The Tech Edvocate

Top Menu

  • Advertisement
  • Apps
  • Home Page
  • Home Page Five (No Sidebar)
  • Home Page Four
  • Home Page Three
  • Home Page Two
  • Home Tech2
  • Icons [No Sidebar]
  • Left Sidbear Page
  • My Account
  • My Speaking Page
  • Newsletter Sign Up Confirmation
  • Newsletter Unsubscription
  • Our Brands
  • Page Example
  • Protected Content
  • Register
  • Request a Product Review
  • Shop
  • Shortcodes Examples
  • Signup
  • Start Here
    • Governance
    • Careers
    • Contact Us
  • The Edvocate
  • Topics
  • Write For Us
  • Advertise

Main Menu

  • Start Here
    • Our Brands
    • Governance
      • Dr. Lynch’s Personal Website
      • Careers
    • Write For Us
    • Contact Us
    • Books
    • Edupedia
    • The Edvocate Podcast
  • Topics
    • Assistive Technology
    • Child Development Tech
    • Early Childhood & K-12 EdTech
    • EdTech Futures
    • EdTech News
    • EdTech Policy & Reform
    • EdTech Startups & Businesses
    • Higher Education EdTech
    • Online Learning & eLearning
    • Parent & Family Tech
    • Personalized Learning
    • Product Reviews
  • Advertise
    • Request a Product Review
  • Apps
  • Tech Edvocate Awards
  • The Edvocate
  • Pedagogue

logo

The Tech Edvocate

  • Start Here
    • Our Brands
    • Governance
      • Dr. Lynch’s Personal Website
        • My Speaking Page
      • Careers
    • Write For Us
    • Contact Us
    • Books
    • Edupedia
    • The Edvocate Podcast
  • Topics
    • Assistive Technology
    • Child Development Tech
    • Early Childhood & K-12 EdTech
    • EdTech Futures
    • EdTech News
    • EdTech Policy & Reform
    • EdTech Startups & Businesses
    • Higher Education EdTech
    • Online Learning & eLearning
    • Parent & Family Tech
    • Personalized Learning
    • Product Reviews
  • Advertise
    • Request a Product Review
  • Apps
  • Tech Edvocate Awards
  • The Edvocate
  • Pedagogue
  • 6 Resources for Teaching about Artificial Intelligence

  • How New Innovative Features in Classrooms Support EdTech

  • Distance Learning during the Pandemic: Improvise. Adapt. Overcome.

  • Universities Deploy Chatbots To Aid Students In The Admissions Process And Beyond

  • Generational Differences Affect Tech Initiatives In Higher Education

  • Mixing And Matching: How To Blend Online Learning And AI

  • Understanding Institutional Reasons to Move to Cloud

  • How to Get Your Educators Excited About Using Edtech

  • Teaching Intelligence: Digital Literacy In the ‘Alternative Facts’ Era

  • The Digital Revolution in Schools: It’s Not Just Remote Learning

Assistive Technology
Home›Assistive Technology›How Assistive Technology Helps Learners with Special Needs, Succeed in K-12

How Assistive Technology Helps Learners with Special Needs, Succeed in K-12

By Matthew Lynch
July 30, 2020
Spread the love

Special needs learners are those who cannot learn in conventional ways or with conventional strategies due to various conditions. Although they require alternative teaching styles and placements, these learners benefit greatly from their education. Getting an education is especially essential for those who cannot fully care for themselves or participate in their classrooms in the usual ways.

Special needs learners do not have to fall behind their peers, and can even catch up to them with the use of innovative assistive technology. In this article, we will discuss how assistive technology helps students with special needs navigate and thrive the K-12 system

Core apps for learners with special needs

Tech devices already come preloaded with assistive tech and accessibility settings, making them easier to utilize for people with various disabilities. Newer features like speech recognition software, screen-reading apps, and text to speech are helpful solutions for the visually impaired. Closed captioning apps and video conferencing tech facilitate sign language and lip reading for learners who are hearing impaired.

Because of tech, the genius of incredible minds such as that of Stephen Hawking has not been hindered but instead can be exercised and utilized for the excellence of all.

