Disabled Students in the 21st Century (Biweekly report #4)

About the Article

This week's study was particularly my favorite so far. Using the library references I came across an amazingly complex article regarding how to teach developmentally disabled students how to function a multimedia device (specifically an IPod touch). This article performs an experiment on the students to see technological advancements, gives information regarding the significance of teaching multimedia devices to disabled students as well as shows how they went though the entire process. The article explains how age appropriate activities can have a serious impact on a child's social, emotional, cognitive, and physical well -being. Children With disabilities are often left behind and find it harder to grow in life. Integrating technology into classrooms and every day life is huge in today's society. That is why the article feels it is vital for disabled children to understand and at least attempt to comprehend some of it. We are in the age of 21st century learners and disabled students are often forgotten. With time and patience disabled students can increase their digital performance just like any other student. The article then breaks down its findings into numerical order of Introduction, Methods, Results, and ends with a discussion. What I find the most beneficial is how they went about their study. They worked with three students, age of 20, 16, and 15. The article lists the steps in an easy way of how to operate an iPod touch as well as discusses the importance of Video modeling in the profile or the person working the actual device. The step-by-step videos helped tremendously for the disabled students because they could follow the steps exactly as to how there eyes sees it instead of a mirrored performance. With a little bit of on hands help the students were able to steadily increased their performance every time.

I feel this is a very beneficial article because often I feel teachers forget about the disabled students because they are smaller in numbers or feel the student's helper can take care of their develoment. This article contributes to the fact that they can succeed if given the right opportunities and patience. The steps used like Video modeling can be a great advantage because it can be replayed multiple times. This article also reminded me of a time when I was in my high school painting class. One of my classmates was mentally disabled. Even though he was slower at times I knew he loved to create art. Furthermore, during my senior year of high school I worked with a young first grader who had cerebral palsy. I would have to help teach him how to eat his food properly without hurting himself. Although he was confined to a wheel chair he was one of the most amazing, imaginative children I had ever met. He was just like every other student in the mind. Being reminded of these two makes me really want to help disabled students in my own Classroom. I've worked with them before and I feel because of today's technology advanced classrooms it's vital for them to try to understand it. Kids like my cerebral palsy student could really become advanced in technology because it doesn't involve a lot of spontaneous movement at times. Who know, he could possibly be a great animator and digital designer one day. We can't automatically assume disabled students can't go far in technology-based education. The art classroom can be a great learning tool for the advancement of knowledge in soft wares such as Adobe Photoshop, Garage band, and Adobe Illustrator. Video Modeling can also be a beneficial in a digital lesson plan. Not only does is it used in a digital way but it attracts students to it. With some extra time and help disabled students aren't at a loss, if anything technology advancement can help further their thought processes instead of hindering it. This article is a great tool to look back on for when I finally have my own classroom and disabled students.

Examples of Video Modeling

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Citation:

Achmadi, Donna, et al. "Teaching students with developmental disabilities to operate an iPod Touch.sup.[R] to listen to music." Research in Developmental Disabilities 32.6 (2011): 2987+. Academic OneFile. Web. 25 Oct. 2011.