USING TECHNOLOGY TO LEAVING NO FETAL ALCOHOL1

Using technology to leaving No Fetal Alcohol Effect Child Behind in Public School

Vincient A.Spears

Strayer University

Directed Research Project

EDU 590

Dr.Susan K. Lightwels

May 29, 2012

USING TECHNOLOGY TO LEAVING NO FETAL ALCOHOL1

Abstract

The education of fetal alcohol effect children differs greatly from the education of stand course of study student. Fetal Alcohol Effect children often have development delays that require their education to be approached with care. Technology is an important aid in the education of special needs students. Technology can be the great equalizer for educating special needs children. When appropriate technology is used, special needs students are able to overcome their specific disabilities and learn what is teaching taught. In order for technology to be used effectively school system must be able to purchase the items requirement to teach special needs students, and teacher and parents must know how to apply these technologies to the education of its students.

USING TECHNOLOGY TO LEAVING NO FETAL ALCOHOL1

Using Technology to leaving No Fetal Alcohol Child Behind

Dedication: God whom strength me. Vincient A.Spears’adoptive daughter Ebony struggles with Fetal Alcohol Effect.

What is Fetal Alcohol Syndrome/Effect? According to NOFAS (National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, 1994) that FAS is a series of severe and irreversible physical and mental birth defects that can include mental retardation, growth deficiencies, craniofacial abnormalities, central nervous system dysfunction and behavioral maladjustments. Children with Fetal Alcohol Effects (FAE) exhibit some but not all of the same symptoms. Both FAS and FAE are associated with lifelong deficiencies in adaptive living skills. The inability to predict consequences, understand social cues or use appropriate judgment in daily life makes it difficult for those affected to achieve favorable outcomes in the classroom.

Acknowledgements: God, first and my wife, Gwen who encourage having faith and also Lashonda Richardson

In email from my wife (Gwen): It was my pleasured to review your paper that was sent to me. The paper had a focus with direct research on what education tools are needs for this population of children. Even you expand on what individuals quote in the field of study in Fetal Alcohol Effect children, include qualitative which gives varies data collection and numbers to this research. Well presented in theme heading on each section and spoken to its heading. I noticed these items of the paper, Keller on her inner thoughts of her disability (good illustration of disability in children). Bear system, software used for technology for children, set questions arise by your reading of this materials, and careful thoughts how to arrange paper in order of significant.. Good efforts and work on an overall presentation in graduate paper and present as a graduate learner. I give a salute to your hard work and perservance in working for completion. May God continue to be with you on your journey to finish? Thanks for sharing your paper with me, especially recognize God then my support for you. In note, thanks for the email on cabins email for the mountain. Take care, Love Gwen

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Context of the Problem

Statement of the Problem

This research will examine legislation has been passed addressing the education needs of students. The legislation is ground breaking and sets academic standards that all student must meet. The legislation set standards for all students, but ignored the additional resources required by fetal alcohol effect students: reasonable accommodations in the educational program and related aids and services. These students require the use of assistive technologies to meet educational goals. These technologies need to be a part of the budget and teacher and parents need to be train on teaching technology for FAE students.

Main Research Question and Sub- Questions

Significance of the Study

Organization of the Study

Chapter One

Introduction: In the article “The Visible Kid with the invisible Disability” by Kelleman (1999): Nobody can see my disability. He or she looks just like any other student or kid. Cute, friendly, talkative, But nobody sees my disability. Teachers and others cannot see how my neurons are scrambled in his or her brain. They cannot see the misconnections between the left and right brain. They cannot see the little empty spaces in his or her frontal lobes where brain cells were supposed to grown but did not. They can see his or her immature behavior compared to other kids. They can hear me talk, because he or she says a lot, to anyone who will listen. And he or she can talk a good talk. He or she can fool people into thinking he or she really understands what he or she saying. What others do not see is that he or she is not as savvy as he or she appears to be. Others do not see that his or her level of comprehension is below his or her level of expression. The researcher saw a technology impact on his adoptive daughter whom has fetal alcohol effect with her problem processing information, memory deficits, attention deficit disorder, sensory processing dysfunction, sensory defensiveness, scattered cognitive skills, high levels of anxiety, and hyperactivity. Children with fetal alcohol effect often require different teaching approaches than their peers with disabilities:Fetal Alcohol Effects (FAE) is one of a spectrum of neurological impairments that can affect a child who has been exposed to alcohol in the womb. Children with FAE are not as obviously impaired as children diagnosed with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) , they usually lack the distinctive FAS facial features and have normal IQs and so FAE is sometimes described as less serious. Children with FAE are in fact more likely to have negative outcomes such as trouble with school, trouble with the law and teen pregnancy; the fact that they look normal but can't behave that way due to brain damage causes them to face unrealistic expectations without appropriate support, which can have serious repercussions for these children and their families( The term Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is being used more and more to stress the fact that there are a variety of ways in which alcohol can affect a developing child and no particular set of impairments.This is known as Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, Alcohol-Related Neurodevelopment Disorder, Partial Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, prenatal alcohol exposure (

