Dealing with Learning Disabilities
“He’ll know things one day, but not the next”. “She is seeing or writing words or numbers backwards.” “She has difficulty grasping simple concepts”. These are comments made by teachers who have classified certain students in their classroom as having the unfortunate burden of a learning disability. A learning disability is “a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, which may manifest itself in an imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or do mathematical calculations”(Metzger, 1983, p7). Students with learning disorders may exhibit difficulty learning in a number of ways. Such conditions as perceptual handicaps, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia all contribute to learning disabilities. Students that suffer from visual, auditory or motor handicaps, mental retardation, or emotional disturbance endure these same learning disabilities, but are usually more severe. These select students with diverse handicaps may encounter barriers that obstruct their success in education. When such barriers occur, adaptive technology is the appropriate solution. Adaptive technology is available for students on all different levels with numerous diverse learning disabilities and has played an important role is assisting these students to develop necessary skills for their academic success.
In the home, classroom, workplace, and community, adaptive technology is enabling individuals with disabilities to be more independent, self-confident, productive, and better incorporated into the mainstream (Kelker, 1997). Educational Encyclopedias define the technology of ...
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...the potential psychological stress and possible negative social ramifications of having to rely continually upon others” (Raskind & Bryant, 1997).
It is quite obvious to comprehend that adaptive technology has proved to be an effective tool for special education students along with any other individual with a disability. There is an adaptive piece of easily accessible technological equipment for any disability one is attempting to overcome. Such powerful tools within a learning
environment offer numerous directions through which to reach special education students and to adapt the learning environment to the students’ needs. The adaptive technologies available within today’s educational arena have the ability not only to develop the skills of a disabled learner, but also to help a student in need attempt to receive thenormal, good quality education they deserve.
Student, environment, task, and assistive technology tools (SETT) consist of several questions that serve as a guide for collecting data and making important assistive technology decisions” (Barbara, n.d.). The purpose of these questions is for the IEP team to “consider the student’s needs and abilities, develop a system of tools that address the student’s needs, and connect the AT assessment with the proposed intervention.” (Marino, 2006, p. 21). When asking these questions it’s important to focus on all aspects of “SETT”: the student, the environment, the task, and the devices being used. The ultimate goal is to have a balance between all four areas (Marino, 2006).
The topic of assessment alone raises many debated discussions, among teachers, and to add Special Education students into the polemical dialogue intensifies the debate. As a result, there are several alternative methods in assessing Special Education students within the learning environment. Professionals have created specifically designated techniques in helping these and all students achieve academic success.
There are many “tools” that could be considered for a student who has trouble listening and understanding instructions. Sometimes, just an adjustment of where the child sits fixes the problem or eliminates the barrier. Other times, assistive technology is needed. Today, the options for assistive technology are endless. In Samanthas case there were many options of assistive technology I could provide her with to help her be successful in the classroom.
In a special education classroom, a new world has been opened up. For the younger and lower engaged students, we have the online program starfall. This program is uploaded from the computer to the Smartboard. The students can work on vowel sounds, vowel rules and sight words all with radiant animation in color and sound. They see the words and sounds and make a visual connection. We can also use the online program Raz-kids for the student to read a story on their level of instruction. The teacher can also check the students’ comprehension with a quiz that follows each story. It is like being at a picture show. The big screen brings reading to a wonderful and pleasurable level. The program gives the teacher a report that tells what readi...
In chapter four the focus switches away from assistive technology supporting students in one content area and focuses on the teaching profession and how assistive technology can assist teachers to employ a universal design for learning. The Universal Design for Learning (UDL) promote learning that best for the student and promoting students a variety of methods to express their knowledge.
Trying to decide which college or university best suits them is challenging enough for the average student when applying to colleges. It is even more difficult for students with learning disabilities such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) due to their specialized concerns.
In the video presentation of How Difficult Can This Be? The F.A.T. City Workshop, Richard Lavoie is able to simulate several of the difficulties that a student with a learning disability has to face at school. Some of the difficulties experienced by the students are intrinsic to the disability itself, but many other difficulties are directly related with the emotions that the student experiences when attending a class, and as a result of his or her interactions with teachers and classmates. Both the United States law and the education system, have the opportunity to make a huge difference in the learning experience of every student with disability. Students with disabilities need to be guided to a path to education that is both feasible and accessible for them; with achievable goals, and by being provided what they need in order to succeed, and to be able to overcome any obstacles.
Riviere, A. Assistive Technology: Meeting the Needs of Adults with Learning Disabilities. Washington, DC: NALLD, 1996. (ED 401 686)
Santa Barbara, CA: Learning Works, 1996. Print. The. Girod, Christina M. Learning Disabilities. San Diego, CA: Lucent, 2001. Print.
Students with learning disabilities in the regular classroom may have challenges that require special attention. If the teacher is able to identify the disabilities and the features associated with them then the teacher can tailor the lessons to meet the needs of the students. These may include differentiated instruction and facilitating an inclusive classroom which will see inclusive strategies employed that will cater to the needs of students with learning disabilities. These inclusive strategies can range from individualized learning programs to team and co-teaching. In some cases, the teacher can arrange for a special education teacher or arrange for a pull out program to assist students who have learning disabilities. Strategies that will also cater to learning disabilities may also include the use of technology. According to Ford 2013 ‘In some situations it may be best for students with LD to be taught in separate pull out classrooms with a teacher who can provide targeted skill instruction in areas where a student is struggling.’ ‘When provided appropriate support within this setting, many of these students can achieve academically and develop positive self-esteem and social skills. (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association 1991). They also recommend that schools should ‘require in-service programs for all school personnel to give them the knowledge and skills necessary to provide education for students with learning disabilities in the regular education classroom.’ Schools should include activities to help participants learn strategies to meet individual needs of students, foster attitudes conductive to educating students with learning disabilities in the regular education classroom, and promote
Abstract: Assistive technology is one way that individuals with learning disabilities have been able to overcome the difficulties with comprehension that they possess. This form of technology comes in many forms, ranging from low to high technology devices.
... CLD info sheets: assistive technology. Council for Learning Disabilities. Retrieved on April 24, 2005, from http://www.cldinternational.org/c/@CS_yKIo7l8ozY/Pages/assistive.html
A child with a disability is having someone that has been diagnosed whether at birth, from an illness, or an accident that can leave a person with a disability. Sometime a person may not be diagnosed until years later. This disability which will not allow a person to function on a regular day to day basis. Therefore, someone has to take on that responsibility to assist that child to make sure they are taken care of. A child can be born with multiple disabilities and this is only to name a few: Down’s Syndrome, Autism, Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder(ADHD), Mental Retardation. Each disability can be different. Some can be more severe than others. they can come from different cultures and financial status. Even as a person grows older a disability can occur.
Bowser and Reed [1995] as cited by Bryant et al [1998] argue that as a child progresses through the Education System, their requirements change and this may necessitate a need for different devices. This is not limited to those children with a physical disability but is relevant to all children with SEN as they progress and the Education System places additional burdens upon them. For children with a visual impairment ICT can provide support in various ways; tools to support communication, to improve access to information and as a means of producing learning materials in alternative. There is a wide range of devices and software, which can
Education is a profession which requires a teacher to be able to communicate with a multitude of students on a variety of levels. There is not a class, or student for that matter, that is identical. Therefore, teachers must be able to identify and help educate students from all different types of backgrounds and at different levels. Teaching a singular subject presents difficulties, but teaching students with disabilities should not be one. There are three main teaching areas that need to be focused on when teaching a student with a learning disability. Teachers need to focus on the strategies that will assist students with reading comprehension skills, writing skills, and maintaining appropriate behaviors in a classroom setting.