Stiftung Schweizer Zentrum für Heil- und Sonderpädagogik
Olten
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ICT in Special Schools: Purpose, Infrastructure, and Attitudes Towards Computers in Specialized Institutions
- Publication date:29 October 2025
- Workload:100%
- Contract type:Unlimited employment
- Place of work:Olten
Job summary
Explore E-Learning in Sonderschulen with Andreas Fehlmann. Join a dynamic team enhancing education through ICT.
Tasks
- Implement innovative ICT solutions in specialized institutions.
- Conduct surveys to assess computer usage and impact.
- Provide training and support for educators in technology.
Skills
- Experience in education and technology integration required.
- Strong understanding of e-learning methodologies.
- Ability to analyze and interpret survey data.
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About the job
- FOCUS: E-LEARNINGAndreas Fehlmann
ICT in Special Schools: Purpose, Infrastructure, and Attitudes Towards Computers in Specialized Institutions The use of computers in the French-/Italian-speaking Swiss elementary school is still promoted by various initiatives and is also well documented - except for the situation in special schools. What does it look like there, are computers used, how, are there special features? A survey by the author, an employee of SFIB, provides insight. In 1990, a survey was conducted at IV-recognized special schools (Sturny, 1990). Fifteen years later, a broad survey was conducted by the Swiss Professional Association for Information Technologies in Education - 15 years that impressively show developments in this area. At that time, computer use by teachers, pupils, and students was under 10%; today, a figure of over 80% can be assumed. Computer systems like Atari, Commodore, Amiga, or Olivetti, names that today only evoke nostalgic feelings, have disappeared. In 1990, nearly 40% of the programs used were self-written - today it is just under 13%. This roughly reflects the situation of the time when ICT pioneers with excellent computer skills wrote their own customized programs, probably also due to a lack of suitable alternatives. Other things have changed little in the meantime. For example, the assessment by teachers that the use of computers positively influences the motivation of students remains unchanged. Pioneers and particularly active teachers certainly still exist (hopefully!) but overall it can be stated that the use of computers has grown out of the pioneer phase. Today, use is established to a large extent; it hardly needs to be explicitly justified why computers can and should be used in special education. Also, the times when pioneers had to finance hardware and software themselves seem to be over - this is shown, for example, by the answers to the question of whether the respondents have an ICT concept. Only 35% (mostly smaller) institutions stated in 1990 that they did not have an ICT concept; all others have one, one is in progress or planned. Why computers in special education? There are a number of publications dealing with where, how, and under what aspects computers can be used in special education. Below are some highlighted purposes of use that differ from those of regular schools. These include (cf. Lamers, 2001): - Computers as prosthetic aids - Computers as aids for basic functional training - Computers as learning aids - Computers as therapeutic aids - Basic information technology education for special schools as preparation for working and professional life - Support for children with partial performance disorders, especially in the areas of perception, motor skills, and language Not mentioned here are areas that can be generally assigned to the optimization of the learning process; these certainly also apply to special schools in a differentiated way, including online (response rate: 32%). The participation of the language regions is quite balanced, roughly corresponding to the number of institutions in the language regions. The question about the size of the institution allows a conclusion about the total number of children cared for in the responding institutions. This is 8141, with 5 institutions not providing information. According to the BSV list used, there are a total of 19,043 available places in the school departments. The survey covers about 42%. The pedagogical universities under development also attach great importance to the topic, whether as a medium of teaching organization (e-learning) or as a training topic. The available surveys and statistics provide a good overview of the spread and use of ICT (cf. Elsener, Luthiger & Roos, 2003; Niederer et al. 2002, indicators for the information society of the Federal Statistical Office). Where does Switzerland stand in terms of the importance of ICT? The majority of questions offered the opportunity for comments; most answer types were multiple-choice. The answers: 2. In general, the importance of ICT is rated as important to very important. This and the fact that institutions from the French- and Italian-speaking regions more often indicate having a concept or planning one than smaller institutions. 3. Institutions mostly report being well equipped. In over 80% of institutions, devices are distributed across different locations; 24% have an IT room. It was not asked whether an IT room is additionally available or exclusively. The distribution of devices across different locations reflects a development also observed in public schools. Only 7% state they do not have internet access. 72% state that teachers have internet access; in 61% of institutions, pupils have access under certain conditions. About 80% of teachers have an email address; for 50% of institutions, email is an internal communication tool. In the French and Italian-speaking Switzerland, these functions are used more than in the German-speaking part. About 70% of institutions use the possibility to publish their own website or websites in other contexts. 4. 79% state they use computers to create worksheets; this is by far the most common use. 60% use computers in various projects. The number of institutions using ICT in technically demanding ways, such as creating learning software (12%), using learning platforms (22%), or authoring tools (13%), is quite large. Computers as motivation promotion and as an opportunity for new learning experiences are seen as important factors of computer use, noted more by French- and Italian-speaking institutions than German-speaking ones. The influence of computer use on teaching style and teacher role is considered significant, with greater agreement in French- and Italian-speaking institutions. 5. Nearly 40% of institutions do not know the cantonal ICT specialist offices. Those who know them appreciate the information and services offered. For the specific specialist area, the information is considered less valuable. Specialized specialist offices (e.g., for input and output devices) are assessed and well known by institutions specialized for these disabilities. The IT skills of employees are rated as "medium." The continuing education offers of the cantons are considered sufficient by 15% of institutions. Joint training has already been carried out by 42%. There is a desire that training offers in specific special education areas would be useful for ICT. 6. Information needs are expressed in the areas of special education learning software, information on specialist offices, exchange opportunities for special educators, and on teaching models including ICT. Andreas Fehlmann SFIB Erlachstrasse 21, 3000 Bern a. fehlmann@educa.ch Literature Elsener, E., Luthiger, H. & Roos, M. (2003). ICT use at "High-Tech Schools." Research report. Lucerne: University of Teacher Education Central Switzerland. Niederer, R. et al. (2002). Information and communication technologies in elementary schools in Switzerland. Neuchâtel: Federal Statistical Office. Sturny, G. (1990). Special education. In R. Niederer & K. Frey (Eds.), Informatics and computer use in Swiss education. Zurich: ETH. -> The available infrastructure (hardware and software, support) is rated as mostly good. -> The IT skills of employees are rated as sufficient but improvable. -> The continuing education offers in ICT of the cantons are known and used to a small extent. These offers are perceived as less relevant for the respective specialist area. -> The continuing education offers of the cantons could be expanded to better meet the needs of special schools.
