Authors: Vincenza Benigno, Stefania Bocconi, Michela Ott.
This paper looks at the issue of school inclusion by referring to the concept of Universal Access to Education. It focuses on the strong potential Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) provide to avoid any kind of discrimination among students. The paper also argues that teachers play a fundamental role in capitalising the opportunities offered by new technologies to support the full inclusion of all students in mainstream education systems.
This paper describes briefly the Purpose & Aims of ICT in Education, in which not only the concept of ICT has been discussed but also its influence on education has explained.
This paper describes briefly the Purpose & Aims of ICT in Education, in which not only the concept of ICT has been discussed but also its influence on education has explained.
Year 1
ICT LECTURE 1: WHY TEACH ICT?
• What is ICT?
• Structure of the Roehampton ICT course
• Getting started with Blogfolio
• ICT audit
• Learning styles
• Rationales for ICT in primary education
Globally, educational systems are adopting new technologies to integrate ICT in the teaching and learning process, to prepare students with the knowledge and skills they need in their subject matter. In this way the teaching profession is evolving from teacher- centered to student- centered learning environments. ICT integration is understood as the usage of technology seamlessly for educational processes like transacting curricular content and students working on technology to do authentic tasks.
Nowadays ICT facilitate not only the delivery of lessons but also the learning process itself. This includes computer based technologies, digital imaging, the internet, file servers, data storage devices, network infrastructure, desktops, laptops and broadcasting technologies namely radio and television, and telephone which are used as instructional tools at schools.
ICT in Education & its Application in TripuraMRINAL GHOSH
Information & Communication Technology has added a new touch in the field of Education in Tripura. Just see, what is ICT and its application for the betterment of Education in this princely State.
ENTREPRENEURIAL OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN VOCATIONAL ED...IAEME Publication
Development on the Internet has led to the formation of Information Technology (IT) and IT has created various solutions for different sectors one among those is education. The educational sector has opened opportunities for entrepreneurship. Online learning has become a new trend in the constantly changing world and IT solutions have provided ways for it. Many such promising companies and startups have started coming up and a sector known as EdTech (a combination of education and technology which was made possible with the help of IT solutions) started growing up with billions invested in it around the globe. It is thus one of the fastest-growing sectors as it aims to make education feasible and accessible from any corner of the world. Vocational education as such is gaining more attendance in today’s world as there is a high demand for skilled and specialized people. Governments around the world are hugely investing in the skill development of their citizens. The purpose of this paper is to review the newly formed sector known as EdTech and analyze the role of Information Technology (IT) in creating opportunities for entrepreneurship. Further going on how in return entrepreneurship is transforming education (Sambamurthy, Bharadwaj, & Grover, 2003). A sample of 335 respondents has been surveyed to know the role and significance of information technology in creating Entrepreneurial opportunities in vocational education. Survey method and factor analysis are used to get the results. The study concludes that there are so many significant roles of information technology in creating Entrepreneurial opportunities in vocational education.
Unit – I: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY
ICT: Concept, Objectives, Need and Importance of ICT - Characteristics and Scope of Information and Communication Technology.
Guest lecture given at SciencesPO (Paris School of International Affairs) to a Masters course on Trends in Comparative Education Policy (26 April 2017)
Year 1
ICT LECTURE 1: WHY TEACH ICT?
• What is ICT?
• Structure of the Roehampton ICT course
• Getting started with Blogfolio
• ICT audit
• Learning styles
• Rationales for ICT in primary education
Globally, educational systems are adopting new technologies to integrate ICT in the teaching and learning process, to prepare students with the knowledge and skills they need in their subject matter. In this way the teaching profession is evolving from teacher- centered to student- centered learning environments. ICT integration is understood as the usage of technology seamlessly for educational processes like transacting curricular content and students working on technology to do authentic tasks.
Nowadays ICT facilitate not only the delivery of lessons but also the learning process itself. This includes computer based technologies, digital imaging, the internet, file servers, data storage devices, network infrastructure, desktops, laptops and broadcasting technologies namely radio and television, and telephone which are used as instructional tools at schools.
ICT in Education & its Application in TripuraMRINAL GHOSH
Information & Communication Technology has added a new touch in the field of Education in Tripura. Just see, what is ICT and its application for the betterment of Education in this princely State.
ENTREPRENEURIAL OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN VOCATIONAL ED...IAEME Publication
Development on the Internet has led to the formation of Information Technology (IT) and IT has created various solutions for different sectors one among those is education. The educational sector has opened opportunities for entrepreneurship. Online learning has become a new trend in the constantly changing world and IT solutions have provided ways for it. Many such promising companies and startups have started coming up and a sector known as EdTech (a combination of education and technology which was made possible with the help of IT solutions) started growing up with billions invested in it around the globe. It is thus one of the fastest-growing sectors as it aims to make education feasible and accessible from any corner of the world. Vocational education as such is gaining more attendance in today’s world as there is a high demand for skilled and specialized people. Governments around the world are hugely investing in the skill development of their citizens. The purpose of this paper is to review the newly formed sector known as EdTech and analyze the role of Information Technology (IT) in creating opportunities for entrepreneurship. Further going on how in return entrepreneurship is transforming education (Sambamurthy, Bharadwaj, & Grover, 2003). A sample of 335 respondents has been surveyed to know the role and significance of information technology in creating Entrepreneurial opportunities in vocational education. Survey method and factor analysis are used to get the results. The study concludes that there are so many significant roles of information technology in creating Entrepreneurial opportunities in vocational education.
Unit – I: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY
ICT: Concept, Objectives, Need and Importance of ICT - Characteristics and Scope of Information and Communication Technology.
Guest lecture given at SciencesPO (Paris School of International Affairs) to a Masters course on Trends in Comparative Education Policy (26 April 2017)
Preparing special education frontline professionals for a new teaching experi...eLearning Papers
AuthorsJaime Moreira Ribeiro, António Moreira, Ana Margarida Almeida
A large number of special education professionals agree on the fact that Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) are an important tool for teachers and students to overcome barriers and promote the acquisition of skills. ICT can promote school and social inclusion by diminishing the obstacles for students with Special Education Needs (SEN).
UDLnet: A Framework for Adressing Learner VariabilityAlan Bruce
Grounded on new research in neuroscience and the Design for All principles, Universal Design for Learning constitutes an educational approach that promotes access, participation and progress in the general curriculum for all learners. UDL recognizes the need to create opportunities for the inclusion of diverse learners through providing curricula and instructional activities that allow for multiple means of representation, expression, and engagement.
