Introduction

Introduction The National Conference on Microcomputers in the Education of the Hearing Impaired took place on April 10-12, 1985 at Kendall Demonstration Elementary School in Washington, DC. This conference was jointly sponsored by the Pre-College Programs of Gallaudet College and by the Special Schools of the Future, a Kellogg grant-sponsored project. After the completion of this year's successful conference, PreCollege Programs decided to respond to the expressed need for such a conference by sponsoring it on an annual basis. HISTORY This year's conference was modeled after the excellent annual symposia on technology and the deaf, formerly sponsored by the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. Due to financial constraints , the university was unable to continue the conference after 1983. In 1984, the Texas School for the Deaf volunteered to host the conference . At that meeting, Gallaudet College proposed a permanent site for the continuation of the Lincoln tradition and responded by offering to sponsor the event at Gallaudet in 1985. The 1985 National Conference was then on its way. There are many people who should be recognized for their efforts in the planning and implementation of the conference. Special thanks go to the staff from the Special Materials Project at the University of Nebraska who provided copies of all of the planning procedures for their symposia . These procedures were invaluable in assuring that all aspects of the 1985 conference were properly addressed. Special thanks also must be given to the many people in Pre-College Programs and the Special Schools of the Future for their help; without it the conference would never have been conducted so smoothly. Special acknowledgement is due to Ms. Julia Stovall, Pre-College Outreach Planning Specialist, who acted as a Co-coordinator of the conference, and to Dr. Linda Thiel, Research and Evaluation Specialist , and Dr. Michael Deninger, Dean for Curriculum and Instruction, for their invaluable support and assistance. CONFERENCE COALS The theme of the conference, "The Classroom Computer: An Agent For Change," provided an opportunity to explore and document changes created in the education of the hearing impaired by the introduction of microcomputers into the classroom. The emphasis was upon systematic planning, implementation, and evaluation of those changes. The specific objectives of the conference were as follows: • to present changes in education of the hearing impaired resulting from the introduction of microcomputers into the classroom; • to demonstrate applications of various software programs in those educational settings; and • to provide a forum for present and future sharing of microcomputer technology among those educators. Basic categories and associated topics designated for presentation included the following: CHANGES in Methodology • Methods of using software in the classroom • Methods of using computers in the classroom CHANGES in Goals and Curriculum • Effect of computers on curriculum development and structure (i.e., how education will change as a result of computers) • Re-definition of computer literacy • Place of programming in a school's curriculum Organizing for Using the CHANGING Technology • Development of software in/for schools (including authoring systems) • Training teachers to be computer comfortable • Computers as time savers for administrators, teachers, and students Guiding CHANGE through Research and Evaluation • Evaluation of software • Research on student interactions with software Demonstrating the CHANGE in Technology • Software developed by educators and other professionals at various schools • Commercial software in use at schools (including hard disks) • Hardware developments to enhance classroom instruction THE SESSIONS In addition to the keynote address and one plenary address, concurrent sessions were conducted , each including topics under the headings mentioned above. The conference presenta322 A.A.D. I November 1985 tions represented both applied experience and applied research. Presenters represented 13 states from California to New York. Their topics were applicable to educators working with students from preschool through adulthood, from vocational programs to college classes. Among the hardware applications presented were interactive video, use of the Turtle Tot, and adaptive input devices; subject areas included math, language, speech, vocational training, social skills, thinking skills and more; computer applications included graphics, authoring software , adapting software, literacy, and data management . The audience to which the conference was directed included classroom teachers, resource and support personnel, and other professionals interested in using microcomputer technology to provide more effective...