Assistive Technology and EthicsMichaela Noakes

Doug Strahler

April 12, 2011

ArticlesTeaching Assistive Technology through Wikis and Embedded VideoBy Oliver Dreon, Jr. and Nanette I. Dietrich

When Dealing with Human Subjects: Balancing Ethical and Practical Matters in the Field By Michael A. Evans and Liesl M. Combs

Teaching Assistive Technology through Wikis and Embedded VideoBy Oliver Dreon, Jr. and Nanette I. Dietrich

What is Assistive Technology?

Timeline of Assistive Technology Definition Any item, piece of equipment, or system, whether acquired commercially, modified,

or customized, that is commonly used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities (Taken from the Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility Standards)

Technology-Related Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities Act of 1988 (The Tech Act) The first formal, legal definition of assistive technology was published

This act was amended in 1994

Assistive Technology Act of 1998 ("AT Act") Repealed and replaced The Tech Act, but the definition stayed the same

Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility Standards (1998) Developed as required by 1998 amendments to Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act

Definition stated the same

(AccessIT, n.p.)

Overview of Situation Typically took students into the AT lab to use the equipment

AT Lab was under construction

Alternative solution proposed by student

Alternative Solution Student remembered seeing a YouTube video that demonstrated the use of

an AT device

“The device transferred spoken word into text through the use of a wireless microphone and a student laptop.” (Dreon Jr. & Dietrich, 78)

“This spontaneous teaching moment ultimately lead to the solution to our dilemma.” (Dreon Jr. & Dietrich, 78)

This allowed for a student to apply real world experience to the classroom

The Solution Teachable moment for the educators

Reflection and collaboration

Wiki & Video (Ability to promote learning from a sociocultural perspective)

Sociocultural Perspectives “Learning is situated in social and physical contexts, occurs through

interaction within a group, and is distributed across the individual, the community, and the tools they use.” (Dreon Jr. & Dietrich, 79)

Based on work by Vygotsky (1978) and Dewey (1933)

The Class Wiki Objective Post YouTube and TeacherTube videos that demonstrated AT

Short wiki tutorial was provided

Asked to post videos that were respectful in nature

Required to post different videos and comment on classmates videos

Goal: Provide a meaningful experience Personalizing Assistive Technology & Visualizing Future Teaching

Personalizing Assistive Technology Prior to this exercise, classes never observed special needs students using

the devices

Focus shifted from the specific technology to the pedagogy and how the technology can assist the learning

Learning how the technology is being used, as opposed to how to use the technology

Context of student reflections also changed

Visualizing Future Teaching Teachers visualized a change in role as educators

Practicing teachers

Reflected on how technology could support student learning

Virtual Field Experience Empty lab: Hands-on experience

Wiki: Eyes-on experience

Hybrid approach

Additional Literature Higher Education Migrates to YouTube and Social Networks

“Second, high school and college students, who use our materials to enhance their own classroom instruction or to do research for papers and projects.” (p. 20)

“…create feelings of belonging.” (p. 21)

Additional Literature (cont.) YouTube, Critical Pedagogy, and Media Activism

“This technological development [YouTube] has amplified individuals’ voluntary participation in mutual education through proliferating new voices and visions, making possible the democratization of knowledge and learning in their daily lives.” (p. 15)

“The real value of education as self-realization can never be confined to a classroom.” (p. 16)

“…means that consumers are at liberty to freely move around cyberspace and make the choices they desire without restriction found in ‘real’ space.” (p. 25)

When Dealing with Human Subjects: Balancing Ethical and Practical Matters in the FieldBy Michael A. Evans & Liesl M. Combs

“Shall conduct research using professionally accepted guidelines and procedures, especially as they apply to protecting participants from harm.”

Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT)

Defining Qualitative & Quantitative Qualitative

“Data in which the variables are not in numerical form, but are in the form of text, photographs, sound bytes, and so on.” (Trochim, G6)

Quantitative “The numerical representation of some object. A quantitative variable is any variable that

is measured using numbers.” (Trochim, G6)

How does one do good instructional technology research and design, balancing ethical concerns with sound qualitative methods?

Defining Research “Research means a systematic investigation, including research

development, testing and evaluation, designed to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge.” (Duquesne University, n.p.)

