How Technology is used Improving the Learning Abilities of Children with Disabilities (Article Critique Sample)

Critique of Journal Article
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Abstract
The paper tries to examines how technology is used improving the learning abilities of children with disabilities. It involves the use of multimedia software, which serves to combine various aspects such as textual, aural and visual information by student s for overall improvement of their learning abilities. The use of multimodal form of representing information has proved to be appealing to various forms of learning and preferences since it clearly addresses teaching objectives via differentiated means. The research involved examining results obtained from students in grade 9 to 12 on writing in a special arts class in a period of eight weeks. During this period the students were expected to write five stories that comprised of text, audio and pictures.
One of the major limitations in this research paper is the lack of a control group and direct observation. This group could be used as a means of making comparisons between students being exposed to the multimodal mode of learning and those students who were not on their learning abilities. Another limitation is on the validity of the results that were obtained based on the first and the last results. This is because the artifacts used in the first story were not used as pretests but were created to provide intervention through making comparison with the ultimate artifacts of the fifth story. The validity of the method of measurement was used in a single state instead of applying a nationally standardized method of measurement like writing fluency.
Purpose
The principle behind this study was to try to understand and explore various ways in which multimedia technology could be used to positively impact the writing ability of a group of high school students who had learning disabilities and behavioral or emotional disabilities altogether. Some of the questions that were studied on the impacts of multimedia software on written expression on students include: (a) their ability to express meaning, (b) intelligibility of writing, and (c) their ability to use conventions.
The study involved the use of a ‘’generative multimedia environment’’ groups of students employed computers to write down stories that put together texts, pictures and audio. This writing environment was described as TeenACE. The author tries to explain that with the use of multimedia technology, students are not only motivated but also allowed to reengage effectively in the learning process eventually improving their academic performances .It also allows students to improve on their learning behaviors.
Method used
It involved a one year study by an author in Hawaii who conducted a research study at a rural high school in his neighborhood. The participants included a subset of students who were receiving special education totaling to about 14% of the total school population. It also included a team of teacher who volunteered to take part in the study. The total number of students that made it through the 8 week intervention totaled to 25 of the 34 students that were selected.
Materials that were used included computer laptops to come up with multimedia projects. It incorporated an Intellitool software that could integrate into the study pictures, text and sound. Narrations from the students were recorded through use of microphones connected to the computers. At the end of the study period, interviews were conducted to teachers. The aim was to collect subjective and objective information on the effects and behavior of students during the study period.
Results
Data analysis involved the use of a table to compare the pretest and posttest score on the students during the period of intervention. The scores of the groups increased with a margin of 1.4 from 8.1 in the pretest to 9.5 scored in the last story. From the pretests it clearly indicated that nearly half of the student teams scored lower marks than their peers. The posttest results indicated that most of the significant improvements came from poor performers.
Interviews carried out on teacher during the intervention revealed positive effects on student learning beha...