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Project Topic: Does the use of iPads have a positive effect on engagement with students that
have a disability?
Abstract
The goal of this study was to test students with disabilities engagement while using iPads
during testing and various forms of instruction. During this study in a fifth grade mathematics
course, students were given paper/pencil assignments and tests without the use of an iPad at the
beginning of the semester and the exact same assignments and tests towards the end of the
semester with the use of iPads. Data was collected, analyzed and compared between students
with and without disabilities to determine the effects that the iPad had. The results of the study
found a dramatic increase in test scores when the iPad was used to implement the test. It also
found that students were more engaged and motivated to complete the work that was assigned.
The study was inspired by an experience that sparked interest in the topic and the need for
The purpose of this action research project is to determine the effects of technology,
specifically iPads, on engagement with students that have disabilities. Educators are continually
trying to incorporate new accommodations for special needs students that can further help them
to succeed in the classroom. This study will explore the impact that iPads have on engagement
and motivation as it relates to students with disabilities. In addition, this research will look to
Special education students can succeed in a higher-level thinking curriculum just like
general education students. However, they often require differentiation and proper
accommodations. Anya Kamenetz (2014) has noted that 6.4 million students in the United States,
ages 3-21, have some kind of learning disability, which averages to around 13 percent of all
public school students. (para. 10) This presents a tremendous challenge for today's teachers that
may be improved by the use of iPads. To determine the effect of the ipad concepts, this study
will include pre- and post- assessments, observations and teacher/student journaling to examine
With the ongoing technological advancements in today's society, it is expected that our
schools would integrate items such as iPads and tablets into teachers instructional strategies. In
2011, the Center for American Progress published an article referencing President Bill Clintons
accreditation as one of the first advocates for technology in the classroom by setting an
educational goal linking the two. He understood the important role that technology could play in
our educational system and took advantage of that vision. However, there have been hurdles
along the way that have created challenges within US schools. Funding is one of the most
challenging aspects for low income schools and as a result, students sometimes miss out on
some of the benefits that technology provides. Proper use of the technology by the students has
also been a concern; however, there have been advancements that make it easier for teachers to
monitor student work. If available, iPads have the capability to enhance instruction for the
To understand how iPads will affect learning, we must first explore the role of general
technology in the classroom. Technology is everywhere, built into almost every part of our daily
lives. It affects how we socialize, connect, play, and most importantly learn. With the important
role that it plays in our lives, it only makes sense to have technology in the classroom. If used
correctly, technology will help teachers reach diversity in learning styles and students will learn
to think more critically. A journal article titled Meaningful Connections: Using Technology in
Primary Classrooms stated that For technology to fulfill its promise as a powerful contributor to
By encouraging collaboration, students will get the chance to interact and make
connections with their classmates. They will be able to generate more ideas and think critically
about different subjects. The Future of Children article states that: Technology facilitates the
students ability to make personal connections with others and provides opportunities to focus on
writing skills within a context that they value, without fear of being stigmatized.(Hasselbring &
Glaser, 2000, p. 108). With technology, the classroom becomes a happier place where students
are excited about being able to use the technology and therefore are more apt to learn. They also
gain a sense of responsibility where they begin to make their own decisions and actually think
for themselves (Hasselbring & Glaser, 2000). One of the most important attributes to using
technology in the classroom is that it helps prepare students for their future careers. The 21st
Century skills that students learn are essential in order to be successful in this day and age. Jobs
that may not have had a digital component in the past may have one now. Education is not just
about memorizing facts and vocabulary words, it is about solving complex problems and being
to collaborate with others in the workforce. Technology has and will continue to change
Technology can be the great equalizer in a classroom with diverse or disabled learners
(Hasselbring & Glaser, 2000) It is often overwhelming to differentiate instruction for a large
class, all with different needs and abilities. Assistive technology (devices and software to assist
students with disabilities) can help teachers personalize lessons and enhance the skills of each
child. Children with learning disabilities generally have good technology skills and are drawn to
computers and other gadgets, so using them in the classroom can make a difference. In fact, the
Future of Children article states that: Students with mild learning disabilities often demonstrate
higher-level performance and attention to detail working on multimedia projects than they
normally exhibit.(Hasselbring & Glaser, 2000, p. 109). For children with physical disabilities,
technology can give access to learning opportunities previously closed to them. For example, e-
Readers help students turn book pages without applying dexterity, and voice adaptive software
can help students answer questions without having to write. Computers are engaging and more
advanced which allows for more differentiation than a typical lesson will provide. However,
assistive technology is not always just for students with disabilities; it can be used to help any
Devices such as the iPad are a great resource for disabled students as they can enhance
their communication skills However, not all students can use these high tech devices. At the
elementary school level, students are still learning the basics of a computer or iPad. Some
students are years away from using technology to communicate their wants and needs. Although
there are still challenges, the positives definitely outweigh the negatives by giving students
access and usage of technology devices, just like students in a regular education classroom. If
used correctly, technology can increase their independence and teach them basic technology or
communication skills that they are going to need for the rest of their education and beyond.
