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- Enhanced computer access in schools and increased technology standards has furthered the trend towards integrating technology into classroom teaching.
- Educators are finding increased use for common technology applications, such as word processing and the Internet, to meet the educational need of students with disabilities.
- Since 1997, federal law has mandated that assistive technology be considered for all students enrolled in special education programs.
- Teacher technology preparation is a decisive factor influencing technology use in the K-12 classroom.
- Findings suggest that a teacher's level of technology comfort and knowledge significantly influences his or her integration of technology into their general or special education curriculum.
- The lesson explores infusion of technology into K-12 teachers' teaching practices by focusing on use of common software applications, on-line course aids, and web-based cases.
- Course development and management software, such as WebCT, facilitate the creation of online learning modules via user-friendly templates.
- Teachers can begin integrating the Internet into their teaching practices by applying traditional "core course" information to the web.
- Four Course Basics components are: (a) online course syllabus, (b) class roster, (c) online discussion forum, and (d) review section.
- Unlike traditional course discussion, which is often limited to classroom time, web-based courses expand student interaction via the Internet.
- Word processing is one of the most common applications for children with learning disabilities and behavioral problems.
- Research findings suggest that word processing has helped students with a variety of disabilities and emotional problems improve their written language skills.
- Teachers may use word processing to prepare classroom materials in a more effective and time efficient manner.
- Hadley the Hippo is a software program designed to help teachers become familiar with and integrate word processing into their writing classrooms.
- Web-based case teaching is an emerging curricular innovation that enhances novice teachers' ability to analyze a situation, formulate action plans, and evaluate those actions with respect to specific context variables.
- Like traditional case studies, web-based cases are grounded in text.
- Video segments can help students engage in problems by providing a concrete visual example to a given situation.
- Photo and other forms of graphics can support and provide additional details to the text-based narrative.
- Web-based cases offer users access to a wide array of related resources.
- Web-based cases and increased access may broaden traditional class discussion through multiple forums to engage a diverse pool of participants.
- Web-based cases escape traditional geographic constraints.
- Mentoring is an intense, dyadic relationship in which the mentor furthers the professional and personal development of the mentée by providing information, assistance, support, and guidance.
- School districts often do not have the personnel or support structure in place to allow an experience special educator mentor a novice.
- The developments in interactive technology offer alternatives to traditional mentoring in the form of tele-mentoring.
- A teacher as a model for using technology as a tool in the classroom greatly increases the potential for their students to be successful as they progress through their schooling experience.
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