FAE children require special education services due to learning disabilities, emotional and behavioral or multiple handicapping conditions: destructivity, easy frustrated, poor fine & gross motor skills, poor attention, lack of organizational skills, problems with concrete thinking and poor peer relations ( Technology can be used to level the playing field in the area of education of fetal alcohol effect children. Technological software or program can be used to address a FAE child’s specific area(s) of need. The Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) is North Carolina’s largest school system. Like all systems, Wake County faces challenges in educating its fetal alcohol effect students and funding technology to teach FAE students.

A growing number of virtual high schools, schools use the Internet for delivery, and offer courses or whole programs of study (Wood, 2005). Students can access courses that might not be available to them at their local schools. “Students can take advanced placement classes from other high schools or from colleges and universities anywhere in the world. It is possible to obtain a high school or college diploma without ever having set foot in a physical classroom” stated President Obama (2009). There are many software applications such as WebCT, Blackboard that provide both ease of access to the instruction and resources for the instructor and students for successful study online. There are issues that need to be discussed by anyone wishing to use online school to teach FAE students. No Child Left behind (NCLB) Acts of 2001, was signed into law by President Bush on January 8, 2002, is the restated Elementary and Secondary Education Act (1965), the central federal law in precollegiate education. The NCLB law expanded the federal government role in education and became education policy. It takes particular aim at improving the educational of the special need and disadvantaged students (Obama, 2009).

Fetal Alcohol Effect students or children learn the skills needed for social interaction during normal development and do not require intensive social skills instruction. However, for students with disabilities, direct social skills instruction may be necessary (wwwnofas.org).

This research will attempt to see if technology can be used to meet the educational requirements of children with special needs (FAE).The following definitions are presented:

  • Assistive technology: Devices and software designed specifically for those with learning or physical disabilities or special needs.
  • Computer-assisted instruction: Instruction delivered directly to student by allowing them to interact with lesson programmed into the computer system.
  • Digital videodisc: A compact disc format for displaying motion video, often in the form of movies for home entertainment.
  • Electronic book:- Hand held device roughly the size of a paperback that typically contains enough memory for 75 to 80 novel-length works.
  • Electronic portfolio: A digital collection of student work that demonstrates progress in learning.
  • Entry tests: Assessment, both formal and informal, to determine if students possess desired identified prerequisites.
  • Portable digital audio player: Device that allows users to take digital audio files with them, such as an Apple iPod.
  • Virtual high school: A school that uses the internet for delivery and offers courses or whole programs of study.
  • Virtual reality: A computer controlled environment in which users experience multisensory immersion and interact with certain phenomena as they would in the physical world (Smaldino, Lowther, Russell, 2008).

Additional instructional support includes students at risk for school failure, students with fetal alcohol effect (FAE): problem processing information, memory deficits, attention deficit disorder, hyperactivity, and FAE students with learning disabilities (LD), particularly those with nonverbal learning disability. For example, it is estimated that 75% of students with LD exhibit some difficulties with social skills and almost one third may require additional social skills training beyond high school (Elksnin & Elksnin, 2000). Many children with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome/Fetal Alcohol Effect require special education services due to learning disabilities, emotional and behavioral difficulties or multiple handicapping conditions and special technologies like Alternate Keyboards, Easy-to Read Screens, Electronic Point Devices, Typing Aids, Touch Screens, E-toy, Reading Comprehension Programs and Speech-to-Speech Relay Services.

