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RMJ

Professor John Bradley

SOS 110

June 23, 2022

Final Project

About twelve years ago my journey into the educational field began in California. From

the first moment I set foot into a classroom I knew this is where I belonged. The joy of seeing an

individual's face light up after learning an unfamiliar word, phrase, or concept was a feeling I

could not replicate. I spent a long period working in primary schools. However, one day I felt

compelled to obtain additional experience and progress. I am someone who appreciates learning

new things and, as a result, changing occupations. Changing professions, meeting new people,

and training new minds has given me a diverse spectrum of experience ranging from

kindergarten to adulthood. This one particular aspect of schooling transformed my life forever. I

came across special needs when looking for a new career. I believed I had learned everything I

could from my prior employment and that it was now time to move on. I felt like a fish out of

water on my first day at a special needs high school. I had no idea what to anticipate and was

anxious. Over time, I began to learn all the ins and outs of this profession. According to the

"Special Education - Specialized Programs CA Dept of Education," paraprofessionals only

conduct non-instructional tasks including offering computer technical help, taking care of

personal needs, or managing administrative tasks. However, special needs encompass a wide

range of duties that depend on the learning disability of each and every child. As a result, it is

challenging to identify the precise tasks performed by each paraprofessional. Special needs has
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taught me the most thus far. The children and staff have taught me plenty, and I've learnt

teaching skills that I would not have known otherwise.

Special education has changed throughout time, with its beginnings dating back to 1954

(“Special Education: History, Resources, Advice.”). Individualized programs, curricula, and

instruction created to meet the requirements of students with disabilities are referred to as

"special education.". In addition, according to the website, “Special Education: History,

Resources, Advice,” segregation was found to be in violation of equal educational opportunity in

Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, a court judgement. While this ruling was made in

response to the unfairness of racial segregation, it developed a broad understanding that everyone

deserves equal access to a good public education. Over the last two decades, research on the use

of technology for children with disabilities has grown significantly, resulting in an agenda that

includes a wide range of innovative educational and evaluation initiatives (Woodward and

Rieth). The limited number of studies in special education technology from those years tended to

reflect a broader interest in the influence of microcomputers on all children in public schools,

which did not exist in the 1970s or early 1980s. According to Woodward and Rieth’s journal, at

the time, both general and special education technologists were primarily concerned with the

effectiveness and efficiency of computer assisted instruction. In Budoff, Thorman, and Gras,

“Technology Related Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities Act of 1988” (qtd. in

Woodward and Rieth), commercially created software for general and special education students

was primarily limited to drill and practice programs, tutorials, and simulations. Finally, studies of

assistive devices, while few, have contributed uniquely to special education technology research.

The covid 19 pandemic highlighted the urgent need for assistive technology both inside

and outside of the classroom. Hunt states the following, given how much time kids and teenagers
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spend on school-related activities, AT may need to be expanded outside of the school.

Furthermore, considerations for assistive technology affect a child or young person with a

disability throughout their whole life, including those that are made in the context of the

classroom by education professionals. Additionally, like a youngster who might need reading

glasses in school, they will undoubtedly continue to need them (and use them) at home. As an

illustration, if a student needs a device to help communication (such as an augmentative board),

it is likely that they will also need it at home. Current technology encourages participation in and

outside of the educational setting with the help of assistive tools like the Cboard (Cboard, as

cited in Hunt). Other goods, like UNICEF's Accessible Digital Textbooks (UNICEF, as cited in

Hunt.), encourage the development of reading and literacy by giving users access to print books

in a variety of formats that, despite being made for kids with disabilities, can be used by all kids.

In addition, applications (on smartphones and tablets) that provide assistive technology can give

kids access to information, boost their motivation, and lessen stigma among kids who struggle

with reading (Lindeblad et al., as cited in Hunt). For children with disabilities to access

education, Braille typewriters, speech-to-text technology, and talking timepieces are needed. In

order to ensure that AT is used consistently and in various settings, it is crucial to comprehend

the school and home environments (Smith et al., as cited in Hunt).

The development of technology-enhanced and game-based learning for youngsters with

special needs is split between 2009 and 2019. Although approximately half of the study has been

done in the previous two years, this indicates that there is currently and growing interest in this

topic among researchers (Gallud et al.). When evaluating the future development of technology

in special needs, the methods and suggestions that follow should be taken into account. The

improvement of learning activities and methods should be the main emphasis of future research
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on technology-enhanced learning in children with special needs, with motivation being a crucial

initial step in this direction. Additionally, the chance to use wearable technology and bio-signal

sensors, both of which were discussed in the discussion of Gallud's study questions. The

relationship between technology (devices or software) and the type of disability, which could

help choose the best technology for a given impairment, was also examined. Finding the features

that future technology for use in special education will need is another intriguing topic. By

extending some of the skills that have been successfully used in children with exceptional needs,

Gallud believes his research study can help achieve this goal.

