The role of assistivetechnologies and emerging technologies in developing literacy skills for students with disabilities

What exactly does the research tell us about the literacy process for students with disabilities, the implementation of computers, and the role of assistive technology and emerging technologies (i.e. Internet, and Electronic Performance Support Systems) in developing literacy skills in these students? This chapter discusses: (1) the use of instructional technology and assistive technology that have been successfully used over the past decade to build literacy skills for students with disabilities, (2) contemporary educational research of the Internet as it relates to issues of effectiveness, design, and individual differences, and (3) highlights from a recent research study involving parents and children using assistive technology in a literacy experience on the Internet.