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Use of Technologies in Special Education in Finland.

According to experiences in the Developing Project for Technology Education1, the Technologies for Children with Individual Needs Project2 and discussions with numerous teachers, technologies are on average made good use of in the Finnish special education. However, those technologies are rather traditional and based on various interface devices or entry-level uses of information and communication technologies (ICTs). Their purpose is typically to facilitate daily activities or to improve learning. Those technologies can be divided into four main groups: 1) assistive technologies, 2) communication technologies, and 3) software for supporting one’s learning. In addition, a small number of schools use 4) concretizing technologies, such as educational robotics, to support learning and to implement schoolwide curriculum. Unfortunately, nationwide statistical information about the degree of use of technologies in special education is not available in Finland.

In the following sections, we briefly describe the four central categories of technologies used in special education in Finland. This description is not meant to be comprehensive, but simply an overview of the topic. The categories have mainly been used as a framework to get an overall picture of the field in the Technologies for Children with Individual Needs Project.

1)Assistive Technologies: In special education, assistive technologies are tools or instruments that improve the capacity, independence and initiatives of individuals (Salminen, 2003). They are primarily used when a sickness or a disability has decreased the level of an individual’s activity or participation in society. Assistive technologies, in general, help individuals hear, see, communicate, move, live, work, study, or play. They range from walking sticks and magnifying glasses to speech synthesizers and highly-developed computer systems. Those devices include both personal and general instruments, such as personal hearing aids or induction loops.

According to Finland’s Basic Education Act 628/1998, handicapped and other children with special needs have a right to get interpretation and assistance services free of charge, including suitable technical devices that facilitate learning. This includes individual technical tools that assist action in everyday situations as well as materials and tools that support communication and learning. In Finland assistive technologies are, in general, easily accessible and widely used. However, no precise statistical information on the number of tools and instruments used in Finland is available.

2)Communication Devices Communication: is a crucial factor in teaching and learning. However, all people are not able to communicate through speech. Communication can be aided by devices that support speaking, writing and reading. In schools, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) is widely used in special education. AAC refers to a) communication methods that clarify speech or support the learning of speech and b) non-verbal communication through using signs. People using AAC methods can apply two kinds of devices: traditional and technical. The traditional devices include, for example, simple communication boards and folders. The technical devices include, for example, electronic speech devices and computer-based communication programs (Communication and Technology Centre Tikoteekki, 2006).

Technical devices provide a variety of ways to support communication. For example, by using a computer, a person with a speaking disability is able to communicate with others and has an instrument for rehabilitation, learning, playing, working, or managing the environment. In addition, computers, mobile phones, vision phones and video conferencing systems of the future will provide more variety in electronic communication (Salminen, 2003), both in school and home environments.

Only a few studies have investigated the use of communication devices in special education in Finland. However, these studies have convincingly shown that communication devices strongly benefit their users. For example, computer augmented communication benefited interaction, play and school work of severely disabled speech impaired children (Salminen, 2003). At the same time, there are deficiencies in the usability and availability of telematic and communicative devices (Salminen, 2003; Topo et al., 2000). In general, the use of technical tools for communication increased rapidly in the 1990s and nowadays there are about 70 different types of communication tools available in Finland (Salminen, 2003). In the future, new technical devices will offer a wider spectrum of instruments for more unique and individualized applications.

3)Learning Software: such as computerized drills, tests, tutorials and intelligent tutoring systems; supports learning. Drills are typically used for practicing calculation, the vocabulary of foreign languages, or other mechanical training through multiple choice tasks or puzzles. Computerized tests with multiple choice tasks or simple questionnaires can be used instead of ordinary school exams, and tutorials initiate typically into a new subject matter (Meisalo et al., 2003). School students with learning disabilities usually need iterative training to gain competence at academic skills like reading, writing, mathematics, and problem solving. Thus, the drill types of learning tasks are effective in skill-building. Also educators’ attitudes about learning software have been mainly positive and a drill-based computer-aided instruction has been shown to benefit students with learning disabilities. Well-known learning software with Finnish versions for special education includes, for example, Lexia3 and Dyslex4 for practicing reading, writing and cognitive skills, and multiple versions of Cami5 for practicing mathematics and perceptual skills. These types of software can be used as practice tools, but they also provide statistical information and level of student’s progress for a teacher to follow and assess student’s development.

