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No Two Students are Alike – Technologies that Embrace Disabilities

By IGI Global on Aug 26, 2010
No two students are alike and new technologies are reflecting that. Students are entering classrooms with a broad range of disabilities ranging from physical, educational, and/or emotional. Almost every student struggles with some form of disability whether it is: Attention-Deficit Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Tourette Syndrome, Dyslexia, Visual Impairment, Hearing Loss, etc. Instructors are not only trying to educate these students, but they are also trying to educate themselves on technologies most suitable for their classrooms.

Assistive technologies can include anything from electronic tools for time and materials management; hearing aids and amplification devices for those who are hearing impaired; glare-reduction screens, note-taking devices and screen magnifiers for visually impaired students; voice-recognition software that can turn the spoken work into type on a computer screen so students suffering from paralysis may take part in discussion. Technology is even advancing so much that severely disabled students can now control their computers by simply following letters and commands on the computer screen with their eyes. The term "eye tracking", the process of measuring either the point of gaze ("where we are looking") or the motion of an eye relative to the head has gained a strong presence when discussing applications of assistive technologies. ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eye_tracking).

The Web site Education World is an excellent resource for educators of special needs students. Instructors can find out the most recent technologies and teaching strategies for both one-on-one and large classroom settings.

Sherril Steele-Carlin has an article on Education World that discusses the benefits of assistive technologies in early education. She explains that, "some children with measured disabilities will require focused instruction in one-on-one or small-group settings. But other children who need help to keep up with their peers – especially those with more severe disabilities – can benefit from machines designed to help them learn! Such "assistive devices" aid their learning, understanding, and participation in the regular classroom environment". Assistive devices include any device that disabled children (or adults) might use to help them learn and function more effectively. By current estimates, more than 4,000 assistive technologies have been designed for students and teachers. Those devices include everything from wheelchairs to a wide assortment of high-tech tools."

She continues to state that, "Many companies today are turning their research and development to assistive technologies. Most programs and devices that are developed are designed to work on personal computers in a Microsoft Windows environment." www.educationworld.com/a_tech/tech/tech086.shtml

In an effort to respond to the demand by companies and education institutions for the most innovative tools, techniques, and trends on Assistive Technologies, IGI Global is pleased to debut, Technology Enhanced Learning for People with Disabilities: Approaches and Applications", (Authored By: Patricia Ordóñez de Pablos (University of Oviedo, Spain); Jingyuan Zhao (Harbin Institute of Technology, China); Robert Tennyson (University of Minnesota, USA).
Technology Enhanced Learning for People with Disabilities: Approaches and Applications
Technology Enhanced Learning for People with Disabilities: Approaches and Applications brings together academics, policy-makers and practitioners, with the goal of delivering a reference edition for all those interested in approaches and applications of technology enhanced learning for people with disabilities. This book aims to be the leading source of information for all those interested in understanding how IT can promote the scientific discussion of the needs of people with disabilities and how IT enhanced activities and programs can help disabled people in their daily activities. Furthermore, this book demonstrates the capacity of information technology and management for the mutual understanding, prosperity and well being of people.


The book brings together academics, policy-makers and practitioners, with the goal of delivering a reference edition for all those interested in approaches and applications of technology enhanced learning for people with disabilities.

The authors exclaim that their goal is for this to be the "leading source of information for all those interested in understanding how IT can promote the scientific discussion of the needs of people with disabilities and how IT enhanced activities and programs can help disabled people in their daily activities. Furthermore, it demonstrates the capacity of information technology and management for the mutual understanding, prosperity and well being of people."

For more information on this publication, please visit: www.igi-global.com/Bookstore/TitleDetails.aspx?TitleId=41739&DetailsType=Description

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