A PROPOSAL FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF EDTECH INITIATIVE FOR LEARNERS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS (Other (Not Listed) Sample)

-41910095250A PROPOSAL FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF EDTECH INITIATIVE FOR LEARNERS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS00A PROPOSAL FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF EDTECH INITIATIVE FOR LEARNERS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS Prepared for Learners with Special Needs By Director Inclusive Learning Centre Date Table of Contents TOC \o "1-3" \h \z \u Introduction PAGEREF _Toc101630019 \h 3 Overview PAGEREF _Toc101630020 \h 3 Statement of Problem PAGEREF _Toc101630021 \h 3 Objective and Description of Solution PAGEREF _Toc101630022 \h 4 Proposed Plan PAGEREF _Toc101630023 \h 4 Categories of Learners with Special Needs Under Consideration PAGEREF _Toc101630024 \h 4 Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) PAGEREF _Toc101630025 \h 5 Learning Difficulties PAGEREF _Toc101630026 \h 5 The Blind or Visually Impaired PAGEREF _Toc101630027 \h 6 The Deaf or Learners with Difficulties in Hearing PAGEREF _Toc101630028 \h 6 Physical Impairment PAGEREF _Toc101630029 \h 6 EdTech Tools to be Introduced PAGEREF _Toc101630030 \h 6 Speech Recognition Tools PAGEREF _Toc101630031 \h 7 Screen Readers PAGEREF _Toc101630032 \h 7 Frequency Modulation (FM) Systems PAGEREF _Toc101630033 \h 8 Sip-And-Puff Systems PAGEREF _Toc101630034 \h 8 Accessible EdTech Content Creation Tools PAGEREF _Toc101630035 \h 8 Benefits PAGEREF _Toc101630036 \h 8 Time Plan PAGEREF _Toc101630037 \h 9 Budget PAGEREF _Toc101630038 \h 9 Conclusion PAGEREF _Toc101630039 \h 10 References PAGEREF _Toc101630040 \h 11 Appendices PAGEREF _Toc101630041 \h 12 Appendix 1: Request for Proposal PAGEREF _Toc101630042 \h 12 Appendix 2: Solution award as highlighted by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation PAGEREF _Toc101630043 \h 13 Appendix 3: Proposal Letter PAGEREF _Toc101630044 \h 14 Appendix 4: Professional Resume PAGEREF _Toc101630045 \h 15 Introduction Overview Learners with special needs require education technology (EdTech) to increase accessibility to curriculum content and promote engagement in class. Teaching students with varying special needs can be cumbersome for teachers when they lack the necessary support. EdTech can help accommodate a wide variety of special needs and support inclusion in general education classrooms. Implementing EdTech can reduce the gap by meeting the inclusive education needs of students with disability. Team effort among educators, administrators, students, and policymakers can facilitate the success of EdTech across schools around the globe. Statement of Problem An individual with special educational needs may have a disability or learning disorder, making it difficult for them to engage in schoolwork or communicate effectively. Students with special needs are more likely to experience bullying in school than their counterparts. It becomes challenging for parents and teachers because such persons may require extra help with schoolwork, understand information, or interact with colleagues. According to National Center for Education Statistics (2021), approximately 7.3 million aged 3-21years in public schools received special education services through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) from 2019 to 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated schools to transition to online classes without consideration for students with disabilities. Educating learners with a disability aims to facilitate integration into society, promote independence, and reduce inequalities. Integrating students with special needs with their peers necessitates an individualized education program to ensure they receive support and access to general education services (Yazcayir and Gurgur, 2021). EdTech can increase success in learning spaces and decrease teacher frustration in class. Online learning poses pedagogical challenges to learners with a disability because some cannot observe nonverbal cues, engage in real chats, or pause in communication. The students require specialized instruction, which can be challenging to meet the necessary student-to-teacher ratio in online programs. Online learning programs that are entirely online necessitate the attention of parents, educators, and significant others to meet the population's complex needs. It can result in a lack of transparency, in that parents fail to disclose a student's disability when virtual classes do not have established procedures and protocols. Budget constraints or lack of resources inhibit school administrators and educators from implementing necessary EdTech tools to support various needs among learners with disabilities. Objective and Description of Solution The objective is to make EdTech tools available among learners in remotes areas with limited access. Some impairments like autism can make the learners' communication difficult, which necessitates EdTech to enable them to discuss their opinions and thoughts with peers in learning