Meghan Britt, Tatiana Cain, And Victoria Traina

EDU315-604

February 20, 2022

The Use of Technology For Students with Disabilities

For many students with disabilities it is harder for them to keep up in fast moving

classrooms. With the use of technology it may help them to be more involved in class and

understand the content more. In 1997 the Individuals with Disability Act was created. This Act

ensured that students with disabilities and their family will be protected under law and we

receive a fair education. The definition of Assistive Technology (AT) is “any item, piece of

equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or

customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of children with

disabilities.” This was defined in the Individuals with Disability Act of 1997.

Around the mid 1990’s was when scholars started talking about the use of AT in

classrooms to help students. After the first discussion the ideas took off, many articles and

textbooks started coming out about how using technology will be helpful for students with

disabilities. In the early 2000’s the federal government started up two projects to help the spread

of AT. The first project was Assistive Technology Outcomes Measurement Project (ATOMS),

and the other project was Consortium for Assistive Technology Outcomes Research (CATOR).

Both of these projects helped to create a better understanding of Assistive Technology and how it

is used. After this the government continuously looks into how they can keep improving and

assisting the disabled to learn.

 The topic of using assistive technology with students who have disabilities is important.

“Assistive technology increases a student’s opportunities for education, social interactions, and

potential for a meaningful environment” (Center for Parent Organizations and Resources, March

2021). The assistive technology is used by students with disabilities in order to have a way of

learning the general education curriculum. One of the main purposes of using technology with

children who have disabilities is enabling them to learn in a way that accommodates their

individual learning styles and limitations (The University of Texas Permian Basin).

Kimmon’s article provides evidence on why technology is useful to integrate into the

classroom. Teaching and learning is a process which helps students correctly react to stimuli and

with the help of technology we can help those students who have disabilities within the

classroom. Adding technology to the classroom can influence students to learn in a new way

through the use of games and other related resources found online. Incorporating online games

can make learning fun for all students and can motivate them inside and outside of the

classroom. Proof looks at the efficiency of technology and how to help students grow which can

vary among students. If teachers see great success in their classroom after incorporating

technology they should keep it as a learning strategy for those with and without disabilities. Once

principals can prove that technology is a helpful tool, teachers will all be required to use it.

“Facility deals with the ease at which a new technology can be learned, implemented, or

managed at the teacher- or student-level” (Kimmons). Although technology may seem like it

requires high levels of support, once learned it will be very beneficial to the teacher. Once

teachers put the time into learning new online learning tools, it will be easy for them to teach the

students how they can learn them as well. In the long run learning this new type of teaching will

benefit the students as well as the teachers. “Compliance deals with the legal and ethical
requirements of technology use in contrast to their pragmatic use”(Kimmons). Although teachers

and principals do not always focus on compliance when coming up with new tools to use, it is

very important they touch on it. Compliance deals with making sure all the new technology

being used in the classroom is safe and meets the requirements regarding security. Compliance is

essential to ensure safe use of technology within a disability classroom. Institutionalization deals

with the ability of the schools to support the use of technology due to the compatibility, cost,

lifespan, and management. If all of these things are approved and looked at by the school,

technology should be introduced to the classroom.

Research has been done that has proved the benefits of using assistive technology when

teaching students with learning disabilities. Different tools on the internet can help students who

have cognitive disabilities as well as physical impairment. These programs assist students in

learning in a new way that can focus on certain topics a student is struggling with. Assistive

technology can focus on a wide range of academics such as listening, math, memory, reading,

and writing. Assistive technology does not cure disabilities but it can give students the

opportunity to reach their full academic potential in school. Different tools will allow students to

focus mainly on their areas of difficulties and help them realize their own strengths as well. This

type of learning often builds independence because it gives students a chance to work on thing

on their own without depending on extra help. Having access to tools like this can motivate the

students to want to learn.

There are potential benefits of using technology with students who have disabilities. For

example, “assistive technology is a tool to help the student benefit from the general education

curriculum, and access extracurricular activities at home and school environments” (Center for

Parent Organizations and Resources, March 2021). The student can participate in everyday
activities, like their peers, while using the assistive technology. Another potential benefit is that

assistive technology can “help students with motor impairments improve their coordination and

those with reading disabilities comprehend written information via text-to-speech apps” (The

University of Texas Permian Basin). A few more potential benefits include greater independence,

less anxiety, improved connection with their classmates, natural, more comfortable and effective

communication, and increased academic performance.

