To help me illustrate how students with a learning difficulty, can benefit from Information and Communications, Technology (ICTs), I found this sight http://speedchange.blogspot.com.au/p/blog-page_2046.html a great help. The author Ira David Socol describes his theory, which he calls the tool belt theory. He describes ICTs as tools that help each of us at different times and in different situations. But remember we are talking here about students with special needs, so how does this theory, support them? For students with a disability, one of the biggest hurdles they face is feeling different. Socol points out, that when students with a disability have access to ICTs, in a classroom full of students using these tools in a creative manner, they no longer need to be seen as exclusively different, instead like every other student in the class they just need to choose an appropriate ICT tool to help them achieve their desired learning outcome. The tools could be, a laptop with bigger lettering, an i pad, or amplified sound through head phones, to help a student overcome their own particular learning hurdle and achieve.
Although this clip is some what romanticized, being an advertisement, it effectively illustrates how a tool that can be used by a wide demographic, can have particular benefits for a student with, in this case, autism.
Although this clip is some what romanticized, being an advertisement, it effectively illustrates how a tool that can be used by a wide demographic, can have particular benefits for a student with, in this case, autism.
Children with autism are highly visual learners, hence the success of the ipad. These students also struggle with social skills and so many apps illustrate to them the appropriate way to interact within their environment as stated by this dad of twin boys at this site.
Isn't it just so amazing to see students eyes light up, when they can communicate. Therefore the use of them in a classroom to communicate to their teacher and peers will benefit the whole environment!