Assistive technology for adaptive learning environments

There are various kinds of assistive tech that special needs learners can utilize, whether in the classroom or from a distance. Tech can be used to supplement various disabilities, such as text to speech apps that help people with reading and cognitive disabilities.

Interactive whiteboards engage learners who have language disabilities as well as learners who are deaf or hard of hearing. Learners who have issues with fine motor control skills can utilize big font keyboards that are plugged into the USB port of a plain desktop computer to enable their typing techniques.

Learners with limited mobility can utilize digital apps to create art and attend classes that require the use of fine motor skills. For learners who are unable to attend physical classrooms, instructions can be delivered through video, audio, and instant messaging tech by way of distance learning programs and electronic or online schools.

Creation of the learner and educator bond

Assistive technology helps educators to track a learner’s level of comprehension on any subject matter. Because assistive technology is also able to help educators work with multiple learners at once, it can equalize the education of special needs learners. As a result, their peers can see them as more capable, independent, and participatory members of the school.

Creation of  Peer to Peer bonds

Learners with disabilities often have a hard time communicating with their educators or peers. While a deaf learner may know sign language, their non-deaf peers usually don’t. Assistive technology can be utilized to facilitate and strengthen classmate to classmate bonds and help with the creation of a sense of community.

The latest trends tech encompass wireless systems that allow a learner with disabilities to take their assistive learning devices anywhere. These systems let a learner go to the cafeteria and converse with their peers or have a discussion about a project in their STEM class.

This kind of tech can even help learners with disabilities rise to leadership positions, such as running for a seat in student government or participating in a club or other extracurricular activities. From the sharing of ideas to the building of camaraderie, assistive technology can help learners with disabilities maintain strong and long-lasting friendships with their peers at school.

Motivating students to success

Each time a learner with disabilities utilizes an assistive technology app or resources effectively, it reinforces the educational process and the use of the tech. Educators working with special needs learners who regularly use tech report that their learners have improved their levels of self-confidence and are better able to self-advocate when the need arises. Each success in the academic environment inspires special needs learners to challenge themselves further and may even inspire their peers to do the same.

Learners using assistive tech are also more willing to reach out to their teachers and their peers to form partnerships that enhance the teaching and learning process even more. It is a very productive cycle of academic success, all achieved by using assistive technology.

For a lot of special needs learners, their educational experience would be a lot more complicated without the presence of tech. Tech in education helps special needs learners to gain confidence in their abilities and attain a level of control over their lives. Assistive technology enables them to develop skills, challenge themselves, and learn basic communication skills that they will need throughout their entire lives.

Concluding thoughts

As tech continues to develop, having this basic comprehension and experience with computers, keyboards, and touch screens will allow special needs learners to pick up new features and devices as they become available.


Spread the love
Previous Article

How Can You Assess the Tech Needs ...

Next Article

A 2021 Definition of Edtech

Matthew Lynch

Related articles More from author

  • Assistive TechnologyFeaturedFresh

    Assistive Technology to Help Children with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Succeed Academically

    November 14, 2018
    By Matthew Lynch
  • Assistive Technology

    6 Ways That Edtech Can Help Students with Autism

    September 12, 2017
    By Matthew Lynch
  • Assistive Technology

    Assistive Technology to Help Students with Down Syndrome Succeed Academically

    May 25, 2018
    By Matthew Lynch
  • Assistive TechnologyFeaturedFresh

    Assistive Technology to Help Students with Learning Disabilities Succeed Academically

    November 21, 2018
    By Matthew Lynch
  • Assistive Technology

    Assistive Technology for Students with Disabilities

    November 21, 2016
    By Matthew Lynch
  • Assistive Technology

    4 Benefits of Virtual Labs

    March 6, 2017
    By Matthew Lynch

1 comment

  1. The Edvocate's Guide to K-12 Speech-Language Pathology - The Edvocate 25 November, 2020 at 12:42 Reply

    […] Speech-language pathology is centered on a variety of human communication and swallowing disorders affecting people of all ages. […]

Leave a reply Cancel reply

  • Artificial Intelligence

    How Adaptive Learning Revolutionizes Corporate Training

  • Early Childhood & K-12 EdTech

    Here’s how screen time is changing the way kids tell stories

  • EdTech & Innovation

    Edtech Certifications That Educators Should Consider Obtaining

Search

Login & Registration

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Newsletter

Signup for The Tech Edvocate Newsletter and have the latest in EdTech news and opinion delivered to your email address!

