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Research Journal ~|~ Home ~|~ Working With Sources ~|~ History ~|~ Media Literacy ~|~ Thesis ~|~ Web Evaluation ~|~ Future ~|~ Ethics ~|~ Paragraph Review ~|~ Standards ~|~ Research Paper
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How Assistive Technology Helps Overcome Learning Disabilities Lindi Johnston Tricia Ryan, Instructor Using Information Effectively in Education (ISTC 202-Honors) May 3, 2005 Thesis: The purpose of this research paper is to explore the various types of learning disabilities and demonstrate how assistive technology plays a beneficial role in aiding those students with learning disabilities through education. Outline I. Introduction A. definition of learning disability B. statistical information about learning disabilities
II. Speech and Language Disorders A. problems with articulation B. problems with expression C. problems with reception
III. Assistive technology for speech and language disorders A. the various types B. how they help
A. problems with reading B. problems with writing C. problems with math
V. Assistive technology for academic skills disorders A. the various types B. how they help
VI. Other Disorders
VII. Assistive technology for other disorders A. the various types B. how they help
VIII. Conclusion A. powerful statements of the positive impact of assistive technology for learning disabilities B. restate thesis statement No child asks to be born with a learning disability, yet 1 in 5 children in the United States are currently diagnosed with a form of the disorder (Turkington, 2003). A learning disability "is a disorder that affects people's ability to either interpret what they see and hear or to link information from different parts of the brain"(National Institutes of Health, 1993). The term learning disability is used to label a large, diverse group of disorders, ranging across all aspects of education. They can be broken down and classified as speech and language disorders, academic skills disorders, and other disorders. Each disorder is difficult to diagnose and each individual case has its own uniqueness. According to the National Center for Learning Disabilities, "a person can be of average or above-average intelligence, not have any major sensory problems, and yet struggle to keep up with people of the same age in learning and regular functioning"(1999). Very often an individual with a learning disability will lack in one area, while excelling in others, like “a weakness within a sea of strengths” (LDAOA, 2005). That weakness can cause students serious problems in an educational environment that is already competitive due to the extreme importance of a successful educational pathway needed in the future. Recent studies have shown that “more than 27% of children with learning disabilities drop out of high school (NCLD, 2004, p1). Luckily though, technology has made several breakthroughs that have opened the doors for students with learning disabilities. There are no cures for learning disabilities, but with the help and aide of assistive technologies, students can be flourishing in all aspects of life (LDAOA, 2005). Communication is very crucial in life, especially in education. Whether it be delivering a message or receiving information, without the ability to communicate learning can be extremely difficult. Students with speech and language disorders may have “trouble producing speech sounds, using spoken language to communicate, or understanding what other people say” (Turkington, p10, 2003) Each of these problems can create major setbacks in the classroom. Articulation, expression and reception are all essential components for communication. If a student has an issue with articulation, they most likely then have difficulty speaking clearly and at a normal rate (Turkington, 2003). When they produce words, they may omit, substitute, or even distort sounds, hindering their ability to talk. Students who lack in ways of expression have problems explaining what they are thinking and feeling because they do not understand certain parts of language. As with all types of learning disabilities, the severity can range. Two extreme cases of expression disorders are dysphasia and aphasia, in which there is partial to no communication at all (Greene, 435, 2002). Individuals can also have a receptive disorder, in which they do not fully comprehend and understand information that is being given to them. They can experience problems making sense of things. “Children may hear or see a word but not be able to understand its meaning” (National Institutes of Health, 1993, p1). Whether children have difficulty articulating speech, expressing words, receiving information, or a combination of the three, there is no doubt that the tasks given to them in school cause frustration. These children experience anxiety when simply socializing and interacting with classmates, not to mention, learning new vocabulary, understanding questions, and memorizing information (ASHA, 1997-2005). With the already high-impact pressures that are put on students in education these days, difficulties in speech and language only escalate their stress. Due to the progress made in technology though, several of these children can adapt to their educational environments smoothly and without concern. Assistive Technology for Speech and Language Disorders Speech and language disorders, as with any learning disability, can cause embarrassment and social hindrance for students along