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Innovations in technology and calls for increased accountability have combined to create an environment in which it is reasonable to expect significant changes in education over the next several years. This paper identifies three potential issues in education, multiple assessments and evaluations, assistive technology, and assessment in special education followed by an explanation concerning why these three topics will be worthy of consideration.
Multiple assessments and evaluations
The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) and the Third International Mathematics and Science Study already provide the ability for educators to administer multiple assessments and evaluations (Scott and Bagaka 70). One of the main advantages of using multiple assessments is that it provides educators with the ability to evaluate a wide range of student progress indicators, including experiments, written assignments, portfolios and others that require the application of critical thinking skills that may not be accurately or timely evaluated otherwise (Dietel 33).
In the future, these types of multiple assessments and evaluations will further streamline the student evaluation process while still providing educators with a solid indication of student progress. In this regard, Rhodes advises that, "Well-planned electronic portfolios provide opportunities to collect data from multiple assessments across a broad...
However, a 1997 update of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires assistive technology regardless of the degree of the disability" (30). The IDEA defines assistive technology devices as being "any item, piece of equipment, or product system ... that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities" (cited in Demski 30).
A minor change in the wording in a 2004 revision of IDEA from "requires" to "needs" had significant implications for the provision of assistive technology in the classroom for special education students in K-12 schools. In this regard, Demski advises that, "No longer are assistive technologies only made available to students whose survival or success-depends on their use. If, after consideration, the student shows merely a need -- something essential or very important, then the technology must be provided" (31). This minor change in the law also means that greater numbers of students will be required to be provided with assistive technology in the classroom in the future in order to optimize their…
Works Cited
Demski, Jennifer. (2008, December). Assistive technology and access for all: A slight revision to existing legislation has expanded the base of students eligible to receive assistive technologies, creating major changes in their implementation. Technological Horizons In Education 35(12): 30-33. Print.
Dietel, Ron. (2011, May). "Testing to the Top Everything but the Kitchen Sink? Many Questions Remain Unanswered as the United States Forges Ahead into Greater Uses of Performance Assessments-Potentially Even Linking Them to Teacher and Principal Evaluations." Phi Delta Kappan 92(8): 32-35. Print.
Rhodes, Terrei. (2009, Winter). "The VALUE Project Overview." Peer Review11(1): 4-7. Print.
Scott, Caitlin and Bagaka, Joshua G. (2009, Spring). "Moving District Reform into Schools: Links between Teachers' Perceptions of District-Wide Reform Efforts, Participation in Professional Activities, and Student Achievement." Planning and Changing 35(1/2): 69-72. Print.
Elementary Special Education Teachers Place Value in the use of Technology Resources for Students? Technology is an integral part of society. People share and communicate ideas using emails, Skype, and public/private forums. For numerous organizations and businesses technology is a must to increase productivity. This is why schools have begun the process of creating an environment that immerses staff and students in technology, with school administrators taking on the technological transition
Assistive Technology The "least restrictive environment" clause of the IDEA requires the student be placed in a standard learning environment whenever it is practical (Beard, Carpenter, & Johnston, 2011). Technology allows students who have visual impairments to be able to admission to the general curriculum, to increase their options towards literacy, and to improve communication. There are a variety of assistive technology tools that are designed for students with visual impairments, but
"By the 1980s, the field had moved to a functional skills model. As the evidence for this approach mounted, the field refocused on age appropriate skills and knowledge performed in authentic settings and the functional life skills curriculum became best practice. The functional, age-appropriate curricular focus resulted in these students demonstrating skills and knowledge not thought possible earlier" (Quenemoen, 2008). In the 1990s, added significant new practices were acknowledged as
Assistive Technology Many students who enter a special education program are in need of some type of assistance from technology so that they can interact and learn at a higher level. Generally this technology is most associated with students who have vision, hearing and mobility issues, "but is also true for individuals with limitations in cognition and perception" (Behrman, 1998). The state of Wisconsin is very concerned with ensuring that all
Assistive Technology | Importance of assistive technology Assistive technology makes it possible for individuals with disabilities or cognitive impairments to redefine their lives and work towards an independent lifestyle. Assistive technology is also vital for encouraging learning and achievement in the classroom. On August 16, 2006, the federal government approved PL 100-407, otherwise known as the Technology-Related Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities Act. The definition included in that regulation was slightly modified
The new affordability of e-readers makes them a viable option for the classroom. Parette and Stoner (2007) emphasize that teachers share a critical responsibility for "effectively preparing all young children [emphasis theirs] to develop important readiness and literacy skills enabling them to successfully participate in public school settings." The AT tookit is one means to ensure that educators have the skills they need to help their students. Parette and Stoner