Advantages of Integrating Technology
Integrating technology can literally be life changing for students with disabilities. According to Roblyer (2016), the value and significance of assistive technology can be best understood when a person with a disability encounters a task she is unable to complete and an appropriate assistive technology device allows the person to successfully complete the same task (p.408). Integrating technology into the lives of students with disabilities can enhance the performance of everyday life. So, an advantage to this technology is the freedom they gain, they find independence like never before. They are able to communicate or have an easier time communicating. Below is a link to a video that shares the advantages of integrating technology in Special Education, I got chills watching.
Technology In Action
Disadvantages of Integrating Technology
As I wrote above there are great advantages to integrating technology in the classroom, but there can also be disadvantages. Because Special Education is where my heart is, I hate to say this, but sometimes teachers let students become dependent on IPads or talkers to communicate with their kids. They solely rely on buttons to speak for students and forget to try and make the students communicate for themselves. Below is a video on some advantages and disadvantages on integrating technology in the classroom.
Pros and Cons of Technology in the classroom
Specific Activities, Programs, Etc.
In Chapter 15, Roblyer (2016) discusses simplifying the physical or cognitive demands on interacting with the computer using alternate keyboards (Intellitools) that are custom for the students(412). Text-to-speech was also mentioned in the text, this helps students with poor decoding skills by reading the words aloud (p.411). I can not wait to use these cool technology devices in my own classroom someday!
Until next time bloggers!
Roblyer, M.D. (2016). Integrating Educational Technology into Teaching (Seventh ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education Inc.
I really enjoyed reading your blog post, Emily! Integrating technology into special education is so important, and you made some very great points. Technology such as alternative keyboards and text-to-speech products provide students with mild cognitive abilities with strategies to better understand concepts such as reading and writing (Roblyer, 2016). Roblyer also points out how technology can help students with cognitive disabilities that struggle with counting coins and making change develop an understanding of how to count money with specialized calculators. This is so important for individuals to understand to be able to live in our society.
ReplyDeleteYou were right about the video giving you chills! Technology is amazing in assisting our special education students. Roblyer discusses teachers giving their students information through instructional text so that students with disabilities can listen to information they can not read. We do need to continue working with the student so that they are able to read the information on their own, but it is a great start to working on it! Great job on the blog, Emily!
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