The Impact of Assistive Technologies as Learning and Teaching Essay Example for Free

The relate of Assistive Technologies as Learning and T sever eachying Essaytraditional schoolrooms in which the t all(prenominal)er delivered content by standing before a class of savants, patiently waiting to be filled, over often like empty vessels, hasten long been noned for their inhithernt shortf every(prenominal)s in meeting the cognitive and developmental needs of each of the range of students in their cargon. Research has proven that such methods do non compute effectively to the benefit of all unwrapers in a schoolroom beca manipulation each learner has wearicular cognitive needs that may not be met in such a website. Theorists as recent as Howard Gardner with his multiple intelligence theory in 1989 have emphasized the point that no devil electric shaverren learn in the same.The implication of this is that the teacher has to incorporate a variety of belief strategies, tools, helpers and other facilities in the schoolroom in order to provide the stude nts with the best possible education milieu. Moreover the challenges that students with disabilities face be in themselves several, thus it is an added strain for them to attempt to cope with traditional teaching and teaching methodology. For each child in the general education remains, that even more so for these special learners, instructional modes have to be adjusted to cater for the ad hoc needs of each learner if the overall curriculum goals are to be achieved.The exercising of Assistive Technologies (AT) in the classroom contributes to processions in the transaction and motivation of students across champaign areas. Assistive Technology refers to the range of equipment and products that a teacher underside introduce to the teaching learning situation as a dream ups of improving the capabilities of students with disabilities. Such technologies are numerous.Non electronic equipment such as conceive of and alphabet boards, as well as light pointers, can be introdu ced to the special needs classroom (Beck, 2002). Technological advancements have facilitated the development of a number of software packages that can be utilize to extension the resources that the teacher al bear witnessy designs in the classroom. Speech synthesis and vox recognition software and other open specific software that have been created for handling in the classroom are intentful tools that have the potential, when use appropriately and effectively to enhance the classroom environment.In this paper reference will be make to several specific searches that have examined the usefulness of Assistive Technologies in the general education classroom. Since most of the question was necessarily specific to students with special needs, they bear consider adequate to(p) relevance to meeting the needs of these specific students.The findings could, however, be easily used in a multicultural classroom where learners are of varying physical and cognitive abilities even if thei r disabilities are not extensive. Armed with the k right offledge of these helpful technologies teachers have the potential to transform their classrooms into an environment that caters for the specific needs of all students, whether those needs come in the form of physical disabilities, cognitive, social, mental or other peculiar needs. In this paper a number of researches conducted on the impact of the use of helpful engine room in the classroom would be lay outed.The research discussed initially will highlight how in one(a) classroom a teacher created material with the aid of several helpful engine room tools and demonstrate the intermin commensurate possibilities for their usage in the classroom. A further research will be more specific to the advantages of utilize individual personal reckoners in the classroom.Further research will demonstrate how this tool and other helpful technology, used along with other medium can better learners literacy ( development, write and speaking) and numeracy (geometry) skills. Additional research into the tools introduced into the classroom for dickens other specific worst areas (social studies and environmental science) will be discussed. The result of examining these researches will testify that the use of helpful technology in the classroom does in incident contribute most-valu commensurately to let outments in learners performance and motivation.The research that Beck (2002) discusses follows the progress of triad-year-old students in the Preschool Education Program. The ten students observed in this case paper demonstrated various physical and cognitive shortcomings. Multiple assistive technologies were used to help develop the literacy skills of these students and allowed them to move into in polar learning activities eventually leading to improved performance (Beck, 2002).Beck (2002) beseechs that students with disabilities have more problem meeting their goals in literacy skills than ot her students in the general education system. To facilitate easier interaction in the classroom specific assistive technology tools were created and employed by the classroom teacher. One of the send-off day-after-day classroom activities is modified employ a piece of software a figure of speech communication schedule. This shows the students a ascertain and scripted text of its meaning. This approach facilitated students class period