institutions. EdTech can assist individuals with disabilities to improve or increase functional capabilities. We aim to enhance their learning experience by monitoring instructions provided and improving outcomes by introducing assistive technology using real-time data tools or online videos in virtual education. The learning environment improves because EdTech can ensure it takes place virtually through online platforms, primarily in the advent of the coronavirus pandemic. Proposed Plan Categories of Learners With Special Needs Under Consideration Many individuals with disabilities can limit the proposal's effectiveness in meeting its goal. Identifying the functional domains under consideration in the project can help save on time and resources. The implementors of the proposal need to deliberate on how each category of students is to maximize an EdTech tool within and beyond the classroom setting. The learners require adequate training to adapt to the tools in home-based learning and virtual classes. The proposed plan considers the following functional domains or categories of students with special needs. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) It is a subgroup in the neurodiverse population that struggles with communication, social signals, and adjustments to unexpected situations. Autistic individuals struggle with spoken communication and language, creating a barrier in their communication with teachers. ASD students are among the special education population that has embraced the use of EdTech in the classroom. Learners with autism require tools such as audiobooks, text-to-speech systems, and memory aids to help them in the organization, attention, and learning. EdTech devices such as tailor-made tablets and other mobile devices can help them overcome language barriers by letting the tools speak on their behalf. Learning Difficulties Students with learning difficulties such as dyscalculia, dyslexia, or dysgraphia require EdTech to complete their homework and classwork. The learners require a calculator to attempt basic arithmetic, a text-to-speech technology to read, or a computer to write. Mind maps assist students with dyslexia in understanding the connection between interrelated concepts (Coflan & Thomas, 2020). A touch-type read and spell device is crucial for learners with learning difficulties in improving sight-reading, spelling skills, and decoding abilities. EdTech implements vary according to individual students' needs and capabilities. The Blind or Visually Impaired The learners require audiovisual assistance in virtual or physical classes. They require screen magnifiers or screen readers to read the content out loud. For students who need braille support, educators can plug in a Bluetooth Braille keyboard to their computers. The blind students require applications and EdTech tools that allow them to type using their voices. The Deaf or Learners with Difficulties in Hearing The learners with difficulties in hearing require EdTech tools that support communication, such as hearing aids. Incorporating subtitles or captions in videos ensure the deaf can relate to the content, especially in virtual classes. On-screen notifications, as well as alerts, facilitates real-time text communication with limited speech. The use of real-time texts enhances their functional communication in a conversation. Physical Impairment It includes a wide range of disabilities that inhibits individuals’ ability to move freely without assistance or a motorized wheelchair. Mobility impairment can encompass students with cerebral palsy who cannot physically use a keyboard or a mouse, requiring interactive displays. A good example is an interactive whiteboard equipped with convenient access to video or audio-record functions, browsers, or apps for students with mobility needs. It also includes learners with a physical impairment that prompts mobility aids, walkers, braces, or wheelchairs. EdTech can help the students reduce the physical barriers using interactive displays when they can not reach an item because they are blocked or height. EdTech Tools to be Introduced The choice of the right technology depends on its suitability for the population in classroom instruction. Age appropriateness is a critical factor because what is suitable for high school students can vary from those in grade school. The success of EdTech in enhancing educational equity depends on funding, accountability, training, accessibility, and vision (National Center for learning disabilities, 2020). The EdTech tool should be compatible with the student's needs and local standards and safe for the users. Durability, reliability, and dependability among learners with special needs can facilitate long-term use, especially in remote areas. The educators, administrators, and parents require training to leverage its effectiveness for students with special needs. The inclusive learning center has highlighted some of the EdTech tools it intends to implement in the initiative. Speech Recognition Tools The EdTech tools can support the needs of individuals with dyslexia, physical disabilities, or learning dis...