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An educational approach to generate new tools for education support of children with disabilities

Abstract:

In this article, we propose a new approach to generate tools (assistive technology) for supporting education of children with disabilities in the first three levels of school. In the model proposed, we included the students of the last years of engineering careers, the experts of special education, the children with disabilities, and the teachers in charge of courses, such as: Artificial Intelligence, Computer Architecture and Electronics. The new approach presented in the model is the creation of an educational space with two learning possibilities. In the first one, the university students learn about the application of new ideas to help children with disabilities, and how to work in multi-disciplinary teams. In the second one, the work model helps generate social conscience in the communities where the special education centers are placed. The model has been proved in the development of 31 tools for children with visual and hearing disabilities and cerebral palsy. At the present time, 25 tools are used in three centers of special education, while 6 being are analyzed for further modifications. © 2011 IEEE.