| Exceptional & Tech. |
Lesson 1: Readings (2) |
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The Future of Special Education and the Role
of Technology
Hasselbring, T. S. (1997).
In J. Paul, M. Churton, W. Morse, A. Duchnowski, B. Epanchin, P. Osnes, & R. Smith (Eds.), Special education practice: Applying the knowledge, affirming the values, and creating the future (pp. 118-133).
Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole Publishing Co.
Abstracted by Lisa Grotewiel
Technology has the potential to positively change the future of special education. Various technologies exist and will continue to advance. However, the effectiveness of technology in special education depends upon people choosing to incorporate it and how well it is implemented.
The author discusses technology's potential by examining past and current trends in special education and where these trends are headed. Changes in U.S. demographics, including population growth, economics, family structure, and ethnic diversity, demonstrate an increasing number of students enrolled in special education programs. Despite this momentum, people have the power to reverse this trend through intervention, and effectively incorporating technology into special education is part of the solution.
Two current uses of technology in special education are assistive technology, which enhances routine functions for the more severely disabled, and instructional technology, which incorporates tools such as computers into instruction for students with milder disabilities. Currently these two technology types are ineffectively applied in special education as they are used to merely enhance existing teaching methods rather than drive innovation in developing new instructional approaches for special education.
The author addresses two barriers that have prevented effective use of technology in special education. Traditional instructional methods (lecture, demonstration, and recitation) do not meet the needs of special education students or society's educational expectations (e.g., graduates are lacking basic reading, writing, speaking and thinking skills) and thus fundamental rethinking is required to determine the learning needs of special-needs students. Further, teacher preparation has failed to prepare teachers to understand and utilize technology's effectiveness.
The following solutions are possibilities for overcoming these barriers. Rethinking the learning needs of special-needs students may involve using problem-oriented (versus inert knowledge or fact-oriented) instruction with real-life cases to be solved. Special-needs students may also benefit by changing the classroom setting from traditional to one that is constructivist-oriented. Rethinking the role of technology in education involves making teachers, parents and developers more aware of technology and its potential to increase student learning, and researching new ways technology can construct knowledge.
Technology should be a useful tool for teachers rather than something extra they must add to their instruction. Training teachers to be skilled users of technology that is becoming more and more accessible in schools is another solution to the barriers. This can be accomplished by changes in professional development programs, such as integrating technology into teacher preparation programs and providing adequate resources for pre-service and in-service programs.
The author concludes by discussing possible technological advancements of the future (e.g., changes in the Internet, use of virtual reality) and stresses that improving special education through technology depends on the human side-educating professionals and students to rethink how to use technology effectively. A scenario describes a tenth grader effectively applying technology to take control over his own learning and overcome inert knowledge.