  • Recent

  • Popular

  • Comments

  • 6 Resources for Teaching about Artificial Intelligence

    By Matthew Lynch
    February 26, 2021
  • How New Innovative Features in Classrooms Support EdTech

    By Matthew Lynch
    February 26, 2021
  • Distance Learning during the Pandemic: Improvise. Adapt. Overcome.

    By Matthew Lynch
    February 25, 2021
  • Universities Deploy Chatbots To Aid Students In The Admissions Process And Beyond

    By Matthew Lynch
    February 24, 2021
  • Generational Differences Affect Tech Initiatives In Higher Education

    By Matthew Lynch
    February 23, 2021
  • 20 Top Virtual Reality Apps that are Changing Education

    By Matthew Lynch
    March 11, 2017
  • 7 Ways Technology Is Impacting Modern Education

    By Matthew Lynch
    March 4, 2017
  • Why Mobile Technology Enhances Instruction

    By Matthew Lynch
    December 14, 2016
  • What is the Future of Online Learning in Higher Education

    By Matthew Lynch
    April 2, 2018
  • 7 Roles for Artificial Intelligence in Education

    By Matthew Lynch
    May 5, 2018
  • 6 Resources for Teaching about Artificial Intelligence - The Tech Edvocate
    on
    February 26, 2021

    China Is Teaching Children about AI in Kindergarten. Should the US Be Worried?

    […] possibilities which is ...
  • How New Innovative Features in Classrooms Support EdTech - The Tech Edvocate
    on
    February 26, 2021

    The Significance of Technology in Your School

    […] Dictionary defines “Innovative” ...
  • Distance Learning during the Pandemic: Improvise. Adapt. Overcome. - The Tech Edvocate
    on
    February 25, 2021

    Virtual Learning Apps, Tools, and Resources That We Love

    […] applications and platforms ...
  • Universities Deploy Chatbots To Aid Students In The Admissions Process And Beyond - The Tech Edvocate
    on
    February 24, 2021

    How Can We Use Chatbots in Education?

    […] chatbot is any ...
  • Let’s talk Tech – Sine up for Math
    on
    February 23, 2021

    7 Ways Technology Is Impacting Modern Education

    […] Lynch, M. (2017, ...

EdTech Policy & Reform

  • EdTech Policy & Reform

    How Much Bias Is Okay in Your School?

    Spread the loveThe algorithm has proven itself to be a handy tool when it comes to solving education problems. It’s also not without bias.  You may be wondering how some ...
  • EdTech Policy & ReformFeaturedFresh

    Edtech Should Complement Good Pedagogy, Not Attempt to Replace It

    Spread the loveThe newest generation of edtech is downright amazing; it’s no wonder that various education stakeholders might be a little excited about its potential to transform education. However, edtech ...
  • EdTech Policy & ReformFeaturedFresh

    How to Teach Kids to Communicate in This Digital Age

    Spread the loveWhen even the youngest children are spending the equivalent of a full work day looking at screens, it is perhaps no surprise that parents are wondering how to ...
  • EdTech FuturesEdTech Policy & Reform

    3 Reasons Why India Will Be A Leader in the EdTech Industry in the 21st ...

    Spread the loveAccording to a joint report by KPMG and Google, the online education industry is expected to grow at a healthy rate of 8 times to become a $1.96B ...
  • Early Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech Policy & ReformFeaturedFresh

    How Does Technology Immersion Shape the Brain?

    Spread the loveDo you wonder what all of the screen time we have is really doing to our brains? As edtech continues to rise in prominence throughout the world, this ...