OER in the Mobile Era: Content Repositories’ Features for Mobile Devices and ...eLearning Papers
Learning objects and open contents have been named in the Horizon reports from 2004 and 2010 respectively, predicting to have an impact in the short term due to the current trend of offering open content for free on the Web. OER repositories should adapt their features so their contents can be accessed from mobile devices. This paper summarizes recent trends in the creation, publication, discovery, acquisition, access, use and re-use of learning objects on mobile devices based on a literature review on research done from 2007 to 2012. From the content providers side, we present the results obtained from a survey performed on 23 educational repository owners prompting them to answer about their current and expected support on mobile devices. From the content user side, we identify features provided by the main OER repositories. Finally, we introduce future trends and our next contributions.
Designing and Developing Mobile Learning Applications in International Studen...eLearning Papers
This paper reports on an international collaboration in which students from different universities designed and developed mobile learning applications, working together in interdisciplinary teams using social and mobile media. We describe the concept, process and outcomes of this collaboration including challenges of designing and developing mobile learning applications in virtual teams.
This paper reports on the current challenges the professional sector faces when going mobile. The report discusses the role of mobile devices in the workforce and addresses challenges like compatibility, security and training. It also provides a comprehensive review of the mobile landscape, and reviews current best practices in mobile learning.
Standing at the Crossroads: Mobile Learning and Cloud Computing at Estonian S...eLearning Papers
This paper studies the impact of mobile learning implementation efforts in Estonian school system – a process that has created a lot of controversy during the recent years. Best practices in mobile learning are available from the entire world, forcing schools to keep up the push towards better connectivity and gadgetry. Even in the best cases where the schools are provided with the necessary tools, the process has met a lot of scepticism from teachers who are afraid to implement new methods. Teachers are often cornered with the ‘comply or leave’ attitude from educational authorities, resulting in a multi-sided battle between involved parties.
We have surveyed students, teachers, parents and management at five Estonian front-runner schools to sort out the situation. The results show different attitudes among students, school leaders and staff – while all of them mostly possess necessary tools and skills, teachers almost completely lack motivation to promote mobile learning. We propose some positive and negative scenarios – for example, we predict major problems if teacher training will not change, e-safety policies are inadequately developed or authorities will continue the tendency to put all the eggs into one basket (e.g. by relying solely on closed, corporate solutions for mobile learning platforms).
M-portfolios: Using Mobile Technology to Document Learning in Student Teacher...eLearning Papers
We briefly analyse the enhancement of eportfolio processes defined by Zubizarreta (2009) with the introduction of mobile technology. We give some examples of appropriation of mobile device usage in eportfolio processes carried out by student teachers. These examples become the evidence of the enhancement possibilities of one of the portfolio processes defined by Zubizarreta (2009), that of documentation.
GGULIVRR: Touching Mobile and Contextual LearningeLearning Papers
The quest of today’s learning communities is to creatively uptake and embed the emerging technologies to maintain the pace of change, of learning content and platforms, while satisfying learners’ needs and coping with limited resources. As information is delivered abundantly and change is constant, education focuses on driving 21st century fluency.
Project GGULIVRR, Generic Game for Ubiquitous Learning in Interactive Virtual and Real Realities, initiates the study of ubiquitous learning, investigating mobile and contextual learning, challenging small devices with sophisticated computing and networking capacities, testing the pervasive internet and exploring intelligent tags.
The goal of project GGULIVRR is to present learning communities a framework enabling learners to practice and enhance 21st century skills while generating and playing mobile contextual games.
Project GGULIVRR entices learners to get in touch. To play the contextual game one needs to physically go to a ‘touchable’ location, where real objects are tagged with an intelligent tag. By touching a tag one gets in touch with the contextual content. Through playing and developing GGULIVRR games one meets other gamers and developers as the project format induces interdisciplinarity, inter-social and intercultural communication and collaboration empowering local people to unlock contextual content with a minimal technical threshold.
Reaching Out with OER: The New Role of Public-Facing Open ScholareLearning Papers
Open educational resources (OER) and, more recently, open educational practices (OEP) have been widely promoted as a means of increasing openness in higher education (HE). Thus far, such openness has been limited by OER provision typically being supplier-driven and contained within the boundaries of HE. Seeking to explore ways in which OEP might become more needs-led we conceptualised a new ‘public-facing open scholar’ role involving academics working with online communities to source and develop OER to meet their needs.
To explore the scope for this role we focused on the voluntary sector, which we felt might particularly benefit from such collaboration. We evaluated four representative communities for evidence of their being self-educating (thereby offering the potential for academics to contribute) and for any existing learning dimension. We found that all four communities were self-educating and each included learning infrastructure elements, for example provision for web chats with ‘experts’, together with evidence of receptiveness to academic collaboration. This indicated that there was scope for the role of public-facing open scholar. We therefore developed detailed guidelines for performing the role, which has the potential to be applied beyond the voluntary sector and to greatly extend the beneficial impact of existing OER, prompting institutions to release new OER in response to the needs of people outside HE.
Managing Training Concepts in Multicultural Business EnvironmentseLearning Papers
Companies that need training and development services increasingly often operate in a context that consists of more than just one country, language and culture. While business operations are becoming international, companies expect their service providers being capable of catering them where needed. Succeeding in a very complex multinational customer-tailored training project takes more than a good concept. The concept must be flexible so that when language and cultural changes vary from country to country they do not endanger the content to be delivered. There can be several localised versions of the training concept under simultaneous delivery. Challenge is how to manage the concept.
Reflective Learning at Work – MIRROR Model, Apps and Serious GameseLearning Papers
This report discusses the initial results of a 4-year FP7 research project that developed a theoretical model and worked on the creation and evaluation of a range of ‘Mirror’ apps based on our Mirror reflection model. The findings divulge how the apps and serious games can facilitate reflectionº at work, by empowering employees to learn by reflection on their work practice and on their personal learning experiences.
SKILL2E: Online Reflection for Intercultural Competence GaineLearning Papers
The project SKILL2E aims to equip students on international work placements with intercultural competences. The model proposes a double loop learning cycle in which a shared online diary using guided questions is used for reflection. Preliminary results illustrate how this collaborative approach is conducive to the development of intercultural competences.
Experience Networking in the TVET System to Improve Occupational CompetencieseLearning Papers
This paper aims at considering the development and strengthening of networks in (T)VET systems as a means of improving employability and mobility of workers, through a system where occupational competences, required by the Labour Market, described in terms of Learning Outcomes that can be assessed and validated in all different contexts (formal, non formal and informal) developed following quality standards, will be abreast with changes and innovations of the global context requirements, in order to respond to those shortcomings that limit the potential growth of countries with serious implications for the participation in global markets, job growth, economical and social stability.
Leveraging Trust to Support Online Learning Creativity – A Case StudyeLearning Papers
The insights shared through this article build on data collected in real life situations. The work described here attempts to understand how trust can be used as leverage to support online learning and creative collaboration. This report explores this understanding from the teacher perspective. It examines trust commitments in an international setting within which learners from different European countries collaborate and articulate their learning tasks and skills at a distance. This research endeavour aims to recognize both individual and group vulnerabilities as opportunities to strengthen their cooperation and collaboration. We believe that by understanding how to assess and monitor learners’ trust, teachers could use this information to intervene and provide positive support, thereby promoting and reinforcing learners’ autonomy and their motivation to creatively engage in their learning activities.
