ADAPTING TECHNOLOGY FOR GROUP-BASED LEARNING TO INCLUDE AND DELIVER INSTRUCTION TO CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES

THIS PROJECT WILL INVESTIGATE CHANGES REQUIRED TO MODIFY THEDISCOURSE EDUCATIONAL COMMUNICATION SYSTEM TO ENHANCE INSTRUCTION FOR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES. THE DISCOURCE SYSTEM IS A CLASSROOM COMMUNICATION SYSTEM DESIGNED FOR GROUP LEARNING SETTINGS. THE SYSTEM PROVIDES STUDENTS WITH FULL KEYBOARD RESPONSE DEVICES (INCLUDING ONE LINE DISPLAYS)CONNECTED TO A COMPUTER AT A TEACHING STATION. THE COMPUTERAND SOFTWARE PERMIT THE TEACHER TO COLLECT AND MONITOR RESPONSES FROM ALL STUDENTS. SOFTWARE ALSO PROVIDES FOR FEEDBACK, RECORDKEEPING AND THE USE AND CONTROL OF MULTIMEDIA OPTIONS SUCH AS SLIDES, GRAPHICS AND VIDEO. THISPROJECT PROPOSES TO MODIFY AND ADAPT THIS TECHNOLOGY TO BETTER ACCOMODATE THE NEEDS OF CHILDREN WITH PHYSICAL AND INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES. MORE SPECIFICALLY, PHASE I WILL INVESTIGATE THE NATURE OF AND TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS FOR THEMODIFICATION OF: THE KEYBOARD AND DISPLAY OF STUDENT RESPONSE ENTRY DEVICE, THE DISPLAY OF STUDENT INFORMATION FOR THE TEACHER, THE TYPE, PRODUCTION, AND CONTROL OF DISPLAYS FRO PRESENTATION MEDIA, THE GENERATION OF MEANINGFUL AND READABLE STUDENT PERFORMANCE REPORTS FOR ONGOING INSTRUCTIONAL MANAGEMENT, THE CONTENT AND DISPLAY OF PERFORMANCE FEEDBACK TO STUDENTS. PHASE I WILL ALSO INVESTIGATE THE COMPONENTS AND STRUCTURE OF MODULES SPECIALLY DESIGNED TO ACCOMMODATE INSTRUCTION TO THE NEEDS OF DISABLED STUDENTS INCLUDING REAL TIME CAPTIONING, MEDIATED INSTRUCTIONAL MODULES AND USER INTERFACE VARIABLES.THE RESULTS OF PHASE I WILL BE A DOCUMENT REPORTING ON 1) THE NATURE OF TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS FOR AND COST OF HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE MODIFICATIONS TO THE DISCOURSE SYSTEM,AND, 2) THE COMPONENTS AND STRUCTURE OF INSTRUCTION DESIGNEDTO INCLUDE AND ACCOMMODATE THE LEARNING NEEDS OF DISABLED CHILDREN. PHASE II WILL DEVELOP AND TEST PROTOTYPES OUTLINED IN THE RESULTS OF PHASE I. THIS PROJECT HAS SIGNIFICANT POTENTIAL TO PROVIDE A VARIETY OF PHYSICALLY ANDINTELLECTUALLY DISABLED CHILDREN ACCESS TO QUALITY INSTRUCTION THAT ACCOMMODATES TO THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF EACH LEARNER IN AN INTEGRATED CLASSROOM CONTEXT. THIS IS CURRENTLY A MAJOR PROBLEM IN EDUCATION AND THEREFORE SUCH TECHNOLOGY IS EXPECTED TO BE A SUCCESSFUL COMMERCIAL ENTERPRISE.