RESEARCH PAPER TEMPLATE

North American University

Education Department
M.Ed. in EDLE & CUIN
EDUC 5324: INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGY INTO EDUCATION
Name: Muhsine Aykac

Date: 09/19/2015

Topic Selected:
How does technology benefit special need students (special education, gifted and
talented, ESL students, etc)?
1. LITERATURE REVIEW:
What does the literature/research say about this issue/topic? By using NAU
Library or Online Search engines, conduct a literature review.

You need to include 5 different sources (book, journal article, web article
etc.) in your review. Try to use current sources as much as possible.

You need to summarize and synthesize your sources by discussing a

common theme or issue.

You don't need to critique your sources

You don't need to evaluate your sources (if the sources are trustworthy,
weather the author has a bias or not)

You need to provide background information such as history and

definitions

Brief Literature Review:

In 1997, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments 197 (PL 105-17) insured
that students with disabilities have access to general education. This act adheres to the notion that
parents, students, and teachers will work together to design an individualized education program
(IEP) for special needs students. As a result, the inclusion of special needs students into regular
classes has been mandated. To improve special needs students success and involve them into
education, technology is started to be used effectively by educators recently. Because of its
importance, technology is needed in every classroom regardless of what type of classroom it is.
Every type of class uses some sort of technology to advance their students knowledge and speed
up the learning process. Technology is used more in a special education classroom than in any
other classroom setting because of all the different types of students and their learning needs that
need to be met in order to make education successful for them. There are different types of
disabilities that special needs students suffer from. A huge percentage of students suffer from
specific learning disabilities which can include learning impairments in Reading, Math and other
subjects. Another large percentage of them suffer from speech or language impairments, others
suffer mental retardation, emotional disorders and hearing or visual impairments.
Nevertheless, Americas public school system was founded upon the premise that all people,
regardless of their cultures or special circumstances, are entitled to a free, quality education so
that they can become productive, contributing citizens in our society. Modern-day educators have

extended that vision to create global citizens. Education is, in a sense, a golden door of
opportunity that enables people to transcend social, physical, economic, or cultural barriers to
pursue their dreams. Increasingly diverse classrooms provide a venue for children to learn to
embrace cultural differences and eliminate the barriers of racism, sexism, and prejudice. If we
want all students to enter this golden door of educational opportunity, teachers must be sensitive
to their students cultural and academic differences. They need to create culturally sensitive
learning communities, develop positive teacher studentparent relationships, design lessons that
motivate all students to learn, and implement those lessons using differentiated instructional
strategies to maximize student learning.
To teach effectively and improve students achievements teachers use technology frequently. The
crucial form of technology that is available for students with disabilities is assistive technology
(AT). The use of assistive technology like computer software, communication devices and tablets
is the new and innovative trend among educators. It is vital that schools must help students with
special needs to access, participate, and progress in the general curriculum. Technology can help
schools fulfil these requirements and help all students succeed. It can help personalize instruction
for students with special needs and improve their learning.
There are various strategies for integrating technology in a special education classroom,
theyre listed below:

UNCs Center for Literacy and Disability Studies uses technology in their mission to
promote literacy and communication for individuals of all ages with disabilities. The
Center has developed a three-part video on reading assessment and assistive technology
that explains evidence-based practice of improving literacy through technology.
Additionally, the Center has developed alternative pencils for students with disabilities
who cannot hold a traditional pencil or see a page, including children with deafblindness. These technologies include alphabet eye gaze frames allowing children to
point to letters with their eyes, onscreen keyboards that are controlled by switches, and
electronic flipcharts.
LEARN NC offers an extensive set of resources to help teachers meet the needs of all
learners, including Reaching Every Learner: Differentiating Instruction in Theory and
Practice, a series of articles and web conferences about differentiation. In addition,
LEARN NCs technology integration page provides links to web resources, lesson plans,
articles, and online courses designed to help educators incorporate technology into their
teaching

Voice Thread is a free software program that captures student voices and photos in order
to collaborate on a topic. It is a technological substitute for written papers and allows
students freedom to narrate their own projects.

