Running Head: FINAL CAPSTONE REPORT

How can Teachers Better Support Students in Special Education who use iPads?
Peggy M. McNamara
EDU 688
Dr. Vamvakas

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Abstract
This action research project examined the possible need for iPad app training for classroom teachers who
support students in special education. The participants in this study were classroom teachers who support
students in special education. An informal assessment was conducted to ascertain which teachers should
be included in the study, and then a second informal assessment was conducted to collect the data needed
for the research project. The results of the informal assessment of teachers found that they had not
received training on the apps installed on iPads for students in special education. The majority of
responders had needed to help students with these apps, and had not been successful. All teachers
responding to the informal assessment felt that they would benefit from app training; the form of training
suggested varied from professional learning, to having access to electronic resources, to individualized
training.
An extensive literature review was completed to compare to the results of the informal
assessments. The results of the literary review showed that teachers feel that they have not had adequate
technology training, that training is imperative for them to successfully support their students, and that the
preferred methods of training are professional learning and electronically accessible training materials.

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Problem Statement
As technology has become increasingly integrated in education, the need for assistive
technology has increased in both the general education and special education populations.
Perhaps nothing has been as impactful as the introduction of iPads. Special education software
has in many instances been replaced by iPad applications which can be tailored to a students
needs, and relatively inexpensively. In order for iPad applications to be supportive, there needs
to be a level of expertise in their use. Ideally, students become the experts, and are trained by
their school's technology support staff when they receive their iPad. However, not all students
become masters of their iPad, and when they need to rely on their iPad, they need support that
classroom teachers can not provide. An action research project that studies effective ways to
train teachers on iPad applications used by students in special education could fill the void in
support and eliminate the frustration of the students who use the apps in a classroom.
Catapano (n.d.) shared that teachers are overwhelmed by the multiple options of
educational apps available and find it difficult to understand and navigate the options without
training. This issue will continue to be detrimental unless classroom teachers receive specialized
iPad app training. A study on how to best train teachers to support students will be immensely
beneficial. Some special education students have their iPad listed as a supportive device on their
IEP, and being unable to effectively use it in a classroom may be a violation of their IEP.
Theoretically, a research study exploring how to provide this training could benefit students
included in general education classrooms while reducing the district's liability for not complying
with their IEPs, and since the special education population has steadily increased in recent years,
the support void can be expected to increase.

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Literature Review
To research questions and concerns regarding how classroom teachers might better
support students in special education who use iPad applications, specific literature has been
selected for review to help address the following concerns: general education teachers have not
received training on main iPad apps used by students in special education; students who use the
apps in a classroom are frustrated and need help, and this may affect their motivation; and the
teacher is not meeting the needs of his or her students and not effectively using the technology in
the classroom.
There is no doubt that technology has made its impact on education, and certainly there
have been incredible advances in the technological support available to students in special
education. Perhaps nothing has impacted education as powerfully as the introduction of the iPad,
and with it the multitude of software applications known as apps. Students in special education
who receive a school issued iPad are trained to use the installed apps, as are the special education
teachers who assist them. As these students integrate into general education classes, their
technology moves into the classroom with them, and when questions or issues arise with the apps
the student uses, classroom teachers are sometimes unable to assist. Although the technology is
available, a review of the literature details that there has been a lack of training for teachers on
the technology that supports their students. The review of the academic journal articles and peer
reviewed literature also supports that teachers need some form of training with mobile learning;
the main form of training suggested is professional development. Additionally, the literature
establishes that without training, the teacher can not meet the needs of his or her students and can
not effectively use the technology in the classroom. It is important to understand the literature