However, it is important that teachers understand how to use the technology and how to properly
teach with it. In the Future of Children's article, Hasselbring and Glaser (2000) state: To meet
the needs of students with disabilities within regular classrooms, all teachers, both those in
regular education and those in special education programs, need training in how technology can
be used ( p.118). Teachers need to have the appropriate training so that they can help students
Todays student engagement and learning styles have changed over the last decade. Tools
such as the iPad have began to transform how a teacher instructs and the way students learn in
the classroom. A study from Paula Saine (2012) in the NERA Journal showed that when students
are engaged in digital activities, they do not consider these tools as schoolwork, but rather an
exciting experience where they can explore and better relate to the subject. The unique tools and
applications that the iPad has to offer allows students to be engaged in learning at their own pace.
With the use of iPads, teachers can differentiate their instruction and encourage collaboration
with other students. In addition, they allow students to feel a sense of ownership in their work
and help to build confidence in their own learning. The iPad allows students to be able to work
together and share their thinking and learning skills so that they can better understand how to
solve problems, answer questions, and share discoveries instead of relying solely on the teacher.
iPads are a way to promote positive relationships in the classroom so students can receive the
Special educators are always looking for new methods of learning in which students with
disabilities will better retain information. For children lacking motor skills, touch screens are
more intuitive devices (Coulon, 2015). With the use of older technology, students were required
to visually shift between a mouse or keyboard and the screen. With the iPad, students can watch
as one of their fingers directly writes on the screen to make selections, which in turn helps
improve fine motor skills. Touch technology in devices such as the iPad has become more
natural to students with disabilities (Coulon, 2015). It is important for the teacher to understand
how all students, but especially those with disabilities, individually learn and retain information.
Students vary in learning styles and if used correctly, the iPad can help accommodate those
different needs. With the iPads, the teacher can differentiate lesson plans assessing the needs of
each individual. Teachers can also take advantage of the vast amount of apps available for the
iPad specifically tailored to special needs students by choosing which apps best fit their teaching
methods relevant to the way their students learn. The way students with a disability are learning
from iPads is changing the way they are being taught in schools, improving aspects of their lives
In closing, technology has and will continue to change the ways that schools operate,
especially with students that have a disability. The iPad has the potential to be the most effective
technological tool in education today. The various components that reside in its database can
promote student engagement and serve as a form of assistive technology for special needs
students. All students are constantly changing how they learn and as educators we have to adapt
to those changes so that we can provide the best education possible. Implementing iPads will not
only appeal to the new era of students, but will also increase critical thinking skills and widen the
Southwest Virginia is a great place to conduct a study on the use of iPads in a classroom.
Although it is an area with a large discrepancy in wealth and education, most counties have
begun to enhance the technology they use in their schools. With the exception of some small
suburbs, Southwest Virginia is rural. Much of the economy is made up of farmers and lumber
companies. The biggest challenge is that each county school system is different in their financial
capability. Several schools systems are able to renovate when needed, give regular raises to
teachers and keep up with todays technology. However some schools are less fortunate and
Considering privacy, the county that this study will be conducted in will be called
Florence County. This is an extravagant rural area that is near the very peaked edge of Southwest
Virginia. From the amazing plays to the hiking trails and outside activities, Florence County has
an abundance of wealth and attracts tourist from all over the country .Of the countys 54,907
residents, 97% are white, 1% are hispanic, 1% are African American and another 1% makes up a
rate has decreased dramatically in recent years with lowering to 4.8% in 2015. However that is
still slightly above Virginia's average in 2015 that was at 4.4%, which was 0.9% below the
There are 15 public schools in Florence county that serve roughly 7,400 students. 93.1%
of students in the county are white with 2.5% and 1.3% hispanic and black respectively (Virginia
Department of Education, 2015). This aligns almost perfectly with the total Florence county
population numbers. This study will be based off of an elementary school in Florence county that
will be referred to as J.K. Stanley Elementary School. Approximately 587 students attend J.K.
Stanley Elementary School, 96% of which are white, 3% black, and 1% hispanic. Nearly 48% of
students are on free and reduced lunch and 14.7% have some sort of disability (VDOE, 2015).
The classroom that this study will be conducted in is a 5th grade mathematics class. The
study will take place in the last period of the day. This is a full class with several students on
Individualized Educational Plans. Nonetheless, the class as a whole is operating very well when
it come to comprehension of the material. The main problems that persist are related to
engagement. Students are often lost because they are not not engaged into the instruction. This
study will explore the effects that an iPad has with the focus of these students, especially those
Participants
A fifth grade Mathematics course that included a total of 20 students will serve as the
participants for this research study. This class was chosen because it has a mixture of students
with and without disabilities. The class is from 11:00 - 11:45 with 8 females and 12 males, of
which 8 of the total have some sort of disability that requires an Individualized Education Plans
(IEP).
