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Essay / Technology Needs in Special Education Secondary Schools...
In secondary schools, the use of technology in special education classrooms is lacking. Classrooms and special education resources use only outdated, basic technology that has been in use for many years. Typically, the only technology available in special education or resource settings is the overhead projector, television, and tape recorder. According to the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (2009), seventy-five percent of students with disabilities rarely or never use a computer. General education classrooms are more frequently equipped with current technology items such as smart boards, iPads, computers, projectors, notepads, and smart pens. Special education students, like their non-disabled peers, learn 21st century skills within the general education setting using 21st century technology. Special education students who need remedial classes or small group instruction are hampered by the lack of available technology devices. According to King-Sears, Mainzer, and Swanson (2011), technology can be universally beneficial to all students as a vehicle for learner engagement or transmission of educational knowledge. content, and it can promote the participation, learning and performance of students with disabilities. Students with disabilities who used computer-based instruction made improvements using technology tailored to their learning needs (King-Sears, Mainzer, & Swanson, 2011). Many students with disabilities have problems with mobility and using their arms and hands. In classrooms where technology is outdated, it is impossible for these students to achieve academic success. Other students with emotional or social disabilities have difficulty conveying...... middle of article ......cation Technology, 24(1), 1-13.Demski, J. (2008 ). And access for all. THE Journal, December 2008, 30-35. Frank, F.X. and Xin, J.F. (2011). Using the smart board to teach social stories to students with autism. Teaching Exceptional Children, 43, 18-24. Haywood, K., Johnson, LF, Levine, A., & Smith, RS (2010). Key emerging technologies for primary and secondary education. Education Digest, 76(1), 36-40. LaFee, S. (2010). Take the i21 initiative. Education Digest, November 2010, 47-51. King-Sears, M.E., Mainzer, L., and Swanson C. (2011). Technology and literacy for adolescents with disabilities. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 54(8), 569-578. Okolo, C. and Smith, S.J. (2010). Response to evidence-based interventions and practices: where does technology fit in? Learning Disabilities Quarterly, 33(4), 257-272.