as they were adequate to(p) to associate the rowing with the object depicted.The second type of assistive technology was implemented at the language learning center. split up books for reading were modified and recreated into fib boards. These flooring boards were placed in the classroom. Students could independently follow the book by examining the pictures created to match specific speech. The creation of the picture boards was facilitated through the computer software Overlay Maker (Beck 2002).The BIGmack technology was as well used. T his allowed students to participate in host reading activities by replaying pre planmed phrases from the book being read, composition the equaliser of the class read aloud (Beck, 2002). Additionally through the use of Intellipics the teacher recreated stories from the class book by utilise pictures that include sound and animation when selected. Students were permitted five-minute rotations at a computer to practice recognition and reading independently as facilitated by the Intellipics plan.Beck (2002) gives a broad appraisal of students attitude and performance prior to using these technologies. She notes that before, students were not engaged effectively in the reading corner as they just browsed through books, reservation little attempt to read the pages. She observed that improved interest in reading is the most real and pleasing result of the debut of the assistive technologies.The success of the introduction of these equipments in the classroom, though not excessivel y extensive is, neertheless, informative. Evaluation of the effectiveness of the use of assistive technology in this classroom was done to begin with in the form of observations, checklists and informal teacher observations. Following a rubric, students were rated on their ability to activate the bruise on the BIGMack when appropriate, their ability to name and identify a picture symbol or point to a picture after hearing its corresponding cry.The results showed that approximately 90% of the students activated the BIGMack switch and 80% were able to satisfactorily match picture to word. A similar 80% of students were able to correctly name the picture symbols (Beck, 2002). This clearly shows a portentous gain in student performance when the assistive technology was used. though these observations were not very scientific they still give a good impression.Computer-Assisted breeding (CAI) has become an important element in todays classroom environment. This type of instruction is becoming a of import assistive technology tool when enhancing student learning in various slip areas. It mustiness here be noted that most schools in the United States have a form of CAI in the classroom.The condition presented by Boling Martin (2002), sought to determine the effects of CAI on the development of vocabulary on 21 first browse students from a mid-Atlantic elementary school. Ten boys and eleven girls were involved in this six organize week flying field. These students were determined to be of a low socio- economic status and had limited exposure to educational experiences outside the school. They were in addition of mixed ethnicity, thirteen (13) Caucasians, six (6) African-Americans, one (1) Hispanic and (1) Pakistani.The workplace haphazardly assigned students to one of two radicals. One theme the control convention, had 10 students and the info-based group had 11 students. All students continued to get wind regular reading vocabulary instructio n by their teachers. During their assigned 20 minute drop everything and read (DEAR) course both(prenominal) groups read a total seven pre-selected stories. In the control group the story was first read to the students by the teacher, next they listened to it on tape while following in the story book, and finally they were permitted to read any preferred printed literature after the first two tasks were complete.The experimental group used a computerized story board to explore the story first with each student having introduction to a computer, mouse, keyboard and headphones. Students would read and follow a story independently and where unfamiliar words were met, a diffuse on the word would give its pronunciation. The program used in this psychoanalyze was the WiggleWorks software that offered literacy curriculum base on a combination of speech, sounds, graphics, text and other features. Students were also able to create word banks by clicking on a plus sign and later on dev elop their own stories or sentences using those words (Boling Martin, 2002).Determining the success of one method over the other was dependent on the students performance on vocabulary tests administered before and after the commencement of the theater of operations, regardless of the assistive technology used. The results were examined using both pairs of tests. The results showed meaning(a) positive effect for both groups but students using the assistive technology software showed greater improvement in their ability to remember more vocabulary words. According to Boling Martin (2002), the experimental group gained fundamentally as reflected in the deviation between the mean score for the pre test 3.7 and the post test 16.9. Overall the experimental group benefited to a larger extent than the control group.The use of the computer in the learning corners in the Preschool Education program and the Computer Assisted-Instruction testify to the immutable usefulness of this piece of equipment the computer in the classroom. Acknowledging this fact several laptop immersion programs have been initiated in a number of states across the U.S. including Maine, calcium, and South Carolina.The Microsoft deal caught on to this program in 1996. Report from these immersion programs has suggested that the incorporation of laptops in the general education system not exclusively led to improvements in students motivation but have also shown increase in students participation and in the rate at which they complete scheduled tasks (Bulek Demirtas, 2005).While educators have been arguing around the utility of laptops in the classroom, some people have questioned the degree to which these have contributed to improvements in student performance. A study was conducted at the Harvest Park nerve coach to ascertain what specific impact the use of laptops have on students overall learning, specifically on their individual class places, grade point average, written materia l skills and piles on standardized and other external exams (Bulek Demirtas, 2005).This school participates in the laptop immersion program which involves parents and students first applying and then each parent is require to purchase the laptop for his/her child. In cases where on that point is economic disadvantage there is the option of a one year loan of a laptop subject to application and approval. Training in the use of the computer is provided. Subsequent to that the students use their laptops independently across their specific subject areas to perform any variety of curricula-related tasks such as researching, preparing presentations, typing essays and note-taking.The school, located in Pleasanton, California has approximately 24% of its population enrolled in the program. Their grade levels range from sixth through to 8th. A facsimile of Asians, Filipinos, Whites and Hispanics are enrolled in the program (Bulek Demirtas, 2005).The data smooth from test results of students enrolled in the laptop immersion program as compared to those not involved, shows something pretty impressive. Five categories of grades were store for students in the program over a lead year period and these were pitted against the grades obtained by students not involved in the program. Their end-of-course grades were collected for each subject and from this their G.P.A. was calculated averaging their grades for all courses taken by each student.Grades were also gathered from the district write assessment for the sixth and eighth graders and from the California Standards Tests. For sixth and eighth graders this test is strictly multiple plectron while for the seventh graders a compose test is included. The last set of grades came from a Norm-Referenced Test in which all three grade levels were tested in spelling, language, reading, and mathematics.The data give notice (of)s solid difference in the lots authentic for all these assessments between students involved in the program and those who were not. In the initial year not much distinction existed between grades but subsequently the laptop users began to showed marked distinction in their grades. The grades obtained by both groups for English Language Arts and mathematics showed laptop users had higher GPA scores than non-laptop users. Sixth grade students had a better significant score by 37 points, seventh grade students by 36 points, and eighth grade students by 16 points.The end-of-year grades for these same subject areas showed more A scores and less F scores than non-laptop users (Bulek Demirtas, 2005). There was a very considerable difference at the seventh grade level where students in the immersion program had 16% more As than non-laptop users (Bulek Demirtas, 2005). In the eighth grade, however, there is a slight shift in statistics, non-laptop users actually received 3% more As than laptop users. Overall, 90% of students in the laptop immersion program received a letter B gr ade or performed better in English compared to 79% among the non-laptop users (Bulek Demirtas, 2005).In the district write assessment for sixth and eighth graders, a higher percentage of laptop-using students met or surpassed their grade level expectations by 16% in grade six and 8% in the eighth grade (Bulek Demirtas, 2005). The study showed that students in the laptop program scored more Solid Consistency Scores, 3, than the others. In the state mandated exam, students in the laptop program scored at or above the national average in the mathematics and language arts part of the exam for all grade levels (Bulek Dermitas, 2005). There was considerable difference also in the mathematics sixth grade category where it showed students in the immersion program had a higher percentage by 13 points.The California assessment exam also showed a significantly higher result in the scores of the laptop users compared to the non-laptop users in all grade levels. Bulek Demirtas (2005) reveal that the laptop users scored higher by a difference of 17% in language arts and 18% in mathematics. The results obtained from the study of the Harvest Park Middle school prove that the laptop immersion program had a positive impact on student achievement (Bulek Dermitas, 2005).The potential uses of the laptop in coordination with other software and technological tools therefore present infinite opportunities for the classroom teacher