free apps for students with special needs

The researchers talked with educators and parents in the United States and Sweden to find out how the communication normally occurred and attitudes about how well it was working. Yet, parents often don’t hear about the plan or outcomes because of these communication breakdowns. Marcu and colleagues conducted research with teachers and parents of students receiving behavioral and mental health services to address autism spectrum disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, conduct disorders, anxiety, trauma, and other needs.īy law, these students receive Individual Education Plans that require, among other things, documentation of progress toward goals stated in the plan. Traditional methods like paper notes and even more contemporary forms of communication like email often don’t work. Parents must reinforce at home the work teachers do in the classroom, but that cannot happen without good communication, she says. And the mobile and social technologies we use every day could be the tools to get them there, Marcu says. Making sure parents and educators are on the same page when it comes to behavioral intervention is critical to the success of students with special needs. “As a designer, I would like to shape the future of technology so we can make this better with the right tools.” Getting on the same page “We’re all more connected than ever, but in special education communication is still quite a challenge,” Marcu says.

Marcu believes technology, when well designed, can improve children’s behavioral outcomes and empower parents and teachers who are often strapped for time and resources. “We’re all more connected than ever, but in special education communication is still quite a challenge…” That’s why Marcu, an assistant professor at the School of Information at the University of Michigan and an assistant professor of electrical engineering and computer science at Michigan Engineering, has focused her research and technology design work on communication strategies that engage teachers, parents, and students in team-based solutions. K-12 educators have been using technology in the classroom with increasing frequency but not always with great success, particularly when teaching students with special needs, says Gabriela Marcu. Two new studies highlight the problems with existing apps for students with special needs, their teachers, and their parents and work toward tools that do more to help children and the people who support them.

Free apps for students with special needs