How technologies
become a foundation in the life of students with disabilities
How do you know if a student understood the lesson you
are teaching if he or she cannot speak? How do you deliver a lesson to a
student with hearing impairment? How can you accommodate a student with
disability in a regular classroom? In 2001, the No Child Left behind Act was
implemented. The purpose for it was to “improves performance of elementary and
secondary schools by increasing school district, and state accountability for
all students, including those from minority populations and those with special
needs (Allen and Bacon, 2001). Based on this law, I believed that every teacher
should use any resources such as technologies to help improve and meet the
specific requirements of a student with disability in a regular classroom. As a
result, a teacher’s lesson plan should accommodate and motivate to make sure
that there is no child left behind.
First, a teacher should use any resources to help meet
and improve the disable student’s performance. Technology is very helpful to
both students and teachers as well. One way how technology can be very helpful
for student and teacher is a way of communicating with each other. For
instance, in the video on “How Assistive Technology Enables Dreams”, it shows
how technology is very helpful to them. In one of the school called Redwood
Heights Elementary, the students were using devices that would talk for them.
One student even used a tool that would help her do her assignment with a
twitch of her eyebrow. I believe that without the help of this kind of
technologies, teaching would turn out to be a very hard task for teachers in
the classroom. To some students in the video, they believe that technology is
the main foundation in their life because it helps them accomplish something
most especially in their studies (How Assistive Technology Enables Dreams).
Second, a teacher should include in his or her lesson
plan how to accommodate and motivate students with disability in their regular
classroom. Like it mentions in the IDEA Public Law 105-17, that “Individuals
with disabilities education act requires schools to assume greater
responsibility for ensuring that students with disabilities have access to the
general education curriculum” (Allyn and Bacon, 2008). In a classroom, a
teacher should have all the necessary supplies or materials to help accommodate
the student with disability. For example, special device to help the student
with hearing impairment can be very helpful. This can help the student to hear
the teacher’s lectures. And as a result, the teacher will know if the student
understood the lesson based on any given assignment or response from the
student.
Last, a teacher should know how to motivate his or her
students. Some students may find some lessons not very challenging for them.
This can lead them to get bored in the class and not participate in any class
discussion or activities. However, this is when teachers used different kinds
of teaching strategies to help the students in the classroom. Based on
Murzano’s instructional strategies, there are nine strategies that can help you
motivate your students in the classroom. To help motivate your students
especially the students with disabilities, provide them with special materials
in order for them to participate in class.
In conclusion, it is very important for educators or
teachers to meet all the necessary requirements for students with disabilities
in their regular classroom. First, they should use any resources to help
deliver their lesson easier and help improve the student’s performance. They
should have the resources ready and available before school starts. Second,
educators should accommodate students with disabilities in their classroom.
Like the law mention, there should be no child left behind. Last, they should
know how to motivate their students in order to feel excited and interested in
learning and participating in all class discussions and activities. I believe
that if a teacher fulfill a these things, their students will have high
performance and achievement in their classes.
Exceptional
Children 10th Edition. Federal Laws for the Education of Learners
who are Exceptional. (Heward, 2009)
http://www.cec.sped.org and in Council
for Exceptional Children. (2009).
How
Assistive Technology Enables Dreams. Edutopia. (2014).
http://www.edutopia.org/assistive-technology-enabling-dreams-video
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