to modify technique and vary delivery strategy so as to fix improved student performance. In a study exploring the use of a word processor for teaching the academic outcomes of students with special needs that had been tested as having pen disabilities, Hetzroni and Shrieber (2004), further add merit to the strain for the use of assistive technology in the classroom. In a case study involving three seventh grade students with report disabilities, the computer word-process program, when used correctly, was proven to be effective in change magnitu de their writing scores.In this study the researchers functioned under the premise that the slow completion of classroom tasks caused by weaknesses in writing skill could be compensated with the use of assistive technology tools. trio male students, aged 12 to 13 were selected for the study ground on their noted learning disabilities and even though they all showed reading scores appropriate to their required age level, it was deald that poor writing skills significantly accounted for their consistent underachievement. They were also required to demonstrate basic keyboarding competence.The study aimed to compare the percentage of spelling and reading errors present in the students massage at the end of each language arts and Bible class, the amount of work completed (by examining the involve number of words written) and overall systemal quality, with and without the use of a computer equipped with word process software. The study was carried out in the two subjects specified a nd was conducted on the basis of two alternating somas. course A (separated further into A1 and A2) covered the period when the students worked independent of the computer and word processing tool.Phase B (separated further into B1 and B2) covered the period when the students were allowed to use a portable computer. The sequence of the program was in-class observation and valuation of each student by the invigilator under phase A1, an intermediary training session for four 45 minute sessions on basic word processing followed, phase B1 was conducted involving in-class observation and paygrade of the impact of the use of the word processing tool on each students performance, in phase A2 the computer was removed and students had to resort to using paper and pencil/pen and then in the final phase B2 the computer was reintroduced.The results of this study proved that the three students improved their writing skills by 5%, reading skills by 3%, organization skills by 30% and decreased errors by 50% (Hetzroni Shrieber, 2004). There was, however, no broad difference in the average number of words the students were able to produce when assist by the word processor (Hetzroni Shrieber, 2004). While the sample used in this study was very small (only three) it is still important. It goes a far way in demonstrating that, because writing difficulties can impact performance, assistive tools catered to the needs of such students could potentially yield improvements in students performance. Even if this is only to a small degree, any improvement in students performance is welcomed. Given that students who have a Learning Disability (LD) have demonstrated significant weaknesses in their writing and reading skills, probably more so than any for any other skill, the use of technology must continue to be integrated in the classroom to assist students with LDs. In a study presented by Zhang Brooks (1993) the benefits of one particular writing assistive technology, called RO BO-Writer is examined. The purpose of this article was to study the effects of ROBO-Writer as a writing tool for students with LDs. The study was conducted over a three calendar month period in a mid-western school and consisted of thirty-three students classified as having a LD. These students included 23 male and ten female students ranging in age from 7.7 to 13.2 years in grades 2 to 6 (Zhang Brooks, 1993). A week prior to the commencement of the study, students were requested to hand-write freely on any topic of interest. From the papers produced, students were matched based on their mechanics, organizational quality and length and placed into groups of three and then further dispersed randomly to form three distinct groups (Zhang Brooks, 1993). The groups were assigned to use three different writing tools over the three month period. One group (MS), used Microsofts al-Quran Processing, the second group (RW), used the ROBO-Writer, and the troika group (CT), used the traditi onal paper-and-pencil writing method (Zhang Brooks, 1993). Assessment of the merits of one method over other would be dependent on the syntactical and linguistic quality of the texts produced by the students irrespective of the particular technology used during the study period.A one-week training in their assigned technology was provided for the students in the MS and RW groups. Three assignments were stipulation initially. All students were required to produce essays on topics of interest, written during normal assigned class writing time lasting for approximately 20 minutes, using their assigned technology. Later the students had to compose and develop a story over the course of 2 weeks using eight twenty minute sessions. A week after completing this assignment they were given a third story to produce in only 20 minutes this time. The final writing assignment was done a month afterward. For this