The results gathered so far enabled an initial understanding of what to look for when monitoring trust with the intention of understanding and influencing learners’ behaviours. They point to three main aspects to monitor on students: (1) their perception of each others’ intentions, in a given context, (2) their level of cooperation as expressed by changes in individual and group commitments towards a particular activity; and, (3) their attitudes towards the use of communication mediums for learning purposes (intentions of use, actual use and reactions to actual use).
Innovating Teaching and Learning Practices: Key Elements for Developing Crea...eLearning Papers
This paper looks at how to innovate teaching and learning practices at system level. It describes the vision for ‘Creative Classrooms’ and makes a consolidated proposal for their implementation, clarifying their holistic and systemic nature, their intended learning outcomes, and their pedagogical, technological, and organisational dimensions for innovation. ‘Creative Classrooms’ (CCR) are conceptualized as innovative learning environments that fully embed the potential of ICT to innovate learning and teaching practices in formal, non-formal and informal settings.
The proposed multi-dimensional concept for CCR consists of eight encompassing and interconnected key dimensions and a set of 28 reference parameters (‘building blocks’). At the heart of the CCR concept lie innovative pedagogical practices that emerge when teachers use ICT in their efforts to organize newer and improved forms of open-ended, collaborative, and meaningful learning activities, rather than simply to enhance traditional pedagogies, such as expository lessons and task-based learning.
A preliminary analysis of two existing cases of ICT-enabled innovation for learning is presented in order to show (i) how the proposed key dimensions and reference parameters are implemented in real-life settings to configure profoundly diverse types of CCR and (ii) to depict the systemic approach needed for the sustainable implementation and progressive up-scaling of Creative Classrooms across Europe.
Website – A Partnership between Parents, Students and SchoolseLearning Papers
The website developed by the 1.b class at the Augusta Šenoa elementary school is, first and foremost, a pioneering work stemming from cooperation among teachers and parents. The purpose of the website is to inform, activate, and involve parents, students and teachers who work in the classroom. Each activity is documented, giving insight into the everyday activities, and making the classroom visible and transparent to everyone. The project uses new technology (forum, gallery of student work, class mail), and enlists a partnership of parents, who made parts of the website.
Academic Staff Development in the Area of Technology Enhanced Learning in UK ...eLearning Papers
This paper reports on a study on staff development in the area of technology enhanced learning in UK Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) that took place in November, 2011. Data for this study were gathered via an online survey emailed to the Heads of e-Learning Forum (HeLF) which is a network comprised of one senior staff member per UK institution, leading the enhancement of learning and teaching through the use of technology. Prior to the survey, desk-based research on some universities’ publicly available websites gathered similar information about staff development in the area of technology enhanced learning. The online survey received 27 responses, approaching a quarter of all UK HEIs subscribed to the Heads of e-Learning forum list (118 is the total number). Both pre-1992 (16 in number) and post-1992 Universities (11 in number) were represented in the survey and findings indicate the way this sample of UK HEIs are approaching staff development in the area of TEL.
The Ageing Brain: Neuroplasticity and Lifelong LearningeLearning Papers
The role of adult education is becoming increasingly important in the framework of policies to promote lifelong learning. Adult participation in training activities, however, is still rather low, despite the incentives and initiatives aimed at allowing all citizens access
to education and training at all ages in their lives.
Participation tends to decrease concomitantly with increasing age: the major difficulty that elderly people have in learning is due to a deterioration of brain function, causing a progressive weakening of concentration, memory and mental flexibility. Today, advanced
researches in neuroscience show that brain ageing may be reversible: the brain
is plastic in all stages of life, and its maps can restructure themselves through learning experiences.
Checklist for a Didactically Sound Design of eLearning ContenteLearning Papers
The design of elearning content requires several areas of educational psychology to be
integrated. In order to enhance the design process, checklists can be used as a means of formative evaluation. We present a checklist for the design and formative evaluation of elearning modules.
It covers the content, segmenting, sequencing and navigation, adaptation to target audience,
design of text and graphics, learning tasks and feedback, and motivation. In the context of a project on designing elearning modules on renewable energies, this
checklist was successfully used for providing formative feedback to the developers.
The International Student and the Challenges of Lifelong LearningeLearning Papers
Although few people would oppose the view that lifelong learning is intended to be a positive experience, it should be borne in mind that an ageing student body might require the development of additional tools and skills for the online educator.
In this short paper we present two cases of challenges faced by international learners who brought with them into the learning environment some issues that were the product, not only of the age of the learner in question, but also of the geographical environment
in which they studied. The names of the learners have been changed.
Fostering Older People’s Digital Inclusion to Promote Active AgeingeLearning Papers
Within the framework of the European Year for Active Ageing and Solidarity between Generations, ECDL Foundation will partner with AGE Platform Europe to promote older people’s digital inclusion.
This collaboration involves the launch of an updated ICT training programme adapted to older people’s needs: a revised version of the ECDL Foundation’s accessible ICT training programme, EqualSkills.
eLearning and Social Networking in Mentoring Processes to Support Active AgeingeLearning Papers
Mentoring is a human resources development process often used to induct, introduce and guide staff into places of employment.
Training people on the job or using elderly people as mentors can be organised to address aspects like skill shortage in organisations, recruiting and retaining personal with the necessary knowledge and active involvement of older people. In this paper we present some aspects of mentoring, particularly the ICT support of such process and
give examples.
Basic Civil Engineering Notes of Chapter-6, Topic- Ecosystem, Biodiversity Green house effect & Hydrological cycle
Types of Ecosystem
(1) Natural Ecosystem
(2) Artificial Ecosystem
component of ecosystem
Biotic Components
Abiotic Components
Producers
Consumers
Decomposers
Functions of Ecosystem
Types of Biodiversity
Genetic Biodiversity
Species Biodiversity
Ecological Biodiversity
Importance of Biodiversity
Hydrological Cycle
Green House Effect
We all have good and bad thoughts from time to time and situation to situation. We are bombarded daily with spiraling thoughts(both negative and positive) creating all-consuming feel , making us difficult to manage with associated suffering. Good thoughts are like our Mob Signal (Positive thought) amidst noise(negative thought) in the atmosphere. Negative thoughts like noise outweigh positive thoughts. These thoughts often create unwanted confusion, trouble, stress and frustration in our mind as well as chaos in our physical world. Negative thoughts are also known as “distorted thinking”.
The Art Pastor's Guide to Sabbath | Steve ThomasonSteve Thomason
What is the purpose of the Sabbath Law in the Torah. It is interesting to compare how the context of the law shifts from Exodus to Deuteronomy. Who gets to rest, and why?