 According to our knowledge, Special Education learning software is generally well known and quite widely used in teaching among teachers and other specialists of education in Finland. However, we have observed they do not pay enough attention into the individual needs. Thus, there is the lack of meaningful learning software for minor groups of school students, such as autistic children or children with severe disabilities. The content and purpose of the software does not attract or advance enough these school students.

4)Educational Robotics as a Concretizing Tool: Concretizing technologies refer to physical technical artifacts; construction sets, programmable building blocks and educational robotics; that help make one’s mental models and ideas concrete. Concretization can happen, for example, by physically constructing an object; for example an elevator, vehicle, or imaginary device; and then writing a computer program to control it. Educational robotics sets; such as programmable LEGOs6, ELEKIT7, Sony Aibo8 and Vex Robotics9; are examples of concretizing technologies that can be used together with programming to create technology artifacts for deepening and conceptualizing one’s ideas. Commercial educational robotics sets range from readymade robots to self-made robots made from plastic, metal, and electronic components. There is often a lack of compatibility between different sets, which means that usually only one set can be used at a time. Also, the flexibility for building different kinds of robots varies between building sets.

Educational robotics make it possible to concretize models and functions, with handson experience, so that models can be observed, evaluated and developed both on conceptual and on concrete levels. Thus, by building, programming and documenting in technology projects, school children can learn design, logical thinking, problem solving, technical skills, programming and ICT skills, verbal skills, and social skills, among others. Typically educational robotics, such as programmable LEGOs, are used as a part of general education schools’ technology education curriculum. However, educational robotics as a concretizing tool is rarely used in special education, even though it has been found to support school students’ learning and to decrease the barriers of learning. (Miller et al., 2000; Sutinen et al., 2005).

Source: http://www.mii.lt/informatics_in_education/pdf/INFE090.pdf 

ICT in special education needs: Europe vs USA

1. Introduction

The Information Society opens up new possibilities and new challenges to social inclusion of disabled people. In the words of Tim Berners-Lee, inventor of the World Wide Web and Director of W3C: "The power of the Web lies in its universality. Access of all people regardless of disability it is an essential aspect.".

Over the last few years it has shown the potential of information and communications technology (ICT) to eliminate related to mobility and geographic distance, facilitating access to Information Society barriers. Aware of this situation, have prompted the European authorities, in the framework of the e-Europe 2005 strategy, initiatives such as the eAccessibility action plan and horizontal e-inclusion, which includes actions in the social, regional and technology.

2. Disability and the digital gap.

The participation of disabled people in the Information Society is quite low when compared with the figures of penetration in the rest of the population. So, approximately a 33% of the European disabled uses a computer regularly against just under 60 percent for the rest of the population (figure 1). The gap between the two groups is attenuated by the use of the Internet and that 29 percent of Europeans regular user is declared disabled compared with 50 percent among non-disabled; and further reducing the availability of access to the Internet from home, 32 percent versus 46 percent.

If these figures with those of the United States a higher penetration rates among Americans with disabilities are observed are compared.

In analyzing the situation for countries in the field of the future Europe of 25, a positive correlation between Internet penetration rates of disabled and non-disabled observed, showing that the higher Internet penetration among the non-disabled population it is also higher among the disabled.

Thus, in Sweden and Denmark Internet penetration in the group of the disabled than 50 percent (figure 2). This is because these are two of the most advanced not only in the area of the European Union but also worldwide digital societies. However is not the case with Finland, which although it is normally placed as the first European country, and even as the first in the world in terms of Internet penetration, with rates exceeding 70 percent, this situation is not remains in the field of the disabled, for which no penetration rate in 2002 reached 30 percent, that is, less than half the rate of non-disabled.

In the case of Spain, the figures available show a very low participation of this group with only 12 percent penetration rate, a matching level with some of the enlargement countries such as Latvia, Lithuania and Slovenia. While lower levels of penetration corresponding to the enlargement countries, Portugal and Greece are also in the lower part of the distribution, which means that the group of disabled is largely being excluded in these countries the development of the Information Society.

3. Graphics:

If the above two graphs are compared it is seen that, in general, the perceived importance for companies in terms of accessibility for the physically disabled is similar to that corresponding to the visually impaired, although there are some countries such as Greece and France with a higher percentage of companies considered high priority accessibility for the disabled.

