Personalization of user interfaces for browsing content is a key concept to ensure content accessibility. In this direction, we introduce concepts that result in the generation of personalized multimodal user interfaces for browsing XML content. User requirements concerning the browsing of a specific content type can be specified by means of…

This article reports the findings from a study that examined how adolescent students with reading difficulties utilized cognitive tools that were embedded in a technology-based middle school science curriculum. The curriculum contained salient features of the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) theoretical framework. Sixteen general education…

This study focused on "digital natives" as preservice teachers to examine their beliefs, attitudes, and technology experiences and expertise, identify the strengths and weaknesses in their technology knowledge and skills, and explore what technology preparation was needed to prepare them to integrate technology in their future classrooms. Results…

The authors teach instructional technology courses to pre-service teachers at Millersville University of Pennsylvania. The focus of the instructional technology courses is on the authentic use of instructional and assistive technology in the K-12 classroom. In this article, the authors describe how they utilize streaming videos in an educational…

The goal of this study was to longitudinally examine relationships between early factors (child and mother) that may influence children's phonological awareness and reading skills 3 years later in a group of young children with cochlear implants (N = 16). Mothers and children were videotaped during two storybook interactions, and children's oral…

This paper aims to explain effects of acoustical environments in sound perception of hearing impaired people. Important aspects of sound and hearing impairment are explained. Detrimental factors in acoustic conditions for speech perception are mentioned. Necessary acoustic treatment in classrooms and use of FM systems to eliminate these factors…

Technology is only as good as the results it produces. The use of simple radiophones and earbuds can provide support in action for students with disabilities as they learn to advocate for themselves at planning meetings. This article provides background for using bug-in-ear technology, including a training methods and materials list with students…

The centerpiece of the University of Michigan's Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI) Sled Lab is "the impact sled," as it is called in the business. It's the business of conducting sled impact tests, perhaps better known as crash tests, on all types of wheelchairs and wheelchair seating systems as well as wheelchair tiedowns and…

The purpose of this study was to examine a synergistic application of three different technologies to improve the keyboarding accuracy of an individual with significant motor disorders. Three keyboarding technologies were layered to measure the power of each technology independently and collectively. The results show a significant increase in…

As a pediatric physical therapist, the author usually hears this question, "Now What?," after months of frustration as parents attempt to figure out the procedure of getting an item for their child. Unfortunately, there is not a specific answer except "it depends," which can be just as frustrating as the question at hand. Typically, a piece of…

This paper reports findings from part of an evaluation study of the Communication Aids Project (CAP), a government-funded project in England which provided communication aids to school-aged children. The paper focuses on parents' views of the CAP process and the impact of the aid. Fourteen parents were interviewed twice over the telephone: once…

Purpose: To compare the effects of conventional amplification (CA) and digital frequency compression (DFC) amplification on the speech recognition abilities of candidates for a partial-insertion cochlear implant, that is, candidates for combined electric and acoustic stimulation (EAS). Method: The participants were 6 patients whose audiometric…

Purpose: To describe cochlear implant users' phoneme labeling, discrimination, and prototypes for a vowel and a sibilant contrast, and to assess the effects of 1 year's experience with prosthetic hearing. Method: Based on naturally produced clear examples of "boot," "beet," "said," and "shed" by 1 male and 1 female speaker, continua with 13…

The National Child Count of Children and Youth who are Deaf-Blind is the first and longest running registry and knowledge base of children who are deaf-blind in the world. Begun in 1986 on behalf of the U.S. Department of Education (Baldwin, 1993), it represents a thirty plus year collaborative effort between the National Consortium on…

The Australian Government's widening participation agenda--also referred to as the social inclusion agenda--considers equity through the triple focus of access, participation and outcomes. These foci are catalysts for re-examining teaching and learning approaches in formal education. This article considers this national refocus and the…