This column introduces issues in research and practice concerned with assistive technology for students with disabilities including delays in transferring research findings into practice and ways to integrate what is known about research, effective practice, teacher professional development, and change. (Contains 14 references.) (DB)

This article reviews the past, present, and future of technology with emphasis on its use with students who have learning disabilities. It considers the promise of technology in the early 1980s, technology as a medium for instruction, affective benefits of technology, use of technology to enhance school performance, and cautions regarding the over…

This article describes a computer game that supports the development of learners' social problem-solving skills. In a controlled three-group design, the group using the prototype game performed significantly better than an attention-placebo control and comparably to a therapist-directed group on measures of problem solving and engagement. However,…

This study examined whether a teacher-paced video (TPV) accommodation or a student-paced computer (SPC) accommodation provided differential access for student with disabilities versus their general education peers on a large-scale math test. It found that although both pacing accommodations significantly influenced mean scores, the SPC…

This study compared the effectiveness of online instruction and traditional classroom instruction with 58 preservice education students in a course on educational technology integration using three traditional instructional methods: lecture, guided instruction, and collaborative discussion. Student academic outcomes were the same in both online…

A study involving 170 British Columbia students with autism found that the majority received technology for educational participation while a smaller number received voice output communication aids; some students received both types of technology. The primary goals for the technology use were related to writing, expressive communication, and…

The influence of icon prediction and length of icon sequence on college students' recall of 24 iconically encoded messages was investigated. Findings indicated that using an icon prediction feature resulted in increased recall. The length of the icon sequences also had a significant effect on recall. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)

This article describes a motion video CD-ROM program designed to assist youth with severe disabilities in the selection of job preferences. Traditional vocational interest inventories for individuals with disabilities and video and CD-ROM career exploration programs for typical youth are presented, then the specialized CD-ROM program is described.…

This article provides an overview of the importance of alternative and augmentative communication devices (ACDs) in the lives of individuals who do not rely on speech to meet all of their communication needs. Different types of ACDs are described and some specific examples of their use in different situations are presented. (Contains references.)…

This article illustrates methods by which faculty are collaborating to further understand the issue of technology integration while developing ways to use technology in their teaching. It discusses the inclusion of Technology Standards for Teacher preparation on the Web site of the 21st Century Chautauqua program at the University of Kansas. (CR)

This article provides two views of the software package "First Step KidTools". This computer program was designed to help elementary students use self-management skills and develop strategies for controlling their behavior. Goals and objectives of this program are outlined and information on how to obtain the program is provided. (CR)

This article describes the process of designing the Center for Applied Special Technology Web site to illustrate both the principles and the practice of universal design for learning. How the Web site overcame barriers to learning, information representation, interaction and navigation, and engagement barriers is addressed. (CR)

This article discusses the development of an assessment instrument for measuring handwriting ability and determining assistive technology needs. It includes a sample needs assessment that could be used to assist in the matching of a device to an individual who requires modification for the purpose of graphic output. (CR)

This article describes how Baginton Fields School, a secondary phase schools for British pupils with severe, profound, and multiple learning difficulties, set out to provide a meaningful and functional English curriculum. The goals of the school, the content of the scheme, and the progress of the students are discussed. (Contains references.) (CR)

A survey involving 14 students with learning disabilities in Northern Ireland primary schools found that WordImage, an approach that uses word-cards with sentences on one side and color picture-cards on the reverse, was effective in teaching word recognition. Some children were found to be more receptive to pictorial cueing than others. (Contains…