Using Assistive Technology For Inclusive Learning In K 12 Classrooms

It is imperative in today’s educational environment that educators are prepared to utilize assistive technology to support all learners and provide them with the best education possible. In order to ensure assistive technology is used appropriately, further study on the best practices, strategies, and tactics of implementation is required. Using Assistive Technology for Inclusive Learning in K-12 Classrooms highlights the need and use of assistive technology in special education and provides pre-service teachers in regular and special education programs with research-based methods and materials to promote a more inclusive environment for students with disabilities. Covering key topics such as educational technology, special needs, and teaching methods, this premier reference source is ideal for industry professionals, policymakers, administrators of both K-12 and higher education, researchers, scholars, academicians, pre-service teachers, teacher educators, instructional designers, practitioners, instructors, and students.

Assistive technology consists of products and services that are designed to support students to augment, strengthen, or bypass areas of difficulty and that allow them to access the curriculum and social aspects of the classroom where they would not previously have had access.

The Role of Assistive Technology in Fostering Inclusive Education uses evidence-based research to explore issues related to implementation of ICT-based Assistive Technology (ICT-AT) in education. It focuses on programmes and activities that aim at the empowerment of the learners with disabilities, as well as the empowerment of the entire educational ecosystem. The book provides a synthesis of political and theoretical discussions as well as practical experiences on the implementation of ICT-AT in education. Analysing international policy frameworks in relation to inclusive education and technology, it discusses examples of school self-assessment and action plan methodologies for digital inclusive education, as well as case studies of innovative ICT and AT solutions in educational environments. The authors elaborate on digital empowerment as a wider societal challenge through reflection on the barriers that people with disabilities meet in education and beyond. This book will be of great interest for academics, researchers, and postgraduate students in the fields of inclusive education and assistive technology, as well as those interested in education research and policy development.

Diverse learners with particular needs require a specialized curriculum that will help them develop socially and intellectually. As educational technologies and theoretical approaches to learning continue to advance, so do the opportunities for exceptional children. Instructional Strategies in General Education and Putting the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) into Practice is a pivotal reference source for the latest teaching strategies for educators with special needs students. Featuring extensive coverage on relevant areas such as instructional adaptions, locomotor apparatus diseases, and intellectual disabilities, this publication is an ideal resource for school administrators, general and special education classroom teachers, and graduate-level students seeking current research on instructional strategies for educating students with disabilities.

Gives readers an up-to-date look at how assistive technology can be used in all kinds of classrooms, at all grade levels, to enhance the teaching and learning of students with a wide range of disabilities. KEY TOPICS: Assistive technology, computer technology, instructional technology, integrating technology into augmentative communication, access to computers and mobile devices, children with disabilities, students with disabilities, special education, teacher education, technology training, professional development-technology MARKET The focus of this book is on assistive technology in the classroom and the curriculum-its use in the teaching and learning process, not on tech tools in other disciplines such as adapted sports, transportation, or powered mobility. As such, the in-service market is classroom teachers and special education teachers and administrators.

The many technology-related educational changes of the past decade have been propelled by even greater changes in the general consumer technology landscape. Education has become increasingly entwined with the digital consumer landscape. We are no longer asking whether digital materials and tools should be integrated into teaching and learning, but how and how well. Meanwhile, the overall academic performance of U.S. students has not kept pace with our international peers. Many policymakers have called for increased attention to students' 21st century skills and work readiness, pointing to the critical role technology should play in educational innovation. These changes mean that many mainstream accessible technologies can be used in the classroom to benefit a diverse population of learners, including students with disabilities and English language learners, reflecting the national shift from separate special education programs to more inclusive classrooms. Changes to policies and standards have pushed assistive and accessible technologies to the forefront, including the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008, which requires teacher preparation programs to address educational technology and principles of universal design for learning (UDL), and the National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard (NIMAS), which creates a public-private infrastructure to provide more timely delivery of digital text to students with physical and print disabilities. This volume represents pioneering ideas that examine how accessible educational technologies can be harnessed for breakthrough learning for all students. Chapters will cover innovation trends in educational and assistive technologies, cognitive and neuroscience findings on how individual differences impact technology use and choice; the intersection of educational, leisure, health habits and exer-gaming; the use of social networking tools by students with and without disabilities; the use of social networking for teacher professional learning communities; the future of assessments for decision-making; and an analysis of the habits of mind and work traits of innovators NCTI has interviewed over the past five years.

Educators who work with students with disabilities have the unique challenge of providing comprehensive and quality educational experiences for students who have a wide range of abilities and levels of focus. Pedagogies and educational strategies can be applied across a student population, though they tend to have varied success. Developing adaptive teaching methods that provide quality experiences for students with varied disabilities are necessary to promote success for as many of these students as possible. Special Education Design and Development Tools for School Rehabilitation Professionals is a comprehensive research publication that examines special education practices and provides in-depth evaluations of pedagogical practices for improved educational experiences for students with disabilities. Highlighting a range of topics such as bilingual education, psychometrics, and physical education, this book is ideal for special education teachers, instructors, rehabilitation professionals, academicians, school administrators, instructional designers, curriculum developers, principals, educational software developers, researchers, and students.

Teaching Students with Special Needs in General Education Classrooms, 8e, benefits all students in the Inclusion and Introduction to Special Education and Courses by providing teachers with the skills needed to deal with the complex and often perplexing diversity that lies behind the classroom door. All students, particularly those with special learning needs, deserve special care and special teaching. This reader-friendly, categorically organized text takes a case-based approach to contextualize the laws, organizational information, and teaching methods educators need to know to teach all children effectively. Paying closer attention to the important ideas of Response to Intervention and Universal Design, assessment and the needs of English learners, and dedicating an entire new chapter to assistive technology, this comprehensive new edition continues to break new ground in preparing general educators for the challenges and opportunities of the inclusive classroom. Features Include: MyEducationLab! Margin notes throughout the text lead users to online, video-based assignments and lessons that deepen content comprehension.Student Stories presented at the beginning of each chapter help the reader frame the content that will follow.Inclusion Tips for Teachers sections answer common questions regarding inclusion practices and offer practical tips for classroom teachers.Window on the Web features introduce readers to websites that offer valuable information about special education, general education, or the teaching-learning process.Spotlight on Technology sections feature up-to-date software and assistive technology devices recommended for students with special needs."