Technology Gives Special Education Students a Voice

Caitlin McConnell sits at her desk at and answers some questions on a worksheet. But McConnell doesn’t write her answers down with a pen. 

Because McConnell has trouble speaking and writing, she types them out on a computer screen.

McConnell is one of several special education students in the Wayne School District who utilizes either an iPad, laptop, or other personalized technology to communicate and learn. It is the first year the district is using iPads.

“Using technology like this fosters independence and that’s what we want for all of our children, regardless of what grade they are in,” said Jill Troisi, a physical therapist and member of the school district’s Assistive Technology Team.

“We would rather provide students with a device than send them out of district to a private institution.”

Sending a child out of district to receive specialized instruction can cost tens of thousands of dollars a school year, but assistive technologies often cost a fraction of that. But the solution isn’t just to purchase iPads for every student who needs specialized instruction.

“It’s not as easy as just purchasing an iPad,” Troisi said. “You need to see how the child sits when the device is in front of them. At what angle does it have to be? Is their posture correct? You have to look at the entire child.”

Students also use pens that scan text and read it back to them.

Giving Students a Voice

In many cases, such technology has literally given a voice to those students who have none.

McConnell used her specialized word processing program on her laptop to create an essay about going trick or treating with her sister. The words were hers. Someone else did not select them for her. She had only been working with the program for a few weeks before completing the assignment.

“There wasn’t a dry eye in the classroom when that essay was read,” Troisi said. “It was incredible.”

Julianne Burke suffers from multiple disabilities. The 9-year-old is a non-verbal communicator, but thanks to a device called Maestro she is able to tell others exactly what she wants. The device displays pictures that Burke selects. A voice informs her of the choice she made, providing feedback. Custom pictures can be added to suit a user’s desires. A piece of plastic with holes cut in it rests on top of the screen, allowing Burke to easily select the option she wants.

“She is able to let us know exactly what she wants. It gives her a feeling of control and she’s shown us that she has so much potential,” said Felicia Burke, Julianne’s mother. “Now we know what she wants and she knows that we hear her.”

Devices such as Maestro have made life easier on Felicia and her family. It gives her peace of mind as well. The devices cost about $7,500 each. About 10 students in various grades are using one.

“We know that she will use other methods to communicate, but she’ll always need this device,” Julianne said. “It’s very comforting to know that she’ll have a voice for the rest of her life. To hear her call ‘mommy’ is amazing. Those are her words. She’s able to communicate with us now.”

Jacob Villari, a 13-year-old at George Washington Middle School, uses an iPad every day. He is able to use programs to answer questions and increase his vocabulary, which has led him to articulate what he wants using more complex sentences.

“He is able to communicate more of what he is thinking and feeling. When he was younger I would always worry that he never would be able to tell me what he really wants,” Villari’s mother Alyssa said.

Alyssa said that the increased ability to communicate “means everything,” both to Villari and his family.

“I used to feel so bad because so often we didn’t know exactly what he wanted,” she said. “Now he doesn’t have to eat what we think he wants to eat or do what we think he wants to do. He has more control over his life now.”

Students also use popular dictation applications like Dragon to give their words life.

Empowerment

Catherine Fredericks, a speech language specialist and another member of the technology team, said that empowering students to use their strengths to learn rather than fix their weaknesses is something that assistive technology offers.

“More than anything, that’s what assistive technology allows us to do,” Fredericks said.

Troisi agrees.

“Instead of struggling to write a few words, she can compose them on the computer in a fraction of the time,” Troisi said, referring to McConnell. “The technology allows her to tap her potential in a way that writing simply can’t.”

In addition to training the students on how to use the technology, the team, now in its second year of existence, also works with teachers, families, and paraprofessionals on a regular basis.

“The technology school districts use is only going to continue to advance,” Fredericks said. “And there’s no eventual limit to what can happen.”

Troisi asked McConnell if she enjoys using her laptop. McConnell smiled and said "yes."