美国高校辅助技术课程设置现状述评

本文对美国高校中与辅助技术关系最密切专业的课程设置情况进行了介绍和分析,指出美国高等辅助技术教育课程设置涉及多个专业领域,有各种不同的设置体系,课程品种繁多,多学科知识融合,高技术与低技术并用,有先进的课程设置理念,课程设置的目的明确到位,课程涉及多种教育层次,并得到广泛开设。该文认为关注美国高等辅助技术教育课程的设置情况将对我国开设辅助技术课程的理念、名称、内容、所要达到的目的与可以深入的程度,以及应该开展的研究等方面都会有很多启示。     

Mobile learning as alternative to assistive technology devices for special needs students

Assistive Technology (AT) revolutionized the process of learning for special needs students during the past three decades. Thanks to this technology, accessibility and educational inclusion became attainable more than any time in the history of special education. Meanwhile, assistive technology devices remain unreachable for a large number of students with disabilities, especially in under-developed and developing countries like Morocco due to a number of factors, especially, availability and affordability. Mobile learning, using smartphones and tablets in particular, may provide alternative solutions as special education tools in such countries. Additionally, open source platforms, particularly Google play store with all the applications it accommodates for disabled people, may obviate the need for monofunctional, sometimes expensive, AT devices. The present paper sets out to investigate potentials of using smartphones and tablets as alternative learning tools for assistive technology devices within formal and informal learning environments. It compares seven free Google Play medical apps with seven assistive technology devices at the level of functionality and affordability. The apps are of relevance to cases of physical as well as mental disabilities, namely hearing impairment, visual impairment, autism and speech articulation disorders.     

Learning technology and disability—Overcoming barriers to inclusion: Evidence from a multicountry study

The paper uses data from a 15-country study to discuss the factors which affect the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) and learning technologies by disabled people and consequently their access to education. Significant differences were found both between and within countries: income and language were the main factors affecting availability. Thus, the greatest availability was in the higher income English-speaking countries and the richer European countries. The main barriers to technology use included cost, lack of funding and lack of information. A particular disparity in technology access was found between the English-speaking European population and Aboriginal speakers of indigenous languages in Australia, with considerably greater access by the former than the latter group. A number of recommendations are presented to increase access to learning and assistive technologies by disabled people. They include encouragement for developers to produce free of charge (minority language) technologies, research on more effective provision of technologies and personal assistance, assistive technology centres in all learning institutions, simple funding mechanisms and a fund to support technology provision in poorer countries.     

The Potentials of Using Mobile Technology in Teaching Individuals with Learning Disabilities: A Review of Special Education Technology Literature

Within the literature, a respectful number of studies related to the use of assistive technologies for special education, resulting in an enormous agenda that encompasses various types of assistive technology applied across disabilities in different types of curricula. These disabilities include, but are not limited to: learning disabilities, mild, moderate and severe mental retardation, speech and communication disorders, hearing and speaking disabilities, and autism Hence, under the intertwined and overlapping umbrellas of assistive technologies and special education, mobile technology finds its promising, new spot on the surface of emerging assistive technologies in the field of special education. This paper addresses the potentials of using mobile technology in teaching individuals with developmental disorders based on current literature.     

Evaluating Assistive Technology in Early Childhood Education: The Use of a Concurrent Time Series Probe Approach

As assistive technology applications are increasingly implemented in early childhood settings for children who are at risk or who have disabilities, it is critical that teachers utilize observational approaches to determine whether targeted assistive technology-supported interventions make a difference in children’s learning. One structured strategy that employs observations and which has powerful child progress monitoring implications is the concurrent time series probe approach. Requiring multiple performance measures of a child engaged in a targeted task over time—both with and without a specific assistive technology device—the concurrent time series probe approach can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of assistive technology tools in supporting skill acquisition in the classroom. This approach is described in the context of a case study, with accompanying explanations of how to interpret data and make decisions regarding the effectiveness of the technology.     