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surrounding these issues to know whether or not the technological needs of students and teachers
are being met.
Have Teachers Received Adequate Technology Training?
Purdy (2016) details the introduction of iPads to the educational system, with one and a
half million introduced within two years of the device's release. Purdy reports that the iPads have
provided flexibility in mobility for teachers and offer thousands of applications. She also pointed
out that the challenges of iPads in the classroom are not due to a device malfunction or app crash
as much as a lack of training provided to classroom teachers (p. 3).
The lack of iPad training for teachers is also supported by Mouza & Barrett-Greenly
(2015), who discussed that investing in educational iPads does not provide all of the necessary
resources needed. The authors also explained that teachers need to know how to best use the
devices and applications; many schools purchase mobile devices and educational apps without
accompanied support for teachers (p. 2). The authors also report on beneficial iPad training for
teachers, which will be discussed later in this paper.
Greener & Wakefield (2015) report on their findings regarding teachers willingness to
learn new technologies for the benefit of their students. They further explain that teachers
hesitation to use technology in the classroom can be overcome by experience with technology
tools in education. The authors findings corroborate the lack of training classroom teachers have
with iPads, and also tell us that this lack of training can lead to a negative perception of iPads in
the classroom; few staff had experience of using mobile devices, in particular tablet computers,
so this hardware was identified as a disruptive technology (p. 261). Further discussion from the
author on teachers motivations to improve learning for students will be addressed later in this
paper.

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What training do teachers need? For some teachers who are comfortable with or
curious about technology, the iPad and apps are easily explored. However, teachers who are out
of their comfort zone working with unfamiliar technology need support. Herro, Kiger & Owens
(2013) report on a graduate course pilot program offered to teachers in one district, introducing
teachers to iPads and apps. The authors tell us it was determined that teacher professional
development and preparation was key to managing devices (p. 33). The teachers developed a
comfort level with the iPads after using them for the summer, while learning to evaluate the best
apps for their use, download apps, and incorporate them into the curriculum. That experience
with the iPads then translated into the teachers being more proficient with the devices. The
authors advise that well-prepared instructional coaches can strengthen m-learning (p. 37).
This belief is echoed by Mouza & Barrett-Greenly (2015), who reported on an extensive
professional development program offered to teachers in one district to help them integrate
mobile learning into their classes. The study followed four teachers as they applied the
knowledge that they had learned in the summer professional development institute to the
beginning of their school year. The authors concluded that professional development is key to
helping teachers realize the potential of mobile learning (p. 2). They also state that professional
development is one of the most manageable and cost-effective ways of using mobile
technology (p. 3).
Young (2016) reveals that when given appropriate support, teachers are more willing to
learn new technology skills. He outlined areas where mobile learning supports key pedagogical
applications and notes that teachers and students will be less intimidated by technology as they
have more exposure to it. He further states that school administrators need to provide teachers
the support necessary to assist them to adapt and manage the change that tablets and mlearning

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bring to their professional practice (p. 183). Young (2016) described the term App fluency,
also called App smashing, which is when more than one basic app is combined to create new
and innovative learning experiences (p. 184). Using app fluency with the iPad increases its
efficiency.
The need for training for teachers has also been identified by Grant, Tamim, Brown,
Sweeney, Ferguson, & Jones (2015), who agree that successful technology integration requires
that teachers be provided with resources (p. 34). They further reported on the barriers that keep
teachers from being successful with technology, which include time and support. The authors
suggest that an initial training session to introduce teachers to mobile learning is not sufficient;
they reference studies that have concluded that teachers require "in-service training and ongoing"
(p. 34) support in order to be successful.
Schaffhauser (2013) discussed how iPads have impacted assistive technology and shared
an interesting view on the best way for teachers to support iPad applications in the classroom.
His suggestion is to approach app learning on a small scale and push instructors to learn a single
app, rather than overwhelming teachers with the number of apps that are potentially useful (p.
32). This approach to support would require less of each teacher while still ensuring that a
classroom teacher, or perhaps a team teacher, could support the technology needs of a student
who relies on an iPad for instructional support. Schaffhauser is also the single dissenting
resource suggesting that teachers should not take on the role of technology expert in the
classroom, and that it is a role for a technology department member who should go into the
classroom to see how the teacher is working with students with the tool (Schaffhauser, 2013, p.
32).

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Is Technology Beneficial to Student Motivation?

