| In our current tier of ever-advancing technological | | | | As a teacher, it is difficult to instruct a class composed |
| society, of course our students are also affected but | | | | of students who learn at all different levels to make |
| the steady climb of what becomes considered | | | | the lesson interesting enough that they do not bore the |
| common, everyday technology. | | | | more advanced students--which often makes them |
| Often, disabled students are in the same class despite | | | | "tune out"--and, by the same token, they do not |
| their various abilities or inabilities to completely | | | | confuse and frustrate the children who are slower at |
| comprehend the material being taught. Therefore, they | | | | learning and require more time to reach an |
| are not learning at the same level. | | | | understanding of the material being taught. It is virtually |
| This is why using software designed for disabled | | | | impossible for any teacher to do so. |
| students is such a good idea, most likely more so than | | | | The main point is that technology and disabled |
| technology in the classroom designed for students | | | | students is almost becoming an essential part of |
| who do not have disabilities and who are all primarily | | | | teaching mentally handicapped children. And although |
| on the same educational level. With disabled students | | | | technology is also helping advance other learning-- i.e. |
| and technology, individual students are able to learn at | | | | learning for students without mental handicaps, without |
| their own pace and the instructor is then able--judging | | | | disabilities, is still a very effective method of teaching. |
| by what he or she knows the individual student is | | | | But it does take away from the actual teaching itself, |
| capable of, and can grade the work accordingly. | | | | and for some teachers that is a sad thing. When the |
| In addition, the instructor can keep much better track of | | | | computers do most of the instructing, the teacher, of |
| his or her student's progress by keeping records of all | | | | course, does less. |
| of the individual students work on a hard drive and | | | | Be choosy in the kinds of computer software you |
| back-up disks. This is also a way to teach the | | | | purchase for your students. Some software for |
| students how to organize their files neatly. | | | | technology and disabled students is quite effective, |
| Many programs, even those that are not as advanced | | | | contains a long warranty and allows the students to |
| technologically as those of the other students and | | | | get the most possible benefit. |
| make it easy for them to put different files in different | | | | On the other side of the spectrum, certain computer |
| folders depending on the subject--and further organize | | | | software and other technological learning devices are |
| his or her assignments with other folders marked by | | | | without warrantee and are of lesser quality. Therefore |
| the exercise. They can even go as far as to learn | | | | these kinds of programs can unfortunately be a waste |
| programs that teach how to save old files that have | | | | of money, even if they are less expensive. Check out |
| been improved such as English papers or book reports | | | | consumer reports on technological software before |
| that have been revised from the original version they | | | | you purchase any program. You want the very best |
| wrote after the material was reviewed. | | | | for your disabled students. |
| Balance: | | | | |