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Beth SkudzienskiPhilosophy of Technology EducationDr. CeglieThroughout the world today, technology is constantly being used. Technologycompletes tasks, makes tasks simpler and also assists individuals with completing tasks.As a future special education teacher, I believe technology is vital for education. The useof technology will allow me to more effectively instruct the students placed in myclassroom. It will give my students the tools necessary to enhance and build on their learning as well as help them complete everyday living and learning activities.Technology can be integrated into any grade level or stage of learning and can also beuseful at any grade level or stage of learning.The use of technology in the classroom will allow me as a special educator toindividualize instructional material as much as possible. This should be based on theneeds, abilities, and desires of the individual student. The differentiation and often hands-on learning approach that technology affords students cannot be matched in the specialeducation classroom. It allows the teacher to tailor instruction and assessment to thespecific learning needs and styles of students.Technology can be used to enhance or assist student learning. For example, theuse of podcasts, or CD or MP3 devices can be used for students to listen to classroomlectures or enrichment activities, audio books, and classroom instructions. This allowsstudents with reading or decoding difficulties to have access to the same informationstudents without these disabilities have. A classroom website or blog would give studentsa venue to learn and apply basic computer knowledge necessary to survive in today’sworld, while also creating an assignment or project that could be differentiated accordingto the needs of the individual student.Technology can provide a visual element to learning that is necessary for manystudents. The SmartBoard is a great tool that can provide students a visual to coincide

Beth SkudzienskiPhilosophy of Technology EducationDr. Cegliewith what is being discussed and could also be used as a hands-on learning device. Other technological programs, such as PowerPoint or Excel, provide students with a visual of what is being discussed. The overhead projector also accomplishes this same task.A well-known form of technology that is consistently used in the specialeducation classroom is referred to as assistive technology and can be defined as any item, piece of equipment, or system that is commonly used to increase, maintain, or improvefunctional capabilities of individuals with disabilities. Assistive technology givesassistance to students who may have difficulty performing physical tasks, struggle withcommunication, whether written or verbal, or struggle in the academic setting in other various ways. There are nurmerous types of assistive technology ranging from “hightech” options, such as voice recognition software, to more “low tech” items such as a pencil grip. Other assistive technology devices include

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boards, which enablestudents who are nonverbal to communicate with others. Switches provide students whoare nonverbal and typically severally disabled with the ability to answer yes or noquestions by either touching or looking at the switch. Assistive technology also offersadaptive keyboards, electronic pointing devices, wands and joysticks, trackballs, touchscreens, screen enlargers, and assistive reading tools to name a few options that areavailable. Technology is also important in the special education classroom as it allowsteachers to create, compare, contrast and save test and assessment results more effectivelyand efficiently. This will allow the instructor to better diagnose and assist students withdisabilities.It is important to remember that the use of technology in the special educationclassroom is not an exhaustive list-it is merely limited by the instructor’s creativity anddesire to incorporate technology into his or her learning environment. There are manytechnological resources available for use with students with any disability and at any