Foundations of Instructional Technology, Part 5
Question 1: Define the term “assistive technology” and how it can be used in the classroom.
Answer 1: Assistive technology refers to any type of equipment or other learning tool that helps disabled individuals function more efficiently. Examples range from a pencil grip to help a student hold a pencil more firmly to advanced computer software that provides text-to-speech conversion for a vision-impaired student.In modern classrooms, computer access and specialized software are among the most important forms of assistive technology. Computers can assist students with a variety of disabilities from vision impairment and other physical impairments to different learning styles or specific learning disorders. Adding assistive technology to the classroom helps these students work at a pace closer to that of their classmates.
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Question 2: Discuss ways in which technology can help students with cognitive difficulties.
Answer 2: Assistive technology often can address various problems encountered by students with learning disabilities. Students who require more repetition than the rest of the class can work at their own pace using special, often individualized learning materials to review lessons as many times as necessary for comprehension. These materials also can present material in different formats to help students better absorb it, or provide several different ways of viewing the lessons to appeal to different learning styles or be better understood by students with learning disabilities. As more research regarding the subject of learning disabilities takes place, more specialized software, multimedia, and other instructional materials can be developed to help these students learn more efficiently.
Question 3: Define the term “digital divide” and how it relates to equitable access to technology.
Answer 3: “Digital divide” refers to the gap that exists between those persons who can access technology easily and those persons who cannot. In the school setting, it can refer to students with access to computers at home versus students without access to computers at home. It can also refer to larger issues such as whole schools or school districts with easier access to technology than others. When possible, schools strive to span this divide by providing computer access to all students.
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