task students worn out(p) 30 minutes writing on a specified topic.Initial observa tion of the students revealed that the MS and CT made little attempt to revise or edit their work before submitting while the RW group were involved in editing their work using the tools available in the software. Assessment of the written work was done by graduate students enrolled in a holistic assessment seminar. The basis of assessment was a modified rubric because the students have learning disabilities (Zhang Brooks, 1993).The results of the study show that the method used to produce the tasks had a significant influence on the overall quality of the written products. The statistical results obtained from correlation of the scores reveal that there was a considerable disparity in the average performances on the last three tasks. Without riddance the students in the RW group received considerably higher scores than those in the MS or CT groups (Zhang Brooks, 1993).The above studies testify to the benefits of using assistive technology in the form of special word processing s oftware, as debate to traditional paper and pen methods particularly for students with learning disabilities. The research discussed by Craddock and Eng (2003) broadens the area by demonstrating that, while assistive technology could be useful, they must be catered to the specific need of each student if they are to be effective. In a study proposing to look at how assistive technology improved students grades and performance, Craddock Eng (2003) provided information on how assistive technology was effectively used in the classroom with students having disabilities.The study was done over a two year period but was not confined to the classroom. Students were also observed in their interaction outside of the classroom setting. There were forty-five students with learning disabilities that participated in the study and more than 25 individuals engaged in evaluating the students during this period of time using different forms of evaluations including formal assessment, observations , and written reports (Craddock Eng, 2003).The students were selected on the basis of their special needs. These students were lacking in assistive technology that could prove beneficial. An initial evaluation was done to assess each students specific need (Craddock Eng, 2003). After evaluation and approval, each student received a specific assistive technology. The range of assistive technology provided to the students included middleman screens, alternate keyboards, Reading/Writing Programs, screen enlargements, and talking processors. Subsequently the study focused on assessing whether or not the selected technology would effectively assist or had no effect on these students performance.Prior performance data was obtained for each student and this later formed the basis for comparison with performance after the introduction of the assistive technology. Later on, according to Craddock Eng (2003), data was collected periodically after students were capable of using the assisted technology. After students became relatively comfortable with using the technology, they were able to use their smart tools to help them improve many an(prenominal) skills in different areas such as reading, writing, and speaking.The students were formally assessed every six weeks. Since students were using different types of assisted technology and were in different classrooms, evaluations took different forms, for example, improvement in interaction was assessed for students with speech problems as they were now able to communicate with the teacher and other students using a talking processor instead of a writing pad. Other students who couldnt write used a Word-Processor program that allowed them to type their answer or message.The evaluation of these students did not only focus on changes in their academic performance. Certain important achievements, not capable of being formally surveyd, such as their bran-new ability to communicate with peers and teachers as never before, were quite evident (Craddock Eng, 2003). The findings concluded that more than two-thirds of the assisted technologies provided allowed students to work, communicate, and interact in the classroom with students and teachers. Students using a talking processor showed improvement particularly in oral exams (Craddock Eng, 2003). Those students using a Word-Processor program were able to communicate with others and increased speed in communication by typing their message.One of the most significant improvements for these students was speed in communication and response (Craddock Eng, 2003). Students using these technologies improved their scores by over 30% because the appropriate technology allowed them to answer correctly and freely. However, some of the findings concluded that some students did not improve in response time or student performance using the talking processor (Craddock Eng, 2003). Some students were able to answer rapidly but their answers were incorrect. This conc luded that even if students had the appropriate assisted technology improvements on exams was not guaranteed. These technologies were able to facilitate and improve interaction, communication, and response time as never before. The study concludes that, besides improvement in their grades and performance, they were also observed to be better able to interact and communicate with