Magazine

Enhancing Professional Development in Special Education Through the Web, by Jennifer A. Gold

Panel Discussion

NCIP's final component--to be unveiled in January, 1997--is a Web-based panel discussion in which students and adults share their experiences using voice recognition technology. Similar in theory to the guided tours component, NCIP realizes the power in providing educators access to real people, real learning situations, and real examples of technology use.

Participants on NCIPnet have expressed appreciation in being able to learn about their peers' actual experiences with hardware, software, and adaptive technology, rather than relying on information from vendors and distributors. One participant stated that while she could get information from journals, workshops, and conferences, she appreciated hearing firsthand perspectives. With this in mind, the panel discussion component is being designed to enable educators an opportunity to not only read literature and product reviews, but also hear comments from students and adults sharing their views on the technology. This ability to interact with colleagues holds tremendous promise in extending opportunities for professional development.