In some districts students receive training on all the apps installed on their iPads, as do
the special education teachers who work with them. General education teachers, however, do not
ordinarily have access to the same training. As the iPads moved into mainstream classrooms with
students, the issue of support for students started to be identified. The majority of general
education teachers are not familiar with the apps on the iPads and are not able to help when
students have questions or difficulty; there is a disconnect between student expectations and
staff capabilities and motives (Greener & Wakefield, 2015, p. 266).
Motivation is important for all students, though perhaps more so for students in special
education. Students with special needs often experience educational challenges, and these
challenges can affect their engagement with class work. Students in special education rely on
their iPads as an educational tool. They are accustomed to receiving support with apps in their
resource rooms, and feel accomplished and organized when they successfully complete work on
their iPads; mobile devices are valuable tools that enhance learning (Herro, Kiger & Owens,
2013, p. 37).
Maich & Hall (2016) discussed the benefits and challenges of bringing iPads into a
classroom, and included information about inclusive classrooms. They not only identified the
challenges of working with iPads without training, they also share the motivational and engaging
aspects of the iPad; for students who may not be motivated to attend to traditional, auditorybased classroom learning, iPads have intuitive, interactive features [that] are appealing (p.
147). iPad functionality features such as the tap and swipe functions are appealing to diverse
learners. The authors suggested that teachers take advantage of apps that offer positive

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reinforcement to further engage students, which would also increase motivation and decrease
frustration.
Ciampa (2014) also considers the iPad an engaging and motivational educational tool;
motivation plays a significant role in engaging and sustaining students to use mobile devices for
learning purposes (p. 82). The author discusses numerous aspects of clinical motivation and
how they can be attained utilizing an iPad. Just a few of these include: cooperation, competition
and recognition. The author also examines specifically what teachers and students consider to be
educationally motivational.
Can a Teacher who is not Proficient in Technology Support Students?
If teachers are unfamiliar with iPad applications that students need and use in the
classroom, they are not meeting the instructional needs of the students in their class and are not
using the technology in the classroom to its fullest. Students who lack support can not use their
iPad to its maximum potential; the success of mobile learning largely depends on the ability of
teachers to maximize the educational advantages of mobile devices (Mouza & Barrett-Greenly,
2015, p. 2).
Butler & Monda-Amaya (2015) also claim that it is the responsibility of the teacher to be
proficient with classroom technology; in today's world, teachers should be familiar not only
with technology and its use, but with applications to the classroom that give greater access to
instruction for all learners (p. 14). Butler & Monda-Amaya (2015) discuss various forms of
writing that can be supported by and benefit from technology. A specific iPad app, iMovie, is
discussed as an app that students can use to tell a story, and the authors shared that technology is
supportive in storyboarding. They further reported that technology helps motivate students in the
writing process and can provide an intervention for all learners (p. 14).

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Mautone (2013) shares the five step process he designed to aid in the integration of an
iPad for a student with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). He explains that the instructor needs to
know how to use the iPad to meet the needs of the student; to use an iPad with an ASD student,
you should be proficient with the iPad (p. 26). Mautone (2013) notes that if there is not training
available at the school or institution, the instructor should seek out a video tutorial on both the
iPad and the apps used with the student. He notes that he has on occasion reached out to app
developers, and that most if not all have some form of agreement with the app store to provide
app support; in addition to directly contacting developers, users should look for video tutorials
and/or training manuals. If they are not available, ask the developer to create them for you (p.
26). He also suggested that the Apple store is a good resource for free training.
Research Design and Methodology
Population
The population of this study is teachers in second through eighth grade who support
students in special education in their classrooms. Specifically, teachers who have students in
their classrooms who have been assigned an iPad to support instruction were sampled. Three to
five teachers were included in the sample.
Methodology
This action research project used a qualitative methodology; qualitative studies typically
use non random or purposive selection techniques based on particular criteria (Ary, Jacobs,
Sorensen, & Walker, 2013, p. 448). The particular criteria for this action research project were
those who teacher grades kindergarten through grades twelve and support students in special

