Computers And Disabled People In Education Essay

, Research Paper

Computers and Disabled People

According to the United Nations more than 500 million people suffer from some type of physical, mental, or sensory impairment. Despite many efforts disabled people continue to be denied equal opportunities and in some societies still remain isolated. The United Nations has prompted cities and towns throughout the world to provide such seemingly simple, basic, and obvious services as access ramps and sidewalk indentations for the convenience of the disabled people. This extends to the world of technology as well.

Responding to the times, technology has made considerable advances in helping individuals with learning disabilities become productive and independent participants in work, classroom, and leisure settings. Recent laws mandating civil rights for those with disabilities can be interpreted to imply that the implementation of technology is a significant opportunity for the provision of equal access.

The forces of “equal access,” “non-discrimination,” and “reasonable accommodations” have created an environment which encourages the use of technology designed to help those with learning disabilities function on a more equal basis with their non-disabled peers.

Assistive technology, sometimes referred to as adaptive or access technology, includes a whole realm of high and low technology devices designed to increase the independence of individuals with learning disabilities by enabling them to compensate for deficits, enhance self-confidence, and participate more fully in all settings – work, school, home, and leisure. While not exclusively so, these technologies tend to be electronically sophisticated and largely computer-based. Assistive technology can enhance the quality of life for a person with a learning disability by enabling the individual to circumvent specific deficits, while capitalizing on given strengths.

The Tech Act defines AT devices as any item, piece of equipment, or product system (whether acquired off the shelf, modified, or customized) that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities. AT devices may be categorized as high technology and low technology (Behrmann, M.M., 1995).

Many low-tech devices can be purchased at a hardware store, selected from a catalog, or fabricated using tools and materials found in home workshops. Examples might be note-taking cassette recorders, pencil grips, NCR paper/copy machine, simple switches, head pointers, picture boards, taped instructions, or workbooks (Behrmann, M.M., 1995).

High-tech devices frequently incorporate some type of computer chip, such as a hand-held calculator or a “talking clock.” Examples might be optical character recognition (OCR) calculators, word processors with spelling and grammar checking, word prediction, voice recognition, speech synthesizers, augmentative communication devices, alternative keyboards, or instructional software (Behrmann, M.M., 1995).

Before the employer or teacher can determine the kinds of assistive technology that will best suit the needs of the employee/student with learning disabilities, the functional limitations that the individual displays need to be defined. First, what job duties or coursework obligations are the individuals expected to perform. In what specific areas is the individual having difficulties. What is it specifically that the individual cannot do or does not do according to the employer’s/instructor’s expectations. The answers to these questions will determine the kinds of assistive devices that can be put in place to enable the person with learning disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job or meet the requirements of a course.

Technology is bursting into the classroom at all levels, as a tool for teachers to develop, monitor, and provide instructions, and for students to access and engage in learning. The Technology-Related Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities Act of 1988 (Tech Act or P.L. 100-407) was designed to enhance the availability and quality of assistive technology (AT) devices and services to all individuals and their families throughout the United States (Warger, 1998).

The 1997 reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) emphasizes the importance of technology and the need to share cutting-edge information about advances in the field. The law requires that assistive technology devices and services be considered for all children identified as having an exceptional education need. These amendments marked a significant shift in how educators view assistive technology; previously had been viewed almost exclusively within a rehabilitative or remediative context. Now, within the context of planning individualized education plans (IEP), technology is being considered as a viable tool for expanding access to the general education curriculum. However, there is still much work to be done to ensure that IEP teams consider the maximum benefits of technology use (Warger, 1998).

There are some areas of instruction where AT could assist students/adults with mild disabilities. These areas include organization, note taking, writing assistance, productivity, access to reference materials, cognitive assistance, and materials modification. In looking at organization, low-tech solutions include teaching students