Skills For the 21st Century

One benefit of using Assistive Technology is that students learn new technology skills. They bring them to a new level of understanding. Their frequency of use with the specialized programs, and learning how to troubleshoot small problems with their computers helps them to build the feeling of industry. In this feeling is a new confidence. This confidence shows up in other areas of the student’s life including with personal relationships. Moreover, through these experiences, the student has transformed their learning experience from one of inferiority to industry, and in some cases, leadership.

In this author’s experience, some of the students that I have worked with Assistive Technology with have learned to use the software, internalized the knowledge, independently made further applications of the knowledge themselves, and then have capitalized on their newly found strength to show other students how to go about doing things in the classroom. This outcome is one that will benefit the student for many years to come. In addition, the technical skills the student develops can carry on into later educational pursuits, and even career opportunities. We know that we as teachers are preparing our students for the future, and many of the employment opportunities that our students will participate in in their lifetimes do not even yet exist. In this, we are providing these students with skills for the 21st century regardless of how they perform in the traditional classroom of today.