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education. An informal assessment was used in this research project to ascertain what amount of
training, if any, teachers who support students in special education have received. The informal
assessment also queried teachers regarding their training needs and training preferences.
Data collection. According to Flipp (2014), the data used in qualitative research is
almost always in their own words and the data usually comes from interviews, journals,
observations; this research study focused on information and feedback from teachers.
Teachers in the sample were asked the following multiple choice and short answer questions in
the informal assessment (the first four questions will offer Yes No responses): Have you
received training on the apps your students in special education use on their iPads?, Have you
needed to help your students with these apps?, If you have, were you able to successfully help
your students?, Do you feel you would benefit from training on the apps installed on your
students iPads?, What type of training do you feel would be most beneficial? (Webinar,
Professional Learning, Support Materials (handouts), Web-based Resources, Other).
Data evaluation. The anonymous responses from the informal assessment were analyzed
to determine if there was a consensus amongst the sample participants. Each question response
was tallied and the results pointed to whether or not there is a need for teacher training, and if so,
what the training should be. A need for training was indicated, and training materials were
created for the form of training specified in the informal assessment results. According to
Duganzic, Durrant, Finau, Firth & Frank (2016), action research is a process that moves between
action and critical reflection. Follow up conversations were conducted with the informal
assessment participants to elicit feedback on preliminary training materials. After assessing their
suggestions, modifications were then made based on user responses.

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Evaluation and Assessment of the Project

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The first step of action research is reflection; this is where the researcher identifies a
situation that is currently not working as well as it could. A problem has been identified where
some teachers have reported that they feel ill equipped to help special education students in their
class who use specific iPad apps. The second phase of action research is planning. The planning
for this action research project began with identifying the research needed regarding this problem
and then developing a project management plan which incorporated the tasks that would be
needed along with a timeline for their completion. The third stage of action research is defined as
the act phase. This is the phase of this project where the research and the review of the
literature was completed.
The fourth objective in action research is to observe, and in this phase the researchers
analyze the data they have collected. In this project, the data returned from the informal
assessment sent to teachers was analyzed to determine if teachers felt app training would be
beneficial, and if so, what type of training they felt would be most useful. The information
received from the informal assessment sent to teachers recorded results showing that 100 percent
had not received training on iPad apps used by students in special education. Additionally, 66
percent indicated that they had needed to assist students with the apps and had not been able to.
All of the respondents reported that they felt it would be beneficial to receive training on the
apps their students use. Teachers were asked what type of training they felt would be most
helpful and the responses were split; 33 percent favored professional learning, 33 percent
preferred web-based resources, and 33 percent chose individualized training. The last question
on the informal assessment sent to teachers asked how the preliminary training materials could

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be improved. Again, responses varied from: no improvement necessary, to more in depth
descriptions of some of the apps, to a chart on the website that shows an overview comparison of
the apps. A table displaying an overview of each app function was added to the website to
increase the functionality for teachers. One teacher noted that the wording on the training
website was awkward; in response to that the wording was updated. Additionally, more detailed
information was added to each app description in the training material, as was suggested in the
teacher feedback. One suggestion received was to include additional screenshots of the apps in
the app description information. Upon reflection, including screenshots for each of the apps was
deemed beneficial and supplementary screenshots were added to the app descriptions. One
respondent suggested the training materials should be shared with teachers for English language
learners (ELL), believing that the apps would be very beneficial for the ELL students who use
iPads.
The fifth step defined in the action research process moves back to reflection; Ary,
Jacobs, Sorenson & Walker (2013) discuss that after researchers reflects on new information,
they communicate or report it to others (p. 554). Preliminary training materials were shared with
the sample participants to elicit their feedback. The draft deliverables were well received and
there was positive interest in the website, which was being developed as a resource for teachers.
The sixth step of action research revisits planning as the researcher looks to develop a
path based on the learned information. Bolstered with the constructive criticism provided by the
panel, training materials were revised to be more beneficial. The seventh phase of action research
is act. This is the phase of the action research project where the training materials were
finalized. The last step of action research is, once again, the observe phase (Post University,

