The Enabling Dreams Video begins with a powerful and thought-provoking statement: “For disabled students, like Susanna Martini, technology is all of those things [allowing students to research, explore and create] and much more. It is a lifeline” (The George Lucas Educational Foundation, 2005). The profundity and ramifications of such a statement remain immense, especially for educators. By utilizing assistive technology in the classroom, teachers ensure that students with disabilities are given the opportunity to interact and learn, just as their non-disabled peers do.
When a lesson plan is revised to include opportunities for students with disabilities to become successful participants, it entails proper consideration of the specific needs of each student. The Disabled Students’ Program at the University of California at Berkeley suggests that teachers “[g]et more disability information” and ask the students themselves how they learn best (University of California at Berkeley, 1999). I believe that a thorough student profile is essential to a revised lesson plan, as it helps guide and direct the means of accommodation. Just as instruction throughout the lesson must reflect accommodations for students with disabilities, assessments must also be appropriate. Alternate assessments are necessary for students who are unable to participate in regular assessments and ensure educational accountability for all students (National Center on Educational Outcomes [NCEO], 2010). These alternate assessments can then be used for diagnosis to improve instruction or as culminating evaluations of students’ understanding. Alternate assessments can also utilize technology, in order to be more appropriate for students with disabilities.
I have witnessed – and even executed – lesson plans that did not consider the needs of students with disabilities and did not provide accommodations. The result was that some students remained uninvolved in the learning process and are, therefore, unable to fully benefit from the lesson. Moreover, when alternate assessments are not used, students who have difficulty with regular assessments tend to do poorly and their results may not be an accurate reflection of their understanding. When students with disabilities feel marginalized, it inhibits their learning and can be detrimental to their overall self-worth. Although providing accommodations requires additional effort and careful consideration, it remains an important responsibility of an educator.
Activities that use assistive technology can include media and devices that allow for students with disabilities to better process information, as well as better express themselves. Technology can be advantageous for both students with disabilities and those without, so by incorporating technology, digital media/devices, and Internet resources within a lesson, teachers are broadening the ways in which all students can learn. For instance, activities that require reading and discussion can use Text-to-Voice software and all students can benefit from the use of supplementary pictures or video.
Because the task of creating an appropriate learning environment for diverse learners with diverse needs can seem daunting, Carol Ann Tomlinson, one of the world’s most renowned experts in differentiated learning research, has enumerated six assumptions to consider when designing or planning activities:
1. Instructional design (“One size” does not necessarily fit all.);
2. Good teaching;
3. Time on task;
4. Flexibility;
5. Different ways to learn;
6. Culturally relevant and important (Pittman, 2008).
Adherence to these considerations can ensure that a teacher thoroughly evaluates if the lesson is conducive for all types of learners.
Therefore, assistive technology provides a gateway and connection to a world of information and learning that may have otherwise remained undiscovered. Conversely, if teachers do not take advantage of available assistive technology, students with disabilities may be deprived of learning opportunities, isolated without a connection, and detached without this lifeline. As an educator, it is therefore imperative that our lessons and instruction accommodate for the diversity of learners present within the classroom to ensure that every person is connected, involved, and has their needs provided for. Students with disabilities should be participants who actively contribute to and benefit from the learning process. When evaluating the effectiveness of a revised lesson plan, educators can assess if each student’s needs have been met and if each student was able to succeed because he or she was given the opportunity to do so. Just as learning is a unique experience for each student, the methods of teaching should also be unique and diversified to ensure that each student is provided a quality education. Assistive technology can provide that unique, individualized means that connects a student to others, as well to the world around them.
References
The George Lucas Educational Foundation. (2005, February 02). Assistive-Technology: Enabling Dreams [Video File]. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/assistive-technology-enabling-dreams-video
National Center on Educational Outcomes [NCEO]. (2010, November 29). Alternate Assessments for Students with Disabilities. Retrieved from http://www.cehd.umn.edu/NCEO/TopicAreas/AlternateAssessments/altAssessFAQ.htm#why
Pittman, Joyce. (2008, May). Meeting Needs of Diverse Learners with Technology. Retrieved March 3, 2011, from Didactics World website: http://www.didacticsworld.com/feature/index.php?pid=010804
University of California at Berkeley. (1999, August 30). Disabled Students' Program - Teaching Students with Disabilities. Retrieved from http://dsp.berkeley.edu/teachstudentswithdisab.html#5
Images (All photos are screenshots from:)
The George Lucas Educational Foundation. (2005, February 02). Assistive-Technology: Enabling Dreams [Video File]. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/assistive-technology-enabling-dreams-video