Embracing GenAI - A Strategic ImperativePeter Windle
Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies such as Generative AI, Image Generators and Large Language Models have had a dramatic impact on teaching, learning and assessment over the past 18 months. The most immediate threat AI posed was to Academic Integrity with Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) focusing their efforts on combating the use of GenAI in assessment. Guidelines were developed for staff and students, policies put in place too. Innovative educators have forged paths in the use of Generative AI for teaching, learning and assessments leading to pockets of transformation springing up across HEIs, often with little or no top-down guidance, support or direction.
This Gasta posits a strategic approach to integrating AI into HEIs to prepare staff, students and the curriculum for an evolving world and workplace. We will highlight the advantages of working with these technologies beyond the realm of teaching, learning and assessment by considering prompt engineering skills, industry impact, curriculum changes, and the need for staff upskilling. In contrast, not engaging strategically with Generative AI poses risks, including falling behind peers, missed opportunities and failing to ensure our graduates remain employable. The rapid evolution of AI technologies necessitates a proactive and strategic approach if we are to remain relevant.
Synthetic Fiber Construction in lab .pptxPavel ( NSTU)
Synthetic fiber production is a fascinating and complex field that blends chemistry, engineering, and environmental science. By understanding these aspects, students can gain a comprehensive view of synthetic fiber production, its impact on society and the environment, and the potential for future innovations. Synthetic fibers play a crucial role in modern society, impacting various aspects of daily life, industry, and the environment. ynthetic fibers are integral to modern life, offering a range of benefits from cost-effectiveness and versatility to innovative applications and performance characteristics. While they pose environmental challenges, ongoing research and development aim to create more sustainable and eco-friendly alternatives. Understanding the importance of synthetic fibers helps in appreciating their role in the economy, industry, and daily life, while also emphasizing the need for sustainable practices and innovation.
This presentation provides an introduction to quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis and marker-assisted selection (MAS) in plant breeding. The presentation begins by explaining the type of quantitative traits. The process of QTL analysis, including the use of molecular genetic markers and statistical methods, is discussed. Practical examples demonstrating the power of MAS are provided, such as its use in improving crop traits in plant breeding programs. Overall, this presentation offers a comprehensive overview of these important genomics-based approaches that are transforming modern agriculture.
Instructions for Submissions thorugh G- Classroom.pptxJheel Barad
This presentation provides a briefing on how to upload submissions and documents in Google Classroom. It was prepared as part of an orientation for new Sainik School in-service teacher trainees. As a training officer, my goal is to ensure that you are comfortable and proficient with this essential tool for managing assignments and fostering student engagement.
The Roman Empire A Historical Colossus.pdfkaushalkr1407
The Roman Empire, a vast and enduring power, stands as one of history's most remarkable civilizations, leaving an indelible imprint on the world. It emerged from the Roman Republic, transitioning into an imperial powerhouse under the leadership of Augustus Caesar in 27 BCE. This transformation marked the beginning of an era defined by unprecedented territorial expansion, architectural marvels, and profound cultural influence.
The empire's roots lie in the city of Rome, founded, according to legend, by Romulus in 753 BCE. Over centuries, Rome evolved from a small settlement to a formidable republic, characterized by a complex political system with elected officials and checks on power. However, internal strife, class conflicts, and military ambitions paved the way for the end of the Republic. Julius Caesar’s dictatorship and subsequent assassination in 44 BCE created a power vacuum, leading to a civil war. Octavian, later Augustus, emerged victorious, heralding the Roman Empire’s birth.
Under Augustus, the empire experienced the Pax Romana, a 200-year period of relative peace and stability. Augustus reformed the military, established efficient administrative systems, and initiated grand construction projects. The empire's borders expanded, encompassing territories from Britain to Egypt and from Spain to the Euphrates. Roman legions, renowned for their discipline and engineering prowess, secured and maintained these vast territories, building roads, fortifications, and cities that facilitated control and integration.
The Roman Empire’s society was hierarchical, with a rigid class system. At the top were the patricians, wealthy elites who held significant political power. Below them were the plebeians, free citizens with limited political influence, and the vast numbers of slaves who formed the backbone of the economy. The family unit was central, governed by the paterfamilias, the male head who held absolute authority.
Culturally, the Romans were eclectic, absorbing and adapting elements from the civilizations they encountered, particularly the Greeks. Roman art, literature, and philosophy reflected this synthesis, creating a rich cultural tapestry. Latin, the Roman language, became the lingua franca of the Western world, influencing numerous modern languages.
Roman architecture and engineering achievements were monumental. They perfected the arch, vault, and dome, constructing enduring structures like the Colosseum, Pantheon, and aqueducts. These engineering marvels not only showcased Roman ingenuity but also served practical purposes, from public entertainment to water supply.
Inclusive education: helping teachers to choose ICT resources and to use them effectively
1. Inclusive education: helping teachers to choose ICT resources
and to use them effectively
Vincenza Benigno, Stefania Bocconi and Michela Ott
CNR, Istituto Tecnologie Didattiche, Italy
Summary
This paper looks at the issue of school inclusion by referring to the concept of Universal Access
to Education. It focuses on the strong potential Information and Communication Technologies
(ICT) provide to avoid any kind of discrimination among students. The paper also argues that
teachers play a fundamental role in capitalising the opportunities offered by new technologies to
support the full inclusion of all students in mainstream education systems. In this perspective, to
view the Universal Access to Education as a concrete and reachable goal, teachers need to be
aware of the ICT potential and they must be able to acquire the suitable knowledge and
operational skills to choose and use appropriately this type of resources.
Findings of the Teachers’ View about new Technologies and Inclusion Questionnaire proposed
by ITD-CNR to approximately 300 Italian teachers show that the majority of them (75%)
acknowledge that ICT tools and resources may have a great potential to foster and actualize
inclusive practices in schools. Notwithstanding this, almost all of them declare that they still
need specific information and guidance on how to choose and use the appropriate ICT products
to these ends.
Two pilot research projects addressing these needs are presented in this paper. One is
designed to provide teachers with full and effective information about the accessibility features
of educational software. The other is oriented towards the dissemination of know-how and good
practices to support the construction, sharing and reuse of “inclusive” pedagogical plans. Such
projects have given birth to two specific online services respectively providing information on
the accessibility features of educational multimedia products and bringing to light best practices
in school inclusion.
The basic idea is, in fact, that the process of inclusion can be fostered by means of new
technological tools, but in turn it requires changes and modifications in educational contents,
approaches, structures and strategies.
