AIDS FOR LEARNING DISABILITIES

In the case of learning disability access problems are not the ones related to the operation of computers but rather they relate more to the the way they work.

The term 'learning disability' refers to to consequences of learning deficits and it indicates the lesser ability of the person affected in understanding logic systems. While for someone with a physical impairment, the use of the computer could be compared to the use of an access aid, for people with learning disabilities, one cannot state the same thing. Therefore there is an important distinction to be made: it is not the person with learning disabilities that uses the computer directly for his benefit - rather it is the teacher or the carer who uses the computer for better interaction.

However, to be able to 'dominate the machine', meaning to be able to manage it and adapt it to their own teaching programme and material where content, objectives, language, exercises are concerned, then it is fundamental to make an informed choice over choosing the appropriate software applications and appliances. For someone with a learning disability therefore, the personal computer becomes a learning tool, and - most of the time - does not require special access to it.