Effects of Training Special Education Teachers in Assistive Technology

By: Stephanie WadeLiberty UniversityAugust 12, 2013

AbstractStudies are showing that special education teachers do not have

needed knowledge of assistive technology. In a society where there are an increasing number of students in special education

programs that would benefit for assistive technology it is important for teachers to understand it, and be able to correctly implement it within their classroom. Training both students as a part of special education teacher training programs and training established classroom teachers in assistive technology may have an effect on them using it in their classroom. There is a need for special education teachers to understand assistive technology to

be able to appropriately follow requirements of assistive technology in the IEP. This proposed research using both

quantitative and qualitative data will find the effects of training special education teachers in assistive technology and determine

effective methods for training special education teachers in assistive technology.

Purpose Of Study

Determine the effects of training special

education teachers in assistive technology

and effective methods for training assistive technology teachers

in assistive technology.

Research Questions

What is the effect of training special education teachers in

assistive technology? What are some effective

methods for training special education teachers in assistive technology?

Hypothesis

Training special education teachers in assistive

technology will increase their use of assistive

technology in the classroom.

Definitions of Key Terms

Assistive technology “Any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired

commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional

capabilities of individuals with disabilities" (Dalton & Rouch, 2010, p.

13).

Includes high and low tech devices.

Definitions of Key TermsDisability

“an impairment of body structure or functioning, a limitation in activities, or a restriction in participation, conceived

as a dynamic interaction between health conditions and environmental and personal factors” (Brackenreed,

2008, p. 70).

Covers mild through severe disabilities.

VariablesO Control: Teachers with no assistive

technology training

O Independent: Level of assistive technology training of a special education teacherO Measured by statistical analysis of survey

O Dependent: Use of assistive technology in the classroomO Measured by statistical analysis of survey

Review of Literature

Three categories of Literature(a) Disability

categories(b) Types of

assistive technology

(c) Types of teacher training

Special educators believe assistive technology helps students achieve reading and math skills, improve standardized test scores, improve and meet objectives in the IEP, yet studies show that the use of assistive technology is underutilized in today’s classrooms (Li, Ajuwon, Smith, Griffin-Shirley, Parker, & Okungu, 2012).

Disability CategoriesO Assistive Technology can be effectively used with students with

all types of disabilities.O Visual Impairments

O “The nonuse of assistive technology by students could be attributed, in part, to the inadequate knowledge and skills of teachers of students with visual impairments in this area” (Li, Ajuwon, Smith, Griffin-Shirley, Parker, & Okungu, 2012, p. 657).

O Learning DisabilitiesO For students with learning disabilities audio books and voice activated

word processing such as Dragon Naturally Speaking can be helpful. According to the definition of assistive technology software programs that help students meet IEP goals are assistive technology (Puckett, 2005).

O AutismO Autism is rapidly on the rise, and teachers underutilize assistive

technology as a support for students with Autism (Hess, Morrier, Heflin, & Ivy, 2008).

O Physical ImpairmentsO Instead of working on literacy skills, students with physical

impairments work on overcoming physical skills (Zascavage & Keefe, 2007).

Types of Assistive Technology

O High Tech DevicesO Computer

devicesO Hi Tech

Communication Devices

O Lo Tech DevicesO Pencil GripsO Basic

CalculatorsO Documents

blown up on copier

Careful planning is essential when choosing the type of assistive technology to use in the classroom. The teacher being a part of the interdisciplinary team helps in the implementation and sometimes choice of the type of technology device to use (Dissinger, 2003).

Types of Teacher Training

There are several ways to train teachers in assistive technology skills

O Athabasca University created an online course that includes online discussions, multimedia, and case studies to teach its preservice teachers assistive technology. (Chmiliar and Cheung, 2007).

O One study done at the University Illinois found it especially useful teaching both general education and special education teachers’ assistive technology, because of inclusion (Wojcik, Peterson-Karlan, Watts, & Parette, 2004).

O Dissinger (2003) created an inservice course on assistive technology that showed effective as the end survey all participants felt they learned something new from the course.

Research Design

Mixed Methods Design:Researching a Problem of Practice

Gathering Data through both quantitative and qualitative measure

Triangulate Findings by doing a survey, then interviewing teachers, and analyze teacher

training programs

Sampling

Participants will be gathered through snowball sampling. Local universities

and districts will recommend participants and then the participants

can recommend others.

The Target Population is special education pre-service teachers and current special education teachers from local university programs and

school districts in Northwest Indiana.