理解为残疾人学习的教育技术：福祉技术（Assistive Technology）——访谈约翰霍普金斯大学学者约翰·卡斯特兰尼

随着技术的进步和社会的发展,为残疾人和弱势群体使用的教育技术——Assistive Technology也得到了较快的发展。访谈者参考日本学者后藤芳在其著作《福祉技术入门》中对辅助技术的翻译,在这里将Assistive Technology按照意译翻译为福祉技术。需要指出的是,有很多人将Assistive Technology翻译为辅助技术,为了能够体现新技术对残疾人和弱势群体的关爱和辅助,访谈者的翻译与此一致并考虑了技术使用目的与情境。访谈者通过面对面访谈约翰.霍普金斯大学的约翰.卡斯特兰尼副教授和之后的数次邮件和电话沟通,介绍了国际上福祉技术现状、相关研究、趋势、热点及相关政策;同时介绍了相关的学会、刊物、学者、流派、现状。我们希望本文能够引起更多中国教育技术及相关领域学者对福祉技术的关注、设计以及应用,关注和研究社会弱势群体教育问题。     

融入通用学习设计理念：学习障碍APP的研究与实践

学习障碍在特殊学生中十分常见,目前虽无治愈方法,却可通过辅助技术在教学中的运用降低其影响。具有辅助技术功能的教育APP为学习障碍学生提供了多样化的参与、表征和表达方式,这正好与通用学习设计的理念相契合,有助于他们在融合班级中获得平等的受教育机会。这些学习障碍相关APP可划分为文字转语音、语音识别、单词预测、文字处理、计划与组织、数学运算等6种类型。一方面,作为能力补偿工具和学习支持工具,学习障碍相关APP能够在阅读、写作和数学学习中为学习障碍学生提供多元化、可参与的学习环境;另一方面,作为一种新型的教学工具,学习障碍相关APP也可能给学习障碍学生带来诸如注意力分散、学习情绪消极等负面影响。因此,其作用机制和在教学中的有效性仍有待明确。未来我国在学习障碍相关APP的研究与实践方面还需做到:推进通用学习设计理念在学习障碍学生教育中的应用与实践,为其学习提供适宜的环境和支持;完善特殊教育辅助技术相关法律和政策,确保各类特殊学生能够获得更专业的支持;加强学习障碍相关APP的开发与研究,使其能够更有效地应用于现实教学情景;建立教育APP的评价体系和支持系统,提升学习障碍相关APP的应用效果。     

Public education: The next generation

Abstract

Keith Stanovich (1986) uses a biblical allusion the “Matthew Effect”; when discussing the acquisition of reading Stanovich (1986) claimed that in the acquisition of reading, as with the acquisition of what are deemed to be many of life's prizes, the mote one has, the more one gets This is often expressed as the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer In essence, when a student has demonstrated high skills within an area, they are encouraged to increase this ability with extra practice, resulting in even higher standards. The characteristics of the Gifted and Learning Disabled (GLD) student generally mean that the student will display subject‐specific weaknesses, subject‐specific strengths and often have poor organisational skills. Some GLD students may display academic weakness across the curriculum and demonstrate their ability with higher order thinking skills purely orally! Gifted students without a specific learning disability do not display such extremes in their academic endeavors. Thus, the “Matthew Effect”; when applied (in reverse) to the GLD student means that where a student has an underlying academic weakness, enjoyment of that subject is decreased, practice is limited, and standards are not raised to a level commensurate with intellectual potential. That is in the case of many GLD students, the poor get poorer (obviously, this would depend upon the level of specific learning disability, as some students are barely affected at all). Inevitably, success in school subjects links directly to motivation, perceptions of self‐ efficacy and self‐image. It should be no surprise that successful students are motivated, have high expectations of self‐efficacy, and good self image. Successful students would have positive affective characteristics, and thus, unsuccessful students would have the reverse.

It is important to define what is meant by assistive technology, as it could be argued that a rubber pencil grip or even a ruler might be considered assistive technology (Bryant &; Bryant: 1998, Bryant, Erin, Lock, Allan &; Resta: 1998; Lewis: 1998). Raskind and Higgins (1998:27) supply the following definition of assistive technology as “any technology that enables an individual with LD to compensate for specific deficits.”; Lewis (1998: 16) says that it is “any technology with the potential to enhance the performance of persons with disabilities”;. Lewis (1998) continues by saying that the purpose of assistive technology is firstly, to build on one's strengths, counterbalancing any weaknesses, and secondly, to provide alternative ways of performing a task. Indeed, Lewis (1998 17) likens assistive technology to a “cognitive prosthesis”;. The focus of this article will be on electronic assistive technology, with an emphasis on software programs suitable for use by middle and upper secondary gifted and learning disabled students. Thus, access and accommodation are key words. The ability of a student to access required programs and differentiation by accommodation are vital issues at the heart of electronic assistive technology. A definition of Gifted and Learning Disabled would (loosely) be, any gifted student who also has a specific learning disability. Students such as these will display elements of giftedness and elements of a specific learning disability Emphasis will be on the development of academic strengths, not on remediation of academic weaknesses. It is not the intention of this article to review interactive software programs which supply remedial work for phonics awareness, language, mathematical or reading difficulties. Reviews of such programs are available through subject‐interest journals or software suppliers.     

近二十年国际特殊教育辅助技术研究的演化路径分析

采用BibExcel、SciMAT和UCINET软件分析2000-2019年国际SSCI期刊中特殊教育辅助技术的文献关键词数据,横向剖析当前特殊教育辅助技术的研究热点,纵向梳理近二十年特殊教育辅助技术研究的发展路径变化,同时通过关键词共现网络对特殊教育辅助技术进行综合分析。结果表明近二十年特殊教育辅助技术研究向着研究对象集中化,技术类型高技术化,应用领域多元化的方向演进。基于分析结果,提出发展我国特殊教育辅助技术的若干建议。     

Challenges and Assistive Technology during Typical Routines: Perspectives of Caregivers of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders and Other Disabilities

ABSTRACT

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and other developmental disabilities can face challenges during typical daily routines. Assistive technology can be used to address the problems encountered during typical routines, yet the competence of caregivers of children with these disabilities in using assistive technology varies. This study was designed to explore Saudi Arabian caregivers’ perceptions about problematic typical daily routines. Caregivers of children with these disabilities were surveyed about the problems they encountered with typical routines, the solutions they found to the problems, the assistive technology they used in the solutions, and their training in and feelings of competence about using assistive technology. Caregivers experienced problems in playing, bathing, and mealtime routines and some found solutions using assistive technology. Over one-third of the caregivers did not feel at all competent in using assistive technology. Suggestions for future research as well as training and development for caregivers are provided.     

Using an Assistive Technology Toolkit to Promote Inclusion

Although the use of assistive technology for young children is increasing, the lack of awareness and the lack of training continue to act as major barriers to providers using assistive technology. This article describes an assistive technology toolkit designed for use with young children with disabilities that can be easily assembled and implemented by early childhood professionals. Specifically, we will describe assistive technology tools that support young children’s participation in their daily activities that involve movement and sensory needs, communication, and interaction with materials and offer strategies on how to implement these devices. An assembled toolkit that allows young children with disabilities immediate access to experiences that lead to acquisition of skills they need to learn and grow is discussed.     

The Ways of Fostering Student's Autonomous Learning

With the development of science and technology, knowledge is being replaced faster and faster. The students nowadays must be cultivated into lifelong learners to adjust themselves to the times of knowledge explosion. This study is to arouse students to be aware of the importance of autonomy in English learning and to enable them to have assistive attitude toward English learning. After gaining the knowledge of autonomy, this thesis give the whole society, including schools, parents, and students themselves some ways to foster and develop their autonomous learning.     

国内外CALL研究概论及其学科化发展趋势

中国外语教育技术学研究离不开国外计算机辅助外语教学（Computer-Assisted Language Learning,CALL）研究的借鉴和启发。从库恩范式（Paradigm）概念出发来理解CALL的发展,计算机辅助外语教学自诞生的那一刻起,外语教学的范式就开始部分地发生转换了。机助外语教学从整体上,就是一种自觉的、有意识的、技术化外语教学的范式转向。信息技术与外语课程的生态化整合使CALL研究从辅助技术蜕变成新型的学科教学论——外语教育技术学。     

Technology Today: Inclusive or Exclusionary for Students with Vision Impairment?

