Assistive Technologies in Special Education

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 range of learning outcomes and modes for expressing learning while guiding student learning and building reflective self-assessment capabilities" (5). Assistive technology According to Demski, "Assistive technologies were initially developed for students with severe learning or physical disabilities.

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 learning abilities and opportunities (Demski 31).

Assessment in special education Although not specifically mandated by IDEA or other federal legislation, there is a growing trend towards the use of functional behavioral assessments (FBAs) for special education students (Zirkel 262). In this regard, Zirkel reports that, "An FBA is a systematic process of identifying the purpose, and more specifically the function, of problem behaviors by investigating the preexisting environmental factors that have served the purpose of these behaviors" (263).

While more research is needed in this area, the studies to date have confirmed that the use of FBAs can provide special education teachers with the insights they need to provide special education students with the individualized curricular offerings they need to progress academically (Zirkel 263). An important point made by Zirkel, though, is that FBAs should not conducted in those cases where such assessments might interfere with the learning abilities of special education students (263).

Conclusion The research showed that three issues in education that hold significant potential for special educators are multiple assessments and evaluations, assistive technology, and assessment in special education. Each of these three issues was shown to have important implications for.