EdTech Startups & Businesses

  • EdTech Startups & BusinessesOnline Learning & eLearning

    Using Nudge Theory in Your Corporate Online Learning Classes

    Spread the loveAfter reading this headline, you may be asking yourself, what is nudge theory? Nudge theory centers on positive reinforcement and inferred suggestions to motivate a person to complete ...
  • EdTech Startups & Businesses

    Bringing Education into the Business World

    Spread the loveU.S. businesses spent nearly $20 billion on training in 2019. That number decreased by roughly half from the year before. Companies aren’t providing fewer professional development opportunities for ...
  • EdTech Startups & Businesses

    You Must Include These 3 Things in Your Edtech Business Plan

    Spread the loveDo you have a business plan? It’s the one question you’re going to be asked a lot as you begin your edtech business. The reasons to write a ...
  • EdTech Startups & Businesses

    Edtech Marketing Ideas to Implement Right Now

    Spread the loveEven if you do have the most exceptional edtech product or service in the world, you’ve still got to market it. Your sales and your success depend on ...
  • EdTech Startups & Businesses

    How Your Edtech Startup Can Make the Leap from Failure to Funded

    Spread the loveThe best ideas in edtech are often only ideas. They never become a reality because they lack the funding they need to get off the ground. Taking an ...

Digital Equity

  • Digital EquityDigital Leadership

    How Can You Assess the Tech Needs of Your Students Outside of School?

    Spread the loveToday, I received an email from the middle school principal in Los Angeles. She explained to me that the school that she ran was in one of the ...
  • Digital Equity

    It Is Time for the Edtech Industry to Stop Denying Its Equity and Race Problem

    Spread the loveThe EdTech industry is dominated by white employees, white leaders, and white entrepreneurs. If you doubt this statement, just attend an Edtech conference. Admittedly, educators and others don’t ...
  • Digital Equity

    How OER Can Help Overcome the Higher Education Equity Barrier

    Spread the loveThe cornerstone of the American dream is the ability to succeed in life regardless of one’s family of origin. And, for most people, that requires a college education. ...

EdTech Futures

  • EdTech FuturesOnline Learning & eLearning

    IT Trends To Watch As Higher Education Moves Into a New Decade

    Spread the loveEdtech couldn’t have hoped for a better launch into the new decade than the push the industry received from COVID-19. Even the most tech-resistant institutions and individuals have ...
  • EdTech Futures

    4 Emerging EdTech Trends in 2021

    Spread the loveCovid-19 has not only changed education as we know it, but it has forced education technology (EdTech) to up its game. EdTech has been crucial since the start of this ...
  • Adult EducationEdTech & InnovationEdTech FuturesEducation LeadershipEducational LeadershipHigher EducationHigher Education EdTechThe Future of Education

    Education Technology and the Future of Higher Ed Leadership

    Spread the loveEducation Technology (EdTech) has had a more significant impact on education than anyone expected. Now its effects are reaching into the field of higher education. In this article, ...
  • EdTech Futures

    Top Edtech Trends for 2021

    Spread the loveAre you ready to look ahead? Schools will soon be reflecting on what’s been working this year and what’s not. They’ll also begin thinking about their budgets for ...
  • Early Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech Futures

    In the Wake of Teacher Shortages, Schools are Turning to Virtual Teachers

    Spread the loveTeaching was once a greatly respected position, and today, morally it still seems to be of high value to many Americans. Institutionally, however, teaching no longer seems to ...

About Us

Since technology is not going anywhere and does more good than harm, adapting is the best course of action. That is where The Tech Edvocate comes in. We plan to cover the PreK-12 and Higher Education EdTech sectors and provide our readers with the latest news and opinion on the subject. From time to time, I will invite other voices to weigh in on important issues in EdTech. We hope to provide a well-rounded, multi-faceted look at the past, present, the future of EdTech in the US and internationally.

We started this journey back in June 2016, and we plan to continue it for many more years to come. I hope that you will join us in this discussion of the past, present and future of EdTech and lend your own insight to the issues that are discussed.

Newsletter

Signup for The Tech Edvocate Newsletter and have the latest in EdTech news and opinion delivered to your email address!

Contact Us

The Tech Edvocate
5322 Markel Road, Suite 104
Richmond, VA 23230
(601) 630-5238
advocatefored@gmail.com

Follow us

Copyright © 2021 Matthew Lynch. All rights reserved.