[1] Asts. Prof. Zerrin Ayvaz Reis, Istanbul University
[2] Arzu Kilitçi, Istanbul University
[3] Doğan Aydın, Bahçeşehir University
[4] İpek İli Erdoğmuş, Kadir Has University
Abstract: This study was carried out with 6 students who have learning disabilities in a special education class in a vocational school in Turkey. This study aims to investigate whether web-based content to improve computer literacy skills is beneficial or not for the students who have mild mental disabilities with learning difficulties. In this study, experimental and qualitative research methods were applied. At the beginning of the study, the demographic data of all students were taken and the pre-test was prepared according to views of the counselor and the special education teacher. The educational need of the students, as a result of negotiations with the special education teacher and counselor, was “to prepare presentations with PowerPoint” and then educational content were prepared. Students were divided into two groups as a control and experimental group randomly. The control group took the educational contents in the computer lab at school with face to face education. On the other hand, the experimental group took web-based content provided on an individual basis through the web-based system at the school’s computer lab. The experimental and control groups were given the educational content 2 hours for the first week and 3 hours for the second week as a total of 5 hours. All students were observed and observation forms filled in by at least two observers during their training. At the end of the study, a final test and achievement test was applied to both groups. According to the results of this study, using web-based distance learning content to improve computer literacy skills is beneficial for students who have mild mental disabilities with learning difficulties.
Keywords: E-learning, web-based distance learning, learning disability, mental disability, iSpring, Adobe Captivate
The following applications were used in converting and publishing scenarios into educational content:
- Adobe Captivate during the preparation of applied instructional videos, audio recordings, and screenshots
- iSpring Suite and Adobe Captivate during the process of converting scenarios into audio streaming media and packaging them as SCORM,
- PowerPoint program (Microsoft Office 2007 version) for the preparation of all teaching materials and site visuals,
- Adobe Connect platform Learning Management System module for publishing and reporting content.
Training Content
The students in the experimental group entered the system at http://connect.kliksoft.net/powerpoint with the user name and password defined by the administrator in the school computer laboratory and individually. When they enter the system, a screen listing all the issues appears. (See Figure 1)
