What’s in a Name?

• ICT for Students with Special Needs

2

A student with special needs

• May have more difficulty learning than other children of the same age

• May need different approaches to learning

• May find it hard to make use of traditional educational facilities and resources

• May need modified learning materials

3

• We may need labels to help identify needs

• But we are teaching children, not labels

Labels

4

One set of labels

• Learning Disabilities, including Mild, Moderate,Severe or Profound Learning Disabilities

• Learning Difficulties

• Specific Learning Disabilities

• Speech and Language Disorders

• Autism /Autistic Spectrum Disorders

• Emotional or Behavioural Disorders

5

• Hearing Impairments/Deaf

• Visual Impairments/Blind

• Physical Disabilities

• Non-English Speaking Students

• Exceptionally Able Students

• Educationally or Socially Disadvantaged

• Members of the Travelling Community

6

A continuum of need

• A wide variation in each category

• Different impact on the ability to learn

• Students can have more than one difficulty

7

Effects on learning can include:

• Cognitive difficulties

• Behavioural, emotional, and social difficulties

• Communication and interaction difficulties

• Sensory difficultiesHearing/Visual

• Other difficulties Physical/Medical

8

A Questioning Approach

• Current thinking: is the “difficulty” with the environment and the technology within it?

• Is the method of accessing the technology a key barrier? If so, can the barrier be removed?

• What can a student do better/faster/extra with technology than he/she can do without it?

9

ICT forSpecific Learning Disabilities• Talking books to encourage and support

reading

• Structured skills practice

• Drafting and correcting using a word processor

• Speech feedback

• Word prediction

• Word banks

• Spell checking

10

Mild Learning Disabilities

• Supporting basic literacy and numeracy skills

• Structured skills practice

• Talking books to encourage and support reading

• Talking word processor to encourage and support writing

11

Moderate Learning Disabilities

• Developing basic concepts

• Supporting basic literacy and numeracy

• Encouraging language development

12

Severe or Profound Learning Disabilities

• Supporting basic language development

• Providing stimulation

• Attending and responding to environment

• Facilitating communication

13

Speech and Language Disorders

• Whole word and phrase input

• Pictures and symbols with text

• Voice output communication aids

• Talking books to support language development

14

Emotional and Behavioural Disorders

• Non-threatening environment

• Control of pace and level of work

• Consistent response

• Assist with problem solving

15

Autistic Spectrum Disorders

• Motivation

• Pictures and symbols for communication

• Speech feedback

• Consistent response

• Supporting literacy and recording using whole words pictures and symbols

16

Physical Disabilities

• Wide range of special access to ICT

• Writing using special input devices

• Communication using speech output aids

• Easy access to learning materials

17

Hearing Impairments

• ICT is a very good visual medium

• Pictures and symbols to help writing

• Electronic communication – e-mail, text messages

• Multi-media software gives a variety of feedback

18

Visual Impairments

• Speech feedback from the computer

• Magnification of the screen to suit the individual

• Visual stimulation

• Speech software to read back printed materials and web resources

19

Exceptionally Abled

• Access to extra information

• Individualised learning

• Presentation of challenging material which can reduce frustration levels

• Collaborative learning

• Opportunity to apply complex thinking skills

20

Other Needs

Travellers, members of other minority cultures/non-English speakers,

educationally/socially disadvantaged• Modification of teaching materials to include

other cultures, values etc• Use of content-free software by students for

self-expression, storytelling etc.• Individualised learning• ESL software

21

Conclusions

• A person, not a label

• A continuum of need

• Consider the student’s learning needs

• Set realistic targets

• ICT is a not a cure