Use of computer technology to help students with special needs.

Millions of students across the United States cannot benefit fully from a traditional educational program because they have a disability that impairs their ability to participate in a typical classroom environment. For these students, computer-based technologies can play an especially important role. Not only can computer technology facilitate a broader range of educational activities to meet a variety of needs for students with mild learning disorders, but adaptive technology now exists than can enable even those students with severe disabilities to become active learners in the classroom alongside their peers who do not have disabilities. This article provides an overview of the role computer technology can play in promoting the education of children with special needs within the regular classroom. For example, use of computer technology for word processing, communication, research, and multimedia projects can help the three million students with specific learning and emotional disorders keep up with their nondisabled peers. Computer technology has also enhanced the development of sophisticated devices that can assist the two million students with more severe disabilities in overcoming a wide range of limitations that hinder classroom participation--from speech and hearing impairments to blindness and severe physical disabilities. However, many teachers are not adequately trained on how to use technology effectively in their classrooms, and the cost of the technology is a serious consideration for all schools. Thus, although computer technology has the potential to act as an equalizer by freeing many students from their disabilities, the barriers of inadequate training and cost must first be overcome before more widespread use can become a reality.

Achieving meaningful mathematics literacy for students with learning disabilities. Cognition and Technology Group at Vanderbilt.

In this article we consider issues relevant to the future of mathematics instruction and achievement for students with learning disabilities. The starting point for envisioning the future is the changing standards for mathematics learning and basic mathematical literacy. We argue that the shift from behaviorist learning theories to constructivist and social constructivist theories (see Rivera, this series) provides an opportunity to develop and implement a hybrid model of mathematics instruction. The hybrid model we propose embeds, or situates, important skill learning in meaningful contexts. We discuss some examples of instructional approaches to complex mathematical problem solving that make use of meaningful contexts. Evaluation data on these approaches have yielded positive and encouraging results for students with learning disabilities as well as general education students. Finally, we discuss various ways in which technology is important for realizing hybrid instructional models in mathematics.

Using media for developing mental models and anchoring instruction.

My goal here was to discuss ways in which research and theory in the areas of learning and cognition can guide the development of integrated media systems. We began our discussion by exploring how IM technology can be used to embellish existing curricula, noting that its many advantages are quite obvious. Nevertheless, other issues related to IM development are more subtle, yet important. We discussed ways that the research literature can help us think about these issues in more detail. My major argument was that the full implications of exploring existing theory and research cannot be appreciated by simply using IM technologies to embellish existing curricula. Based on the cognitive literature, there is a need to develop principles for breaking the mold. I provided some reasons for doing this and discussed examples of work going on in our center that suggest possible alternatives to typical text-based curricula. The major characteristic of these alternatives is that they drastically reduce the amount of time that students spend receiving already-discovered information (from teachers or texts) and, instead, provide problem-rich environments that can be explored and discussed by students. Many other examples of alternative problem-rich environments are currently being developed and studied by others (Bank Street College, 1984; Lipman, 1985; Tinker, 1991). As new principles for breaking the mold begin to emerge from research, we hope that the result will be major advances in learning for all students.

A comparison of two approaches for teaching complex, authentic mathematics problems to adolescents in remedial math classes.

Two groups of adolescents with learning difficulties in mathematics were compared on their ability to generate solutions to a contextualized problem after being taught problem-solving skills under two conditions, one involving standard word problems, the other involving a contextualized problem on videodisc. All problems focused on adding and subtracting fractions in relation to money and linear measurement. Both groups of students improved their performance on solving word problems, but students in the contextualized problem group did significantly better on the contextualized problem posttest and were able to use their skills in two transfer tasks that followed instruction.

Using microcomputer technology in music therapy for analyzing therapist and client behavior.

A low-cost microcomputer was used to analyze systematically the behavioral interactions between a music therapist and a 55-year-old mentally retarded female. The microcomputer permitted the authors to determine quickly and cost effectively the effect of music therapy sessions on the client's behavior. The study demonstrates that current microcomputer technology can now be used to collect and analyze process-oriented data for application in both research and training activities. The implications for process-oriented research and training are discussed.