Article # 2

Using iPads With Students With Disabilities: Lessons Learned from Students, Teachers, and Parents.

By:Cathi Draper Rodriguez, Iva Strnadova & Therese Cumming

The authors of this article did a great job of presenting the benefits of incorporating mobile device into daily teaching practices. Devices such as iPads, ipods, and smartphones are a one-shop-stop that include all the tools students need for the classroom. Not only do they provide writing and reading features, but also calculators, cameras, video, and endless app possibilities.  

One issue I have always been concerned about is actually having the resources available to use technology in the classroom and have enough for everyone. Each year our school boards are forced to slash their budgets and pinch pennies, making it difficult to invest in an expensive endeavour such as equipping schools with mobile devices. My school board, just as the authors, encourage students to BYOD, "bring your own device" to school. This allows for an increase in mobile tech in the classroom without the expense. One flaw however is that personal devices are geared for games and private messaging, which has been a problem at my school yet it has been manageable.

Rodriguez, Strnadova, and Cumming argue students can advance more quickly when using a mobile device as opposed to being teacher-led. In one study, they investigated the the app Language Builder with 30 students diagnosed with a language-based disability. The study was successful in demonstrating that students who were using the app made more gains than those who were not using it.

I like the fact the author included the perspectives of teachers and parents within the article as well. I think sometimes as teachers we can feel isolated at times, and do not have an idea of how what we do in our classrooms impacts our students at home. It was nice to read the perspectives from parents, to know that they have seen an increase in engagement, their children are more independent, and that they have seen a positive shift in their children's behaviour.

What I thought was most useful were the suggestions on how to make the transition to having mobile devices in your classroom as easy as possible. They have six recommendations:

1. Planning for mobile technology in your classroom ~ when, where, how...
2. Choose apps wisely ~ make the best choice for our students' needs.
3. Bulk buying apps ~ if possible, buy helpful accessories to assist with syncing and charging devices (very expensive!)
4. Professional development ~ In order to implement it, teachers must be comfortable using it.
5. School-home communication/collaboration ~ Essential for meeting the needs of each child, parents know their child best.
6. Transition between environments ~ The mobility of these devices are perfect for diverse environments, especially for students using a device for AAC purposes.