Using Education Technology To Boost Students With Learning Disabilities, ELLs

Students with learning disabilities or those learning English gain better and improve with the help of education technology. Practitioners at the UP Education Network in Massachusetts discovered that a common device like an iPhone can be a useful tool for these children.

Karen Janowski, who works with the UP Education Network, said the right tools for learning are already available and commonly used. It's only a matter of showing the children how to operate them properly.

Janowski said that education technology is definitely a notch above using worksheets or paperwork because it offers a lot of potentials. Further, it's easy to tailor the tools' features to what the student needs.

"When you use technology, you have a lot of opportunities to re-try, to just start over again," she said, according to Education Dive. "It's errorless."

This has been Janowksi's observation with her work at the non-profit organization. UP Education Network currently services six tuition-free public schools with around Massachusetts, according to its official site. The organization provides assistance for 17 percent of students with learning disabilities, 64 percent of students from disadvantaged families and 29 percent of students studying English or English-language learners (ELL).

Four years ago, UP Education Network took interest in education technology. The organization has undertaken various researchers to determine its efficiency and since then, the findings have slowly been adapted to the organization's programs in their partner schools.

Education technology is an investment for schools that are expected to produce results but adapting it isn't a one-time and standard process and educators must realize this. EdTech tools work best when students are allowed to set their own pace, customize their learning and discover what more the devices can do for them. Students might begin with having little or no skills in using education technology, but given time and a lot of exploration, the tools they use can deliver milestones and achievements in ways that traditional or standard practices won't be able to deliver.