Wednesday, 20 August 2014

Will Children With Special Needs Benefit From Online Education?


There is no doubt that every child is special, however some children need require extra attention as they are regarded remarkably special. The truth is special needs children require a completely different kind of education model that caters to their specific learning needs. However, there are many schools that are unable make the required modifications and provide what is necessary to cater to special needs children. Hence many parents run out of option and settle with homeschooling as the only solution. But now with the advent of online education all that is about to change.
Online Learning For Special Learners
Online programmes are designed and developed specifically for the learners, which range from grade school to graduation school. These courses can help your child to gain necessary skills and knowledge through a comfortable and enhanced learning experience. As online learning offers excellent flexibility, convenience and comfort, it is often the best mode of learning for children with ADHD, dyslexia, autism or other learning disabilities.
The convenience and flexibility factor of online study can especially prove to be helpful as it will offer your child the opportunity to learn in a way that suits him/her best.
How Can Online Education Help?

Almost all online learning programmes utilise audio and video lectures, presentations and slideshows, images and texts to help the learners better understand the coursework. As the content is available online and can be accessed easily 24/7, special needs children can work on their assignments and homework as per their convenience. The learners can take online classes whenever they are comfortable as there are fixed schedules. This is especially helpful in case of urgent doctor visits or therapy sessions.
The learners can also take many small breaks between every lesson. For instance, learners with ADHD or ADD tend to learn better when the lessons are brief and short as they are unable to concentrate for a long time. If your child becomes very anxious, then he/she can take a break and have a small walk without having the fear of being expelled or punished by the educator. Moreover as online lectures are mainly audio and video based, the learners can easily repeat or pause a particular section several times if they have any problem in understanding it the initial time. This is a great advantage for students with dyslexia, ADHD or ADD. The flexible lesson plans of online programmes make sure that special needs children do not miss out on any lessons or classes as they need to leave early to avoid the crowds in hallway to attend the next class.
A Safe Learning Environment

Online education helps to create a safe learning environment where disabled children do not have to cope with bullies. As some kids tend to be rather mean to children with special needs and tease them, traditional classroom learning is often not the best way to teach your child. With online distance learning, these problems are completely eradicated.
Moreover as the online sessions are conducted by specially trained tutors, special learners can get the necessary guidance which will motivate them to learn and explore new ideas. Additionally, your child will also get to interact with other special needs children through online forums and chat rooms where they can share their challenges and experiences related to the lesson plans.
New learning Opportunities


With the advancement of technology, e-Learning has opened up new options for learning that are increasingly catering to more and more special needs children. As more and more programmes are being introduced by various establishments like Presence Learning, which offers online speech and occupational therapy to children, more children will have the opportunity to learn in their own way without being bothered by outside interferences. As digital learning helps students to progress at their own pace, it can be the most effective way for your child to learn and gain essential knowledge.

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