Keywords: accessibility, inclusion, best practices, educational multimedia, universal access,
resoureces, ICT, teachers, schools
eLearning Papers • www.elearningpapers.eu • 1
Nº 6 • November 2007 • ISSN 1887-1542
2. Introduction
All students, irrespective of their sex, race, color, ethnic or social origin, genetic features,
language, religion or belief, political or any other opinion, membership of a national minority,
property, birth, disability…[1] have the right to have equal opportunity in education (Klironomos
et al., 2006), and to be considered as being an integral part of the learning community.
Recognition of this right has recently given rise to the concept of “inclusion”, which has
gradually substituted that of “integration”.
Throughout the 1980s, the concept of integration was, in fact, based on the distinction between
“normal” students and those with special needs (thus requiring specific educational
interventions); the idea of integration suggests that the school stays the same but takes steps to
accept also those students who present a variety of problems or difficulties (Northway, 1997).
Inclusion is actually a much stronger concept which refers to “the right to belong to the
mainstream” [2]; leaving behind the idea that only few learners have “special needs”, the social
model of inclusion rather suggests that all students as individual learners present their own
peculiar characteristics and have their own specific educational needs. Such a perspective
implies a Copernican revolution which brings all students at the very heart of the educational
process whilst the school is required to adjust and change in order to enable each of them to
participate in the life of the school to the best of their abilities.
“Inclusive education - according to UNESCO [3]- means that the school can provide a good
education to all pupils irrespective of their varying abilities. All children will be treated with
respect and ensured equal opportunities to learn together. Inclusive education is an on-going
process. Teachers must work actively and deliberately to reach its goals”.
Inclusion should, then, be regarded as a long-lasting process which requires time, effort,
competence and strong conviction by all those involved in students’ education, first and
foremost, by teachers.
The key role of teachers in giving birth to and maintaining a truly inclusive classroom is
unquestionable (Anderson et al, 2007), but such an important mission also requires that
suitable, effective and barrier-free educational means should be employed.
From this perspective, ICT resources are promising; there are grounds for maintaining that they
help most students overcome barriers to learning, thus increasing their school achievement,
together with their autonomy, willingness and self esteem.
Indeed, educational research provides strong evidence that: “ICT is both a medium and a
powerful tool in supporting inclusive practice. It provides wide-ranging support for
communication, assisting many learners to engage with learning, including those who are hard
to reach, and helps to break down some of the barriers that lead to under-achievement and
educational exclusion” (Becta, 2007).
In the following, it is argued that documenting the accessibility of educational multimedia
products and offering access to best practice can (may) help teachers to make effective use of
ICT tools in order to support all students’ full inclusion. We begin with an analysis of main
teachers’ wants/needs to this respect, and then explore two pilot research projects aimed at
fulfilling them.
Looking at ICT and inclusive education from the teachers’ perspective
How do teachers feel about their ability/readiness to accomplish the mission of building up a
really “inclusive” classroom by fully exploiting the possibilities offered by technology?
eLearning Papers • www.elearningpapers.eu • 2
Nº 6 • November 2007 • ISSN 1887-1542
3. Becta (2004) reports that: “Teachers cite lack of time, insufficient knowledge of the pedagogical
uses of technology, and a lack of information on existing software as three major barriers to
integrating technology. Teachers and support staff need ongoing training in order to make
informed decisions regarding the technological needs of all students, including those with
special needs”.
These findings are consistent with the results of the Teachers’ View about new Technologies
and Inclusion Questionnaire proposed by ITD-CNR [4] to approximately 300 Italian teachers in
the framework of the national project “Nuove Tecnologie e Disabilità” [5].
The survey results show that the majority of teachers (75%) acknowledge that ICT tools and
resources may have a great potential to foster and actualize inclusive practices in schools.
They appear to be confident in the new opportunities offered by technology and declare their
interest and willingness to personally explore its potential benefits.
Notwithstanding this, almost all of them declare that they still need specific information and
guidance on how to choose and use the appropriate ICT products to these ends.
Particularly, the “accessibility” of ICT educational resources is considered of crucial importance:
most of the involved teachers (77%) agree that they have very little information on this aspect.
For instance, the majority of the interviewed teachers is not aware of the Italian regulation in
force [6] about the accessibility of ICT tools; in addition, some of them admit not to be aware of
the fact that technological tools (both hardware and software) may present technological
barriers to some students, namely those with disabilities (Bocconi et al., 2007).
It is, conversely, well known that “with the advent of the digital computer, and its broad
penetration […], disabled and elderly people face serious problems in accessing computing
devices” (Stephanidis & Savidis, 2001).
Examples of such technological barriers can be easily found if we think to the shrinking size of
the newest computers (PDAs, portable laptops etc…) and, for instance, to the related grouping
of different functions (e.g. virtual keyboard accessed through the screen, buttons having
multiple functions, etc.).
New barriers for people with disabilities are also created by some of the newest software
products in that they rely more and more on images, motion, voice, special effects, three-
dimensionality, leaving aside the basic principles of Universal Design (Burgstahler, 2006).
Assistive Technologies certainly play an important role in widening access to software products
but they should not be regarded as a panacea; unfortunately, in fact, the wide range of existing
disabilities is not fully covered by the available assistive devices (e.g. magnifiers do not meet
the needs of all kind of partially sighted people, for instance of those with nistagmo, color
blindness, etc.); in addition, some software applications are not compatible with all the available
assistive devices (e.g. there are many products presenting full compatibility with mouse
emulators but not allowing keyboard access).
In the educational field, software products for e-learning are rapidly evolving; while they
become more efficient, sophisticated and appealing for the majority of the students, the ability
of some categories of learners to effectively use them becomes more critical.
To take an example, Figure 1 shows a screenshot of a well known multimedia product [7] for
foreign language learning; it is meant to involve the learner in a wide a range of various
activities, which are, unfortunately, not easily accessible for a wide range of students with
disabilities.
eLearning Papers • www.elearningpapers.eu • 3
Nº 6 • November 2007 • ISSN 1887-1542
4. Fig 1. Screenshot of a multimedia educational software
Such students may, in fact, encounter a number of different obstacles:
• those with hearing impairments cannot access explanations, instructions and feedbacks
which are available only through the voice of the gold owl; infact, the audio information
is, in this case, the only means available to learners for understanding the task and how
to perform it. Correspondingly, due to the exclusive use of audio format, they are not
able to receive feedbacks on their actions/performances;
• those with low vision may also encounter problems since some facilities such as larger
fonts/icons and high contrast between foreground and background are not provided by
this application; such features are not built in the program and, in addition, it doesn’t
maintain (rather, it completely overlaps) the specific selections eventually made by the
user at the operating system level (i.e. those regarding display attributes);
• those with motor or visual impairments cannot access the program by using the
keyboard or any other alternative input devices different from mouse emulators.
This educational product, in principle, could be useful to all students but actually it is not entirely
accessible for a wide number of those with specific disabilities; in addition, its lack of full
compatibility with the available Assistive Technologies contributes to leave most of the
encountered problems unsolved.
