Special Education & Technology

The use of technology in special education is extremely valuable.  When we think of special education we tend to concentrate on the bare essential of instruction.  We must recognize that students with learning disabilities tend to rely on interactive ways of obtaining information.  By using extensive amounts of technology in lessons, students will not only be entertained through the learning process but will also be learning skills that they can one day use.  

The video provided on Blackboard did bring up some useful points.  Regardless of one's cognitive ability it is extremely important to learn the necessary skills needed to succeed in life.  With everything relying so much on technology today we might as well adapt with the times and apply it to educational instruction as much as possible. 

The fallowing article stresses the importance of technology in special education - let me know what you think - http://www.thecatalyst.us/zDoneArticles/22_2_Vitali.pdf    

Technology In The Classroom

Over the past few months I have learned that technology plays an extremely vital roll in present day education.  Children depend more on technology now than ever before.  Possibilities are virtually endless with vast improvements being made in computers, video games, communication devices, ect.  Technology simply serves as another means of reaching our students to obtain the best results.  New educational opportunities will not only be available but they will also contribute to making the teaching experience more exciting.  

Here is a site that has some articles related to technology/education 

http://www.newhorizons.org/strategies/technology/front_tech.htm

Starfall.com

The Starfall website is a great source for learning when it comes to the fundamentals of reading. The site is extremely easy to navigate and it provides many helpful activities that teachers can use as reinforcement to the lessons that are taught in class.
The program requires students to sound out letters and words correctly as they progress through different skill levels. It appears to be an appropriate program for grade levels pre - K through 1st/2nd. Starfall can be used with multiple intentions. Teachers can use it to introduce new sounds/skills or to simply review information that was taught earlier in the year.
There are also a large number of additional activites that relate to important subject areas in early childhood education. Students at this age need repetative instruction to ensure that they understand the necessary skills to advance. Prgrams such as this would also be beneficial of used at home along eith the homework that is usually assigned.

http://family.go.com-WebsiteReview:Starfall.com

Rocket Reader Kids

It appears that "Rocket Reader Kids" utilizes a rather thorough approach when teaching fundamental reading skills. The program is effective in how it uses phonics lessons that use strong auditory and visual components. In early stages of cognitive development it is extremely important to include as many of the multiple intelligences as possible.

The software is appropriate for all skill levels because it makes adjustments based on each students' performance. This allow for each student to get a "personalized instructional experience." It's extremely important that students on every academic level are constantly challenged.

When children are given the opportunity to work on such programs, it is not usually considered class work. With the use of positive reinforcement from both teachers and similar computer programs, students will motivated to reach higher scores. Educators must work every angle in order to keep learning fun, especially when dealing with younger students.

Unfortunately I was unable to find any websites that offered any outlooks on this program.  If anyone finds anything let me know.

SuccessMaker

SuccessMaker serves as another form of technological means that a teacher can include into to their daily instruction.  It specializes in major content areas such as English, reading and math.  Students are given a precise number of questions and are required to answer them in a given time frame.  The questions are directly related to the subjects they are learning and fallow content standards of the present curriculum. 

It is a great tool to use at the elementary level.  The program serves as an additional way of assessing students beyond what they accomplish during instructional periods.  Student progress and measurements are constantly tracked so teachers know exactly how each student is doing on an individual level.  Student performance results in appropriate skill level adjustments made by the program so that work is always challenging but not overwhelming.  

Students unfortunately do not usually react to the characters in which the video portrays.  Although the animation does serve as an entertaining gap between problems, most students do not appear to use it as motivation.  The majority of children are concerned with the final percentage that is provided at the end of the lesson.  

Overall, the positive aspects of Successmaker do in fact outweigh the negatives.  Students love to work on interactive programs on the computer which can also contribute to formative assessments in relation to a student's progress.  

  

      

Reading and Video Games ?

Educators constantly try to find new and innovative ways of reaching children.  We tend to develop educational methods and procedures based on prior research and popular trends related to the field.  Students are often expected to mold to the curriculum, where it would be more beneficial for the curriculum to be modified to the needs and comforts of our children.

In recent years, progression has been made by utilizing one of the most influential means of entertainment, interactive video games.  Companies are now developing games that are directly related to popular children’s stories.  With popularity constantly rising in the gaming industry, it only makes sense to use the success as a means of reaching more students. 

Many of the games created with educational interest, require children to fallow a story line and answer questions that directly apply to the story (character development, setting, plot, ect.).  Many will argue that simply playing such a game will make students rely less on the written word.  Through professional development and staff meetings, districts should be able to find a way to utilize such programs.  It would be smart to have students read a story from its original text and then use the program to reinforce/review the material. 

As we continue to move forward in a technological era it is important for students to work with programs that improve on their digital literacy.  It is not only imperative that students learn subjects up to the most recent educational standards, but they must also be familiar with the most modern forms of technology.     

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/06/books/06games.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

My Access

The My Access program is a helpful tool in relation to the development of one’s writing ability.  The program is available from grades 4 and up which is when they begin to learn concepts and techniques to further their writing capabilities.  As students progress in their education, it is crucial that they develop the skills needed to express themselves in various types subject matter. 

It is a great interactive tool, where students don’t have rely strictly on the feedback from their teacher.  My Access provides guidance that students can constantly work off of.  Allowing students to have such access will allow them to work on compositions when it is more convenient for them.  Here teachers can implement a program, such as this one, that can be used in addition to a particular lesson. 

My Access is another form of technology that should be embraced through all districts to help improve the writing skills of their students.  The use of developmental programs should be encouraged along with the proper professional development necessary to make it as affective as possible.