COMPUTER ASSISTED INSTRUCTION FOR PRESCHOOLERS WITH DISABILITIES
Dr. Joy V. McGehee
Northwestern State University of Louisiana
Web Posted on: December 12, 1997
The purpose of this presentation is to acquaint participants with computer software programs useful in preschools and to demonstrate assistive devices and peripherals which assist in making software accessible to preschoolers with disabilities. Systems for matching children's present levels of computer performance with appropriate software will be demonstrated. Resources for obtaining samples and evaluations of software will be shared.
P.L. 99-457 " Early Childhood Education" (1986) and P.L. 100-407 "Technology Related Assistance to Individuals with Disabilities" (1988) combine to provide a clear public mandate to provide technological assistance to preschool age children. Research, although sparse in this area, is pointing to clear benefits of matching children with disabilities with appropriate assistive technologies as early in their lives as possible. Project "Activating Children Through Technology"(ACTT) located at Western Illinois University is a premier project in the United States for exploring assistive technology use with young children with disabilities. Project ACTT's 1994 Report to the U.S. Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services concluded that, after a two year study examining applications of assistive technology with young children, "assistive technology has positive effects on children's development even when they have significant difficulties ,,, and children were able to use technology tools to accomplish tasks they would otherwise have not been able to do because of the severity of their disabilities. Improvement in social and emotional development was also related to technology use."
Computer assisted instruction also is proving to be helpful in remediating the types of language and cognitive delays evidenced by children who are "at risk" for school failure. In one 27 week study, preschool children demonstrated significant gains in general intelligence, verbal skills, problem solving, long- term memory, complex manual dexterity, and self-esteem when exposed to developmental software." (Haugland, 1992)
There can be little doubt that properly used assisted technologies are potentially of great benefit to preschool age children. The plethora of software on the market makes it difficult for teachers and parents to keep up with the most useful applications for their children. Many preschool classrooms have computers which sit unused or unuseful. Information provided in this workshop will allow teachers and parents an opportunity to view and interact with some of the most widely used software and peripherals for preschoolers and will provide a structure for the use and evaluation of these teaching tools.
Participants will use (or observe) several preschool software packages and such assistive peripherals as switches, touch screens, Intelli Keys, and overlays. Touch screens are useful in classrooms for preschoolers who are not able to control the movement of a mousse. They may use their fingers or a specially designed touch pen to "point to" and select objects on their monitor. Many "overlays" are appropriate for use with preschool children and are proving useful for the development of cooperative play. For example, one child who is able to manipulate a mouse might select objects to visit while another child, who can only press with his hand, using an overlay, can turn the pages of the software.
Participants, also, will see methods for selection of appropriate software and technologies for use in school or at home for preschool age children with disabilities. Many preschoolers with disabilities initially will not understand that pushing a button (switch or other peripheral) will cause some thing to happen. This is a deficit in the area of "cause and effect." There are several software alternatives which focus specifically on the instruction of cause and effect. A further problem for children with disabilities might be in the area of "scanning" from left to right. Software which teaches scanning will be demonstrated.
This workshop is divided into four sections;
- 1. Development of a rationale for use of computers in preschool classrooms and a discussion of the "State of the Art" relative to assistive technology use for young children with disabilities. Participants will learn ways to include computers in learning centers for use in a "play-based" curriculum.
- 2. Information on how to obtain samples and evaluation of software via the "World Wide Web" and lists of sources for obtaining appropriate technologies.
- 3. Demonstration of a system for ascertaining a child's level of performance with regard to computer use and discussion of beginning software programs which teach basic computing skills (for example, learning about cause and effect) and
- 4. a demonstration of approximately 12 preschool software packages (for PCs and Macs) and several assistive peripherals. Each program will be discussed with regard to its applicability in teaching developmentally appropriate skills.
The content presented in this workshop was developed throughout the course of a Louisiana State funded project entitled CATS (Computer Assisted Technology for Students). The funds were awarded to Northwestern State University of Louisiana to provide a model demonstration project and teacher training center for preschool assistive technologies. Extensive literature reviews, visits to nationally recognized preschools utilizing assistive technologies, consulting with experts in the field, providing "hands on" training to many north Louisiana preschool teachers, and applied single subject research in classrooms have all contributed to the knowledge base and information contained in this presentation.
Research has demonstrated the advantages to children with disabilities of computer assisted instruction in preschool classrooms and at home. Actual classroom use of software and assistive devices is limited and sporadic in most preschools. Many teachers do not understand either the applications of software or the need for teacher structure and input during a child's activities with a computer. This session serves as a link, in the area of computer assisted technologies, between research and recommended practices, and the preschool classroom.
References
Haugland, S.W. (1992). The Effect of Computer Software on Preschool Children's Developmental Gains. Journal of computing in childhood education, 3, 15-30.
Project ACTT - Activating Children Through Technology. (1994). State of Practice : How Assistive Technologies Are Used in Educational Programs of Children with Multiple Disabilities. A Final Report to the U.S. Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.