The extensive classroom use of such educational products (which are not fully accessible)
prevents students with special needs from using the same materials as their schoolmates; it
also limits their educational opportunities and, finally, contributes to their “exclusion”.
The choice of suitable educational software and of appropriate assistive technologies appears
to be vital to avoid discriminations among students and the teachers’ role is very important to
these ends. While making this choice, they should, bear in mind that any educational resource
should meet the needs of all students, with no exclusion.
Taking for granted that national health service units are usually committed to prescribing and
providing useful information about Assistive Technologies (Maushak et al, 2001), teachers
efforts should be mainly targeted at selecting the appropriate educational ICT resources.
In order to be able to make an informed and effective choice among the existing products,
teachers themselves confirm they still require (Becta, 2004; Bocconi, 2006; Anderson, 2007):
• specific and detailed information regarding the accessibility features of each educational
software product; this will allow them to eventually discard products not providing full
eLearning Papers • www.elearningpapers.eu • 4
Nº 6 • November 2007 • ISSN 1887-1542
5. access to all their students or to understand how best use the resource within a wider
learning and teaching context;
• detailed descriptions of significant pilot experiences and best practices focusing around
the use of accessible ICT products as means to support inclusive practices (i.e. in a sort
of “reuse and adaptation” perspective, they require information on what has already
been done in this field and how).
In the following, two on-line services (i.e. Essediquadro and AEsseDi) are presented aimed at
fulfilling the emerging teacher’s needs mentioned above.
Essediquadro: documenting the accessibility features of educational software
The need for providing educators with appropriate documentation about the educational
software products available on the market has been recognized since almost two decades ago.
In 1999, in Italy, the Institute for Educational Technology (ITD) under the auspices of the
Ministry of Education University and Research set up Essediquadro [8], an online service which
provides comprehensive, up-to-date information on educational ICT software for all school
levels and disciplines, from both Italy and abroad.
Essediquadro offers a clear panorama of the available products together with other relevant
information (summary of contents, subject area, topic, target users, educational strategy, pre-
requisites, etc.); it also provides support and guidance for integrating software and multimedia
into the teaching/learning process by providing subject area surveys, classroom reports, and
more.
From 2006, an “Accessibility“ page has been added to the description of each educational
product in order to bring to light and spread information about its accessibility features (Fig. 2);
at present, about three hundred, both commercial and open source, products, have already
undergone a standard accessibility test.
For each product, the accessibility evaluation process is carried out taking into account two
different but complementary aspects:
a) its compliance with the requirements of the law in force;
b) its actual usability by students with disabilities.
The actual “Accessibility” page of Essediquadro comprises, then, four main sections:
1. Suppliers/author’s self-declaration
2. Evaluation of the compliance with legal requirements
3. Evaluation of the level of accessibility with respect to the different types of disability
4. Results of field testing
eLearning Papers • www.elearningpapers.eu • 5
Nº 6 • November 2007 • ISSN 1887-1542
6. Fig 2. The accessibility page in Essediquadro
1. Suppliers/author’s self-declaration.
In this specific section, Essediquadro recalls directly what the authors/ publishers officially
say about the accessibility of their products. According to the Riga Ministerial Declaration on
Inclusion [9], in fact, software authors and/or suppliers are entrusted to clearly state whether
or not (and to what extent) each software product responds to the accessibility standards
(EICTA, 2006). Unfortunately, nowadays only very few multimedia educational developers
provide such documentation.
2. Evaluation of the compliance with legal requirements.
In Italy, the accessibility of ICT tools is regulated by the Law n. 4/2004 (also known as “The
Stanca Act”) [10] followed by the Ministerial Decree (DM) 8 July 2005 [11]. Eleven
requirements for both commercial/non commercial “on the shelf” softwares are indicated in
the DM, following the main requirements outlined in Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of
the US Federal Government [12]. Under this section, Essediquadro presents the data
resulting from testing the compliance of the educational software products with the eleven
accessibility requirements of the Italian Law. This analysis is carried out by expert evaluators
using methodologies and tools (namely a specific evaluation grid [13]) designed and
implemented by ITD-CNR.
The results of the evaluation process are expressed in terms of numbers of requirements
actually met (out of the eleven indicated in the DM): for instance, a result of 8/11 means that
the product respects only 8 requirements of the regulation in force; for a better
understanding, details of which specific requirements are/are not met are also provided.
3. Evaluation of the levels of accessibility with respect to the different types of disability.
Assessing and documenting the compliance of each product with the regulation in force is, of
course, important but it is not enough to give an effective answer to all Essediquadro
potential users. Typically teachers ask for an answer to the question: “Is this product
accessible for deaf (or blind, or dyslexic, or even…) students?” To answer this question, the
methodology set up in Essediquadro draws on the correspondence between the law
requirements and each specific type of disability: if a product is not fully compliant with all of
the eleven accessibility requirements, further information is supplied about the specific target
for whom that product is not accessible (and, conversely, the eventual full or partial
accessibility for other categories of disabled students is underlined).
In this perspective, Essediquadro also highlights if there is a potential conflict between the
educational goals of the application and a specific type of disability: this happens when using
a product can be considered a nonsense for a specific category of disabled students (i.e.
most products aiming at practicing colour recognition skills are per se useless for blind
students and investigating their accessibility for this category of disabled students can only
be a waste of time).
4. Results of field testing
Through the support of the Italian network of clinical centres specialised in the field of
technological aids (GLIC [14]), the accessibility data provided in Essediquadro also include
information about the actual usability of software products and about their compatibility with
the principal assistive devices. In order to perform the evaluations, GLIC researchers
constantly monitor the performances of some end-users while using (often in conjunction
with assistive devices) specific educational software applications; during the working
sessions, they constantly take notes about software compatibility with specific assistive
devices, record the obstacles encountered and the possible solutions, if any.
The results of such a detailed user testing (made available through both a summary and the
comprehensive checklist [15]) provide objective data about the actual usability of the
applications and also about their compatibility with the main assistive devices.
eLearning Papers • www.elearningpapers.eu • 6
Nº 6 • November 2007 • ISSN 1887-1542
7. In addition to meeting standards, it is important to provide teachers with as much information as
possible about how best to use the resource within a wider learning context. Research findings
show that teachers' positive attitudes towards inclusion depend strongly on their education,
experience with learners having special educational needs and the availability of support.
Below we explore the research experience set in AEsseDI project intended to serve as a
platform to share voices of reality.
AEsseDI: providing access to pilot experiences and best practices in the field of e-
Inclusion
As said before, the building up of an inclusive classroom is a considerable challenge, mainly
because it entails bringing change and innovation to teaching and learning processes: an
overall innovative educational approach is required and new aspects of the educational
resources need to be taken into account.
