Integrating Assistive Technology into Special Education Teacher Preparation Programs

Overview & Synopsis

Current legal mandates require that students with disabilities in K-12 settings have access to assistive technology (AT) devices and services. Therefore, educational teams serving students with Individualized Educational Programs (IEPs) must consider various ATs and identify services to support their implementation in educational settings. However, research has reported that insufficient teacher expertise continues to impede effective student access to AT and that models and strategies for improving teacher expertise, particularly at the preservice level, are desperately needed. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a model for integrating AT throughout a preservice undergraduate special education teacher preparation program at a large public university. Results indicated that special education teacher candidates were satisfied with their AT instruction and felt prepared for using ATs with students. Discussion and implications for integrating AT throughout a teacher education program are provided. (Contains 5 tables and 1 figure.)