with the educational setbacks. Unfortunately there is yet to be a cure discovered, but luckily there are many ways in which individuals with learning disabilities can seek treatment and aide. For example a child could receive therapy from a speech pathologist to help them articulate more clearly. There is also assistive technology available for all types of disorders. Assistive technology can help motivate students to overcome the barriers in learning that they face by compensating in the area that they lack. When choosing which type of device that a student should use, it is very important that it is one that will accommodate to the specific disability of the student (Fleming, 1999). For individuals with speech and language disorders, either an electronic communication device or a personal FM listening system would be appropriate. An electronic communication device allows one to type their ideas into a machine so they can then be transformed into computerized speech (Ability Hub, 2004). It allows for clear articulation and expression. A personal FM listening system consists of a wireless transmitter microphone, worn by the speaker, and a headset receiver, worn by the user. It allows the speakers voice to clearly enter the students ear with out distraction, to aide in better reception (Raskind and Higgins, 1998). The student also has the ability to control the speed at which they receive the information in order for smoother comprehension. Assistive technology builds strength in the feeble areas that learning disabilities create. Academic Skills Disorders Reading, writing and arithmetic…for some the so-called three R’s come naturally while for others it is much harder battle and struggle. Students who suffer from learning disabilities in this area of education have academic skills disorders. The ability to read, write and perform math calculations is vital in the classroom. Students who have academic skills disorders “are often years behind their classmates" (National Institutes of Health, 1993, p1). Reading disabilities include problems with word decoding, comprehension and processing. Many who suffer from these problems have what is called dyslexia, a developmental reading disorder. Dyslexia is widespread, “affecting 2 percent to 8 percent of elementary school children” (Turkington, p11, 2003). Reading is a complex task that takes the collaboration of many skills to work. Even if just one of the components is lacking then reading becomes an obstacle. Students who face this challenge have difficulty tracking, organizing and generalizing the words that they read (GATFL, 2003). Writing can also be a challenge to some individuals. These disorders consist of poor spelling, grammar, organizational skills, productivity and quality of writing (Lewis, 1998). Dysgraphia is a specific disorder in which students have poor hand writing that barely legible. Problems with writing can cause many issues in the classroom when it comes to communication between the student and teacher, through assignments such as papers and tests. “As students become involved in higher level educational activities, writing in the classroom becomes an essential tool for academic achievement”, thus writing is a vital skill to have (Hetzroni and Shrieber, 2004, p2)Arithmetic, more commonly known as math today, is complicated for many individuals of who do not even have learning disabilities. So it is safe to say that it is an extreme impediment for those with developmental arithmetic disorders, also known as dyscalculia. These students face problems with math language, math concepts, reversing numbers, time, sequencing and problem solving (Turkington, p6, 2003). Math requires complex thinking and logic. When a child who suffers from any of these symptoms attempts math problems, they are unable to make sense of the information to create meaning behind the calculations that they have to perform. Luckily though, there has been much advancement made in the world of technology, which can account for the skills that these students lack. Assistive Technology for Academic Skills Disorders Assistive technology was developed to build individual strength and to compensate for disabilities. Originally all forms of assistive technology were mostly computer based. Today there are still many computer based devices, but there are also a variety of other tools. For individuals that have difficulty with reading, there are several technologies that can be utilized and accessed such as the speech synthesizer. This device enables one to input text in exchange for computerized speech. Studies have shown that the translation that occurs leads to improved decoding and recognition of words for those who use it (Forgrave, 2002). “Optical character recognition/speech synthesis systems [allow one to] scan hard copy text [which then] converts it to electronic text and synthetic speech” (Raskind, 2005, p1). There are also devices that can be used that change the font, color, size and image of textual material in order to make it easier to read. Tape recorders and books on tape are beneficial also. If an individual has a writing disability, there is a vast abundance of organizational software available to assist them. These programs perform a variety of tasks that make it easier for the individual to write since they lack the basic skills that are necessary. The software does word processing, spellchecking, proofreading, outlining, brainstorming, word prediction, etc (Raskind and Higgins, 1998). Computers