![]() Blogs are (mostly) free and easy to create, so any teacher or student can create one even with no knowledge of HTML or web design.ĭepending on how blogs are used, they can have a number of benefits, both academically and socially, for students with learning disabilities. Much in the same way that a teacher may ask their students to keep an academic journal, blogs can serve as a medium for recording thoughts and impressions on a particular topic. Web 2.0 Tools and Students with Disabilitiesīlogs are similar in format to journals or diary entries. With young people with disabilities using Web 2.0 tools and other new technologies with increasing frequency, it is important to look at several of the most popular tools (blogs, wikis and messaging) to see how they might be useful for these students. ![]() These tools have both social and educational implications for students with learning disabilities. However, many educators are beginning to examine how these communications might be included in academic activities. Despite the frequency of this type of informal writing among teenagers, many of them do not consider their electronic communication to be "real writing" (Lenhart, Arafeh, Smith and Macgill, 2008). The nearly universal access to these technologies mean that today's students regularly email, IM (instant message), participate in chat rooms, and post to blogs and social networking sites as a means of communication and social interaction. With wireless internet access available in many public places, access to news and information can happen almost everywhere. The increase in computer processing speeds and the decrease in size mean that today we can carry a fully functional computer in our pockets. As Web 2.0 tools have given young people an unprecedented level of involvement in media, they have also begun to give young people with disabilities an unprecedented level of access to learning and peer communities. These tools have also helped to democratize learning for those with disabilities or learning differences. ![]() In a sense, these tools have democratized the internet, allowing anyone with technology access to make their voices heard. ![]() Replacing a small group of programmers and web developers, there is now an entire community of bloggers, videographers, web designers, digital photographers, animators, filmmakers, writers and artists changing the face of the web, armed only with simple tools and creativity. The internet began as a fairly static place, changeable only by those with technical knowledge the web has now become much more dynamic. Web 2.0 tools have taken the internet from a "read-only" web to a "read-write" web (Gillmor, 2004). The term Web 2.0 is used fairly loosely by many people, but it basically refers to new web technologies that allow anyone to add or modify content online. The recent proliferation of Web 2.0 tools has further improved access by allowing anyone to be a part of the online world. Internet technology has led to improved access to multiple forms of media from around the world, to information on health and well-being, to the political process and to each other. But what about Web 2.0 tools? What are they and how do they affect learning and interaction for students with learning disabilities? Students and Web 2.0 It is easy to understand the educational benefits of software designed specifically for students with dyslexia. The usefulness of assistive technologies for students with learning disabilities is fairly obvious. A student with dyslexia may struggle with writing and spelling a speech-to-text program can allow the student to hear their writing read back to them for editing or for reading difficult assignments. A student with dysgraphia may struggle with handwriting a portable notetaking device and laptop allows this student to do all assignments without the need for laborious handwriting. They also help these students to be more independent, interactive and engage socially with their peers. Improvements in assistive software and hardware (speech-to-text, screen readers, portable notetaking devices, communication devices, etc.) enable students with disabilities to participate more fully in classroom instruction. Now students can upload assignments to a class website, email questions to their teachers, and work on assignments with distant peers using instant messaging, online discussion forums and wikis. Innovations in computer technology in the last 20 years have changed the way most people live, work, shop and communicate. An Info Brief by the Center for Implementing Technology in Education
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |