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Tangible Objects and Mobile Technology: Interactive Learning Environments for Students with Learning Disabilities

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Handbook of Mobile Teaching and Learning

Abstract

In recent years, tangible mobile applications have been used in general and special educational settings. Providing multi-sensory interaction, physical engagement, accessibility, and collaboration, interactive tangible mobile applications have a potential to enrich learning experience of both normally developing students and students with specific learning disabilities (SLD).

Despite the promising potential and agreement on the value of tangible technologies, few studies have yet revealed the use of interactive tangible technologies for students with SLD. Emerging research focus on supporting reading skills of students with SLD by developing tangible interfaces with different technologies. Moreover, related literature lacks both theoretical and empirical studies in relation with the use of tangible technologies for students with SLD.

This chapter presents definition and potential benefits of tangible technologies, its use with SLD, description of a tangible mobile application for students with specific learning disabilities and future directions and suggestions. It is thought that design guidelines may be enlightening for instructional designers to design and develop interactive tangible mobile applications for students with SLD.

This chapter is based on corresponding author’s Ph.D dissertation.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Education, Computer Education and Instructional Technology Department, Istanbul University – Cerrahpasa, Istanbul, Turkey

    Elif Polat

  2. Faculty of Education, Computer Education and Instructional Technology Department, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey

    Kursat Cagiltay

  3. Faculty of Education, Special Education Department, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey

    Necdet Karasu

Authors
  1. Elif Polat
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  2. Kursat Cagiltay
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  3. Necdet Karasu
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Elif Polat .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. CEO, WEMOSOFT, Wollongong, NSW, Australia

    Yu (Aimee) Zhang

  2. Teaching and Learning, The Ohio State University, Upper Arlington, OH, USA

    Dean Cristol

Section Editor information

  1. Faculty of College of Education and Human Ecology, The Ohio State University at Lima, Lima, Ohio, USA

    Hea-Jin Lee

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Polat, E., Cagiltay, K., Karasu, N. (2019). Tangible Objects and Mobile Technology: Interactive Learning Environments for Students with Learning Disabilities. In: Zhang, Y., Cristol, D. (eds) Handbook of Mobile Teaching and Learning. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-41981-2_119-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-41981-2_119-1

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  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-41981-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-41981-2

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