James D. Basham

The legacy of the digital divide Gender, socioeconomic status, and early exposure as predictors of full-spectrum technology use among young adults

This study investigates how college students’ current levels of technology use might be affected by digital divide issues. Survey data were collected from 130 students in colleges of education at two midwestern universities. Factor analysis yielded that students’ uses of technology can be described using three broad categories: entertainment, communication, and construction. Each is important to consider, in that high levels of use across categories indicate a broad base of technology skills. Multiple regression results indicate that male students from higher family income levels who had access to a computer at home before age 10 show significantly higher levels of full-spectrum technology use than other demographic groups. Students’ age of first encounter with computers at school had no significant impact on their full-spectrum technology use. These results have implications for how we address digital divide issues, and the article discusses what may be critical differences between home and school access.

A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO RTI: EMBEDDING UNIVERSAL DESIGN FOR LEARNING AND TECHNOLOGY

Response to intervention (RtI) provides tiered levels of supports to all students and allows for increasingly more intensive and individualized instruction. Similarly, universal design for learning (UDL) addresses needs of students by proactively planning for instructional, environmental, and technology supports to allow all students to effectively access and engage in instruction. Although these two frameworks are widely accepted as structures for supporting students with diverse learning needs, the relationship between them has not been adequately developed. This article describes how an ecological RtI framework that integrates scientifically based instructional strategies, proactive instructional design, and purposeful technology use can provide a more seamless support system for all students.

A Comparison of iPads and Worksheets on Math Skills of High School Students with Emotional Disturbance

ABSTRACT: The authors used an alternating treatments design to compare the effects of a worksheet condition and an iPad condition on math fluency and active academic engagement during a high school math class in an alternative school setting. Following group instruction, the three participants engaged in independent seatwork either by completing problems on a worksheet or completing problems presented on an iPad. Based on visual analyses, students solved more math problems correctly in less time and demonstrated higher levels of active engagement in the iPad condition as compared to the worksheet condition. Social validity assessments indicated that the teacher and three students preferred the iPad condition to the worksheet condition during the math lessons. A discussion on study limitations, implications, and future research directions is included.

A Low-Technology Strategy for Increasing Engagement of Students with Autism and Significant Learning Needs.

Active engagement is critical to promote learning for students with autism. Although evidence-based strategies exist for promoting engagement for individual students with autism, there are few strategies designed for use with small groups. This study used an ABCAC design to assess the effects of a low-technology use strategy, namely interactive books with and without music on the engagement levels of six students with autism and significant learning needs in kindergarten through fourth grades. Findings indicate that the use of interactive books paired with music showed increased levels of engagement during small group instruction. Implications related to research-based instruction, teacher education, instructional design, and future research are discussed.

UDL in the middle school science classroom: Can video games and alternative text heighten engagement and learning for students with learning disabilities?

This article examined the performance of 57 students with learning disabilities (LD) from four middle schools. Students were followed over the course of a school year in their inclusive science classrooms as they alternated between the use of traditional curricular materials for some units of study and materials that were supplemented with video games and alternative print-based texts to more closely align with Universal Design for Learning (UDL) guidelines during other units. Findings indicate that video games and supplemental text were effective at providing students with multiple means of representation and expression. The UDL-aligned units led to heightened levels of student engagement. There were no significant differences on posttest scores when students with LD were compared with peers without LD. Students’ performance did not indicate significant differences between UDL-aligned units and those taught using traditional curricular materials. Findings suggest a need for alternative assessments to measure learning outcomes during UDL-aligned units. Implications for practice and areas of future research are discussed.

The Design and Application of the Digital Backpack.

Abstract In this study, we introduce the digital backpack as a means for creating a rich learning experience for students of multiple ages. Development, design, and refinement of the digital backpack are grounded in the theoretical framework of Universal Design for Learning using a Design-Based Research (DBR) model. This article presents the design and initial testing of the digital back-pack. We discuss the refinement of the digital backpack in a case format that involved three DBR cycles focused on increasingly complex outcomes of design and learning. Finally, the article offers the lessons learned to encourage further exploration of this technology.

An Ecological Model of STEM Education: Operationalizing STEM FOR ALL.

This article describes a framework for how to provide more accessible, relevant, and effective instruction in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education to all students. The STEM FOR ALL initiative asserts that all students, including those with disabilities and other diverse learning needs, should be included in meaningful STEM education and develop expertise in STEM areas as well as 21st century skills associated with STEM learning. This framework is described through the lens of Bronfrenbrenners (1977, 1994) ecological model, which provides a mechanism for understanding the interconnected and complex interactions that occur across multiple systems (e.g., policy makers, curriculum developers, teachers, and students) within the current STEM education infrastructures. Examples and lessons learned from the Furthering Urban STEM Innovation, Outreach, & New Research(UC|FUSION) research and outreach STEM center illustrate how the model is currently applied in Ohio schools and how it could be adapted to other local, regional, and national STEM FOR ALL initiatives.

Overcoming challenges: Going mobile with your own video models.

Ms. Heller is a middle school intervehtion specialist who is planning weekly trtps to the local library for her seventhgrade students with disabilities. She knows that successful community activities require comprehensive planning and organization. While contemplating the instructional targets and accommodations necessary for these weekly tiips, Ms. Heller considers the individual needs of each of her students. She is particularly focused on Connie, a student who consistently struggles with transitions and changes in her schedule. As part of,her planning, Ms. Heller considers possible interventions to support Connies participation during their library visits.

Designing Online Learning Opportunities for Students with Disabilities.

T EA C H IN G E xc ep ti on al C hi ld re n , V ol . 46 , N o. 5 , pp . 12 7 – 13 7. C op yr ig ht 2 01 4 T he A ut ho r( s) . D O I: 1 0. 11 77 /0 04 00 59 91 45 30 10 2 Now, why had they said yes? Shauna and Paula were sitting down for coffee after having volunteered to review online content and curriculum for the special education department. Both veteran special education teachers had taught in the blended online environment and thus were qualified for the task assigned. Spending a portion of their summer reviewing online curricula didn’t sound particularly fun, but they were very committed to expanding the online options for students with disabilities. They had seen advantages of the independent and personal nature of what online learning, if done the right way, could provide to their struggling students, especially those with disabilities. In exchange for the district’s further commitment to the blended learning options as well as a fully online elementary and middle school, Shauna and Paula were willing to determine what would be the best curriculum and content options for the district to invest in. Having worked with a number of different vendors as part of the blended learning they had taught over the last 3 years, they understood what was available, what worked, and what clearly didn’t work for students with disabilities.

The Scaled Arrival of K-12 Online Education: Emerging Realities and Implications for the Future of Education

Dramatic increases in K–12 online education for all students, including those in traditionally underserved populations, necessitate a reconceptualization in the way educators plan and implement instruction. In this article the authors examine the complex array of variables and implementation models that must be accounted for during the pivot from a purely brick-and-mortar educational system to one that makes use of both virtual and blended environments. The authors call for enhanced emphasis on instructional goals and design principles, rather than the capabilities of available technology. They conclude that educational leaders and researchers must play a role in three key areas: using technology to enhance the accessibility and usability of curricular materials to meet the needs of different types of learners, advancing the understanding and practices of in-service and pre-service teachers through preparation that focuses on online learning, and fostering collaboration between educational researchers and technology innovators and developers to build a research base that will inform K–12 online education.