1) Use the UWI library, and the Internet to do some research about your chosen topic.

2) Decide upon a heading that tells me what your topic is about.

3) In a MS Word document, type up what you have learned about your topic. Remember to
cite/reference your work thoroughly.
4) Next, tell me in one paragraph WHY you chose that topic.
5) Explain what the curricular purpose of your topic is (how this topic can help you teach), and
how it relates to learning theory.

Heading: Championing inclusive education with the use of technology.

In a world where the internet is widely accessible by all it is important that persons with
disabilities have access to it. According to the website Computer Hope.com, without software
your computer would be useless. It further goes on to define software as the collection of
instructions that enable the user to interact with a computer or have it perform specific tasks for
them. Therefore every computer needs software to function effectively. There are numerous
educational software that students and teachers can use to help in the teaching and learning
process. Many educational institutions are advocating inclusive education; therefore all
classrooms should be equipped with the necessary technological resources to foster learning.
According to the website UNESCO.org, inclusive education should be viewed in terms of
including traditionally excluded or marginalized groups or making the invisible visible. The most
marginalized groups are often invisible in society: disabled children, girls, children in remote
villages, and the very poor. In light of this many software applications have been developed to
help these children work similarly to their peers. Computer software that can help visually
impaired children are; speech synthesis braille portable computers, screen magnifiers,
IntelliTools, Math Flash and Magic Match. The speech synthesis software is designed to read for
the child without the child having to use braille while the screen magnifiers make the print easier

to read. The website efofex.com states that physically impaired students find the subjects
mathematics and science difficult so they provided software that helps to assist disabled children
with these two subjects. There are many other software applications that assist children with
learning for example the Astech Software can be used by both disabled and able bodied children
to aid in their learning.
I chose this topic because as an educator it is my desire not to have any of my students
excluded during instruction. Therefore, if students with disabilities are placed in my classroom I
should be able to incorporate these soft wares to aid in the teaching and learning process. The
students should not feel left out or disadvantaged but they should be able to work like their peers.
According to the Unit two readings, ICT-mediated learning environments are
environments where students perform learning tasks that involve activity, realism, reflection and
collaboration with the support of ICT tools. The constructivist approach supports ICT learning
within the classroom environment. With this theory the student is actively engaged in his o her
own learning through an environment that is equipped with the necessary resources and an
educator who is there to assist and guide. Therefore once I have the software listed above I
would be able to use them to teach effectively.

Reference
Efofex.com: Empower Pogram; free software for students with special needs. Viewd on 14th
October, 2014. Retrieved from: http://www.efofex.com/empower.php
UNESCO.org.What is Inclusive Education. Viewed 14th October, 2014. Retrieved from:
http://www.unescobkk.org/education/inclusive-education/what-is-inclusive-education/
University of the West Indies. Unit 2:Learning Theories that Guide ICT-Mediated Learning