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n.d.). In this step, feedback from the panel of experts regarding the training materials was
analyzed to determine if further changes to the created materials were needed.
Discussion and Reflection
I have sensed, since I began working in assistive technology, that teachers needed
training on specific iPad apps that students in special education use. It was personally rewarding
to research this topic and find conclusively that there is indeed a need for training. In the
materials I created, I was able to address questions that teachers have often asked me during an
iPad training session. It was gratifying to create materials which will benefit the teachers in my
district and the profession in general. It has also contributed to my professional growth to use
the knowledge I have acquired in my work and combine it with the knowledge I have obtained
through my studies in the Instructional Design and Technology Masters of Education program.
My advice to future researchers is to spend time in the classrooms and see where the needs for
training and education exist. If I had merely asked teachers what they needed to know about
specific apps, I do not believe each teacher could have articulated their training needs, as they
are not familiar enough with the apps to understand what training would be most helpful.
EDU 505: Future of Education challenged me to envision what education might and
should look like in the future using scanning and scenarios. I was challenged to determine and
develop my personal sense of a classroom of the future and how school structure might change.
Two models that resonated strongly with me were a future of education that included small
group cooperative learning for students and hybrid classrooms. Both of these models allow for
an individualized learning approach, which I feel better supports students and allows them to
learn at their optimal pace. Specialized iPad apps are hugely beneficial to students in special
education and help them move forward to a place of individualized learning, which I feel is

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necessary for their success. That is one reason I feel strongly about the importance of this app
training. Helping teachers support students in special education with apps also positively affects
learning and improves the practice of teaching, which is a goal for EDU 510: Cognitive Science
of Teaching and Learning. I also incorporated the learning outcome objectives from EDU 520:
Digitally Mediated Teaching and Learning by analyzing the constantly emerging technology
trends of iPad apps and creating training to support learning.
Researching and creating training materials for my action research project allowed me an
additional opportunity to design and develop a learning environment using models of
instructional design, a skill I initially learned in EDU 623: Designing Learning Environments.
The course that influenced my idea for my capstone project was EDU 624: eLearning Design &
Diverse Environments. I worked in assistive technology for three years, supporting all teachers
and students in the district, and it was in that role that I began to see the need for additional app
training. The website I created for teachers to access training materials follows the concepts I
learned in EDU 624. The colors of the background and the text are designed to be easily readable
and the font is the recommended choice for readability. I have also included alternative text for
images. I incorporated YouTube videos in my app instructions to support learners who benefit
from additional visual learning, and those who learn best with audio.
One of my favorite courses was EDU 625: Integrating Learning & Technology. I had the
opportunity to not only explore multiple new technology softwares, but also to use them to create
course projects. I would like to introduce some of these programs to students in my district and I
will plan to include animated software programs like GoAnimate in future training materials.
EDU 627: Managing Instruction & Technology allowed me to hone my skills at assessing and
budgeting for project management, particularly as it relates to educational technology. These

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skills helped me to create an efficient schedule for my action research project and to stay on
track.
My work this year requires me to develop numerous professional development programs.
My course of study at Post has better prepared me to create these professional learning sessions.
I am more aware of the appearance of my materials and give greater consideration to my
audience when I am creating the presentations.
The appendices below include the project management plan for this action research
project, the rubrics returned from the panel of experts who reviewed the project deliverables, my
personal assessment rubric, and links to both the website I created containing the project
deliverables, and to my WordPress Capstone page (password protected). Amending the
deliverables I had created to incorporate each of the suggestions I received from my panel of
experts was time consuming and challenging considering the time constraint. I choose to include
each suggestion because I felt each would improve the project deliverables, and therefore be
beneficial to teachers.
Conclusion
Although iPads have made their way into general education classrooms, iPad and app
instruction for teachers has not accompanied the devices. A review of the literature has identified
that teachers have not received training to go along with the integration of the technology. Most
of the literature reviewed has revealed that teachers need training on iPad functions and iPad
applications, and that the most frequent recommendation for training is professional
development. Furthermore, students in special education often struggle academically and benefit
from the engaging nature of the iPad. Numerous schools utilize iPads to boost student motivation
and engagement. Moreover, when teachers do not know how to use iPads, they are not fully

