The Inclusion Revolution - Technology in Special Education - Introduce Yourself

Technology in special education is a key component to learning. As inclusion teachers, my co-teacher and I strive to create a classroom rich in assistive/instructional technology to not only engage our students, but to provide them with equal access to the tools they need to be successful and productive adults. This forum is meant to assist classified students in all learning environments, from the least restrictive to the most restrictive placements. Who are you and what are you doing to engage, teach and motivate student learning through technology?

Tags: specialeducation, technology

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Permalink Reply by Lynn Marentette on May 14, 2008 at 11:06am

Hi.

I've been away from Classroom 2.0 for a bit. I thought I'd share a link to a post about Accessible Games pre-conference at the 2008 Games for Health conference. From there, you can link to the slides of my presentation about accessibility and games for health in K-12 settings, along with links from the conference.

Permalink Reply by Cathi Nicole Davidson on September 9, 2009 at 7:06pm

Hi! My name is Cathi and I currently work in an elementary ERC room in Tennessee. Our class is currently small enough to include children grades k-5, however we are growing and may possibly add an additional ERC soon. I LOVE working with our kids - they are such a joy! I enjoy my job so much, that I have recently begun a graduate degree program at my alma mater, Lipscomb University. This program is a Master in Ed., Instructional Technology. Although I love working with the Special Education class in our school, it is my hope once I complete this degree, to teach fourth or fifth grade and have my class be one that has wide open arms for the Special Education children as well as regular ed. I look forward to reading through the discussions in this group and learning ways to incorporate technology across all ages and abilities, as well as seeing how it can be an outlet for those with unique learning styles!

Permalink Reply by Christine Southard on April 3, 2010 at 1:24pm

Sorry for the late response Cathi. How is your graduate program going?

Permalink Reply by Emil Harden on October 13, 2009 at 12:20pm

I am the Technology Coordinator at a magnet school for kids with profound learning disabilities and/or autism. It is always a struggle to find appropriate online activities for the students and even more difficult to find social networking opportunities for students who have severe social skills deficits. But I'm here to learn!

Permalink Reply by Christine Southard on April 3, 2010 at 1:51pm

Welcome Emil. Wonderful to e-meet you. What types of technology do you have access to at your school? How are you using the technologies you have to support your learners? I will look for some resources for you, but you should definitely befriend Katharina. http://www.classroom20.com/profile/Katharina Her research in autism has mostly focused on computerized assessment and therapy with low-functioning children.

Permalink Reply by Christine Southard on April 3, 2010 at 1:53pm

Welcome A. Nice to meet you. How is your module going? What resources do you make available to your students at the university? What are SENCO's? Please share. :)

Permalink Reply by Niki Luciano on June 5, 2010 at 2:56pm

Hello! I teach 11th and 12th grade special need students at a career tech high school. I teach Transitions- which includes life/employability skills. I am trying to find new ways to include technology, not only to enhance the learning experience, but to prepare my kids for life after high school. (i.e....filling out job applications online, utilizing computer apps in the workplace and any other area of technology that will help in their adult world). This year I began using a wikispace with the kids and have them adding to it/responding to discussions and posting assignments. I hope to have them each create their own page next year to use as a portfolio when they graduate, including photos and work samples as well as copies of their resumes and any certificates earned. My school has created a technology committee, and I am so excited to be a part of it. We are exploring many technology ideas and trying out things that we can utilize in the classroom.

Permalink Reply by LIZA TORRES-STEPHENS on July 15, 2010 at 9:17am

Hi my name is Liza, and I too am an inclusion teacher with a heart for technology in the classroom. My co-teacher and I have Smartboard Tech in our classroom. I am presently trying to work with podcast. I would love to hook the kids up to a cast I found on improving the memory (20 min , 3 times per week) .

As a teacher with a severe case of ADD, I really appreciate the whole notion of engagement! The Smartboard is an awesome tool. To be honest, I even hand my students my cell phone when they ask me how to spell a word. It's a touch screen, so you know they remember the word!

Permalink Reply by Tricia Sommerfeld on September 22, 2011 at 7:33pm

My name is Tricia and I am a Special Education major at Illinois State University, specializing in learning and behavior disorders. My question is, what have you, as educators, experienced that has impacted your relationship with technology?

I believe that as teachers, we need to be explicit in how we say things and how we communicate with others, so how has technology impacted your communication? Good? Bad? Any stories? Advice?

Thank you!

Permalink Reply by Ashley Weber on October 5, 2011 at 5:19pm

Hello all,

I'm a 7th grade teacher in a small suburb in Kansas. I teach 2 classes that include special education students and see several of the same kids two other times in the day. I think its important that they have time in the regular classroom to learn with and from their peers. I have really enjoyed having my sped students in class over the last 4 years and I feel that the small amount of extra work I've put in to meet their needs has made me a better teacher. I am in the midst of a Masters in Technology degree and have been able to incorporate much technology into my lesson planning.

Permalink Reply by Laurel Chaffin on October 6, 2011 at 2:04pm

I am currently taking a Assistive Technology Class on learning how to incorporate AT into the classroom. I would love to hear about your experiences with AT in your lessons and how it benefits your students! Do you have a favorite piece of technology for the classroom?

Permalink Reply by Franny Glass on March 2, 2014 at 9:13am

Hi! I am a Middle School English teacher at a private school for special needs students. My school is very diverse and accepts students of a wide range of abilities. It is imperative that I used technology in the classroom to accommodate all abilities. For example, I have one student who has limited manual dexterity so she uses her iPad to complete nearly all classroom assignments. This is great because otherwise an adult would have to scribe all of her answers. I love seeing the increased independence, and consequently increased self-esteem, that has blossomed since the introduction of the iPad.