ERIC Number: EJ1321075
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2021-Dec
Pages: 13
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0162-6434
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Training Preservice Teachers to Match Assistive Technology to Student Needs
Jones, Beth A.; Peterson-Ahmad, Maria; Fields, Melanie; Williams, Nichole
Journal of Special Education Technology, v36 n4 p271-283 Dec 2021
Understanding how to appropriately choose, implement, and utilize assistive technology (AT) for students on an individualized education program (IEP) is imperative to success within a school setting and has been shown to improve with preservice teachers' (PST) training. This study investigated the impact that a training session in which PST were exposed to a variety of AT devices/software in one university's AT lab and given direct instruction in the Student Environment Tasks Tools (SETT) framework for selecting appropriate AT by working through a training case study would have on PST knowledge of AT and its selection. Sixty-eight PST participated in this study, and the results demonstrate that the training increased their ability to name specific AT items on a presurvey (M = 3.56, SD = 14.88) compared to the postsurvey (M = 9.57, SD = 25.14). The increase of number of devices and software named pre- and postsurvey was significantly greater than chance, t(67) = -7.64, p < 0.01). Most notably, participants could name the components of SETT on the postsurvey (94.12%) and apply the SETT framework to a hypothetical student, improving the quality and quantity of recommendations for the student. This study provides further evidence for inclusion of AT in teacher preparation programs.
Descriptors: Assistive Technology, Student Needs, Preservice Teacher Education, Training, Program Effectiveness, Computer Software, Equipment, Students with Disabilities, Individualized Education Programs, Special Education Teachers, Needs Assessment, Knowledge Level
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A