Learning+Disabilities+and+Wiki's

Wikis are websites that allow students to collaborate in the editing of its content. The most well-known example of a wiki is Wikipedia but there are many uses for wikis on the web including classroom wiki’s which can provide multiple elements to help student achievement. Wiki’s can be set up for specific classrooms as to keep them private and safe while being a useful learning tool.

Students with learning disabilities such as ADD or ADHD tend to have a difficult time keeping up with comprehension and note taking during class time. Wikis can be a useful tool to fill the gaps that occur in class when these students lose focus. Teachers can use wiki’s to provide lecture notes to students in order to help with their comprehension and can be used as an extension to classroom discussions. Students can review notes posted by teachers later on when they are able to re-focus. Many times this will also ease the stress note taking causes in students who have difficulty staying focused for longer periods of time.

The wiki’s can also be used to collaborate with other students on writing assignments. Students could be asked to edit a page on Wikipedia or their classroom wiki that focuses on a subject being taught in class or a subject of the students choice. Writing/editing a wiki may be of greater interest than writing a traditional research paper which may encourage struggling writers to write more frequently. Writing for an audience may help motivate reluctant writers and improve writing skills. Whether writing or editing a wiki, writers work with others students to share knowledge which gives them an opportunity to share information on subjects they are interested in and know a great deal about. Many students with learning disabilities also struggle with anxiety, depression and low self-esteem because of their difficulties in school. Becoming an "expert" on a wiki page could boost a student's self-confidence and help them recognize their strengths.

__[]__ __[]__