Methods of Data Collection

O Three part survey given to teachers on assistive technology.O Part 1: Competence in ATO Part 2: Training in AT received O Part 3: Training in AT would like to receive

O Detailed interview with 3 special education teachers (1 pre-service teacher, 1 teacher with 2-5 years experience, 1 teacher with 15+ years)

O Analysis of results and material from establish AT training programs.

Data-Analysis Procedures

O Quantitative DataO Enter Survey information into

spreadsheetsO Find the correlation between

teacher training and the use of assistive technology using correlational analysisOFind the Correlation Coefficient

to determine the correlation

Data-Analysis Cont.O Qualitative Data

O Gathered from survey information from special education teacher, interviews with 3 special education teachers, and analysis of information from AT training programs

O Interpretational analysis, using the grounded theory

O Constant comparison- looking at relationships between teachers using assistive technology and the amount of training

Ethics and Human Relations

O Teacher participation in this study is voluntary. No teacher will be required to be in this study.

O No compensation will be given to any participants.

O All participants will sign a release form to participate.

O Finally, All information from the survey and interviews will only be used for the study. It will not be shared in any other way that for the benefit of this study.

Timeline of ResearchPrepare create survey and other documents-

2 monthsDistribute Survey to participants- 8 months Interview 3 teachers-3 monthsAnalyze documents from AT Trainings- 2

monthsAnalyze all Data and write report of Findings-

3 months

Total Time: 1 year 6 months

ReferencesO Brackenreed, D. (2008). Assistive technology as an

accommodation for a student with mild disabilities: the case of alex. Exceptionality Education International, 18(2), 69-81.

O Chmiliar, L., & Cheung, B. (2007). Assistive technology training for teachers--innovation and accessibility online.

Developmental Disabilities Bulletin, 35(1-2), 18-28.O Dalton, E. M., & Roush, S. E. (2010). Assistive and educational

technology standards and teacher competencies in relation to evidence-based practice: identification and classification of the literature. Journal of Special Education Technology, 25(2), 13-30.

O Dissinger, F. K. (2003). Core curriculum in assistive technology: in-service for special Educators and therapists. Journal of Special Education Technology, 18(2), 35-45.

ReferencesO Gronseth, S., Brush, T., Ottenbreit-Leftwich, A., Strycker, J.,

Abaci, S., Easterling, W., & ... van Leusen, P. (2010). Equipping the next generation of teachers: technology preparation and practice. Journal of Digital Learning in Teacher Education, 27(1), 30-36.

O Hall, R. (2011). Revealing the transformatory moment of learning technology: the place of critical social theory. Research in Learning Technology, 19(3), 273-284.

O Hess, K. L., Morrier, M. J., Heflin, L. L., & Ivey, M. L. (2008). Autism treatment survey: services received by children with autism spectrum disorders in public school classrooms. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 38(5), 961-971.

O Judge, S., & Simms, K. A. (2009). Assistive technology training at the pre-service level. Teacher Education & Special

Education, 32(1), 33-44.

ReferencesO Li, Z., Ajuwon, P. M., Smith, D. W., Griffin-Shirley, N., Parker, A. T.,

& Okungu, P. (2012). Assistive technology competencies for teachers of students with visual impairments: A national study. Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness, 106(10), 656-665.

O Puckett, K. (2005). An Assistive Technology Toolkit: Type II Applications for Students with Mild Disabilities. Computers in The Schools, 22(3/4), 107-117. doi:10.1300/J025v22n03- 09

O Safhi, M. Y., Zhou, L., Smith, D. W., & Kelley, P. (2009). Assistive technology in teacher-training programs: a national and international perspective. Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness, 103(9), 562-568.

O Sze, S. (2009). The effects of assistive technology on students with disabilities. Journal of Educational Technology Systems, 37(4), 419-429.

References

O Wojcik, B. W., Peterson-Karlan, G., Watts, E. H., & Parette, P. (2004). Assistive technology

outcomes in a teacher education curriculum. Assistive Technology Outcomes and Benefits, 1(1), 21-32.

O Yeunjoo, L., Vega, L. A., & Ashton, T. M. (2005). Perceived Knowledge, Attitudes, and Challenges of AT Use in Special Education. Journal of Special Education Technology, 20(2), 60-63.

O Zascavage, V. T., & Keefe, C. H. (2007). Students with severe speech and physical impairments. Journal of Disability Policy Studies, 18(1), 32-42.