Technologies helping disabled children in school

One of the articles that I like the most is 'The AuRoRa Project: Robots as Educational and Therapeutic 'toys' for autistic children' posted by Karen Triquet (Novwember 17th, 2012). I tried to search for similar topics dedicated to disabled children and their needs, and here is what I found. The article is called ' Technology as Prosthetic: Opening New Educational Doors for Disabled Childre' by Withrow F.B. (2011). It describes innovative ways of making deaf, blind, cerebral palsied and mentally challenged people feel the world in its true and open meaning.

Functioning Principle

According to Withrow F.B. (2011), signs, codes, speech and language begin in the average baby very early. Children send special signal (cry) to their mothers, by which she can understand the need of a baby (wet, hungry, ill, etc.). When a need is accomplished, a baby stops sending any signal or change it for another one. In case of disabled children, this process goes a bit harder and functions in a different way, that is why prosthetic devices come into account.

For example, for blind children it is necessary to lean on auditory communication skills; whereas, cerebral palsied children develop receptive communication skills. Technology as a prosthetic device opens new educational doors for amny disabled children. A cochlear implant enables a deaf child if it works to develop almost normal speech and language.

Computer aided speech gives a severely paralyzed individual an opportunity to hear him/herself. For blind, there are special assistive technologies: computer screens with text can change the type and brightness that make it possible for some visually impaired learners to read.

References:

Withrow F.B. (2011). Technology as a Prosthetic: Opening New Educational Doors for Disabled Children. A journal for educational technology&change. Retrieved May 20, 2011 from http://etcjournal.com/2011/05/20/8508/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajD8BeVgSJQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILaUx7BJ4rO