However it should be noted that among the companies that exhibit a high or medium priority, only 10 per cent in all the seven countries studied have adopted some formal guidelines issued for accessibility (Figure 7). Spain is slightly above the average of the seven countries with 11 percent of companies adhering to the standards.

Despite the pessimism of previous results can envision certain positive aspects, such as the fact that around 40 percent of European companies for which the availability is not a priority state that they could adapt their websites without much difficulty (Figure 8). In Spain this figure is 45 percent, while 28 percent say they would be difficult and only 2 percent said it would be impossible. (Figure 7).

4. Formative and employment strategies.

4.1. Formation

The central role of education to move towards the Information Society is clearly reflected in the Action Plan e-Europe and EU action in your specific e-Learning, which refers explicitly to the need to reduce disparities and inequalities individuals or groups, that is, the digital divide.  According to information from Eurydice (2001), in the European Union there are 84 million students - about 22 percent of the school-aged population requiring some form of special education well in ordinary classrooms, special classrooms or in specific institutions.

Nowadays, educational provision for pupils with special needs varies across Europe according to different educational policies, but it is common in all the 13 consideration of the individual educational needs of each student as an important element of guarantee quality of life. In this context ICT is configured as a valuable tool because the role can play in the development of flexible and individualized education, while facilitating increased autonomy and improved social integration and interpersonal communication students with special educational needs.

Thus, according to the European Agency for Development in Special Needs Education (2003) ICT can be used with a wide variety of functions in special education, among which we can highlight its use as a teaching tool, learning tool, learning environment , communication tool, therapeutic help, diagnostic aid and even as a tool for administrative tasks. Aware of such functions, EU countries have implemented policies in recent years aimed at the application of ICT in special education.

5.Conclusion

In this work we have undertaken an analysis of the situation of disabled people in the Information Society. In terms of access and use of ICT it shows that penetration levels in this group are much lower than the rest of the population. But the digital divide on grounds of disability is less than those due to education or income, among others. In terms of accessibility, while the Public Administrations have adopted the established guidelines, the involvement of business is for the moment quite low. On the other hand, policies for the application of ICT in special education were initially oriented infrastructures, beginning now to intensify the aspects related to the use and exploitation of the possibilities of e learning to erase barriers due to problems of mobility and facilitate access to information and knowledge. Finally in the area of employment, ICT is seen as a valuable tool for the employment of disabled people who start from a very low participation in the labor market. In this sense we can highlight the initiatives in creating virtual meeting places between buyers and sellers of employment.

Spanish practical case

The teacher having a student with a disability within their class has a double challenge: on the one hand, to adapt the methodology to new tools and, secondly, that this methodology was sufficiently flexible as so that it can be followed by all students in the class.

In this sense, we talk about a subject: accessibility. Now the teacher has two options when it comes to locate digital resources: either use different platforms organised from the Ministry of education, the autonomous communities, publishers or private entities, or develop their own resources with authoring tools. In the first case, the resources that exist in educational platforms have a low level of accessibility.In the second case, and in general, in the development of their our resources  missing knowleged to make them accessible. The teacher who has in his classroom a student with a disability should have some basic understanding of accessibility, both to find resources on the Internet, and to be able to adapt or develop their own resources.

Tools to support educational digital resources.In this point, it is going to describe with more details the different tools of support that have been mentioned.

-Reviewers screen:
     Are a type of software that permit the student with serious visual deficiency or with blindness  to access to the different functions of the compute facilitating its handling. This imply two functions important: on the one hand, the user can detect the elements that are always shown in the screen, and on the other hand, the user interacting with the applications, filling edit boxes, selecting elements of list, reading text boxes or other actions. This interaction should obviously be performed using the keyboard, as a blind person can not use the mouse.

Nowadays exists different reviewers screen, some of them of free disposition and others    of payments.

 It also allows us to interact with applications via the keyboard. That is, we can activate elements, or move from one to another using the cursor keys, for example. Generally, it gives us a set of quick combinations to perform common actions keys, resulting in greater efficiency in the use of the computer by a blind user.

-Line braille
 It consists of a desktop in a line of integrated cells shown, each, for eight movable rods that simulate Braille dots.Según modelos, el número de celdillas puede variar, siendo las más usadas las de 40 u 80 caracteres. Un software de comunicación hace posible su coordinación con la aplicación en curso en el ordenador.

