Question+4-+Most+important+Features

Class 4-What do you think are the most important features for your special needs students or special needs students in general?

I would say the most important features of software for my students would be usability. It needs to be easy enough for them to understand but still cahllenge them to reach their appropriate level. It should not provide negative feedback but should motivate them to keep trying even if they are wrong. For my students the program should not be overstimulating. If there is too much on the page they are prone to distractions. I would want programs that do not give them the answer but will guide them through steps to get to an answer or gives manipulatives or audio to reach every learner. The program should align with my science curriculum but should be also integrated with some other subject such as reading, writing, and math. The steps through the program should be gradual to maintain their appropriate level. Some of my students are color blind so there needs to be an option for them. Also, there needs to be a way to increase the font for my visually impaired students.

The most important features for most special education students are similar to those for all individuals. Kids like nice, clear appealing graphics and animation (if applicable for the individual) good sound quality and ease of use. Depending on the ability and grade level of the user,continued auditory prompts might be helpful. Ease of use and navigation around the site/game is essential, or else the student might get stuck and just sit there. Depending on the classroom and equipment, headphones or ear buds might be appropriate. From a teacher's perspective, ability to record and track progress is very important. It is wise to know how the program responds to errors, in order to maintain the motivation of the learner. Overall, this type of technology can be very useful for all students, as long as it is selected and monitored well by educators.

Rachel- I think this most imporatnt thing about softwar is its adaptability. Being a special ed teacher, i have worked with various levels of students, those with learning disabilities to thjose with severe autism. Some games can be used for both of these students. For instance, the game "Carnival countdown" has varying levels, one of the easier levels has students sort objects by color, and higher levels focus on addition and subtraction. I think it is also important that the game is not overly animated, which can distract from the game's purpose. Additionally, if students get an answer wrong the program should give hints so the student can get the correct answer. Lastly, software should be able to track studesnt' progress to see the concepts they have difficulty with and those they do not. Teachers must be careful to not allow software to take the place of their teaching.

Regina-- The most important things about software for the population I teach are accessibility and ease of use. The software needs to be accessible in many different ways, standard mouse and keyboard, single and multiple switches, intellikeys and touch screens to name a a few. If the child has no way to access the software, it is not useful to them at all. It also needs to be easy to use for both staff and students. I became frustrated with a couple of the software packages we were able to explore in class today because I could not start them, I could not exit out of them, or I had to wait too long in between activities. If I cannot navigate the program effectively or become frustrated while using it, I am not sure how a spec. ed. student would do. The purpose of using these programs is to find different and better ways to access the curriculum and assist the children in learning. If they cannot access the program or become frustrated from using it, them it is not doing it's job.