The inclusion and equity of mainstream education for Australian students with vision impairment was considered in this phenomenological study of seven students’ experiences. Using Interpretative Phenomenology Analysis, the theme of technology was viewed as significant. Participants revealed a combination of ineffective technology for accessing board-work and worksheets, lack of training in the use of the technology, incompatibility issues, time factors and the lack of teacher expertise limited their use of technology. The provision of appropriate assistive technology for students with vision impairment in this digital age is paramount if equality is to be achieved. Students require training, by experts in technology and vision impairment, in the most current assistive technologies to access instructive technology increasingly used in classrooms and in the wider community. Teachers need an understanding of how imperative assistive technology is for students with vision impairment, and must become skilled practitioners in its use.     

Effective Assistive Technology Consideration and Implications for Diverse Students

Often the consideration of assistive technology devices and services during the individualized education program (IEP) process is overlooked. Because the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) authorized this consideration, IEP team members must be keenly aware of the importance they hold in providing this valuable input. Thus, IEP team members require expertise in the processes that lead to quality decision-making concerning using assistive technology for the diversity of students with disabilities. This article discusses models and procedures for implementing a system to effectively evaluate whether a student with a disability will benefit from assistive technology services and/or equipment as well as considers the implications for families from diverse cultures.     

Steps to Implementing Technology in Inclusive Early Childhood Programs

Twenty-first-century preschool children, with and without disabilities, may be found using technology, including assistive technologies, on a daily basis in their homes, schools, and communities. Early childhood educators are exploring opportunities to integrate technology and interactive media into the present-day curriculum. The authors suggest implementing the following five-step process to support using technology in early childhood inclusive programs: (a) assessing technology knowledge of young children, (b) developing technology rules with young children, (c) applying professional judgment and program policy, (d) implementing technology into the curriculum, and (e) collecting data for decision making. Through this process, early educators may define children's background knowledge and subsequently design a curriculum approach, including instructional methods and strategies, to engage young children while fostering creative learning experiences.     

A synthesis of spelling and reading interventions and their effects on the spelling outcomes of students with LD

Previous research studies examining the effects of spelling and reading interventions on the spelling outcomes of students with learning disabilities (LD) are synthesized. An extensive search of the professional literature between 1995 and 2003 yielded a total of 19 intervention studies that provided spelling and reading interventions to students with LD and measured spelling outcomes. Findings revealed that spelling outcomes were consistently improved following spelling interventions that included explicit instruction with multiple practice opportunities and immediate corrective feedback after the word was misspelled. Furthermore, evidence from spelling interventions that employed assistive technology aimed at spelling in written compositions indicated positive effects on spelling outcomes.     

Students with LD in higher education: use and contribution of assistive technology and website courses and their correlation to students' hope and well-being

This study examined the extent and patterns of usage of web courses, and their contribution to the academic and social perceptions of 964 undergraduate students with and without learning disabilities studying in higher education. Students were asked to complete four questionnaires examining the usage patterns of various adaptive technologies and their contribution to the student. The questionnaires assessed Perceptions of Learning through Online Usage; Accessibility of Campus Computing; Hope Scale and Subjective Well-being Scale. A detailed examination of the usage patterns of online courses revealed that, compared to the comparison group, students with LD log more often into the course sites, going into the forum more frequently and leaving significantly more messages on the forum than students in the comparison group. Findings indicated that students with LD are more familiar with assistive technology and use it more than the comparison group. Students with LD reported higher scores on the Hope scale, they felt an increased drive to find different pathways to attain their goals, as well as being motivated to pursue those goals, and their subjective well-being was higher that of the students in the comparison group.     

Examining educators of the deaf as "highly qualified" teachers: roles and responsibilities under IDEA and NCLB

Educators of the deaf were long considered "highly qualified" if they obtained state licensure from approved deaf education programs. But the No Child Left Behind Act (2001) redefined qualifications based on core academic content areas, without recognizing disability-specific expertise. NCLB's reauthorization will provide opportunities for examining definitions of "highly qualified" and ensuring that both general and special educators are appropriately prepared. Under the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act, educators of the deaf are primarily responsible for supporting implementation of each assigned student's individualized education program. When done skillfully and knowledgeably, IEP execution maximizes learning outcomes, and therefore would support NCLB mandates for improved student achievement. Instead of academic attainment alone, the primary "qualification" of educators of the deaf should be training and expertise in providing communication, learning, and assistive technology supports that allow access to academic content and, ultimately, address deaf students' historical underachievement.