How Technology Can Bridge the Gap for the LD learner

How Technology Can Bridge The Gap For The LD Learner.

I am a strong advocate for using the right tool for the right job. For kids who have learning differences, the right tool is essential to demonstrate full understanding of learning. Educators often see technology as THE tool to support students in their learning, yet often it is an option that is provided without understanding why the tool is needed, and worse, how to use it for a specific task. Let's take "The Essay" as an example - it's a common final product that most every student is asked to complete at least once in their school career. For kids who have challenges in reading and writing, it's not enough to plunk an electronic device down and say "There you go! This will help you write your essay!" and then walk away. Students need to know WHY they would even want to use technology to write it - in fact, many students with learning differences push back and refuse to use the tech at all, claiming it's easier or faster to write it out by hand.

As teachers we need to give kids the WHY behind the tech tool. There are many technologies available (Google Extensions being one of my all time favourites) that are considered assistive and understanding why we have chosen the technology for a specific job is more helpful than the technology on its own. In our Essay example, a voice to text/text to voice technology can be useful - buy why? What is it about that tool that will make the job efficient for the student who struggles with reading and writing? For one thing, students can dictate their ideas - but is that helping them learn to write an essay? Not really. So why not use text to voice as an editing tool? And why not have the entire class use the read back feature to edit so everyone can hear their grammatical and spelling errors, or to hear run on sentences, or lack of sentence fluency. The tool is there to be used to enhance a specific skill. In our essay example then, the technology doesn't help the student write the essay - it helps them develop editing skills to develop their voice and to share their understanding of the learning in an intelligent way.

Teachers need to think about the skills they want students to build. In writing an essay, skill sets include organization, research, citations, bibliographies, editing, and building an argument - to name a few. For each of these skills, there is a technology that can assist all students, and especially those with learning differences, in producing their thinking.

My experience as an educator in special education has led me to understanding that most times, kids know more than they can demonstrate - especially kids with learning differences.

• Kids have lagging skills in various areas (executive functioning)
• Learning Differences (Reading, Writing, Math)
• Cognitive Deficits ( e.g. Processing, Memory, Perceptual Reasoning)
• Social Emotional Issues due to home life or from peers 
• Attention Issues ( ADD/ADHD)
• Mental Health Concerns - Anxiety

Take a look at the list above and picture your classroom. Ask yourself - who's left? A teacher has a variety of levels of learners in one room so how can one person support all the learning needs?  

Enter assistive technology:  The function of technology is to use it purposeful ways to navigate the learning process.  In other words, you need the right tool for the job at hand. 

Technology can help level the playing field for all types of learners.

Note the positioning of the teacher in the photo above. She positions herself as a learning partner  alongside the kids. The teacher doesn't need to be a tech expert to use the tool, she only needs to facilitate the learning - and that learning can include understanding the technology itself. This idea is foreign for teachers who are used to being subject experts and are uncomfortable not knowing how to do something as they use it in practice. However, isn't this the essence modeling learning? A classroom of learners should include the teacher as a learner, and it's amazing when the classroom is an environment that supports learning at all levels. The beauty of technology is that it can be used for everyone. What may be necessary for some (learners who learn differently), can be good for all.

Technology can remove systemic barriers and allow everyone to participate equitably. The illustration below is my favourite way to highlight the idea that fair does not mean equal. The picture on the left is what being fair looks like - but being fair doesn't work. The middle picture is what differentiation looks like. It is equitable, and it works well enough. The picture on the right reflects Universal Design for Learning (UDL). Remove the barrier and everyone can participate in the game. This is important for kids with learning differences who absolutely do not want to be centered out for being different than anyone else. Again, what is necessary for some, is good for all.

When we choose the right tech tool for the job, we need to think about it's purpose. The SAMR model helps us decide what it is we want for students, and what kind of technology would be helpful. Have a quick peek at the video link describing SAMR here.

Once you have purposefully chosen your reason to use technology, you can begin to look at choosing the right tool for the job. Remember: It's not about the app, it's about pedagogy. The Padagogy wheel helps us choose that tool - in fact - Teach Thought's article from August 2016, titled The Padagogy Wheel - It's not the about the App, it's about the PADAGOGY explains beautifully how the wheel works and why it is important.

At the end of the day, what we want for our students is to know who they are as learners, to be efficient, and resilient. We can model how to do this for students if we help kids choose the right tool for the job. Once they know how to do that, they can independently navigate and problem solve their world.