Thanks to the communication software, different configurations are possible, select between character letters, forms scanning of the screen, etc. The Braille display has a major limitation: they can only offer a maximum a line screen.

There are situations that make it essential reading directly from information provided by a computer. There is no mediation or a prerecorded speech provided by speech synthesis (as in the case of screen readers) and the braille can be solved. Consider, for example, in: software for teaching literacy, even for the mother tongue; mathematical expressions, and since the introduction of the figures; terms or phrases in a foreign language, writing musical phrases, formulation chemistry and physics, classical languages, etc.


-Braille -Printers:
The braille printers are machines that print on paper and the raised dots of information that comes ordenador.Hay printer models now that can work two ─interpunto─ faces or a single face.

These printers print by size of paper, up to 42 characters per line, which helps to understand the large volume occupied by, for example, a book in braille when you consider that the letters and interline spaces can not be reduced and that must always be the same size. There are personal printers, for editing own materials and other high production.

-Digitizing tablet:

It is a  plastic magnetic plate on which, using a magnetic pen, which acts as a mouse, you can draw, write or surf. It connects to your computer either via USB or via Bluetooth. Once calibrated the magnetic iron tablet, this is a reflection of all areas of your computer screen. That is, it becomes a kind of touch screen, but not the graphic image of the computer screen.

If we make an adjustment in relief of the screen and place it on the tablet, we can act on this, activating the magnetic pen sensitive areas, the links or the command buttons, as if we used the mouse on the screen .

This tablet is very useful for totally blind students, as it allows, through adjustments in relief necessary, work with applications that would otherwise not be possible, since they require the student to use the touch: classify geometric figures by size or form, attach the names of the autonomous communities to their corresponding location on the map of Spain, etc.

-Touch screen:
  The touch screen is a monitor connected to the computer that has the distinction of being able to work directly by tapping fingers on the screen itself. You can make finger functions click, right click, drag, activate links ... With one finger on the screen can perform the same functions with the mouse.

-Interactive digital -Screen:
 It is another type of screen on which you can work with your finger or with a magnetic pen, making these mouse. They are of different sizes, the most common being those of 15, 17 or 19 inches. The screen is flat and with possibilities of greater or lesser inclination glass, allowing the visually impaired student suit your lighting needs. By acting as a computer screen, this can be configured according to the needs of students with visual impairment.

This screen must be connected to a source image, either directly to a computer or to a projector barrel. It has two connections: one to the output of your computer screen and another for data transmission to the USB port.


It includes ─as well as specific software that allows pizarras─  and takes greater advantage of the same functions. Among them we can highlight the possibility of recording and vídeo─ ─audio everything executed on them. This allows the student to repeat the class when needed.

This type of display allows students to not only continue the class from their place of study, but also work from your screen and that their work is reflected in the screen of the class.

Good Morning Friends:

Today, I want to show you a project that integrate the technologies to children with special education needs.

The name of the project is: Special Educational Needs ( SEN) Learning Project

Sen project (learning project) focuses in children with learning disabilities, and it does not matter the cause or origin. The project involves children as primary beneficiaries because they have a special education needs, so they need pedagogical help to achieve their goals. So what determines the children to present needs is not deficiency, but the conditions that affect their personal development.

The Learning Project is not related with the basic elements of curriculum for a particular stage, but it aims to respond to the needs in terms of deficiencies that may present our students, curriculum levels that have competence and the degree of autonomy that may arise.

We know that students can be schooled in kindergarten, primary or secondary. It not exists a specific curriculum for special educational needs. The contents that we develop are recollected in kindergarten. primary and secondary real decree with the appropriate adjustments. Depend of the characteristics, we will develop one or other activities.

Learning Project Objectives

• General Objectives: Secure and develop the physical,cognitives and communications students skills with education needs to promote the personal autonomy and social integration through the new technologies of information and communication.
• Specific Objectives: Establish activities related with personal autonomy, solve problems of the daily life and take decisions. Make that all students meet each other, accept the personality, awareness of hygiene habits and have a positive attitude related with health. Learn to live in society through to the knowledge of collaboration and participation rules. Develop comprehension, knowledge, linguistics skills, memory, logical reasoning and solve the problems of daily life.

Source: http://www.oei.es/noticias/spip.php?article4127

Hope that you like and know a bit more now.