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supporting their students in the classroom. In order to determine if training on iPad applications
is necessary, an electronic informal assessment was shared with a sample of teachers. These
teachers were asked if they felt app training would be beneficial. The responses were then
analyzed to determine what type of training, if any, would be created. The responses indicated
training would be valuable and preliminary training materials were created to share with the
sample group. Respondents supported training materials in the forms of professional learning,
electronic resources and individualized training. Additional suggestions were made to share the
app training information with teachers of ELL students, as they would benefit from the training
materials as well. Modifications were made to the training materials and further plans for
training implementation will be finalized in the near future.

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References
Ary, D., Jacobs, L., Sorensen, C., & Walker, D. (2013). Introduction to research in education.
Cengage Learning.
Catapano, J. (n.d.). Advantages/Disadvantages of the iPad Classroom. Retrieved April 01, 2016,
from http://www.teachhub.com/advantagesdisadvantages-ipad- classroom.
Ciampa, K. (2014). Learning in a Mobile Age: An Investigation of Student Motivation. Journal
Of Computer Assisted Learning, 30(1), 82-96.
Duganzic, Durrant, Finau, Firth & Frank. (2016). Action research in the classroom part 1.
Conscious Educating. Retrieved May 23, 2016, from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDVH0u4tUWo.
Flipp, C. (2014). Qualitative vs. quantitative. Retrieved May 9, 2016, from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2X-QSU6-hPU.
Grant, M., Tamim, S., Brown, D., Sweeney, J., Ferguson, F., & Jones, L. (2015). Teaching and
learning with mobile computing devices: case study in K-12 classrooms. Techtrends:
Linking Research & Practice To Improve Learning, 59(4), 32. doi:10.1007/s11528-0150869-3.
Greener, S. S., & Wakefield, C. C. (2015). Developing confidence in the use of digital tools in
teaching. Electronic Journal Of E-Learning, 13(4), 260-267.
Herro, D., Kiger, D., & Owens, C. (2013). Mobile technology: case-based suggestions for
classroom integration and teacher educators. Journal Of Digital Learning In Teacher
Education, (1), 30.
Maich, K., & Hall, C. (2016). Implementing iPads in the inclusive classroom setting.
Intervention In School & Clinic, 51(3), 145. doi:10.1177/1053451215585793.

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Mautone, M. (2013). Integrating the iPad into the ASD classroom. Education Digest, 79(4), 2527.
Mouza, C., & Barrett-Greenly, T. (2015). Bridging the app gap: an examination of a professional
development initiative on mobile learning in urban schools. Computers & Education, 88
1-14. doi:10.1016/j.compedu.2015.04.009.
Post University. (n.d.). Evaluating an action research project. EDU 688.
Purdy, E. R. (2016). iPads in the classroom. Ipads In The Classroom -- Research Starters
Education, 1-5.
Schaffhauser, D. (2013). Accessibility: assistive tech goes mainstream. T.H.E. Journal, 40(5),
31-36.
Young, K. (2016). Teachers' attitudes to using iPads or tablet computers; implications for
developing new skills, pedagogies and school-provided support. Techtrends: Linking
Research & Practice To Improve Learning, 60(2), 183. doi:10.1007/s11528-016-0024-9.

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Appendix A

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Appendix B

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Appendix C

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Appendix D

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Appendix E

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Appendix F

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Appendix G

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Appendix H

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Appendix I

Link to website containing deliverables:

https://sites.google.com/site/professionallearningappnology/
Link to WordPress Capstone page:
http://wp.me/P5h2DS-k4