Procedure
To conduct the study, each student in the class did the same work once with an iPad and
once without and the results were compared to judge engagement. First, the class was
introduced to the iPads and the teacher went over different basic trainings on how they operate.
Before actual data could be collected, students familiarized themselves with the different aspects
and functions that an iPad provides. The first iPad class activity served as a pre-test. Students
opened the downloaded app called Fill the Cup and began to work on their mathematical
measurement skills. Students were informally assessed by observation to see how much they
knew about using the iPads. The teacher recorded the information collected on a spreadsheet that
was split between students with and without disabilities. The spreadsheet also included the
activity for the day, how many students were on and off task and the level of confusion that was
After becoming familiarized with the technology, students were given a standardized test
to determine if there were any positive or negative effects that were a result from using the iPad.
The test that was administered was the WIAT-III test. WIAT-III tests the students in math and
english and is able to determine students comprehension, recognition, oral language and written
language skills. The test is available on paper or computer and it now has iPad compatibility.
While both versions require teacher administering assistance, the iPad method has significantly
reduced teacher error and it automatically scores the test for you which saves time. To administer
the test both the student and teacher must have a different iPad and they must be linked together.
The teacher must have the master version so that they can control the student's iPad to direct
them to the appropriate material. The student can then press an answer on their iPad and it show
As stated earlier, the results from both the formal and informal tests were compared
to the same assignment only done without iPads. During the informal assessment most students
were able to operate the iPads with little guidance and they all seemed to understand the material
in a fun and interactive way. Students were excited about doing the assignment and asked if they
could do more activities on the iPad. This indicated that they were more engaged with the
material because when asked to do the same assignment, some students did not finish nor do as
With the formal assessment, the study showed a significant difference in almost all the
students. Students were more motivated to do the test on the iPad opposed to doing it on paper.
More students were on task and ready to work opposed to when they are not using an iPad.
Every student but one showed an increase in their score when taking the test on the iPad and the
level of confusion decreased (Figure 2). The one outlier in the study was one of the eight special
education students who was visually impaired. She does better when she is able to use her pencil
to assist her with the test. The tools that are available on the iPad are more difficult to use and
seemed to just confuse her. However, the seven other special education students saw a significant
improvement in their test scores and were more engaged and motivated to do their work.
Students without disabilities showed a 40% increase when using the iPads in the formal
assessment while students with disabilities showed a 76% increase. (Figure 1 & 2) Both were
substantial increases in scores and shows the important role that an iPad can play in the testing of
students. Outside of assessment the iPad was proven to be successful with general instruction
and also serves as an effective study tool. Students all reported that they were able to more easily
understand how to apply the material when they did activities on different applications. The
teacher was also able to download a game that served as a study guide so that students were able
to study in a fun way while increasing their comprehension and recognition skills.
Segment G: Graphic to Display Data Analysis and Findings
Figure 1
Figure 2
Segment H: Limitations of the Study
Although this study has been proven to positively affect engagement and end results from
both students with and without disabilities, there are some limitations that the study has
presented that may affect the results of the study or how it is to be conducted. The most obvious
limitation is that not every school is able to supply its teachers with the appropriate amount of
iPads so that they can be effective and provide all they have to offer. Schools that are not able to
afford something like this should look into different grants that are available to better assist
schools with technologies. The results are evidence that it would be a worthy investment and
something that our teachers and most importantly our students deserve.
Another important limitation is that this study was only conducted in one classroom.
Therefore, to better understand the quantity and nature of the outliers, the study should be
conducted in several different classroom settings. Just like in analyzing test scores, educators
should never base students progress on one example of study, but rather a collections of studies
done in various of ways. It may also be helpful if there were a larger number of students with
disabilities so that their behaviors and engagement can better be observed. One last limitation of
the study is the area in which it was conducted. As stated before, this study was conducted in just
one classroom, but it was also conducted in only one location in Southwest Va. To strengthen the
validity of the data the study should be conducted in multiple areas around the U.S. in both urban
As stated earlier in the limitations, it would better validate the results from the study if it
were conducted several times in different locations. This would help determine if students from
different backgrounds would react differently to the use of iPads in the classroom. The study was
different classroom management techniques would react differently than that of the first class. In
addition, the original study did not focus on specific disabilities and in what ways they may
affect the outcomes. In future studies it may be helpful to look more closely at each disabilities
characteristics to help determine if this is a factor and to what degree it is affecting the data.
Lastly, this study did not focus on if gender played a role in the outcomes either. It would be
interesting to see if a males or females react differently to the iPads or if there is no discernable
difference. It is important that future research be conducted on these different topics so that the
study is better validated and can be used as a good tool for teachers to use with students.
Appendix A
Students Without Disabilities (without ipad)