Writing & Technology	Lesson 3: Readings (1)	-

Access to Knowledge and Expression:
Multimedia Writing Tools for Students with Diverse Needs and Strengths

Daiute, C. and Morse, F.
Harvard Graduate School of Education

First Appeared: (Spring 1994) Journal of Special Education, 12(3), 221-256.

Abstracted by Krista Fritz Rogers

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A major challenge facing young students is learning how to use words to express their ideas. Some children make the transition easily; others face great difficulties using language for learning and self-expression. Instruction focused primarily on technical elements, such as spelling and grammar, generally is not enough to develop literacy in children whose cultural and linguistic backgrounds differ from the instructional assumptions, or those children with other learning challenges. Acknowledging that children learn best when new material connects with what they already know, the authors examined how technology that integrates images and sounds with text might enhance their writing.

The authors developed "multimedia composing," defined as collecting, creating, storing, and manipulating images, sounds, and text on a computer as part of the knowledge acquisition and expression processes. ("Multimedia" is not limited to computers. Inexpensive cameras, simple tape recorders, and televisions also prove useful to literacy development.) The multimedia application guides children in creating computer-based visual, aural, and textual libraries that emphasize the students' strengths, rather than their weaknesses.

The authors studied a third-fourth grade class, and this paper presents case studies of three students from that class. They had a mix of difficulties, including language processing problems and specific writing challenges (e.g., motivation, conventions); writer's block that made it difficult to craft original text; and attentional problems. The children also represented non-majority ethnic backgrounds.

The three students were members of a team assigned to create a book describing the interests of young people living in their city. (This assignment paralleled a classroom unit on Mayan culture.) As team members conducted research, they collectively built a database, or library. Media included cameras to take pictures, scanners to create electronic images of found objects, and tape recorders to capture sounds that represented their topics. These images and sounds provided the basis for writing tasks, and each student created multimedia compositions in his or her computer notebook. (The paper includes figures that illustrate the electronic notebook and sample compositions.)

The three case studies differentiate the students' use of the multimedia database and point out the benefits and drawbacks related to each child's special needs and strengths. For example, multimedia tools extended classroom boundaries for one student, allowing him to create a personal context for - and thus engaging him in - his writing. In turn, this appeared to support his memory and language processing and fostered greater detail in his writing. While this method expanded his ability to use detail and develop ideas, he continued to experience difficulty with written conventions.

The authors analyzed characteristics of the database items and the children's compositions; the paper includes tables that present the data and its analysis.

Children with various disabilities and challenges can effectively express themselves when the context for their writing reflects their cultural backgrounds, personal interests, and preferred symbol systems. Underachieving readers and writers experience heightened interest, increased production, and richer outcome from working with meaningful sounds and images. This approach also provides direction for a teacher to individualize instruction, connecting students' personal interests and perspectives to a common curriculum. While the multimedia approach does not directly address written conventions, it may positively impact critical reading and writing skills.