Early Childhood Teacher Candidates’ Competency in Assistive Technology

For teacher candidates in our Early Childhood Education (ECE) program pursuing a certificate in special education, Assistive Technology (AT) is an essential subject taught to help them envision universal ways of supporting their future students with disabilities in an early childhood setting. Because this is the only course that addresses AT in the ECE program, for many of our candidates, AT is a new concept before this course. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to explore the efficacy of embedded AT instruction, which combines theory, a hands-on AT stations project, a practicum AT assessment assignment, and a short, in-class presentation of a device created by candidates on teacher candidates’ competency in AT for children with disabilities. The study seeks to answer the following questions:

1. What are teacher candidates’ conceptualization of “technology” vs. “Assistive Technology” at pre-assessment?
2. Based on pre- and post-assessment data, what is the impact of the embedded AT instruction on teacher candidates’ competence and confidence in AT for children with disabilities?
3. Does the data reveal differences in undergraduate and graduate candidates’ competence and confidence in AT for children with disabilities?