Using ICT to Improve the Education of Students with Learning Disabilities

The potential of Information and Communications Technology in all forms of education has been well demonstrated. In this paper we examine how ICT can improve the education of students with learning disabilities (LD). We will begin by examining the nature of learning disabilities and discussing the different approaches to schooling for students with LD. Learning models have evolved over recent years in response to many factors including the advent of technology in education. This is particularly important in this arena where technology can make a significant difference to educating these students, but only if it is used appropriately. The paper then looks at a case study of use of ICT in a school catering for students with LD. 1 Children with Learning Disabilities The term Learning Disability (LD) is used to refer to any retardation, disorder, or delayed development in one or more of the processes of speech, language, reading, writing, arithmetic, or other school subjects resulting from a psychological handicap caused by a possible cerebral dysfunction and/or emotional or behavioural disturbances [1-3]. Learning disabilities are not the result of mental retardation, sensory deprivation, or cultural and instructional factors [4]. Sometimes the alternative term Special Needs is used in regard to education of children, but this term can, however, refer to many different things spanning both physical and mental needs. In this paper we will refer to children with the particular type of special need resulting from learning disabilities. Over the years a number of LD definitions have been proposed, but none has emerged as an unequivocal favourite [5]. Presently, the two definitions enjoying the greatest support are the legislative definition found in the Individuals with Please use the following format when citing this chapter: Adam, T. and Tatnall, A., 2008, in IFIP International Federation for Information Processing, Volume 281; Learning to Live in the Knowledge Society; Michael Kendall and Brian Samways; (Boston: Springer), pp. 63–70. Tas Adam and Arthur Tatnall Disabilities Education Act [6] and the one proposed by the National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities [7], which is a consortium of representatives from organisations interested in LD. A more recent definition comes from the Learning Disabilities Association of Canada [8] who define Learning Disabilities as: “a number of disorders which may affect the acquisition, organization, retention, understanding or use of verbal or nonverbal information. These disorders affect learning in individuals who otherwise demonstrate at least average abilities essential for thinking and/or reasoning. As such, learning disabilities are distinct from global intellectual deficiency.” The Association suggests that learning disabilities result from impairments in one or more processes related to perceiving, thinking, learning or remembering, and include language processing; phonological processing; visual spatial processing; processing speed; memory and attention; and executive functions [3]. They go on to note that LD varies in severity and may interfere with the acquisition and use of oral language, reading, written language and mathematics [8]. The prevalence of LD in Australia is around 10-15% of students at the primary levels, and is still significant at the secondary level at 5-10% [9-11]. These figures show a similar rate to the USA and other countries [7]. A significant issue that has concerned many education authorities around the world is whether students with learning disabilities should receive their education in mainstream classrooms or in some form of special schools. A number of researchers support the view that students with LD require an alternative approach to their learning, while others claim that it is best to integrate these students with mainstream classes [12]. While many integration and remedial programs have proved ineffective for this group of students [1]. The literature shows that in some selected fields, such as mathematics and social studies, specialist instruction has had little success [13-15]. Overall however, there is considerable evidence to support the view that of separate schools should exist for students with learning disabilities [16]. 2 ICT and Education of Students with Learning Disabilities Many studies over the last 30 years have shown that technology can play a significant role in any work with specific disadvantaged groups such as the blind and those with movement disabilities. It can do so in the provision of media to facilitate communication and education [17], but also in other learning. Studies have also investigated how information and communications technologies (ICT) can influence the education of students with LD and have shown that this technology can play an important and useful role [18, 19]. Over the last few years the Victorian government has begun to place considerable emphasis on the importance and availability of ICT for students with LD [2]. At a seminar in 2005 the Minister reiterated a major policy to support Victoria schools in various ways so that students would enhance their learning and employability position prospects. This was also to apply to students with LD [20]. Also in recognition of the potential role of ICT the Australian Commonwealth Government has recently announced a plan to equip every senior school student with a laptop computer. 64 Using ICT to Improve the Education of Students with Learning Disabilities Schunck and Nielsson [21] outline three stages in the use of technology in education. This stage (Figure 1) is the paradigm of the verbal tradition (what Schunck and Nielsson call the paradigm of the past), that is characterised by a verbal flow of information streaming from the teacher directly to the students [2].