Sounding Board is an iPod/iPod Touch app that lets a student turn their device into a
story board communicator. Students with writing disabilities and communication
disorders can use the symbols to create their own messages in the same way that
traditional symbol boards work, but easily and with a limitless supply of symbols.

Tech Matrix offers consumer guides and links to software and assistive technology
devices for students with disabilities. The site is sponsored by the National Center for
Technology Innovation and the Center for Implementing Technology in Education. Tech
Matrix gives information and links to resources for teaching science, math, reading, and

writing using technology with special education students.

SEVEN WAYS OF TECHNOLOGY BENEFITS SPECIAL EDUCATION
CLASSROOM

There are many ways in which technology benefits a special education classroom. These
students like the rest are drawn to technology and it motivates them to learn with the aid
of technology, it allows teachers to work with more students at one time, it equalizes
education for special needs students and due to this they are seen as more capable by
peers, it helps build confidence and help these children find academic success. You can
see some of ways how the technology benefits special education classrooms.

Most students are drawn to technology and special education teachers often find that
these students are then more motivated to work because they get to use a technology
device in the classroom.

Teachers can work with more students at one time more effectively, such as using a
phonetic ear so that more students can hear or a clicker response system to engage all of
the students at once.

Technology is an equalizer and parents even report that when their children with
challenges or disabilities uses technology that they are seen as more capable by peers.

Children learn valuable technology skills that can translate into marketable skills.

Children with physical disabilities have more opportunities for engaged learned with
modified assistive technology such as touch screens and assistive wands.

Students who spend time in mainstream classes and special education classrooms can use
technology to bridge the expectations and demands of each, such as by using a device to
record lectures for playback later.

Technology can help build confidence in children. They are finding more success
academically and they are also feeling more like their classmates who utilize technology
every day, too.

2. REFLECTION:

What is your personal opinion on this issue? Do you agree with the
research? If you agree or disagree, please explain why?
Provide examples/experiences regarding this issue from school
perspective or If you are not working in a school, from your profession. Be
specific with your examples. You can mention software/hardware names,
specific methods that you plan to use, etc.
How would you implement this research in your career? (At least 1
paragraph)

Reflection:
I strongly agree that most students with disabilities can and do benefit from technology in the

classroom. Because incorporating technology increases students motivation to learn and

personalizes lessons to a students individual needs. Even the students with the most severe and
profound disabilities can use technology -especially assistive technology- to join a classroom of
typical students, and their potential can be reached in ways we didnt have before.
For instance, for students with mild cognitive disabilities in Reading, we can use reading skill
software, text-to-speech products, interactive storybooks, etc. For those with mild impairments in
Writing, we can use voice recognition and word prediction software. For the ones with mild
disabilities in Mathematics, also we can use graphing software, drills, games and tutorials.
In my school, there is extra curriculum for students with special talents and gifts. By use of
technology, they find starting point web pages to launch them into content with appropriate
challenges. Also, they are provided tools for engaging in self-directed research and tools such as
multimedia presentations, web page design, and electronic portfolios to document learning
experiences.

3. REFERENCES:

Cite at least 5 References in APA.

You may use http://www.citationmachine.net/apa/cite-a-journal for citing
your sources in APA style.

References:
Holzberg, C.S., Technology in special education, Technology and Learning 14(7)(1994): 18-21.
Kirk, S., Gallagher, J., Coleman, M.R., & Anastasiow, N., Educating exceptional children
(Florence, KY: Wadsworth, 2008).
Skiba, R. J., Simmons, A.B., Gibb, A.C, Rausch, M.K., Cuadrado, J, Chung, C., "Achieving
equity in special education: History, status and current challenges" in Exceptional Children
74,3(2008): 264-288.
Chen, M., Chu, C., & Ko, C. (n.d.). The Literacy of Integrating Assistive Technology into
Classroom Instruction for Special Education Teachers in Taiwan. Lecture Notes in Computer
Science Computers Helping People with Special Needs, 350-357.
Mclaughlin, M., Krezmien, M., & Zablocki, M. (n.d.). Special education in the new millennium:
Achieving educational equity for students with learning and behavioral disabilities. Advances in
Learning and Behavioral Disabilities Policy and Practice, 1-31.