The Role of Assistive Technology for Children with Learning Disabilities

Assistive technology for learning disabilities is defined as devices or software that help
individuals work around, compensate or bypass specific learning deficits. AT can be low tech,
not necessarily computerized such as pencil-grips. Numerous research studies have demonstrated
the efficacy of assistive technology for children with learning disabilities. Although it does not
cure the disability in the individual, it motivates the learner to reach their full potential. It allows
the individual to capitalize on their strengths to overcome certain areas of difficulty.
Implementing assistive technologies in the classroom can help children with learning disabilities
reinforce social, learning, language, play, and communication skills. Interactive media in these
technologies can motivate children to overcome learning challenges with proper supervision. It
helps young children with physical or cognitive impairments use their strengths to overcome
challenges in learning. Some of the problems that AT addresses include: listening, math,
organization and memory, writing, and reading.

The iPad as an AT in Pre-K Classrooms

One of the most commonly assistive technology devices is the iPad, which is extremely
useful to both learners with disabilities and teachers. The iPad is among the popular mobile
technologies used in the classroom as assistive technology for children with difficulties in
communication, especially young children with autism. The biggest advantage of the iPad is the
capability to integrate learning applications that are tailored to the individual’s needs (Ok, 2018).
For instance, the Proloquo2Go app is an augmentative and alternative tool that helps learners
understand how to construct sentences from pictures and symbols. In addition to these features, it
combines a text-to-speech function that helps in word prediction and vocabulary.

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Incorporating iPads in the classroom for children with developmental delays has
numerous advantages that involve learning, communication, and literacy elements. For instance,
using apps that support text-to-speech software helps these learners gain better control of speech.
According to Burne et. al (2011), speech is one of the main areas that are affected by
developmental delays. In this case, using iPads with apps that target the specific developmental
challenge for students to learn better requires a comprehensive assessment of a child’s progress
based on standard milestones for different age groups. Furthermore, iPads not only help learners
with text-to-speech processing but also aid in visual capabilities. In this case, the apps installed
on the iPad are usually colorful, conspicuous and motivate the learner to interact more with
content in the app. The VoiceOver function can read the screen out loud while zooming what is
being said or touched.
Communication apps on an iPad also help learners with special needs to express their
feelings to people around them. It improves communication between peers and teachers for
better learning experiences. There is also the option of using the iPad to communicate feelings in
case a child is unable to speak due to numerous factors (Ok, 2018). Many apps interface for
enhancing communication have images that depict common needs in their daily life. It prevents
frustration on both the learner and teacher, hence better learning experience.
The simplicity of incorporating and using the iPad is also beneficial for children with
poor motor skills, especially while interacting with a mouse, keyboard, and screen. The iPad
provides an all-in-one approach, making it easier to use for children with poor motor skills. It
would also be useful for children without any motor skills.

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Figure 1 : iPad Interface with Visual and Communicative Images

Implementing the iPad in the Classroom

The iPad’s design is mostly intuitive, which means that it is simple to use with minimal
instruction. However, this might be a different case with students with learning disabilities or
Pre-K students who are yet to interact with mobile technology. To ensure a smooth start, I would
introduce the iPad by explaining to the students its purpose. I would also focus on using two or
three apps, in the beginning, to help children understand how these apps are crucial to learning,
communicating, and interacting with one another. Most importantly, I would also introduce the
students to a set of rules on how the device should be used. In some cases, not all students might
need the iPad as assistive technology if there are no learning disabilities noted. In this case, I
would give priority to students who have demonstrated learning difficulties first.

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Challenges of Implementing AT in the Classroom

While AT has numerous benefits that improve learning outcomes, implementation in the
classroom presents several barriers. According to Alharbi (2016), one of the barriers is related to
the instructor’s views on the use of technology in the classroom. Different instructors believe in
different pedagogical approaches in the classroom as wells as handling learning disabilities.
Teachers who do not approve of integrating technology in everyday learning might fail to
provide the necessary attention needed in such an environment. Moreover, the lack of adequate
teacher training could also lead to poor integration. In this case, all teachers should be trained
sufficiently before implementing AT in the classroom to improve outcomes. This ensures that
needed support is always available and students can confidently rely on their teacher to interact
with technology to their benefits. While implementation on the administrative level is mostly
streamlined for many schools, student abandonment of technology presents an enormous
challenge to the successful integration of AT. Abandonment is mainly associated with a lack of
family involvement in AT. Differences in cultural values, background and educational level
actively influence a family’s perception of AT. It is therefore, important to help families
understand the importance of AT by encouraging the use of AT at home.

Conclusion

AT plays a crucial role in improving learning outcomes for children with learning
disabilities. Special needs children do not achieve milestones as expected, which warrants the
use of assistive technology to help them understand concepts through non-conventional methods.
One of the most popular AT is the iPad, which is used across different educational levels. The
capability to install interactive apps and simplicity in the presentation of content helps improve
sensory, learning, and communication skills. The teacher’s involvement in the successful

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implementation of AT is important and requires training and support from families and
administrators.

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References

Alharbi, S. (2016). Benefits and barriers: incorporating assistive technology in an inclusive
setting for primary school students with learning disabilities in language arts. ARJHSS, 2,
1-11.
Burne, B., Knafelc, V., Melonis, M., & Heyn, P. C. (2011). The use and application of assistive
technology to promote literacy in early childhood: A systematic review. Disability and
Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 6(3), 207-213.
Ok, M. W. (2018). Use of ipads as assistive technology for students with
disabilities. TechTrends, 62(1), 95-102.