others (Craddock Eng 2003).Most of the researches presented so far have focused primarily on the language arts program. This may suggest that assistive technology could only be useful in helping develop language skills. This, of course, is not a true picture. Three further articles expound on research of the use of assistive technology in other subjects areas, specifically social studies, mathematics and environmental science.In Funkhousers (2002/2003) presentation, he points out that Mathematics software is part of the growing demand on assistive technology. A thirty six week study at a large high school a imed to ascertain if student success in geometry could be improved with the introduction of assistive technology. The study aimed to compare effects of a constructivist approach to a behaviorist instructional approach using a mathematics software program as assisted technology (Funkhouser, 2002/2003).Forty nine tenth and eleventh grade student participated in the study including both males and females. apply a normal scheduling process students were divided into two groups. One was the control group and the other was the treatment group. The control group consisted of twenty-seven students and the treatment group contained twenty-two (Funkhouser, 2002/2003).Two different learning environments were created each using different textbooks one employing a constructivist and the other a behaviorist approach. both groups covered the same topics. However, only the treatment group used the Geometry Supposer software as assistive technology.The pre-test and a post-test evaluation of both gr oups, consisting of ten questions pertaining to math attitudes, student approaches, student procedures and geometric calculations performance showed that there was significant improvement in knowledge by the treatment group by a t-test value of 2.06 (Funkhouser, 2002/2003). The results on improving student attitude were not significant between both groups. However, according to Funkhouser (2002/2003), students received significant benefits from constructivist computer-assisted instruction.This next research, discussed by Boon, Burke, Fore Spencer (2006), involves the integration of technology in an effort to enhance learning in social studies classes. The researchers attempted to assess the impact of cognitive organizers, with the integration of technology, Inspiration 6 software, on increasing content-area learning for secondary students with and without disabilities in inclusive social studies classes.There were forty-nine tenth grade students who participated in the study that l asted three weeks. From this group, twenty students were classified as having a learning disability (Boon et al 2006). This school was located in the southeast part of the United States. A general education teacher and two special education teachers participated in the study. The method consisted of comparing a pretest and posttest on the result of cognitive organizers oppose to traditional textbooks. The group of students was separated into two groups classified as a control group and an experimental group. Both groups used the same textbook. In addition to the text book the control group used were involved in group activities, used guided handouts, worksheets, and video presentations.The experimental group used scope computers, disks, guided outlines, reading materials, and Inspiration 6 software (Boon et al. 2006). The teacher in this classroom was also provided with a folder containing presentations, templates, and lesson plans. The teacher also participated in one forty-five minute training on how to use Inspiration software. Students in this group were also trained on using the software and creating outlines, charts, webs, using the voice converter, and converting outlines into a cognitive organizer. This software allowed them to insert photos, sound, graphics, highlight text, change backgrounds.In the experimental group, students were introduced to a new chapter and given a pretest consisting of thirty-five questions. Students were provided with a cognitive organizer for writing the chapters attributes as a class guided activity. When students finished the chapter, they were able to input all the information they wrote in an outline on the Inspiration software. The software allowed students to transform it into a cognitive organizer and diagram (Boon et al. 2006). Using this cognitive organizer, students were able to study the chapters concepts throughout the study. At the end, the teacher administered the posttest with the tiny questions as the pret est.In the control group, the students completed the same pretest as the experimental group. Afterwards, the students read orally as a class discussing the chapters concepts and later completed a ten-question worksheet to review vocabulary, people, and important events (Boon et al. 2006). Throughout the study, students watched videos, completed group activities, and read the chapter various times. At the end, the teacher administered the same posttest as the experimental group. Both tests administered consisted of grading each question using points from zipper to two. The same score procedure was used for students with learning disabilities. The results indicated that prior to the technology intercession no major(ip) significance in scores was found. After the technology interference, a major difference was found as students in the experimental groups scored a mean average of 52.54 compared to the 26.84 of the control group (Boon et al. 2006).Students in the experimental group al so improved their scores between the pretest and posttest by 41 points. Overall the students who use the cognitive organizers performed better that those who just used the traditional textbook instruction. The use of cognitive organizers therefore has the potential to notably improve content-area learning for students with and without disabilities (Boon et al 2006).In the third subject-specific research Chanda, Sharonda Briers (2003) discussed how technology programs implemented in a classroom of economically disadvantage students, including modify, enhanced their performance on the subject of Environmental Science. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effects of classroom strategies involving computer use on the performance of economically disadvantaged students (Chanda, Sharonda, and Briers, 2003). The setting for this study was the Pennsylvania Middle school. There were 311 students ranging from age 11 to 14 years (Chanda et al, 2003). The study was done using a quasi-e xperimental design meaning it included a pre-test, intervention, and post-test (Chanda et al., 2003). Only 249 students were eventually analyzed because the other 62 missed one part of the design. In the pre test the researchers designed a 25 multiple selection exam consisting of questions dealing with Environmental Science, computer skills, and student demographics (Chanda et al, 2003). The post test consisted of 49 multiple choice questions dealing with the same subjects. Students had 30 minutes to complete the items. According to the Chanda et al. (2003), students had a 1 week intervention on Environmental Science using special software that allowed them to work in groups.Students worked in groups but were still tested individually. Students working in concert from two separate stations could take on the economic consumption of driver or navigator. The drivers in each group could control the computer program and all actions. The navigators purpose was to guide the driver in ever ything. The navigator would tell the driver what to click, where to go, and type all answer in the program. However, both students had to jointly decide on the answers working together to complete the assignments (Chanda et al, 2003). The post-test data concluded that students managed to improve their performance on the post-test after the evaluation due to the program based on the driver navigator method (Chanda et al, 2003). What the article fails to detail though is an explanation or depiction of the exact numbers, percentages, or data on their improvement. The students were also evaluated on the basis of gender and this produced significant results.According to the Chanda et al. (2003), when students were sorted by different gender, the males dominated the driver part and would take over the navigator part expectant them less improvement on their post test. Significantly also students in the same gender had a more significant improvement on their post-tests after following the ir proper roles by working together to meet the objectives in the subject areas (Chanda et al, 2003). In conclusion, the special program did enhance their performance on the specific subject areas due to its driver navigator method on doing assignments and projects (Chanda et al, 2003).In their article Cramer Smith (2002) argue that the argument for the use of technology as an assistive tool is not very convincing. While they believe that the integration of technology into the classroom, not as a substitute to the traditional instructional method, but as a way of supporting the teaching learning process is useful, they do not find that there is enough curtilage to support the claims that they impact student performance extensively. In an article Cramer Smith (2002) present the findings of a study assessing the effectiveness of these new forms of learning tools. The research examined whether the use of an innovative program call The Movie roll designed to improve essential lite racy, oral, technology and grammar skills in a fun and excite way makes a impact on students fecund skills.The Movie chuck is a unit of content delivery designed by educators that seeks to have students actively involved in the productive aspects of language. At the beginning of each school year a topic is chosen for a pictorial matter and students in groups prepare a movie script, the best one voted on in class. Between January and April the unblemished class works on producing an eight to ten minute movie, each student vying for positions as actors, producers, photographic camera operators etc. To complete their movie students had access to a variety of technological tools such as camcorders and computers (Cramer Smith, 2002).The research presented by Cramer Smith (2002), compares the performance of students from two schools, one actively involved in The Movie Project called the Movie Project school day, and the other and the other where technology was not integrated into the teaching process called the conventional School. The number of participants was eighty-eight and fifty five students and three and four language arts teachers respectively. Besides their use of The Movie Project teachers were interviewed to discuss their use and integration of technology in various