Key to facing the challenge of innovation is also an adequate planning of the educational
activities. Such planning is a long consolidated element of teaching practice and it continues to
play a key role in contemporary education (Koper et al, 2004).
Computer-based pedagogical planners have already proved to be of great help for improving
collaboration, exchange of ideas, information, knowledge, know-how and practicalities among
teachers (Benigno et al, 2004).
In the following a web-based authoring system called AEsseDI [16] is briefly depicted, which
aims at supporting the construction of structured pedagogical plans describing in detail the
educational activities to be carried out in view of specific educational objectives. AEsseDI aims
at instantiating pedagogical ideas and documenting best practices carried out in the field of
school e-inclusion. Its ultimate goal is spreading knowledge about the use of ICT as a means
for avoiding exclusion and discrimination.
AEsseDI presents two different environments: the first one is conceived to support the design
and the building up of a pedagogical plan; the other one is used for viewing, examining and
commenting on existing pedagogical plans. Pedagogical plans (also indicated as
teaching/learning units) can be designed by some teachers/authors, and then subsequently
adapted and re-used by other teachers, in different educational settings. Accordingly, the
system provides the teachers/authors on one hand with the possibility of producing structured
pedagogical plans reflecting at the same time on the activities to be carried out and on their
educational value; on the other hand, it provides the teachers/readers with concrete examples
and practical clues on how to carry out comparable educational activities.
Differently from other such tools, AEsseDI is expressly designed to shed light on the use of ICT
as a means for fostering educational inclusive practices; above all, in fact, it aims at giving
possible answers to specific problems related to school “inclusion”.
Fostering the development of more flexible curricula, the pedagogical plan structure and its
contents allow the provision of as many details as possible about:
• the overall idea of inclusion underpinning the whole plan;
• the learner’s specific needs to be met;
• the accessibility features of ICT tools at hand;
• the use of ICT tools as a means for inclusion;
• the inclusive practices to be adopted.
When the building of a plan is followed by actual classroom experimentation, authors are
encouraged to report also on the outcomes of field experiment, addressing in detail any
problems encountered during the learning process by students with disabilities and the eventual
solutions.
eLearning Papers • www.elearningpapers.eu • 7
Nº 6 • November 2007 • ISSN 1887-1542
8. The further added value lies in the possibility offered by the system to add outcomes and
reports of multiple field experiences as well as to view any external comment.
AEsseDI pedagogical plans are organized around a well defined tree-like structure and
encompass a high number of descriptors which bring inclusion and accessibility related issues
to the fore.
Firstly, an overview of the whole plan is available and then the educational activities to be
carried out are detailed.
As shown in Fig. 3 the overview of the lesson plan, contains:
• some basic data (i.e. unit title, author(s)’ name, date);
• a brief description of the plan;
• a number of meaningful information for didactic purposes (such as subject area, school
level, students age and eventual type of disability involved);
• six attributes fields which represent the core of the plan; they specify the basic
educational idea, the educational goals and contents underpinning the whole plan (idea,
objectives, contents). They also provide information on the type of setting/organization
needed to carry out the plan in real educational contexts (procedures), give an insight
into the main problems regarding the inclusion of students with special needs (focus on
inclusion), report data from experience, if the plan has been experimented in real
classrooms (experience).
Fig. 3 AEsseDI Learning plans: main page
Following the general overview of the pedagogical plan, a detailed description of each
educational activity is provided. As an example, the plan in Fig. 3 comprises seven different
activities, graphically represented as seven small circles on the line at the bottom of the screen.
The line also shows each activity (distinctly named) in proper sequence.
Although the inclusive plan is primarily conceived to be carried out by all the students in the
classroom, without distinction, nevertheless some activities can also be ‘personalized’ for
addressing specific students and their specific needs. Fig. 4 shows an activity line which
eLearning Papers • www.elearningpapers.eu • 8
Nº 6 • November 2007 • ISSN 1887-1542
9. comprises both mainstream and personalized activities (even graphically, the activity line
shows two different paths, i.e. a bold line for the mainstream activities and an empty line for the
personalized activities).
Fig. 4 AEsseDI: example of an educational plan including three personalized activities.
Each activity is further described in details in a separate section, where its relevant aspects are
highlighted (Fig. 5).
Fig. 5 ASD learning plans: the learning activity page
The learning goals of the specific activity are indicated as well as the tools and resources
needed (or even suggested); information about the educational method adopted is also
available (it entails an accurate description of the teaching methodology, work organization,
teaching/learning strategy, time required etc...). In addition, all documents and reports related to
the whole educational plan are available to be downloaded (documentation).
As far as issues related to ‘inclusion’, these are specifically addressed by providing information
on:
• accessibility features of the software products in use and its compatibility with assistive
technologies;
eLearning Papers • www.elearningpapers.eu • 9
Nº 6 • November 2007 • ISSN 1887-1542
10. • possible obstacles and problems to be faced;
• eventual software adaptations required;
• personalization of some activities for students with special needs;
• teaching method adopted to foster the inclusion of students with special needs.
This list shows once more how AEssedi has been designed having in mind that the actual
development of a new approach to inclusion in the educational context should be well grounded
on teachers’ specific competence and field experience.
At present it offers a few dozens of different educational plans designed around the idea of
inclusion and accessibility; it is still open to new contributions in the perspective of becoming a
reference point for all those teachers that ask for information on “best practices” in the field of
inclusion in education.
Conclusions
Many children are still excluded from, and within, education for a variety of reasons. In this
paper we have addressed the issue of promoting e-inclusion through e-learning by reporting on
two research projects aimed at helping teachers to make effective use of ICT educational
products.
Such research projects have given birth to two specific online services: the first one provides
detailed information on the accessibility features of educational software products, the second
aims at bringing to light best practices in the field of school inclusion.
Since inclusion requires new approaches to teaching and learning (Lacey, 2006) as well as the
use of valuable, new, suitable and barrier-free tools it’s fundamental to give teachers
appropriate advice and support to face this challenge.
The basic idea underpinning the two projects is, in fact, that the process of inclusion can be
fostered by means of new technological tools: it requires, in turn, changes and modifications in
educational contents, approaches, structures and strategies.
Teachers play a key role at these ends: innovation cannot cross the school’s threshold without
their deep and active involvement and the educational effectiveness of any technological
means mainly depends on the choices they make (Moseley et al, 1999); in order to take a
significant step forward, e-tools need to be carefully selected and their use needs to be
appropriately planned and conceptually well integrated in mainstream activities.
