=5419
http://www.novitatech.org.au/product.asp?p=247&id=845
2. How can Reader Rabbit Toddler be useful to special education students?
The Reader Rabbit Toddler can be very useful to help beginner students to read in the elementary schools. The program has recorded story telling for auditory learners with pictures books and installable CD's. Students will be able work independently and can be useful to students at a variety of reading levels. This helps beginners to ELL students to start from phonics-words-small sentences-stories. There is a website with abundant information available.
http://www.novitatech.org.au/product.asp?p=247&id=845
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