How to Use Educational Software for Students With Learning Disabilities

Educational software can be an important tool to help students overcome learning disabilities. The interactivity of a computer program can stimulate a child who has trouble learning in the classroom. When you help a child use educational software for students with learning disabilities, you still need to pay close attention to the student's progress.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Use Educational Software for Students with Learning Disabilities

1. Start your students using the educational software under direct supervision. Watching over the children is even more important if they are younger or have minimal experience using technology. At first, students may need a lot of help while they grow accustomed to using the program.

2. Spend the majority of computer time working on the subject that gives your student the most trouble. For example, if your child's learning disabilities make reading comprehension difficult, focus on developing those skills. Be sure to start at the lowest level so the student doesn't get frustrated.

3. Reward your students by letting them spend some time playing games with the computer. Most educational software for students with learning disabilities features games that are loosely related to the lesson. These games let the students play for a little while without removing them from the material too much.

4. Make sure the software isn't moving too fast for your students. Check the program's progress reports and encourage your students to perfect each lesson before moving on to the next one.

5. Keep a record of how the students' classroom learning changes with the use of the educational software. Most software is designed to support live instruction rather than replace it. Once the students are comfortable with the material in the software, see how well they can work with the same information in a textbook.

Tips & Warnings

• Most software companies will let you purchase an educator's license for the programs if you intend to use them in a school setting. This way one program can be installed on many computers.
• Your child's school should be able to recommend some programs to help with his education if he has a learning disability.
• You should look for a program that can support your child during the school year and also reinforce learning and prepare her for new material during the summer.
• You need to look carefully at the educational software and be sure it has a set learning curriculum and isn't just a collection of educational games.