Using technology in Delivering Inclusive Teaching and Learning

Editor's Notes

• #4: Unit Amplification - Benefits, e.g. individualised learning, materials accessible online, reduces need for paper-based resources, promoting ‘joined-up’ learning, allows for differentiation, student-centred, promotes student responsibility, globalisation through access to the world wide web, visual, current. Improves student engagement – Learning through gamification, virtual field trips, other online resources – Overall it induces student participation. Enhanced knowledge retention – encourages active participation Promotes individual learning – self paced learning, caters to students with different learning disabilities, access to resources (Facebook groups focused on education, twitter hashtag chats and blogs and informative articles by government agencies, influencers and experts) Increases learner’s collaboration – access to different educational forums, use of VLE for resources Aids in learning useful life skills – collaborating with others, solving complex problems, critical thinking, developing different forms of communication and leadership skills, and improving motivation and productivity. Develop practical skills including creating presentations, learning to differentiate reliable from unreliable sources on the Internet, maintaining proper online etiquette, and writing emails/research reports. Contributes to the teaching process – virtual lesson plans, grading software and online assessments, virtual learning environments in schools enhances collaboration and knowledge sharing between teachers, conduct online classes via online conferencing tools like Zoom, Google Meet and GoToMeeting
• #5: Unit Amplification - Limitations, e.g. availability of intranet, access to appropriate technology, cost, time and effort to keep up to date with changes in technology, overuse, need for appropriate skills for use, fit for purpose, health and safety implications. Distracts Students – Overusing technology, lack of knowledge retention because of more screen time (https://www.sciencenewsforstudents.org/article/less-screentime-linked-better-memory-learning-kids) Requires Management and Training – IT professionals  professionals to help set it up, maintain it, and support teachers and students in its use, providing adequate training to staff and students. Tech Disparity - Tech disparity refers to how much access students have to the necessary devices. Tech disparity also refers to school policymaking and tech management. Unequal access to devices, shared tablet computers and school computer labs, equal opportunity and access to resources. Costly – Training staff/students, cost of hardware and softwares Less human interaction - Technology is not the solution to ensuring a healthy vigorous learning culture, it is simply a pedagogical tool that is only as valuable as the instructor who wields it. Face to face interactions between teacher and student can help students not just acquire facts, but to understand, interpret, and apply these facts into useful and interesting knowledge. Teachers can provide a zone of comfort and security, and everywhere teachers can reduce the cyberbullying that so often accompanies social media.
• #6: Unit Amplification - Learning needs, e.g. computer-aided learning, software, researching, producing assignments, addressing minimum core requirements, extension activity materials online. Computer-aided learning - increasing the independence of a particular student freeing him from the constant need for direct teacher involvement Using technical tools intended for human speech recognition and synthesizing, you can avoid the necessity to use paper and pen during the lessons. Such technology would be also helpful for students with disorders that don’t allow to process visual information correctly. The adaptive computing technology allows using digital devices to bypass challenging tasks. Screen reader applications such as JAWS along with specially designed Braille keyboards allow visually challenged students to use the computer. Augmentative communication systems help students with speech problems to overcome the communication barrier. Such systems use picture charts, books, and specialized computers providing functions of word-prediction for more effective communication. 2. Self-paced learning - student can choose the speed of learning that is convenient for him which leads to more personalized learning 3. Implementation of technologies in special education allows simplifying the communication and improve the academic skills of students with disabilities. 4. Web-based solutions help to participate in an education process to the same degree with other students. The use of technology in special education helps break the barriers for people with disabilities and provide them with access to the most relevant educational programs. Properly designed software and hardware allow students with special needs to get modern education and achieve any required information online. Technology helps provide students with individual learning events, enables reaching higher flexibility and differentiation in educational methodologies. With modern technology, teachers can adapt to the possibilities of a particular student with minimum effort and choose one of the dozens of available learning tactics designed to meet the needs of individual learners. https://elearningindustry.com/use-of-technology-in-special-education
• #7: Unit Amplification - Teaching with technology, e.g. interactive white board, materials online, shared spaces online, Facebook, Twitter, using mobile phones, intranet to backup session, virtual learning environment (VLE). twitter hashtag chats and blogs and informative articles by government agencies, influencers and experts Facebook groups focused on education online educational blogs, videos which are shared on social media Online Learning Management Systems like ours based in the cloud as well as virtual/augmented reality based educational games, simulations and softwares online conferencing tools should be mentioned like Zoom, Google Meet and GoToMeeting etc as well as going live on social media Facebook Workspaces, Google Classrooms, MS Teams all should be mentioned at least as online collaborative spaces that can be used to study together and share documents, assign projects, activities and homework to learners as well as record progress and give feedback in various formats. wikis, Google sites and eportfolio systems used by students to research and compile information