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eLearning Series: Learning Disabilities
The Bottom Line On Learning Disabilities
( 50 articles in this series )
Compensating
for a Learning Disability:
Pros and Cons
A
recent trend in special education, rehabilitation, and
technology is the development and implementation of assistive
technology (AT) devices and services. These assist individuals
in compensating for learning and/or physical disabilities.
AT devices and services have many benefits for individuals
with learning disabilities in regards to life span issues,
environmental and academic accessibility, and compensatory
strategies. Faculty members in higher education who are responsible
for designing teacher preparation programs in LD must explore
ways to structure curriculum to better prepare teachers to
work with students who use AT devices to compensate for their
specific learning disabilities. There are many pros to these
devices as the users will say, but many outsiders thing that
these same pros are cons.
The
idea of someone relying on an outside tool for some is
not believed as true learning. If one must have to use the
instruction of computer technology to get the answer to a math
problem of talk into a microphone to write a paper how is that
learning? Many non-disabled people will argue that knowing
what the words writing, reading, and arithmetic are is not
enough. One should be capable of doing work with out the help
of computers and other devices that “do” the work for the person.
If a non-disabled student has to do the work on paper to be
labeled competent in that subject, then how does another student
use a computer to do the work and that is labeled competent
as well. At that vantage point it is the non-disabled student
who is at a disadvantage. A computer is always right. It can
spell correctly and do a math problem in no time flat. How
can one access this to a child who is doing things out long
hand? Many people with out a learning disability can argue
that both groups of children should be classified and tested
separately.
For
those who suffer from a learning disability, this is not
the actual story. In to order work the devices that they are
rendered, they must know how to use them. For learning disabled
persons this is not an easy thing. This is just one more concept
that will take time and countless effort to master. Many of
the computer programs are very sensitive. If the person using
the program cannot plug in the data correctly the answer will
be wrong. The learning disabled student must know about how
to organize and structure their work for it to come out correct.
Without the device the student would not be capable of comprehending
what is being done. A learning disability is a neurological
problem inside the brain that effects what the person can perceive
and understand. A simple program can help these people know
what they are doing even if they are not coordinated to write
it physically out. It can be argued that the concept has been
perceived in order to get the data where it belonged to get
to the proper answer.
There are several reasons why assistive
technology enhances the lives of disabled students. It is just more than getting
a right answer. It is about self-confidence, social acceptance,
and feeling good about oneself. To be able to do the things
so-called normal kids can do allows the disabled child to feel
normal for a moment. Everyday is a struggle; they have to work
much harder to get just the most basic concepts. These children
have motor skill issues that can make them clumsy and awkward,
which is embarrassing to them. Having adaptive equipment helps
these children better express themselves with out frustration
and having a melt down. This also removes the problems with
gaps in communication that can make them lose friends or not
be able to understand lessons that are being taught. Assistive
technology is not a way to “cheat” or get away with not learning.
It is a tool for all activities of daily living. One must have
the concepts down in order to use the technology as it was
designed. This takes time, therapy, and severe determination
to succeed. It is frustrating and depressing for many student.
But is this assistive equipment that has allowed them to win
and be a part of the world. This will enable the learning disabled
to persevere in the world and live a healthy productive life.
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by SolveYourProblem.com
: 2006
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