Video Supports for Teaching Students with Developmental Disabilities and Autism: Twenty-Five Years of Research and Development

Abstract

Educators have used video technology in a variety of ways to address the educational needs of students with and without disabilities. This article addresses some of the historical and theoretical perspectives related to video to broadly illustrate how the use of video has improved educational opportunities for students with disabilities. Successful instructional and assistive technology applications of video are discussed, and ideas about the future of video are offered. The article closes with an exploration of the impact of market and financial forces that pose challenges for teachers eager to access high-quality video based instructional materials, and how most applications involve teachers or researchers taking the initiative to create the materials on their own. The experimental studies and scholarly articles included in this topical issue of the Journal of Special Education Technology demonstrate that the instruction benefits of video-based technology hold tremendous potential for students with more significant disabilities.