Technology has become an essential part of American education, whether through the use of mobile devices in a classroom or through the creation of online learning platforms. Education technology can enhance the learning experience for students of all ages and can even assist the education of students with special needs.

The special education category does not just include students with mental retardation, but encompasses a larger group of students such as those with learning disabilities, physical illnesses, speech, auditory, and visual impairments, and autism, among others. Over 1,000 students within Lufkin Independent School District (LISD) in Texas require some form of special education- nearly 12 percent of the district’s total student population. Most special needs children in the district are enrolled in regular classrooms but require additional instruction or more one-on-one attention. The idea of offering extra help to these students is to get them back into regular classes full-time. And technology is helping special education teachers to do just that.

Educational technology is becoming more and more common in schools and this is a great thing. School officials, parents, principles and teachers all know that educational technology helps a student to learn more, learn faster and become more organized students. The limits are endless what a student can learn by successfully integrating educational technology into their studies. If they are taught in school how to use the Internet and educational technology to better their education, then they will be very prosperous in school. It’s important for teachers to incorporate educational technology into classrooms not only because of the educational benefits that come from becoming very familiar with using technology as an educational tool, but because students respond well to technology.

Children now are run more by technology than ever, their wish lists went from bikes, baseballs and basketball hoops to Nintendo’s, cell phones and laptops. Children love technology and the unlimited opportunities of entertainment it gives them, so why not add it into schools to keep kids excited and wanting to learn Technology helps a lot to organize students, whether it be on the computer, saving documents to different folders, creating organized and clearly written essays or utilizing any of Microsoft’s programs to enhance their document skills, educational technology helps children to become more organized. Since children love technology so much and use it so frequently a nonprofit group, Netday wanted to compose a survey to all school aged kids about technology and how it would influence them in their schooling. The survey was only supposed to last one day, it was called Speak Up Day, but because of the tremendous response they extended the survey to one week.