EDU6210 Article 1: Mobile Devices

Mobile Devices and Students with Disabilities: What Do Best Practices Tell Us?

Newton, Deborah A., & Amy G. Dell. 2011. “Mobile Devices and Students with Disabilities:           What do Best Practices Tell Us?” Journal of Special Education Technology 26: 47-49.

This article talks about using iPads, iTouches, and other mobile devices for students who receive special education services.Right now these devices are being seen as exciting and a cool thing for students. Many more parents are requesting their child be given these devices and put into their IEP so they will be guaranteed access to them. Some of the reasons they are becoming increasingly popular include the lower cost of the devices, the ease of students carrying them around, students looking "normal", and more teachers being able to navigate them. Examples of some ways they can be used with these students are educational games and communication apps for students who are non-verbal or cannot be understood. The article mentions that although not all teachers will be familiar with being able to use and program assistive tech devices, at least most teachers are familiar with the mobile devices.

The article urges parents, teachers, and districts to be educated about not just buying a huge amount of these devices and expecting great things to happen. Most people have heard that these devices are great for students with autism. However, not all students who have autism are the same. What is recommended is to look at the student first: what is their capability level, what are their needs, what is the desired result? Although the idea of having an iPad sounds great, it may not be appropriate for all students. They also say that if a student does have a device, choosing what apps are appropriate and effective are just as important. People are always looking for the next big thing which is usually flashy and "cool". But in reality these apps may not have much substance to them and are not good choices. They recommend taking advantage of free trials to test out something before actually purchasing them.

This article focuses on something that is extremely relevant to my classroom. This past school year three of my eight students used assistive technology to be able to complete their work or for communication. One of my students is unintelligible to unfamiliar listeners, even though she prefers to use spoken language as her preferred communication. She was given a huge, bulky Dynavox as her communication device. This device is so archaic and cumbersome that she never wants to use it in the classroom, let alone the community, even though it would benefit her. It is not something that she can practically take with her in her daily life. However, something like an iPad with a communication device would be similar in the way it is used, easier to carry, and used practically as long as the student is shown how to effectively and correctly use the device/app. This is an example of where I could see the potential of these mobile devices come into play.

On the other hand, there are times that these devices are not practical or beneficial to use with all students in special education. I have a student who functions at a one year old level with no verbal communication skills. She has a genetic condition where she has seizures and becomes so easily excited that she loses self-control (constantly laughing, hitting, etc.) Although her primary goals are about communication and expression, I do not believe giving her a device like an iPad would benefit her. With her behaviors, she is not able to show the wait time needed to navigate a device for education or communication. Instead we use picture choices with her where a staff member can easily facilitate the activity and have control when needed. We then put her picture choices on switches that are programmed to say a response, and in a sense give her a voice.