Challenges of Using Modern Technology with People with Special Needs

People with disabilities face numerous challenges in accessing essential technology and social media. These include:

1. Inaccessible Design: Many websites, applications, and social media platforms are not designed with accessibility in mind, making it difficult for people with disabilities to navigate and use them.
2. Lack of Assistive Technology: Many individuals with disabilities may not have access to assistive technologies like screen readers, voice recognition software, or other devices that help them interact with technology.
3. Limited Availability of Captioned and Signed Media: People with disabilities may struggle to access media content that is not captioned or signed, limiting their ability to engage with social media and other digital communication forms.
4. Lack of Awareness and Training: Many companies and organizations may not be aware of the needs of people with disabilities or may lack the necessary training to accommodate them.
5. Cost: Assistive technology and other accommodations can be expensive, making it challenging for individuals with disabilities to afford the technology they need.

Additional Challenges

1. Lack of Awareness: Many people are unaware of the issues faced by individuals with disabilities, their rights, and their difficulties in accessing modern technology, leading to discrimination, neglect, and insufficient support.
2. Unsupportive Social Networks: Popular social networks like Facebook and Twitter are often not supportive of people with disabilities, lacking the necessary tools and technologies to enable comfortable and effective use.
3. Inadequate Technology Availability: Individuals with disabilities face difficulties accessing appropriate technology to meet their individual needs, including assistive devices and specialized software.
4. Funding Difficulties: The technology used to support people with disabilities can be expensive, making it hard for individuals to afford these essential tools.
5. Training and Learning Challenges: People with disabilities need training and education on using specialized technology, and they may encounter difficulties accessing appropriate training programs designed for their needs.

Educational Barriers

Many obstacles hinder the optimal use of educational tools for individuals with special needs. These include:

1. Lack of Training: Insufficient in-service training on using these tools in education and inadequate preparation during study and training periods. Special education teachers often believe that using educational tools requires more effort than traditional teaching methods.
2. Weak Teacher Preparation: Poor preparation of teachers at the university level to use educational tools, particularly modern technology with individuals with special needs, and limited knowledge of the rules for using educational tools, reducing teachers' ability to use them effectively.
3. Sample Study Results: A study involving 45 special education teachers and technology specialists highlighted barriers to using educational technology for students with learning disabilities in the elementary stage. These barriers include teacher-related issues, school administration challenges, and curriculum obstacles. The study found significant differences in teachers' responses based on age and training courses, but no significant differences in responses regarding technological barriers for students with special needs.

 

Recommendations

1. Remove Barriers: Focus on eliminating obstacles that limit the effective use of educational technology in the learning process.
2. Provide Training: Offer training and qualification opportunities for teachers, especially in using new educational technologies.
3. Equip Classrooms: Ensure classrooms are equipped with all necessary technological tools.
4. Specialist Presence: Employ educational technology specialists for individuals with special needs in every institution.
5. Activate Resource Centers: Enhance the role of learning resource centers in all special education institutions.
6. Develop Specialized Programs: Create programs to update special education teachers on the latest advancements in educational technology and its applications.

To fully appreciate the importance of assistive technology and its applications in the lives of individuals with special needs, it is crucial to understand the challenges they face in education and how technology helps to remove these barriers. These challenges include the negative attitudes towards special needs education, focusing on weaknesses rather than strengths, lack of financial support, insufficient number of qualified teachers, difficulty in gathering adequate information about the needs of individuals with special needs, and lack of community and familial support.

Assistive technology plays a vital role in enhancing various abilities such as reading, writing, memory, listening, interaction, arithmetic, organization, movement, and building social relationships. Overcoming these challenges is essential for enabling individuals with disabilities to participate fully in digital communities, education, employment, and social activities. By addressing these obstacles, we can create a more inclusive and supportive environment for everyone.