A Commitment to Working in the Field “Instructional technology researchers and designers committed to emergent

understandings, to gaining emic insights on a focal phenomenon...” (Evans & Combs, 31)

Methodologies: Ethnography

Naturalistic inquiry

Action research

Case study

Design-based research

Ethical Issues Adequately detailing the scope of research

“IRBs are rightly more concerned with ethics than validity” (Evans & Combs, 31)

Capturing detailed data on participants Maintaining anonymity and confidentiality, especially with minors

Ensuring confidentiality and anonymity through digitized data capture

Three Focal Points Influencing Methods Respect for persons

Beneficence

Justice

Respect for persons “Ensure that research participants are treated as autonomous agents and

are not manipulated as merely means to a given research end.” (Evans & Combs, 32)

Informed consent Assurance of assent for minors is paramount

Verbal assent in the presence of a parent, guardian or teacher

Assent must be recorded for IRB approval

Ethical dilemma: Alteration to assignments or class time

Beneficence “Defined as an obligation on the part of researchers to do no harm, maximize

possible benefits and minimize possible harms.” (Evans & Combs, 32)

“The term ‘beneficence’ is often understood to cover acts of kindness or charity that go beyond strict obligation.” (The National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research, 5)

Heightened sensitivity by researchers to the needs and changing levels of comfort of participants to have data collected on their behaviors in the classroom

Participants must explicitly know that withdrawal from the study is always an option

No coercion has been introduced or perceived

Maximizing benefits to all participants

Justice “Obligating researchers to guarantee equity of treatment--that all learners

have access to the same treatments and all expectations for requirements are equal.” (Evans & Combs, 33)

Assured justice by: the intervention was not significantly different from normal classroom procedures

all students had the opportunity to engage in all experimental treatments, ensuring equity

Tangram (http://kidspedia.pbworks.com/f/1263223335/1263223335/tangram_games.jpg)

Advice for Experienced and Novice Instructional Technologists1. Exercise creativity in obtaining informed consent/assent

2. Obtain comprehensive informed consent

3. Execute an initial site visit

4. As advising faculty, take a prominent role in the research

5. Attend to concerns, second thoughts, and negative perceptions

Duquesne’s Institutional Review Board (IRB) “Duquesne University’s Institutional Review Board (IRB) is responsible for

ensuring compliance with federal regulations, university policies and professional standards guiding the conduct of research involving human subjects.” (Duquesne University, 4)

The IRB is composed of representatives from the University Administration, faculty representatives from various schools and colleges, and members of the community outside the University.

Duquesne IRB (cont.) Primary Responsibilities

Protects the rights of participants

Protects researchers by deeming the research ethical and in compliance with Federal guidelines

Belmont Report

TAP #41

“The policy is applicable whether the research is undertaken on a large or small scale. Pilot projects, student dissertations projects, independent study projects, and course projects must follow this policy if they involve human subjects in research.” (http://www.duq.edu/hr/admin-policies/tap41.cfm)

AECT: Association for Educational Communications and Technology

For more information, please visit the link below: http://www.duq.edu/research/human-subject-irb.cfm

Q&A

ReferencesAccessIT. (2002). What is assistive technology?. Retrieved from http://www.washington.edu/accessit/articles?109

Dreon Jr., O., & Dietrich, N. I. (2009). Turning Lemons into Lemonade: Teaching Assistive Technology through Wikis and Embedded Video. TechTrends, 53(1), 78-80. doi:10.1007/s11528-009-0241-6

Duquesne University. (n.d.). Human subject research policies and procedures. Retrieved from http://www.duq.edu/research/human-subject-irb.cfm

Evans, M. A., & Combs, L. M. (2008). When Dealing with Human Subjects: Balancing Ethical and Practical Matters in the Field. TechTrends, 52(6), 30-35. doi:10.1007/s11528-008-0214-1

Gilroy, M. (2010). Higher Education Migrates to YouTube and Social Networks. Education Digest: Essential Readings Condensed for Quick Review, 75(7), 18-22.

Kellner, D., & Kim, G. YouTube, Critical Pedagogy, and Media Activism. The Review of Education, Pedagogy, and Cultural Studies, 32(1), 3-36. doi:10.1080/10714410903482658

Pacercenter. (2010). Understanding assistive technology [video]. Retrieved April 1, 2011 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DB9pKkZoJDc

The National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research. (1979). The Belmont Report: Ethical Guidelines for the Protection of Human Subjects. Retrieved from http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/ac/04/briefing/4028B1_06_Belmont%20report.pdf

Trier, J. (2007). “Cool” engagements with YouTube: Part 1. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 50(5), 408-412. doi:10.1598/JAAL.50.5.7

Trochim, W.K., & Donnelly, J.P. (2008). The research methods knowledge base (3rd ed.). Mason, OH: Cengage Learning.