Tech Issue

The fact that technology is becoming more and more a part of everyday life has significant effects on our classrooms as educators. It can help us in many ways, but often times with this help, there are downfalls. A classic example of this deals with special education. There is a lot of software out there to help struggling students: Write Out Loud, text-to-speech, etc. For kids who have a hard time writing and reading, these can be lifesavers in the classroom. It allows them some more independence. Once they have learned how to use these programs, they can do it on their own. But there is a big downside. Special education kids, more often than not, do not want to be singled out or treated differently than other children. These programs are obviously not for everyone. How do we get these students to feel comfortable using these programs then? Many times a teacher cannot take her whole class to the computer lab, but has one or two computers for kids who need them. But this draws attention to them, making them different. How can teachers utilize this great technology without isolating the students who may need it the most?