Valoration:

From my point of view, this project is amazing. Thanks to it these students can learn better and have the same opportunities that the rest of their classmates. I think that new technologies makes funnier the learning process.

What Is Assistive Technology?

Assistive technology (often abbreviated as AT) is any item, piece of equipment, software or product system that is used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities.

• AT can be low tech like communication boards made of cardboard or fuzzy felt.
• AT can be high tech such as special purpose computers.
• AT can be hardware such as prosthetics, attachment devices (mounting systems), and positioning devices.
• AT can be computer hardware, like special switches, keyboards, and pointing devices.
• AT can be computer software such as screen-readers or communication software.
• AT can be inclusive or specialized learning materials and curriculum aids.
• AT can be specialized curricular software.
• AT can be much more, including electronic devices, wheel chairs, walkers, braces, educational software, power lifts, pencil holders, eye-gaze, and head trackers.

Different disabilities require different assistive technologies.

Assistive technology includes products and services to help people who have difficulty speaking, typing, writing, remembering, pointing, seeing, hearing, learning, walking, etc.

Source: http://www.atia.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3859

Here we have a link that show you a page so usefull in orden to better understand what is assistive technology, see practical examples of this and etc: https://www.understood.org/en/school-learning/assistive-technology/assistive-technologies-basics

In my opinion assistive technology is nowdays a key issue in the task of help childrens with specific learning problems because assistive technology adapt the teaching in orden that all people have access to it. A important part of assistive technology is that can be use for many specific problems such as audacity problems or visual problems and is also able to do that all the childrens learn the same but in a different way.

Explain in a video: 

5 Ways to Use Technology in the Special Education Classroom

Technology and special education classrooms

In developing new technology, software and hardware companies have not overlooked the spectrum of special needs and special education students. Technology in special education classrooms is an industry within an industry and it is constantly developing and improving products for special needs.

      -Operating Systems: Just about every operating system available has something for people with special needs. Both Microsoft and Apple, the creators of the two most prevalent operating systems, Windows 7 and OS X, offer a number of enhancements that enable users of different impairments to use the system. Microsoft’s ‘Ease of Access’ center in the Windows operating system, as well as Apple’s OS X, offer options that allow for using the computer without a monitor for the blind, adding visual prompts and eliminating sounds for the deaf, and alternate input devices for those with mobility deficiencies. These options are available in the base design of each system and do not cost users anything extra.

        

     -Braille displays: There is no limit to what technology in special education classrooms can accomplish. Braille displays offer the ability read text that is sent to the machine by activating pins on a multi-cell display. They are available cheaply for reading text line by line while more expensive versions can read text, allow for text input and SMS texting, and help with navigation around the computer. They work with a cable and also come in a Bluetooth wireless version. Some Braille displays are even able to operate with smart phones and PDA’s.

     -Word prediction software: Word prediction software simply predicts the words that are being typed to reduce the number of keystrokes used to input the word. Once several letters of the word are typed, a list of words pops up and the student selects the correct word. Some versions of the software base the list of words on the letters keyed and other versions will base the choice on context and grammar.

      -Tablets and iPads: Tablets and iPads are the hottest must haves in the technology market. These devices can be used like a computer, an imaging device, a camera, a projector, a mouse, a keyboard, and a remote device for a white boards. The use of tablets and iPads as technology in special education classrooms is limitless and app developers, parents, specialists and doctors are always searching for more unique ways to employ these devices.

       -Apps – Apple’s App Store and Google’s Android App Market both offer a number of apps designed to assist in the use of technology in special education classrooms. Though sometimes they may be a little difficult to locate, Eric Sailers, a speech-language pathologist who hasdeveloper  several apps for special needs children, has compiled a list of apps available in Apple’s App Store and provides a short description of each. This list will assist teachers in finding useful apps quickly so they may work with their children more effectively. Alternately, the website BridgingApps has developed a community of people directly concerned with the education of those with special needs and helps people to develop and share ideas about programs, apps and the use of technology in special education classrooms.

In conclusion the use of technology in special education classrooms is still in its infancy. As developers see new markets for their technology and educators and specialists create new ideas that develop into hardware and software, the choices will grow. But, there are currently many options to choose from and a simple search can produce a number of ideas that can be employed in the classroom right away, with little investment.

Source: http://education.cu-portland.edu/blog/tech-ed/5-ways-to-use-technology-in-the-special-education-classroom/