Issue 2: Accessibility
Assistive Technology is often accessible on student-owned devices. Some students with special education needs may prefer to bring their own device to school for curriculum tasks. Through a BYOD policy, universal design for learning practices can be implemented such that all students have access to programs and apps including:
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5 Benefits of BYOD for Students with Special Needs'One of the great challenges confronting teachers is addressing the unique needs of students with varying abilities. In the world of special needs, professionals often refer to such abilities as “scattered skills.” Such challenges bring opportunities for educators to explore new techniques for engaging learners, finding creative methods of modifying curriculum, and employing a range of materials – including technology tools – to help students succeed.' -Luis Perez, Betsy Furler and Cristen Carson Reat |
Benefit #1: Students Choose the Tech That Fits Them Best We all have our technology preferences, and the last thing a student needs is to get used to one type of technology at home and be forced to use another at school. In a BYOD classroom, students who love iPad can bring an iPad and students who love a Kindle Fire can bring a Kindle Fire. Benefit #2: Students Can Download the Apps They Need The big catch with school-owned technology is that oftentimes students aren't allowed to download applications to the devices. With BYOD, special-education students can download apps that were designed to fit their exact special needs straight to their own devices. Benefit #3: Students Are Forced to Be Responsible The quintessential "dog ate my homework" excuse will become a thing of the past when students have the opportunity to keep their homework, their books, their apps, their videos and their music on one handy device. And you'd better believe that they'll be extra-vigilant to take care of that one handy device, too, since it gives them access to so many resources. Benefit #4: Differentiation Becomes More Manageable We aren't going to lie: Differentiating a BYOD classroom is a lot of work. But when you're dealing with special-education students, differentiation is always a lot of work. And when your students have access to specialized technology (like a read-aloud function on e-books), they have access to the tools they need to thrive. Benefit #5: Students Can Work at Their Own Pace With BYOD, students have the opportunity to bring all of their learning resources with them wherever they go. That means if a student needs a little more time to finish an assignment or lesson, they have the ability to do so. -Erin Macpherson |
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References
Macpherson, E. (2016). 5 Ways the BYOD Model Can Benefit Special-Education Classrooms. Retrieved from http://www.weareteachers.com/blogs/post/2013/04/10/5-ways-the-byod-model-can-benefit-special-education-classrooms
Perez, L., Furler, B., and Carson Reat, C. Mobile Devices Empower Students with Special Needs. Retrieved from http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/apps-special-needs-disabilities-assistive-technology-students.shtml
Schaffhauser, D. (2013). The Surprising Ways BYOD, Flipped Classrooms, and 1-to-1 Are Being Used in the Special Ed Classroom. Retrieved from https://thejournal.com/articles/2013/06/04/the-surprising-ways-byod-flipped-classrooms-and-1-to-1-are-being-used-in-the-special-ed-classroom.aspx
Macpherson, E. (2016). 5 Ways the BYOD Model Can Benefit Special-Education Classrooms. Retrieved from http://www.weareteachers.com/blogs/post/2013/04/10/5-ways-the-byod-model-can-benefit-special-education-classrooms
Perez, L., Furler, B., and Carson Reat, C. Mobile Devices Empower Students with Special Needs. Retrieved from http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/apps-special-needs-disabilities-assistive-technology-students.shtml
Schaffhauser, D. (2013). The Surprising Ways BYOD, Flipped Classrooms, and 1-to-1 Are Being Used in the Special Ed Classroom. Retrieved from https://thejournal.com/articles/2013/06/04/the-surprising-ways-byod-flipped-classrooms-and-1-to-1-are-being-used-in-the-special-ed-classroom.aspx