Context of the Problem

Legislation such as The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA) of 2006, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the No Child Left behind Act (NCLB) are focused on improving the quality of education for children. These educations bills are they do not adequately address the needs of fetal alcohol effect students. These students have requirement are vastly different from the needs the traditional students. No Child Left Behind focuses primary on the needs of the traditional student and the fetal alcohol effect students (special needs children) often left behind. A great need for the fetal alcohol effect student is the area of technology and FAE students need teaching approaches based on understanding the nature of their problems; which arelearning disabilities, emotional and behavioral or multiple handicapping conditions: destructivity, easy frustrated, poor fine & gross motor skills, poor attention, lack of organizational skills, problems with concrete thinking and poor peer relations ( For fetal alcohol effect students using technology can be the great equalizer.

Many children with fetal alcohol effect require special education services due to learning disabilities, emotional and behavioral difficulties or multiple handicapping conditions and special technologies like Alternate Keyboards, Easy-to Read Screens, Electronic Point Devices, Typing Aids, Touch Screens, E-toy, Reading Comprehension Programs and Speech-to-Speech Relay Services( Alternate keyboards offer a variety of ways to provide input to computer through various options in size, layout, and complexity. Programmable keyboards are versatile and often can be programmed so letters, numbers, words, or phrases can be entered by pressing custom keys. In essence, the brain of a child affected by alcohol has trouble processing information which can include taking in information, distinguishing signals from background noise, integrating or sequencing information, and responding to the signal with the right routine. Specific teaching strategies can help children affected by alcohol by using technology to create structured and routine learning environments (Elksnin & Elksnin, 2000,Fussell, 2005).

Statement of the Problem

This research will examine legislation has been passed addressing the education needs of students. The legislation is ground breaking and sets academic standards that all student must meet. The legislation set standards for all students, but ignored the additional resources required by fetal alcohol effect students: reasonable accommodations in the educational program and related aids and services. These students require the use of assistive technologies to meet educational goals. These technologies need to be a part of the budget and teacher and parents need to be train on teaching technology for FAE students.

Main Research Question and Sub- Questions

The purpose of this research is to evaluate the impact of the No Child Left Behind legislation and use of technology provide under the law (NCLB) on the education of fae students. How can public schools afford the technology for FAE students during a budget crisis? This research will answer the questions:

1. How can the use technology assist with educating students with fetal alcohol effect?

2. How can a school become more knowledgeable about accessing technology funds and grant for fetal alcohol effect students?

3. What teachers and parents need to know about programs that are available regarding using technology for fetal alcohol effect students?

Significance of the Study

The significance of the study is evaluating the impact of teaching technology for FAEstudent and the FAE child’s educational plan should be developed based on the FAE child needs. Considerable effort has been devoted to identifying the knowledge and skills needed by teachers to use technology in special education. FAE students can use technology to learn to read, math and science and finding fund to fund the technology for FAE students.

Limits of the Study

The limit of this study focuses on fetal alcohol effect students in United States’ public school (K-12) using technology.

Organization of the Study

This study consists of six chapters. The chapter one is the background information on the research study. Chapter two is the literature review. Chapter three addresses the question, how can the use of technology assist with educating students with fetal alcohol effect student? Chapter four addresses the question, how can a school become more knowledgeable about accessing technology funds and grant for fetal alcohol effect and special needs student? Chapter five addresses the question, what do teachers and parents need to know about software and programs that are available regarding using technology for FAE student. Chapter six discusses, the conclusion reached in this study and recommendations.

Research Design and Methodology

This research is qualitative study using secondary data on the impact of technology on the education of FAE children: peer reviews articles, books, and ehost.

Conclusion

According to the book “Fantastic Antone Succeeds” (Kleinfeld, and Wescott, 1993), appropriate Educational Placement can make all the difference in a child’s success. Many children with FAS/FAE require special education services due to learning disabilities, emotional and behavioral diffulties or multiple handicapping conditions and special technologies like Alternate Keyboards, Easy-to Read Screens, Electronic Point Devices, Typing Aids, Touch Screens, E-toy, Reading Comprehension Programs and Speech-to-Speech Relay Services. According to Alternate keyboards offer a variety of ways to provide input to computer through various options in size, layout, and complexity. Programmable keyboards are versatile and often can be programmed so letters, numbers, words, or phrases can be entered by pressing custom keys. They can be larger in size than a standard keyboard, allowing for a larger target area. Smaller keys can also set up so less range of motion is required. Overlays are used to define the customized keyboard layout (2000). Problem is the cost and school budget crisis.