For educators on the other hand, maintaining current knowledge in special education is

critical to a teacher's development and education in a subject that is continuously evolving.

Modernized technology, practice, policies, and other tools enable instructors to advance. When it

comes to being an up-to-date teacher, the National Association of Special Education Teachers

(NASET), networking possibilities, and volunteer opportunities are all essential.

NASET is an organization that is well known to special needs teachers. The purpose of

NASET is to provide all possible support and assistance to professionals who educate special

needs children by encouraging quality and innovation in special education research, practice, and

policy in order to encourage outstanding teaching for exceptional children. NASET was

established to assist the profession of special education teachers and to provide a forum for those

teachers to communicate their thoughts with others on a national scale. This group offers

assistance and support to its members, who include existing and prospective special educators.

The ultimate purpose of NASET is to set the highest professional standards for individuals who

help kids with special needs. They encourage professional excellence by keeping instructors up

to date on current special education problems. NASET advances and encourages the professional
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development of its members through networking, research, publications, and membership

benefits (National Association of Special Education Teachers: Overview of NASET).

A robust networking structure to support teachers must be established by using some of

the tactics listed below. Attending a conference or engaging in professional learning activities

may give a special educator with a connection with peers, a new standpoint, inspiration, and a

renewed excitement for their work. Also, by getting an advanced degree, special educators can

build a network of academics and fellow instructors. Sharing classroom space and various

viewpoints with other educators fosters professional ties that allow instructors to establish

meaningful, supportive relationships with others. Furthermore, a well-functioning PLC is similar

to a lab in which teachers constantly propose hypotheses, test them, collect data, and generate

new hypotheses based on the results. A single special educator might have a support system

made up of the math department, the sixth-grade core academic team, and the special education

department. Once that happens, special educators do not just have the support of their peers, they

have the support of their entire school community (Malone).

About 15 years ago, I completed my community service for high school in both a hospital

and an elementary school. Doing so allowed me to find my perspective career and boosted my

resume. Younger teens wishing to enter special education as a career choice should volunteer

first in order to figure out if this is the career they wish to enter. For adults wishing to gain

experience to be able to obtain jobs there are a multitude of programs available worldwide.

While these extremely fulfilling programs do not need participants to have a background in the

field of special needs care, because there are so many ways to help, volunteers with appropriate

education, skills, or experience are in high demand. Regardless, a volunteer's position may

frequently be adapted to their own abilities and interests. You will have the opportunity to meet
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and mingle with other volunteers from all around the world, as with all of our volunteer

programs (Disabilities and Special Needs).

Technology has significantly advanced in the educational sector, but more critically in

the special needs sector. Although studies demonstrate a new trend in research focused on

technology in special needs, the importance of technology in special needs was not previously

placed. With suggestions from researchers to move on with new study in this specific subject, the

future of technology appears bright. Regarding educators staying relevant in an ongoing

technologically advanced world; there are a number of ways for educators to stay current in the

field of special education, including networking, volunteering, and membership in the

professional organization NASET. By using the aforementioned instances, we can discover new

creative research and uncover opportunities for career advancement.

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Works Cited

“Disabilities and Special Needs.” Love Volunteers, 2009, www.lovevolunteers.org/volunteer-

programs/disabilities-and-special-needs.

Gallud, Jose A., et al. “Technology-Enhanced and Game Based Learning for Children with

Special Needs: A Systematic Mapping Study.” Universal Access in the Information

Society, July 2021, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10209-021-00824-0.

Hunt, Paula Frederica. “Inclusive Education: The Case for Early Identification and Early

Intervention in Assistive Technology.” Assistive Technology, vol. 33, no. sup1, Dec.

2021, pp. 94–101, https://doi.org/10.1080/10400435.2021.1974122.

Malone, Kate. “How Special Education Teachers Can Find a Support Network.” Graduate

Programs for Educators, 16 July 2020, www.graduateprogram.org/2020/07/how-special-

education-teachers-can-find-a-support-network/.

“National Association of Special Education Teachers: Overview of NASET.” Www.naset.org,

2022, www.naset.org/about-naset/overview-of-naset.

“Special Education - Specialized Programs (ca Dept of Education).” Www.cde.ca.gov,

www.cde.ca.gov/sp/se/.

“Special Education: History, Resources, Advice.” Western Governors University, 9 Jan. 2020,

www.wgu.edu/blog/special-education-history-resources-advice2001.html#close.

Woodward, John, and Herbert Rieth. “A Historical Review of Technology Research in Special

Education.” Review of Educational Research, vol. 67, no. 4, 1997, p. 503,

https://doi.org/10.2307/1170519.