Putting EdTech To Good Use: How It Can Enhance Learning & Support Diverse Needs

Well-defined Edtech tools can help students overcome educational barriers. In modern classrooms, they can serve as an equaliser.

By Dr Sonam Kothari

The integration of technology in education has expanded all across the world over the last few decades. In fact, tech-based solutions have penetrated almost every aspect of educational learning. Technological learning helps make education more accessible and diverse for students. It helps create learning environments that relate to children from all socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds. One of the key areas where educational technology can play a pivotal role is enhancing learning experiences for students with special educational needs or disabilities.

According to UNESCO, there are around 93 million to 150 million children who have moderate to severe learning or physical disabilities. Out of these, 80 per cent of the children are from developing nations. Based on this data, UNESCO estimates that children with disabilities are 10 per cent less likely to complete even primary education. This is where technology-based education can help bridge this gap by making education accessible, increasing participation, and supporting the learning needs of different children. 

Introduction of ‘IDEA’

To support and create a more inclusive learning ecosystem in the country, the government introduced the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) in 1990. This initiative ensures access to free and fair education for students with special needs in public institutions. A significant increase in the number of these students was observed in general education systems over the years, highlighting the effectiveness of this law. However, without appropriate support and tools, children with disabilities can fall behind academically.

Building Inclusive Education Systems with Edtech 

Well-defined Edtech tools can help students overcome educational barriers. In modern classrooms, they can serve as an equaliser. The following technologies can help address the diverse needs of children: 

• Majority Technologies: Majority technologies are general-purpose tools that can considerably enhance learning experiences in classrooms. Screen projectors, computers, and generic software packages are some of the examples of this technology. 

• Accessible Technologies: There are special equipment, systems, and products available in the market that directly address the specific needs of students. They provide them with access to mainstream educational services. These include devices with built-in accessibility features like speech-to-text tools, on-screen magnification, audio volume or sound balance, text prediction, voice recognition, and braille display, among others. 

• Assistive Technologies: Assistive technology tools are explicitly devised for people with specific disabilities, enabling them to become more independent. These are often individualised and they assist with mobility, hearing, communication, and vision. They include tools such as phonetic spelling software, picture-based communicative applications, text-to-voice applications, braille note-takers, talking calculators, and much more. 

(The author is the Co-Founder and CEO of Butterfly Learnings)

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