For more information regarding this publication please visit: http://onlineacademics.org/ComTechSpecial/

Introduction

Communication technology offers new and increased opportunities for individuals with special needs. Technology facilitates such diverse possibilities for individuals as providing assistive communication for a child with cerebral palsy, increasing mobility for a child with a disability, improving social access for an adult with special needs, engaging a youth with ADHD, or offering exploration on the Internet for a child who is gifted. For many people concerned about children and adults with exceptionalities, they learn about communication technology through teachers, social workers, therapists, and people who have similar needs. This book of short and chapter-length case studies is designed to pull together ideas about using technology based on the experiences and expertise of teachers, researchers, and other professionals.

Overall Objective of the Case Book

The purpose of this book is to provide ideas for enhancing education for students with exceptionalities. By hearing the anecdotal experiences of one professional, for example, other service providers may gain information and ideas for better serving individuals with exceptionalities.

Target Audience

The target audience includes teachers, service providers, parents, and future educators who work with students with special needs.

Teachers, practitioners, adults with disabilities, and researchers are invited to submit on or before March 15, 2010. We seek short cases (about 500 words) relevant to any educational level or learning context. What is a single idea where you have used technology to improve the communication or learning of an individual with special needs? What is a particular product that has proven helpful to individuals with exceptionalities?  Whether or not this is a conventional use of technology, what learning or communication strategy was used that did or did not work in your context?

We are particularly interested in input from K-12 teachers because of their innovative approaches in the classroom.

We also seek first-person narratives from adults with disabilities or exceptionalities, who use technology to improve their communication.

These cases should have singular focus about a teaching or communication strategy that uses technology. You could write about a particular computer program, for example, and how a teacher could use the program with students who are identified as eligible for special education or gifted and talented services. Short cases or teaching tips should contain the following organization:

Title: No author identification on the manuscript or file name.

Keywords.

Learning objective or purpose of the particular communication or learning strategy.

Resources (e.g., quality references, computer program information, product information website).

The case book includes case studies that develop and complement themes relevant to using communication technology in enhancing the communication or learning of people with special needs.

These chapter-length cases may be relevant to any age or educational level (preschool through high school, higher education, or life-long learning). For this category, we seek original research, where the term “case” is interpreted broadly.

First person cases are sought from academics with exceptionalities, particularly if they have expertise in computer science.  The case is an opportunity to describe what you have learned, wish teachers knew or understood, or advocate regarding using communication technology.

The final word-length of each short case (teaching tip) is expected to be approximately words. The final word-length of each chapter case study is expected to be in the range of 2,500–10,000 words.

Chapter-length Case Proposal Submission Procedure
Teachers, practitioners, adults with disabilities, and researchers are invited to submit on or before March 15, 2010, a 2-3 page proposal for chapter-length cases. All proposals should be include the following information:
1. Full name and title of the authors
2. Professional status (e.g., special education teacher, public school administrator, assistant professor, name of your educational institution)

3. Address and email
5. Chapter proposal summarizing the case and how the use of technology serves individuals with special needs.
 

Authors of accepted proposals will be notified by April 15, 2010 about the status of their proposals and sent chapter organizational guidelines. Chapter-length chapters are expected to be submitted by June 1, 2010. All submitted chapter-length case studies will be reviewed on a double-blind review basis.

Communication technology has been a major force in serving students who have been identified as eligible for special education and gifted services. Example recommended topics include, but are not limited to the following:

This book is scheduled to be published by IGI Global (formerly Idea Group Inc.), publisher of the “Information Science Reference” (formerly Idea Group Reference), “Medical Information Science Reference,” “Business Science Reference,” and “Engineering Science Reference” imprints. For additional information regarding the publisher, please visit www.igi-global.com . This publication is anticipated to be released in 2011.

March 15, 2010: Proposal Submission Deadline (2-3 pages)
April 15, 2010: Notification of Acceptance. Short Case Deadline.
June 1, 2010: Chapter-length Case Study Submission
July 15, 2010: Review Results Returned
September 15, 2010: Revised Chapters Due from Authors
October 15, 2010: Final Submission

Please use people first language, such as student with a disability instead of disabled student.

Please submit a single, Microsoft Word document file of your proposal or manuscript, with no author identification on the manuscript or file name. Use United States American English and spelling. Please use American Psychological Association (APA) style, 2010, 6^th edition.

Inquiries and submissions can be forwarded to:

comtechspecial@gmail.com

For more information please visit:

http://onlineacademics.org/ComTechSpecial/

Editor/Author Resources page for frequently asked questions, as well as chapter formatting and submission guidelines: http://www.igi-global.com/development/author_info.

http://onlineacademics.org/