Applications of Microcomputer Technology to Special Education

Abstract

Microcomputers are currently being used to make technological improvements that affect many areas of our lives. Microcomputer technology is used in the latest cars for regulating fuel flow, in television sets for tuning, in microwave ovens for remembering and acting on cooking instructions, and even in Broadway shows for coordinating complex audiovisual effects. Given this profusion of microcomputer technology in everyday life, it is only natural and appropriate that microcomputers be used to improve the educational process. This article describes some of the ways in which microcomputer and related technologies are being applied to special education. In particular, applications designed to improve special education administration, assessment, instruction, related services, and staff development are discussed.