Using Adaptive Learning with Students with Disabilities

Video Transcription

In this tutorial, we'll learn about the benefits and challenges of using adaptive learning with students who have disabilities. We'll begin by discussing some of the unique needs of students with disabilities. Then, we'll identify some benefits of using adaptive learning with these students. And, finally, we'll address some challenges of using adaptive learning with students who have disabilities. Let's get started.

Let's begin by discussing some of the unique needs of students with disabilities. Up to 20% of students in most K-12 classrooms may have some sort of disability. The most common type of disability is a learning disability, but others include intellectual disabilities, speech and language, or emotional and behavioral disabilities, and disorders on the autism spectrum.

A disability is a condition that impacts a student's ability to learn. This could be due to behavior challenges, cognitive ability, issues with information processing, or problems with expressive or receptive language. Often, we see that students who have disabilities have difficulty with reading and with understanding material that would otherwise be at their grade level. They may have challenges with written language and with mathematical computation and problem-solving.

So, let's identify some of the benefits of using adaptive learning with students who have disabilities. One clear advantage is the individualization that is built into adaptive learning technologies. Rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach, the adaptive technology creates a unique pathway for each student, based on their needs in regard to the specific content.

Another benefit of adaptive learning technology is the built-in support for students. Adaptive learning technology is able to identify when students need more instruction on a particular concept. The immediate feedback that is provided, along with the extra scaffolding built into the system, can benefit all students, especially those who have disabilities.

Another potential benefit is that learning is not limited to the classroom. It can occur anytime and anywhere as long as the student has internet access. If a student finds that their disability impacts them more during the school day than it does at home, this might be a nice fit, allowing them to access the adaptive learning technology outside of school.

Yet another benefit is the built-in ability to repeat lessons and review material as often as students feel the need to do so. This alleviates a potential worry about the teacher moving on before a student has mastered the content. Each student can progress forward at his or her own pace. Though there are numerous potential benefits to using adaptive learning with students who have disabilities, there may be some challenges as well.

First, students need to be instructed in the skills necessary to access and use the adaptive learning technology. In some cases, parents may need to be trained in this as well. Also, we may not be able to assume that all students have technology access outside of school. A lack of technology access would naturally limit the amount of time that a student can spend engaged in the learning technology outside of school.

In this tutorial, we explored using adaptive learning with students who have disabilities. We began by discussing the unique needs of students with disabilities. And then we identified some potential benefits of using adaptive learning technology with these students. Finally, we addressed a few potential challenges of using adaptive learning with these students.

Here's a chance for you to stop and reflect. Could you see adaptive learning technology benefiting the students in your classroom who have disabilities? As you reflect on how this new information can be applied, you may want to explore the additional resources section that accompanies this video presentation. This is where you'll find links to resources, chosen to help you deepen your learning, and explore ways to apply your newly acquired skill set. Thanks for joining me today. Have a great day.