Notes
[1] Official Journal of the European Communities (2000). Charter of Fundamental Rights of the
European Union, retrieved August 25, 2007 from
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/charter/pdf/text_en.pdf
[2] Definition by the Centre of the Studies on Inclusive Education, retrieved August 25, 2007
from http://inclusion.uwe.ac.uk/csie/csiefaqs.htm
[3] Definition from UNESCO, retrieved August 25, 2007 from
http://portal.unesco.org/education/en/ev.php-
URL_ID=12078&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html
[4] Institute for Educational Technology of the National Research Council in Italy
(http://www.itd.cnr.it )
[5] Summary of the project retrieved August 25, 2007 from
http://www.pubblica.istruzione.it/dg_studente/ufficio1/tecnologie_disabilita.shtml
eLearning Papers • www.elearningpapers.eu • 10
Nº 6 • November 2007 • ISSN 1887-1542
11. [6] Italian Law 4/2004 - Provisions to support the access to Information Technologies for the
disabled, retrieved August 25, 2007 from
http://www.pubbliaccesso.gov.it/normative/law_20040109_n4.htm
[7] Software “Kids World Bank 1” by Oxford University Press (UK) (ed. 2002)
[8] Retrieved August 25, 2007 from http://www.sd2.itd.cnr.it
[9] EU Ministerial Declaration, during the Conference quot;ICT for an Inclusive Societyquot;, 11 June
2006, Riga, Latvia, retrieved August 25, 2007 from
http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/events/ict_riga_2006/doc/declaration_riga.pdf
[10] Stanca Act- talian Law 4/2004 - Provisions to support the access to information
Technologies for the disabled retrieved August 25, 2007 from
http://www.pubbliaccesso.gov.it/normative/law_20040109_n4.htm
[11] DM July 2005-Annex D, retrieved August 25, 2007 from
http://www.pubbliaccesso.gov.it/normative/DM080705-A.htm
[12] About Section 508, retrieved August 25, 2007 from
http://www.section508.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Content&ID=3
[13] Grid available at http://asd.itd.cnr.it/griglia.pdf
[14] Information retrieved August 25, 2007 from http://www.centriausili.it
[15] An example of evaluation grid, retrieved August 25, 2007 from
http://www.sd2.itd.cnr.it/cnr_sd2/upload/file_20061228102129_3509_GLIC.pdf
[16] The system is available at http://asd.itd.cnr.it
References
Anderson, C. J. K., Klassen, R. M. and. Georgiou G. K. (2007). Inclusion in Australia: What
Teachers Say They Need and What School Psychologists Can Offer. School Psychology
International, 5 (28), 131 – 147.
Becta (2004). What the research says about ICT supporting special educational needs (SEN)
and inclusion, Becta publications ID: BEC1-15009, retrieved August 25, 2007 from
http://www.becta.org.uk/page_documents/research/wtrs_ictsupport.pdf
Becta (2007). Inclusive learning: an essential guide, retrieved August 25, 2007 from
http://publications.becta.org.uk/display.cfm?resID=27692&page=1835
Benigno, V., Ott, M., Puddu, F., Tavella, M. (2004). Netform: An online support system for
teachers. In Callaos, N., Lesso, W., Sanchez, B. (Eds.) Proc. 8th World Multi-Conference on
Systemics, Cybernetics and Informatics - SCI2004, Orlando Fl. USA: IIIS, 85-90.
Bocconi, S., Dini, S., Ferlino, L., Ott, M. (2006). A proposito di accessibilità del software
didattico. TD Tecnologie Didattiche, 39 (3), 43-49.
Burgstahler, S. (2006). Universal Design in Education: Principles and Applications. Copyright
University of Washington, retrieved August 25, 2007 from
http://www.washington.edu/doit/Brochures/PDF/ud_edu.pdf
EICTA (2006). EICTA EU Inclusive Society Industry Declaration, retrieved August 25, 2007
from http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/events/ict_riga_2006/doc/industry_response.pdf
Koper, R., and Manderveld, J. (2004). Educational modelling language: modelling reusable,
interoperable, rich personalised units of learning. British Journal of Educational Technology, 35
(5), 537-551.
Lacey, P. (2006). Action research for inclusive education: changing places, changing practices,
changing minds. British Educational Resources Journal, 32 (5), 754-755.
eLearning Papers • www.elearningpapers.eu • 11
Nº 6 • November 2007 • ISSN 1887-1542
12. Maushak, N. J., Kelley, P. & Blodgett, T. (2001). Preparing Teachers for the Inclusive
Classroom: A Preliminary Study of Attitudes and Knowledge of Assistive Technology. Journal of
Technology and Teacher Education, 9 (3), 419-431.
Moseley, D., Higgins, S., Bramald, R., Hardman, F., Miller, J., Mroz, M., Tse, H., Newton, D.,
Thompson, I., Williamson, J., Halligan, J., Bramald, S., Tymms, P., Henderson, B., and Stout,
J. (1999). Ways forward with ICT: Effective Pedagogy using Information and Communications
Technology for Literacy and Numeracy in Primary Schools, retrieved August 25, 2007 from
http://www.leeds.ac.uk/educol/documents/00001369.htm
Northway, R. (1997). Integration and Inclusion: Illusion or Progress in Services for Disabled
People?. Social Policy & Administration, 31 (2),157–172.
Klironomos, I., Antona, M., Basdekis, I., Stephanidis, C. and EDeAN Secretariat (2006). White
Paper: Promoting Design for All and e-Accessibility in Europe. Universal Access in the
Information Society International, 5 (1).
Stephanidis, C., Savidis, A. (2001). Universal Access in the Information Society: Methods,
Tools, and Interaction Technologies. Universal Access in the Information Society, 1 (1).
eLearning Papers • www.elearningpapers.eu • 12
Nº 6 • November 2007 • ISSN 1887-1542
13. Authors
Vincenza Benigno
Researcher
CNR, Istituto Tecnologie Didattiche
benigno@itd.cnr.it
Stefania Bocconi
Research Fellow
CNR, Istituto Tecnologie Didattiche
bocconi@itd.cnr.it
Michela Ott
Senior Researcher
CNR, Istituto Tecnologie Didattiche
ott@itd.cnr.it
Citation instruction
Benigno, Vincenza; Bocconi, Stefania & Ott, Michaela (2007). Inclusive education: helping
teachers to choose ICT resources and to use them effectively. eLearning Papers, no. 6. ISSN
1887-1542.
Copyrights
The texts published in this journal, unless otherwise indicated, are subject to a
Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-NoDerivativeWorks 2.5 licence.
They may be copied, distributed and broadcast provided that the author and the e-journal that
publishes them, eLearning Papers, are cited. Commercial use and derivative works are not
permitted. The full licence can be consulted on http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-
nd/2.5/
Edition and production
Name of the publication: eLearning Papers
ISSN: 1887-1542
Edited by: P.A.U. Education, S.L.
Postal address: C/ Muntaner 262, 3º, 08021 Barcelona, Spain
Telephone: +34 933 670 400
Email: editorial@elearningeuropa.info
Internet: www.elearningpapers.eu
eLearning Papers • www.elearningpapers.eu • 13
Nº 6 • November 2007 • ISSN 1887-1542