The Good Parts of Technology

This may be one of the easiest writting assignments of the course. Technology has enriched my life by allowing me to overcome many of the limitations imposed by my blindness. The list of benefits is so long that its hard to summarize. I don't have to worry about going to the library as I can download digital books from the Library of Congress to play on my digital player. I can pull movies from Netflix over the internet which means that I don't have to find a ride to the movie rental store. Information and research that I would normally have to get to a library for is available at my desk. I can communicate and stay in touch with people simple by sitting at my computer. Shopping, hobbies, travel planning.... everything I need is a few keystrokes away. For many people, especially youth; this might be see as a retreat away from personal interactions. But for people with disabilities, this is often the only way to overcome being trapped in a house with nothing to do. Even my coursework to keep my teaching license can be done at home. Without the advances in technology, cab fare would cost me more than the course itself.
Maybe the biggest advantage is the emotional and psychological one. Sometimes the disability makes on feel trapped and very isolated. It can still be too quiet alone in the house, but there is an ability to reach out. And that provides some relief to the trapped feelings. Its hard to explain to someone who has the ability to go where they want when they want to.
As a teacher, my favorite uses of technology are the ones that I use to support my special education students. Technology allows me to help them succeed and learn. Students who can not write two sentences can use the computer to prepare movies and presentations to their classmates that show they have learned. My students record their voices over pictures that draw and scan or download or even take with a camera or camcorder. These pieces of technology combine into a project that they can feel pride in persenting to their classmates. For many of these students, the feelings of success are a new experience. I have technology that allows me to scan books or web sites and have them read to students who can not read. Again, my students feel included for the first time. They do not have to be embarassed that they can not read the hard chapter book that the rest of the class is reading. They can sit at the computer and have everything read to them. We are even experimenting with speach to text with some students. As in my personal life, technology can be the key to overcoming limitations. Its a good feeling.