This document discusses special education and the challenges for educators. It covers what special education entails, legal directives regarding assistive technology, and trends showing more students requiring special education services. The document also outlines challenges around universal design and inclusion. Finally, it discusses various technology integration strategies for different types of special education students to help address their needs through assistive technologies, software, and adaptive devices.

1. Shauna Bristol
Created and Narrated
by
Shauna Bristol

2. WHAT IS SPECIAL EDUCATION?
Special education involves additional services, support, programs,
specialized placements or environments for students with physical
and/or mental deficits to ensure that all students' educational needs
are provided for.

3. CHALLENGES FOR EDUCATORS
Legal and policy directives:
• Technology-Related
Assistance Act for
Individuals with
Disabilities provides
assistive technology and
services.
• Reauthorization of
Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act
(IDEA) states every
individual education plan
(IEP) consider assistive
technology.

4. CHALLENGES FOR EDUCATORS
Autism trends have shown
students benefiting from
special education is
increasing steadily.
Increased demand for
instruction and assessment for
American Sign Language
students.
Inclusion students spend a
majority of their day in
regular education classes
and get a variety of support
services.

5. CHALLENGES FOR EDUCATORS
Universal design
improves access to
general curriculum
with new teaching
practices and
policies (as a result
of technology,
media, and
materials not
encompassing
classroom
diversity).
Usable Website need
for people with

6. TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION STRATEGIES FOR
SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS
Mild cognitive disabilities:
Reading: reading skill software, text-to-speech
products, interactive storyboards.
Writing: voice recognition and word
prediction software
Math: graphing software, drills, games, and
tutorials
Moderate to severe cognition disabilities:
Software helps teach/reinforce functional
skills
Videos for acquisition, maintenance, and

7. TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION STRATEGIES FOR
SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS
Physical disabilities:
Alternate methods of
accessing computer.
Training on adaptive
technologies for
independence.
Monitor function without
causing undue
physical demands.

8. TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION STRATEGIES FOR
SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS
Blind students:
Use of canes, sensory
technologies to assist movement,
text-to-Braille converters, screen
readers.
Visually impaired students:
Closed-circuit television (CCTV)
magnification systems, built-in
computer screen magnification
control panels.
Hearing impaired students:
FM amplification systems

9. TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION STRATEGIES FOR
SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS
At-risk students:
Motivating opportunities for
engaging learning activities,
electronic assessments and
instructional materials to give
immediate feedback
Gifted/Talented Students:
Web pages to encourage
challenges, self-directed
research, multi-media
presentations, web page
design, electronic portfolios.

10. SPECIAL EDUCATION
TECH-PACK AND CHALLENGES
• Content knowledge
• Pedagogical
knowledge
• Technology
knowledge
 Independence
 Participation
 Empowerment
 Voice
 Non-verbal, physical, and
cognitive limitations