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Preschool Teacher Percepti<strong>on</strong>s of Assistive Technology <strong>and</strong><br />
Professi<strong>on</strong>al Development Resp<strong>on</strong>ses<br />
Julia B. St<strong>on</strong>er, Howard P. Parette, Emily H. Watts, <strong>and</strong> Brian W. Wojcik<br />
Illinois State University<br />
Tina Fogal<br />
Bloomingt<strong>on</strong> District 87 Schools<br />
Abstract: This study investigated <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> perspectives of teachers in an early childhood center c<strong>on</strong>cerning <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir<br />
thoughts <strong>and</strong> feelings about <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> implementati<strong>on</strong> of a school wide assistive technology (AT) program designed to<br />
enhance emergent literacy skills for children identified as being at-risk or having special needs. Qualitative<br />
methodology was used to gain perspectives of all participants. Semi-structured interviews, observati<strong>on</strong>s in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
classroom, <strong>and</strong> a self-assessment of AT knowledge <strong>and</strong> practice were used to collect data. Data were analyzed<br />
using a multiple coding approach resulting in identificati<strong>on</strong> of four major <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>mes: (a) percepti<strong>on</strong>s of technology,<br />
(b) perceived challenges to implementing technology, (c) percepti<strong>on</strong>s of AT <strong>and</strong> literacy <strong>and</strong> (d) self-reported AT<br />
use. Discussi<strong>on</strong> <strong>and</strong> recommendati<strong>on</strong>s focus <strong>on</strong> best practices of implementing school wide AT in early childhood<br />
settings.<br />
Young children with disabilities have increasingly<br />
been placed in child care <strong>and</strong> preschool<br />
settings since <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> passage of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Individuals<br />
with Disabilities Educati<strong>on</strong> Act of 1997 (IDEA<br />
97; Nati<strong>on</strong>al Early Childhood Technical Assistance<br />
Center, 2003). To serve <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>se children<br />
appropriately in such settings, an individual<br />
educati<strong>on</strong> program (IEP) is developed for<br />
each child in which assistive technology (AT)<br />
devices [20 U. S. C. § 1401(1)] <strong>and</strong> services<br />
must be c<strong>on</strong>sidered [20 U.S.C. 1401(2)]. Both<br />
devices <strong>and</strong> services can result in a range of<br />
developmental benefits for young children<br />
with disabilities (Drasgow, Yell, & Robins<strong>on</strong>,<br />
2001; Mistreet, Lane, & Ruffino, 2005; Nati<strong>on</strong>al<br />
Associati<strong>on</strong> for <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Educati<strong>on</strong> of Young<br />
Children [NAEYC], 1996; Reed & Bowser,<br />
2005; Wiekle & Hadadian, 2003). However,<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> potential of AT to benefit <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>se children is<br />
c<strong>on</strong>tingent <strong>on</strong> “thoughtful integrati<strong>on</strong> into<br />
This project was supported by a grant from <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
Illinois Children’s Healthcare Foundati<strong>on</strong> to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
first three authors. Corresp<strong>on</strong>dence c<strong>on</strong>cerning this<br />
article should be addressed to Howard P. Parette,<br />
Department of Special Educati<strong>on</strong>, Illinois State University,<br />
Box 5910, Normal, IL 61790-5910. Email:<br />
hpparet@ilstu.edu<br />
Educati<strong>on</strong> <strong>and</strong> Training in Developmental Disabilities, 2008, 43(1), 77–91<br />
© <str<strong>on</strong>g>Divisi<strong>on</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> Developmental Disabilities<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> early childhood curriculum” (NAEYC, p.<br />
3).<br />
While IDEA 97 provides a clear requirement<br />
for ‘thoughtful’ c<strong>on</strong>siderati<strong>on</strong> of AT in<br />
developing young children’s service plans, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB)<br />
also provides additi<strong>on</strong>al dem<strong>and</strong>s for teachers<br />
by (a) requiring that children with disabilities<br />
be taught to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> same st<strong>and</strong>ards as all children,<br />
<strong>and</strong> (b) holding schools accountable for student<br />
achievement. However, “taking full advantage<br />
of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir rights to a high quality educati<strong>on</strong><br />
requires support to learn in ways that<br />
meet <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir educati<strong>on</strong>al needs” (Nati<strong>on</strong>al Center<br />
for Technology Innovati<strong>on</strong>, 2005, p. 3). AT<br />
affords many young children with disabilities<br />
with <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> necessary learning supports to learn<br />
<strong>and</strong> achieve, especially with regard to developing<br />
emergent literacy skills that provide <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
foundati<strong>on</strong> for later success when entering<br />
public schools (Parette, St<strong>on</strong>er, Watts, &<br />
Wojcik, 2006).<br />
Use of technology to develop emergent literacy<br />
skills has been examined by numerous<br />
authorities (Beck, 2002; Pierce & Porter, 1996;<br />
Smedley et al., 1997; Scooter & Boss, 2002;<br />
Wright & Shade, 1994). In typical classrooms,<br />
early childhood teachers plan <strong>and</strong> implement<br />
an array of emergent literacy activities for chil-<br />
Preschool Teacher Percepti<strong>on</strong>s / 77