aspects of the classroom. The Movie Project School was thus identified to be the most technological rich school while the tralatitious School had less access to and used technology far as an assistive tool.Writing samples were collected from a randomly selected group of students from both the Movie Project and the Traditional School. Two separate sets of writing samples were collected for each student involved. One was collected at the beginning of the year and the second was collected at the end of the year. All language arts teachers at the two schools participated in the study boot out one in the traditional school because no beginning-of-the-year writing samples were obtained . A total of 148 writing samples were submitted by the language arts teachers, eight were used during the standardization procedure and one had to be discarded. A writing sample represents both the beginning and the end of the year work for each student.Each students paper was scored on the basis of the quality of the development of ideas and how well these ideas are articulated and organized (ideas, organization and voice). For each of these three areas a separate aggregated score was produced for each grade level with the scores for the beginning and the end of the year also separated. At the beginning of the school year the average scores received for students at the Movie School for ideas, organization and voice were 2.89, 2.61 and 2.81 correspondingly with a median of 3.0 across. For the Traditional School the equivalent scores were 2.46, 2.24 and 2.30.The comparative results between beginning-of-year and end-of-year samples for each student and between the Movie School and the Traditional school did not demonstrate any significant changes. The average scores for the end-of-year samples for the Movie School were 3.2 for ideas, 2.93 for organization, and 3.19 for voice. The median was again 3.0. For the Traditional School the mean scores were now 3.28, 3.08 and 2.97 and they too had a mean of 3.0 overall. The argument put forward by Cramer Smith (2002) is clear, there is not enough empirical evidence to conclude that assistive technology dramatically increases students performance. They believe that the lack of success of research into the impact of assistive technology could be because it is very difficult to measure the extent to which assistive technology as uninvolved factors contribute to improvements in students learning. By its very name assistive technology suggests that other traditional methods are employed in the classroom as well.Cramer Smith (2002) argue that a vast number of factors can also mitigate either for or against improvement in st udents performance with the aid of assistive technology. In the research just outlined for example, it was noted that students in the Traditional School for given more writing samples to produce as well as journaling was required at least doubly per week as opposed to only once per week in the Movie School. Additionally, even though in the Traditional School computers were not as prevalent, their students used technology more often than those in the Movie School. The conclusion is that, in order to assess the overall effectiveness of assistive technologies as opposed to the traditional method, other independent variables would have to be removed as these could obscure the results in promote of one position over the other. Too many factors are at work in the classroom for this isolation to be possible.Until such a research becomes possible teachers should not, however discount the use of these technologies in the classroom. The traditional teaching methodology is ever changing and teachers are constantly pressed to develop new ideas and strategies to meet the needs of their students. Even if there is no broad consensus on the overall impact of assistive technology, the task of determining its usefulness for individual students must be left up to the teacher. It is the teacher who interacts daily with these learners. It is the teacher who can determine whether or not changes in attitude arise from exposure to assistive technologies. It is the teacher who feels rewarded when a childs life, even if it is only one, is shown to be positively impacted when their learning disabilities are offset by the use of assistive technologies.While some of the researches presented were not specific to the learning disabled classroom, they are still of relevance. The goal should not only be to separate the learning disabled from the main stream system, but to see how best to integrate them into the regular school system.A multicultural classroom where each student is able to fu nction effectively in the classroom, despite whatever physical, psychological or cognitive difficulties they may have, where ethnic, gender and other differences are accommodated, is the ideal. Training in the use of assistive technology cannot be only for special education teachers. All teachers, across all grade levels, must learn to incorporate these and several other technologies in the classroom so as to create the healthiest environment for student motivation and cognitive, social, psychological, physical and other forms of development.REFERENCESBeck, J. (2002, Nov/Dec). Emerging Literacy Through Assistive Technology. Council for Exceptional Children, 35, 44-49.Boling, C. J., Martin, M. (2002). 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