Technology in Special Education: Impact, Tools, and Equity

Introduction: Technology and Education

There has been a fundamental change in almost all aspects of our lives brought about by computer technology and the spread of digital media. Educationalists also agree that this development in technology has left an undeniable mark on the process of education reform (U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Technology, 2010). Researchers further agree that technology has the ability to help students improve and enhance knowledge and skill acquisition. This, they argue, can be achieved through learning with and about technology, which has become essential for students in 21st-century society and the workforce to gain the competencies needed to perform well (Chen & Hwang, 2014). Additionally, student-centered learning can be well supported by technology, since it is intrinsically motivating for many students and can be easily customized.

Academicians and researchers have defined technology as an articulation of a craft — one that deals with the branch of knowledge that helps in the creation and use of technical means, in constant interrelation with life, society, and the environment, drawing from subjects such as industrial arts, engineering, applied science, and pure science (Floyd, 2011). Technology can assume a number of forms in the classroom, from the low-tech pencil, paper, and chalkboard to more sophisticated uses of presentation software, or the high-tech use of tablets, online collaboration tools, and conferencing platforms. The latter technologies allow students and teachers to make use of virtual classrooms — something that had never been possible before. In short, the type of technology used in a classroom depends on what one is trying to achieve (Patti & Vince Garland, 2015). Many researchers are of the opinion that technology in education is one of the key factors that can, and has to some extent, brought about radical changes to the formal educational system (Shehnaz & Sreedharan, 2010).

This has also led to the perceived enhancement of technology use in the classroom for special education to a greater extent compared to regular classrooms (Boonmoh, 2012). Since modern technologies are customizable and can be altered to suit particular needs, they can be adapted to address the needs of students with different types of disabilities (Saxena, 2016). A student with special needs may suffer from a variety of learning disabilities, including impairments in reading, mathematics, or other subjects. Intellectual disability, language comprehension problems, and emotional, hearing, or visual disorders are among the other special needs of such students.

The types of assistive technologies that help students with special needs include computer software, communication devices, display aids, and learning-enhancement devices. Technology is also adapted to suit the degree of challenge faced by special needs students. For example, students with a mild cognitive disability in reading are helped by reading-skill software and technologies such as text-to-speech products and interactive storybooks. On the other hand, voice recognition software and word-prediction tools are often used for students with writing impairments.

In a survey conducted by Marino, Israel, Beecher, and Basham (2013), which examined perceptions among middle school students across 14 states in the U.S., a significantly high number of students preferred the use of virtual learning environments over and in addition to traditional instructional methods such as class discussions, reading, and labs (Marino, Israel, Beecher, & Basham, 2013). The authors explain that traditional learning methods can exacerbate difficulties in reading and writing skills because they rely heavily on those skills alone, thereby negatively impacting content instruction. However, even though the efficacy of mobile devices and apps in learning is still an emerging area of research according to Nordness, Haverkost, and Volberding (2011), there is some evidence that these technologies are helpful for students with disabilities and special needs who are at risk of learning failure.

Statement of the Problem

Technology has somewhat changed the way students learn today. The advent of handheld devices and the internet has encouraged a section of the student population to use such technologies (Li, 2015). One reason, according to Davis (2012), for the use of technology by some students in schools is their assessment of the need to do so with respect to their performance levels compared to students who have access to technology and use it effectively (Davis, 2012). Education today increasingly requires the use of technology in gathering information and conducting research, since access to it has become easy. However, according to Robinson and Sebba (2010), a lack of adequate training remains the leading barrier to the use of educational technology in special education classrooms.

Technology is particularly valuable for students who are physically or mentally challenged. For such students, the use of technology often becomes imperative, as they are nearly unable to continue learning or benefit in any significant way from traditional education or classroom setups. Huang, Kinshuk, and Spector (2013), in their book Reshaping Learning, note the advantages that technology can bring for students. It equalizes students through its ability to adapt to minor impairments as well as more severe disabilities. Technology allows students — including those without disabilities — to actively participate and learn through interaction.

Purpose of the Study and Research Questions

The purpose of this study is to understand the extent to which technology helps students with special needs and to examine the prevalence of different types of technologies used for this purpose. This study also conducts a qualitative investigation into the attitudes of parents, teachers, educational authorities, and government toward greater use of technology in the learning process for students with special needs.

Previous studies, such as the one conducted by Molina (2015), have established that students with special needs often tend to lag behind their mainstream counterparts due to a lack of access to adaptive and customized learning techniques. One reason for this is that stakeholders in the educational sector do not fully understand the role of technology in facilitating the learning process for this particular group (Molina, 2015).

This study examines the effect of technology on the performance of special education students in the fourth and fifth grade, and the specific tools utilized by special education teachers to maximize outcomes for different learner groups.

The following research questions guide the study in understanding the impact of technology policies on fourth- and fifth-grade students with special needs:

1. What is the prevalence of the use of technology in learning for students with special needs?

2. What are the specific advantages that come from the use of technology for learning in the case of students with special needs?

3. Is there empirical evidence to suggest technology improves the learning process for students with special needs?

4. What is the attitude of stakeholders in the education process — parents, the teaching community, and the government — toward the use of technology in learning for students with special needs?

5. What government policies can foster enhanced usage of technologies in learning for students with special needs?

6. What technological tools are being used to aid the learning process of students with special needs, and what does the future of such technologies hold for these students?

Conclusion

Technology is an increasingly important aspect of current schools and has dramatically changed the way teachers teach and students think (Molina, 2015). Schools today must be ready to meet the demands of students by providing them with technology-enhanced lessons, granting them a learning environment that excites, engages, challenges, and explores their minds.

Regular and special education students are often described in terms of the gap between the "haves" and the "have-nots" regarding access to technology (Ismaili & Ibrahimi, 2016). Equitable technology access is a central core of students' educational needs.

Despite the fact that 95% of classrooms in the U.S. are connected to the internet, special needs students remain at a significant disadvantage in terms of technology access in schools. Most schools do not have policies that guide students' internet use. Wealthy communities, affluent neighborhoods, informed parents, and active Parent-Teacher-Student Associations (PTSAs) play vital roles in ensuring that schools in affluent areas — regardless of students' disabilities — have full access to technology, leaving those students better prepared for the future (Robinson & Sebba, 2010). Huge disparities exist in poor neighborhoods, especially for special needs students accessing technology in school. As more students access social media and connect to the World Wide Web, special needs students are not receiving equal access to technology in order to compete with their peers (Patti & Vince Garland, 2015).

Marc Prensky (2001) wrote that "Our students have changed radically. Today's students are no longer the people that our educational system was designed to teach" (p. 1). Researchers Cilesiz (2009), Crowe (2004), Eysink et al. (2009), Lu and Gordon (2009), Pucel and Stertz (2005), Ward, Moule and Lockyer (2009), and Wiley et al. (2009) all recognized the need for sound empirical research to determine whether traditional or technological educational methods better meet the needs of today's digital learners.

Students today are inherently different from students of past decades. School systems and the way children are educated have changed significantly to keep up with technology, new teaching techniques, and ever-evolving learning styles.

Teachers are increasingly taking Professional Development (PD) courses to keep pace with technology. Students with special needs desperately need to keep up with their peers. Technology can be the great equalizer in a classroom that includes special needs learners. Teachers also find it difficult to differentiate instruction for special needs students, but technology has often helped teachers personalize lessons and skill-building to each learner. For children with disabilities, technology can give them access to learning opportunities previously closed to them.