However, there can be potential limitations of technology with special education. While

most of the technology in classrooms is user friendly, these innovations are not always

implicated in the classroom (The University of Texas Permian Basin). There can always be

mistakes that are made when technology is involved. It is hard to rely on for daily use because if

the technology does not work, the student’s learning could suffer. Also, with internet-enabled

devices, there’s also a risk that students’ attention will be drawn away by websites or other

distracting functions of technology. Another challenge of assistive technology in classrooms is

the costly aspect. In the country, there may be schools who can not afford this type of technology

for individual students. This could put students with a disability at a disadvantage while not

receiving the proper assistance they need in the classroom. One last disadvantage of assistive

technology in education is the fact that technology is constantly developing. Schools will have to

stay up to date on their technology to make sure it is performing to the best of its ability. Schools

would need to have the best interest of the students and be aware of the newest technology

options.

This topic raises tensions between Spector’s ethical principles for educational technology

(Spector, 2012, 2016) . Assistive technology for students with disabilities does nothing to impair

learning or instruction. The technology is used to help students during instruction in order to stay
on task individually. It also helps improve learning and instruction by giving more opportunities

to students with disabilities. This topic has based our actions on evidence that you and others

have gathered and analyzed. The research on this topic is very accurate and has been seen

successful in classrooms. Assistive technology shares the principles of instruction that you have

learned with others and respect the individual rights of all of those with whom you interact.

There are many ways that assistive technology can be used in and out of the classroom.

For example, students who are blind can use software that can read the screen to you, which

comes installed in many laptops and tablets. For students who are deaf or hard of hearing, many

devices can wirelessly transfer sound to hearing aids. And for students with speech disabilities

software such as speech to text can help. In the classroom that I am in now there are many

students who have disabilities. One of the students uses an iPad like device which has this

software lamp (Language Acquisition Through Motor Planning) on it. Since this student is

completely nonverbal this allows him to communicate through hitting buttons so he can answer

questions and ask for what he needs. Devices like these are essential to help students participate

in classrooms and in everyday life.

Overall it is very useful to incorporate technology into the classroom. Especially for

students who struggle with disabilities, having this extra help can be very beneficial to their

school experience. Learning with technology can be fun and easy for both the teacher and

students and result in a great success rate among schools. Technology can give students the

chance to reach their full potential and help motivate themselves to learn.
 References

Castelo, M. (2021, May 10). Using assistive technology to empower students with

disabilities. Technology Solutions That Drive Education. Retrieved February 20, 2022,

from

https://edtechmagazine.com/k12/article/2020/03/using-assistive-technology-empower-stud

ents-disabilities-perfcon

Considering assistive technology for students with disabilities. (n.d.). Retrieved February 18,

2022, from https://www.parentcenterhub.org/considering-at/#:~:text=Why%20is%20it%20

important%3F,in

Kimmons, R., Kimmons, Ottenbreit-Leftwich, A., Kimmons, R., & Royce KimmonsDr. Royce

Kimmons is an Associate Professor of Instructional Psychology and Technology at Brigham

Young University where he studies digital participation divides specifically in the realms of

social media. (1970, January 01). Technology integration. Retrieved February 18, 2022, from

https://edtechbooks.org/k12handbook/technology_integration

Satterfield, B. (2016). History of Assistive Technology Outcomes in Education. Assistive

Technology Outcomes & Benefits (ATOB), 10(1).

 Submitted by Dave Kevic (not verified) on December 2, Submitted by Jason (not verified) on

December 31, Submitted by Lisa Accardi (not verified) on September 3, Submitted by

Anonymous (not verified) on June 17, Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on January 16,

Submitted by Angie H. (not verified) on September 29, . . . Submitted by Julie (not verified) on

October 15. (2022, January 17). Assistive technology for kids with learning disabilities: An

overview. Retrieved February 18, 2022, from

https://www.readingrockets.org/article/assistive-technology-kids-learning-disabilities-overview

The use of technology in special education: UT Permian Basin Online. (2020, November 03).

Retrieved February 18, 2022, from

https://online.utpb.edu/about-us/articles/education/the-use-of-technology-in-special-education/#