Perhaps you are a teacher who is new to the field of special education or perhaps you are already a seasoned special education teacher who finds the new-fangled technologies a little bit confusing. But the special education teacher has to be dynamic and learn these new computer features and accessories. After knowing about them, the teacher can make informed decisions about which computer features will be useful for the students’ particular needs. Since you are already reading this article, we assume that you are one of those dynamic teachers. Therefore, this article presents a preview of the new features.
First, it is important to remember that from the user’s point of view, a computer has three parts. These are the input, the processing, and the output.
Input
The usual input devices of computers are the alpha-numeric keyboard and the mouse. The keyboard is easy-to-use for regular students, even if they never underwent any typing course. The use of the mouse is also instinctive if the user has no physical or neural issues with the hand. Unfortunately, the students with physical and mental disorders need a different set of input devices. Some of them are the following:
- Alternate keyboards – These are keyboards that have modifications. The keys are usually larger and fewer. But there are also additional functional keys that will make its use more convenient for those who have physical disabilities.
- Joysticks – Instead of a mouse, the special student can use a joystick. The joystick is more sturdy and a full grasp of the hand. An alternative to the joystick are switches so that the special student can simplify the navigation around the computer screen.
- Pointing devices – For special students who have very limited movement, pointing devices, especially that of the optical variety, are very useful. Pointing devices can be eradicated if the computers have touch screens.
- Voice recognition – For those who could not move the arms and fingers or for the visually impaired, the computer may have a voice recognition software. It is similar to the technology used in the GPS systems in today’s cars.
Processing
The processing part of the computer might be the least understood but also the easiest to use by the special education teacher. The first thing to do is to install all the needed software, such as the reading comprehension program and the writing composition program. The computer should also have writing enhancement tools such as spell checkers and grammar checkers. And the second thing to do is to use the Access Utilities of the computer. The teacher can click on the Control Panel and then choose Accessibility. From this window, the teacher can choose options that are suitable for the special student.
Output
The usual computer output is the monitor screen. The special student with visual impairment will have difficulty dealing with this output. The alternatives that are available are the Braille display and embosser (if the student knows how to read Braille), the screen enlarger, the screen reader, and the speech synthesizer.