Page 122 - International Perspectives on Effective Teaching and Learning in Digital Education
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Barbora Bazalová, Dana Zámečníková Veronika Včelíková, and Pavla Pitnerová
Examples of Technology Use for Developmental Learning Disorders
and ADHD
Dictaphones, scanners, and copiers can be used to record or present indi-
cators and buzzers during re-education, calculators to speed up numerical
operations, and educational software to explain new material and verify al-
ready acquired knowledge. There is software for making printed text accessi-
ble in alternative formats – audio format, SAT format (synchronised audio and
text = the application reads the source text with a synthetic voice and at the
same time highlights the read text on the screen so that the disadvantaged
reader can connect the spoken and written form of the word). Multimedia
CD-ROMs with their sounds, graphics and animations can attract the pupil’s
attention, and interactive whiteboards allow the teacher to use materials and
activities to diversify the teaching. The use of educational programs helps to
remove some barriers, such as dislike of writing and supports creative work.
Using tutorial software has the advantage that the program is consistent. As
part of the intervention for people with ADHD, we increasingly encounter
the EEG Biofeedback method. This method is used to strengthen the desired
activation of the nervous system, primarily for training attention and concen-
tration, as well as self-control. It assumes that the brain learns to use its abil-
ities and capacity better, more efficiently, and with less energy expenditure
through play. Biological feedback monitors brain activities based on cortical
action potentials. Based on the use of a particular computer program enables
the regulation of the frequencies of the electrical activity of brain waves. The
program converts the sensed brain activity (EEG) into individual elements
of the computer game and then issues feedback information about the ef-
fectiveness of the training. Training materials for memory, reading, writing,
organisation practice, mathematical problem solving can be found in Lee &
Templeton (8). Text-to-speech or speech-to-text applications to simplify
reading and writing are offered by many authors, such as Svensson et al.
(19), Balharová et al. (1), Bäck et al. (3) or Nordström et al. (18).
Conclusion and Challenge for the Future
Multidisciplinary teams working with people with diverse needs are trying to
promote independence through assistive technologies. It is always necessary
to have sufficient information about the person and his needs before choos-
ing assistive technologies and aids. The use of AT should be implemented and
controlled by a specialist working with the student. The expert also works on
developing strategies to overcome the barriers that reading and writing dis-
abilities bring (Paseka, 15; Bäck et al., 3).
1
