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Abstract: The development of computer supports to scaffold learning for students with cognitive and emotional disabilities has been largely overlooked in the rise of the digital age. However, with recent legislative changes, demands on many of these students have increased, while instructional materials remain limited to static media (Graham, Harris, MacArthur & Schwartz, 1991; Gribbons, 2008)... read more. While certain strides have been made towards providing support for the nearly 23% of the population who struggle with illiteracy or learning impairments primarily through use of the internet, there has been little initiative in the field of human factors (Gibbons, 2008). Consequently, existing design guidelines remain vague and methodology for including universal accessibility in the product development lifecycle for educational technology is limited, at best. Furthermore, the cognitive demands placed on these students are often unmanageable and consequently lead to deteriorating performance. This thesis argues for a human factors approach to the design, evaluation, and implementation of technology in the classroom. This work includes integrating features that promote universal accessibility in a context that considers both content complexity and information presentation for the greatest utilization of these features. It further suggests considerations of cognitive load theory be applied to curriculum development in order to promote performance gains for varied learners while pursuing active tasks of information acquisition, processing, and output.
Thesis (M.S.)--Tufts University, 2011.
Submitted to the Dept. of Mechanical Engineering.
Advisor: Daniel Hannon.
Committee: Chris Rogers, and Ethan Danahy.
Keyword: Engineering.read less
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