A publication of the Technology and Media Division of the Council for Exceptional Children
JSET Articles Index
Volume 25 Number 3
Technology and Communications Coursework: Facilitating the Progression of Students with Learning Disabilities Through High School Science and Math Coursework
Dara Shifrer and Rebecca Callahan
The University of Texas at Austin
Students identified with learning disabilities experience markedly lower levels of science and mathematics achievement than students who are not identified with a learning disability. Seemingly compounding their disadvantage, students with learning disabilities also complete more credits in non-core coursework—traditionally considered nonacademic coursework—than students who are not identified with a learning disability. The Education Longitudinal Study of 2002, a large national dataset with both regular and special education high school students, is utilized to determine whether credit accumulation in certain types of non-core coursework, such as technology and communications courses, is associated with improved science
and math course taking outcomes for students with learning disabilities. Results show that credit accumulation in technology and communications coursework uniquely benefits the science course taking, and comparably benefits the math course taking, of students identified with learning disabilities in contrast to students who are not identified with learning disabilities.
