Perceived technology integration practices of special education teachers: A study of two rural southwestern New Mexico high school special education programs

Computer technology has been among the most widely promoted tools for enhancing the teaching and learning process of K-12 students in public school classrooms. However, the current learning and teaching environment in two southwestern United States rural high schools may not encourage effective integration of computer technology in the special education curriculum. This study examined the perceived practices and applications of computer technology in special education, and investigated and identified the expected level of perceived technology integration skills and knowledge of special education teachers. Exploring how and why these teachers use computer technology in their classrooms may add theoretical and practical development for successful integration of technology into teaching practices across grade levels.;A survey was used to address the research questions. Each section of the survey related to computer technology applications. All licensed special education teachers in two school districts in southwestern New Mexico completed the survey. Means, frequencies, and percentages of computer technology use were calculated, and a chi-square test determined whether there was a significant difference in the proportions of technology use in the two school districts.;The data demonstrated that computer technology integration is a way to improve special education teachers' instruction. They also showed what technology tools were most and least commonly used at the time by the teachers in the two rural public high schools. Many issues, such as time, training, and resources, were reasons for use or lack of use of computer technology.;The study utilized a constructivist perspective as a basis for the research framework to explore four areas: (a) degree of integration of computer technology by special education teachers, (b) degree of professional development and training received by special education teachers, (c) special education teachers' preparedness to use computer technology, and (d) recommendation of best instructional practices and procedure models contained in the literature.