Chapter 8 reflection

In chapter 8 Academic Software I learned that there are a variety of software packages that can be used in teaching and learning. I can use desktop publishing software to create professional looking printed or electronic pages as text, graphics, digital pictures, stylized headlines and more. Imaging software lets me capture, and edit hard copy images including text, graphics, and photos. Editing software allows me to do changes in the image. Reference software is a CD-ROM or online formats where we can storage information. Drill and Practice software is designed to lets learners practice and review concepts, as often and as long they need. Educational game software can help students to learn playing. Concept mapping tools generates digital maps where the student can type a brainstorming process so they can visualize their ideas and turn them into a cohesive whole. These soft wares and others more can do the teaching and learning easy and fun.
I read five posts of Special Education because I think it is one of the biggest problems that teachers have in school. Some of the teachers feel they are not well prepared to help a student with disability. So I think this information can help me understand better what is the real problem.
The first post I read was “You are your best motivator” in Jerry’s Special Education Blog. It talks about how important is that teachers believe in their students. If teachers believe that their students can learn they going to learn because it is a big motivation to them. The second post I read was “Are disabilities declining?” in Jerry’s Special Education Blog. It talks about how the percent of students with learning disabilities dropped from 13.8 to 13.4 between the years 2004-2008, and it also said that the 80 percent of this students are diagnosed with leaning disabilities because of reading problems. So these students just need a good instructor to teach them how to read well. The third post I read was “Inclusion or Negligence?” in Jerry’s Special Education Blog. It talks about how inclusion provide to children with disabilities opportunities to learn appropriate social skills from their peers, but it doesn’t work for children with Asperger’s Syndrome. It also said the teachers in the Redlands School district are not well prepared to work with these children. The fourth post I read was “Who cares about special ed kids?” in Jerry’s Special Education Blog. It tells us about how The Southern Poverty Law Center complaint against New Orleans School district because they discriminate students with disabilities. And the last post I read was “Students with Disabilities are Disproportionately Published” in Jerry’s Special Education Blog. It tells us that an online news in Delaware reports that 20 percent of students suspended are students with disabilities and the problem is most reflected on the autistic spectrum. It said too that there are a lot of teachers who are not well prepared to provide positive behavior support to those students.