Nowadays, almost every classroom has a child with an evaluation who has their own special educational needs. The challenge for the teacher often remains how to adjust the methodology to make each child feel included.
At Knowla, we strive to customize our products to be accessible to everyone and to integrate a diverse class. Below you will find just a few highlighted examples.
What are special educational needs?
Each of us is different, so it should come as no surprise that each child has individual needs (including educational ones). Our perceptions, reasoning, skills, abilities, personality, appearance, physical conditions, environmental conditions, past illnesses or development differ. Usually, however, these differences are small and almost imperceptible in everyday functioning. Nevertheless, it is worth realizing that the person next to you does not see the world the same way as you do at all.
Sometimes, however, some values can be much higher or lower than averaged, and a person may lean toward disorders, diseases and disabilities, or the other way – toward above-average skills, abilities or intelligence. In such situations, we speak of special educational needs. A child who comes to school with such a set of characteristics may need appropriate adjustments to be able to develop fully. So the goal of teachers and the school should be to provide such support.
Learn more about special education needs here: https://knowla.eu/pl/specjalne-potrzeby-edukacyjne-czym-sa-i-jak-je-realizowac/
What is inclusivity?
Inclusiveness is the inclusion of diverse people in one group (which is why we can also talk about inclusive education). The goal is to make education possible for all people, regardless of race, gender, place of residence or degree of disability. Inclusive activities not only serve to break down various barriers to level the playing field. They also involve the interaction of different people with each other without looking at the differences that arise between people in the group.
No matter what kind of people end up in the same class, the school’s task is to make them interact and integrate well with each other, without paying undue attention to limitations. Moreover, each child should have the chance to develop his or her full potential in accordance with his or her abilities and development.
How does Knowla adapt to a diverse group?
At Knowla, we strive to accommodate a diverse society. Below you will find some examples and suggestions:
- The devices are equipped with a high-end Epson projector, which does not tire the eyes even with prolonged use. The light of the projector also does not fall directly on the user, which further protects the eyesight from blue light. All this also assists light-sensitive people.
- The Epson projector casts a clear and vivid image that will be visible even from a distance or for people with visual impairments.
- You can drive a cart up to the displayed image on Knowla devices, and everything should be within easy reach. As an additional improvement, the screen will also be split between two people in some applications, making it easier to work on the Knowla Box.
- You can work on the Knowla Box in two planes, which allows you to adjust under the individual, group or the way you work on the device.
- The Knowlę Box can be placed on a table and the image can be displayed on it to make it also accessible horizontally for people with various disabilities, such as: wheelchair ramps.
- The device has different ways of interaction that can be customized according to your needs or the way you work on the device.
- Knowla’s devices, along with its applications, are geared toward both individual and group work, allowing for the integration of a diverse group.
- There are many applications in the SEN Package to address various disorders, including adjusting graphics, calm colors, reducing stimuli, practicing useful abilities, and revalidation exercises.
- Many apps have adjustments and simplifications in the graphics so that they do not overly distract children with attention deficits. This includes apps from Planet Contrast, Emotion Thermometer (Planet Emo) and Emotion Wheel(Planet Emo). Adjustments of graphics for different color vision disorders can also be found in Take me there (Planets of the LING Package), Throw it in the wash (Planets of the LING Package), among others.
- The sound can be turned off in each app so that it does not interfere with children on the autism spectrum, as well as other auditory processing or attention disorders.
- Many apps have difficulty levels so that it can be tailored to the student’s abilities and individualize learning.
- Several apps impart similar knowledge or skills, but in different ways, so you can tailor the methodology for a particular person or group, e.g.: addition in Planet Sigma can be learned by: working on sets, calculating the sum of elements on a scale, or performing the relevant equations.
- Most of the app does not contain written words, sentences or spoken commands. Everything is based on pictures and familiar symbols, making it understandable to children from different countries.
- Applications that are prepared for balls are great for integration. So is free play.
All apps as well as devices allow for smart fun for anyone who feels like grabbing a pen or ball. Try it out for yourself as well by checking out our offerings at: www.store.knowla.eu.
