Journal of Special Education Technology, Ahead of Print. Assistive technology (AT) is critical for students with disabilities to access and engage in the general education curriculum, but research has consistently reported a lack of AT knowledge among general and special education teachers. This synthesis reviewed the literature on AT instruction in teacher preparation programs. A total of 14 studies were selected using specific selection criteria. Findings indicated that after receiving AT instruction, pre-service teachers showed positive gains in self-reported AT skills/knowledge, assessed A ..read more

Journal of Special Education Technology, Ahead of Print. Digital technology has been an integral part of transforming educational resources for students in recent decades, however, the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic has focused education on infusion of digital technologies throughout programs to better meet students’ needs. School districts have benefited from the American Rescue Plan Act funding and the surge of new or re-envisioned resources and tools launched in the aftermath of the pandemic’s influence on school environments. Through this phenomenon, new opportunities have become particu ..read more

Journal of Special Education Technology, Ahead of Print. Multiple evidence-based practices (EBPs) were identified in education, but relatively little attention has been paid to implementation. Special education teachers in the Chinese mainland faced great challenges in terms of a lack of knowledge and skills regarding EBPs. Asynchronous online training has been successfully provided for pre-service professionals on instructional methods or strategies. The present study evaluated the effects of self-paced online training on pre-service special education teachers’ case application of visual sche ..read more

Journal of Special Education Technology, Ahead of Print. Novice special education teachers often face challenges in developing high-quality Individualized Education Program (IEP) goals for children with autism. The use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools, such as ChatGPT, has shown potential in supporting teachers in IEP development. This study aimed to investigate the impact of ChatGPT on the quality, content, and time spent on IEP goal development for novice special education teachers. Moreover, impact of previous training on IEP and goal development was examined. 22 novice special educati ..read more

Journal of Special Education Technology, Ahead of Print. Since the passing of the Higher Education Opportunity Act in 2008, more students with intellectual disability are being admitted to inclusive postsecondary education programs at U.S. colleges and universities. One of the challenges many students with intellectual disability face when arriving on a college campus is learning to navigate their new surroundings independently. We share how postsecondary education programs can use an assistive technology, Google My Maps, to customize maps to address each student’s unique needs in independentl ..read more

Journal of Special Education Technology, Ahead of Print. Recent findings from social attention research suggest direct engagement with others is a necessary condition for the social cognitive development of both autistic children and their typically developing peers. These findings come from studies that have used eye-tracking technology and paradigms for measuring social attention in naturalistic, real-time settings. Social interactions allow two social partners to coordinate their attention in order to understand each other. Using a framework for studying social cognitive development and soc ..read more

Journal of Special Education Technology, Ahead of Print. The purpose of this descriptive review of nine research studies was to explore the types of educational technologies used with SWDs to support written expression (WE), the implementation of the educational technology for WE, and the methods and domains WE outcomes are measured. This review focused on: (1) the technologies utilized in combination with WE outcomes; (2) student demographics, background experience and knowledge of technology, and the training they received for the educational technology in the intervention; (3) strategy use ..read more

Journal of Special Education Technology, Ahead of Print. Editing and revising is a necessary, yet complex, stage of the writing process that is challenging for students with and without disabilities. One solution to improve overall writing outcomes is with strategy instruction, such as the Strategic Instruction Model for writing. More specifically, strategies such as the Error Monitoring Strategy, that support editing and revising. Additionally, with the increase in access to devices, and the continued development of tools that support writing, these strategies should be aligned to technologie ..read more

Journal of Special Education Technology, Ahead of Print. Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) curriculum and learning activities may help students learn social-emotional learning (SEL) competencies needed to support independence and community living, as well as 21st-century career development skills. Including robotics and coding curriculum in elementary classrooms can offer all students engaging academic experiences that include opportunities for students to problem solve, discuss ideas, and collaborate to find solutions. This article presents a vignette about a teacher’s ..read more

Journal of Special Education Technology, Ahead of Print. Digital technology in primary education can both be distracting and increase attentiveness. Many students with Special Educational Needs (SEN) have difficulties with skills that address attention, and teachers are expected to provide support. Such skills are referred to as Executive Function (EF) in neuroscience, relating to self-regulation, attention shifting, and inhibition of behavior. This systematic literature review outlines research on primary education during 2000–2022 that relates students’ EF and digital technology through empi ..read more