allow those who have dysgrahpia to produce their thoughts and ideas in a legible text. Voice recognition software translates individuals’ speech into computerized text so that they can get their ideas gathered before they forget them. Assistive technology “supports the basic skills [of writing] with correct mechanics as well as complex cognitive processes of planning, drafting and revising” (Forgrave, 2002, p122). Compared to the large amount of technologies available for reading and learning, there are not as many available for math. Fortunately though technology is always coming out with new inventions, so there should be more available in the nearby future (Gardner, 2004). But for now, there are many forms of specialized calculators widely obtainable such as hand-held calculators, talking calculators, wide screen calculators, computer calculators, etc. Each technology no matter how small plays a large role in fulfilling a skill that a child with learning disabilities may lack or not even have. Other Disorders While the most commonly referred to learning disabilities deal with speech, language and academic skills, there are many other types of disorders that fall in other categories. For instance some students experience difficulties when organizing, categorizing and memorizing information. When one can not organize things, it is tricky to make sense and comprehend the information. Categorizing comes is essential when making associations and conclusions, which without the ability to do so would leave one frustrated and confused. If one has problems memorizing information then they most likely will have trouble on tests, developing skills and remembering general yet essential information. A component of learning disabilities that is often over looked is social skill disorders. These skills affect individuals in their everyday lives, including school. They can be a result of other learning disabilities or the cause of other learning disabilities. The disorders focus on weakened interpersonal relations, a poor self concept, low coordination and motor function, and short attention spans (GATFL, 2003). One well known and common attention disorder is ADHD, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. This is characterized by inattention, impulsivity and hyperactivity. According to Turgington, “between 10 percent and 20 percent of all school age children have learning disabilities, [and] of those with learning disabilities, between 4 percent and 12 percent of all school-aged children will also have ADHD” (2003). Although the fore mentioned disorders are not typical learning disabilities, there are assistive technologies designed specifically for them. Assistive Technology for Other Disorders Through the use of assistive technology, many individuals are able to go about their normal lives without obstructions. For those who have difficulty with organization and memorization, there are personal data managers that can be used to store and retrieve information such as phone numbers. There are also free form databases for note storage and retrieved software (Raskind, 2005). For social skill disorders headphones can be used to block out distractions, amplification systems for direct concentration, variable speed control tape recorders for adaptive listening, and interactive CD-ROMs for direct interaction. Current research has also discovered a new type of video game that can help learning disabilities in the areas of attention and cognitive ability (Croal, 2004). When individuals are able to accommodate for all of these disabilities, they are able to focus more on their education and goals. Assistive technology has an outstanding impact on the lives of those impaired by learning disabilities. Learning disabilities are one of life’s unfair dealings that unfortunately many people face. These students had no control over what disability they would inherit, but thankfully to assistive technology they can now have control over their disability. Many people despite learning disabilities have overcome obstacles to become successful individuals including Winston Churchill, Thomas Edison and Nelson Rockefeller (The Columbia Encyclopedia, 2001). If these men could make conquer their disabilities back before all of the assistive technology that we have today, then there is a bright future ahead for individuals who currently have learning disabilities. It is now our job to seek out those students who demonstrate symptoms of learning disabilities and give them the aide that they deserve through technology. Many students face a silent battle against their learning disability, since many times they are not quite to the severity of the set standards of the law, which would enable them to have assistance. “The law’s standards for learning disabilities are unfairly narrow” (Page, 2005). If every child that had a learning disability could have the opportunity to use assistive technology, then educational world would be equal. Assistive technology enables students to reach their goals and overcome their learning barriers. Assistive technology clearly plays a beneficial role in aiding students with learning disabilities through education. A 1998 slogan by IBM says it best, “For most people technology makes things easier. For persons with disabilities, technology makes things possible” (Fleming, 1998, p1). References
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Send Comments or Questions to ljohns15@towson.edu Last updated by Lindi Johnston on May 5, 2005 |