- > The services and information of the cantonal ICT specialist offices are considered useful, although not in a specialist direction - however, they are not fundamentally well known. Specialized advisory and specialist offices (such as FST or active communication) are better known and rated as valuable.
- > The cantonal ICT specialist offices could better fulfill their tasks towards special schools if they were better known and also offered more specialized information and services.
- > The influence of computer use on teaching style and teacher role is considered significant - agreement is greater here in the French- and Italian-speaking institutions.
The use of ICT at the Heilpädagogisches Schulzentrum Olten (hpsz) Together with the Olten city schools, the Heilpädagogisches Schulzentrum Olten has had the opportunity since June 2003 to integrate ICT comprehensively into everyday school life. In the first project year, the focus was on mandatory basic training for teachers. In the second year, device procurement and networking followed, and since then, also mandatory, regular courses for deepening and didactic application have taken place. Training and maintenance of devices are centrally organized for all city schools. Meanwhile, the use of ICT has established itself both in lesson preparation, teaching, and school organization and can be continuously expanded. Particularly positive effects can be seen so far especially in the following areas:
- ICT is particularly well and diversely usable in special school teaching. Digital photos, illustrated work instructions, film sequences, individualized learning programs, etc. offer an effective didactic added value.
- The inhibition threshold to use electronic aids for supported communication and for physically disabled children profitably has decreased with increasing computer knowledge.
- The use of computers is also particularly helpful for school organization in a large, partly decentralized institution. Via the BSCW platform, the organizational manual (with timetables, student lists, forms, etc.), meeting minutes, working materials, information sheets, etc. are accessible anytime from home via the internet.
- Since all teachers are mandatorily trained and further educated, the existing infrastructure is widely used. After initially fearing that being part of a large regular school project would strongly restrict the special school, this has now proven to be a clear advantage. We did not have to deal with technical questions; the vast majority of infrastructure and training was the same, and we can supplement the special aspects via specialized advisory and specialist offices. Walter Jäggi, Principal
Swiss Journal of Special Education 4/06 FOCUS: E-LEARNING
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Institutions with ICT concepts or plans are more often larger than smaller ones. The influence of computer use on teaching style and teacher role is considered significant, with greater agreement in French- and Italian-speaking institutions. 3. Institutions mostly report being well equipped. In over 80% of institutions, devices are distributed across different locations; 24% have an IT room. It was not asked whether an IT room is additionally available or exclusively. The distribution of devices across different locations reflects a development also observed in public schools. Only 7% state they do not have internet access. 72% state that teachers have internet access; in 61% of institutions, pupils have access under certain conditions. About 80% of teachers have an email address; for 50% of institutions, email is an internal communication tool. In the French and Italian-speaking Switzerland, these functions are used more than in the German-speaking part. About 70% of institutions use the possibility to publish their own website or websites in other contexts. 4. 79% state they use computers to create worksheets; this is by far the most common use. 60% use computers in various projects. The number of institutions using ICT in technically demanding ways, such as creating learning software (12%), using learning platforms (22%), or authoring tools (13%), is quite large. Computers as motivation promotion and as an opportunity for new learning experiences are seen as important factors of computer use, noted more by French- and Italian-speaking institutions than German-speaking ones. The influence of computer use on teaching style and teacher role is considered significant, with greater agreement in French- and Italian-speaking institutions. 5. Nearly 40% of institutions do not know the cantonal ICT specialist offices. Those who know them appreciate the information and services offered. For the specific specialist area, the information is considered less valuable. Specialized specialist offices (e.g., for input and output devices) are assessed and well known by institutions specialized for these disabilities. The IT skills of employees are rated as "medium." The continuing education offers of the cantons are considered sufficient by 15% of institutions. Joint training has already been carried out by 42%. There is a desire that training offers in specific special education areas would be useful for ICT. 6. Information needs are expressed in the areas of special education learning software, information on specialist offices, exchange opportunities for special educators, and on teaching models including ICT.
Andreas Fehlmann
SFIB
Erlachstrasse 21, 3000 Bern
a. fehlmann@educa.ch
Literature
Elsener, E., Luthiger, H. & Roos, M. (2003). ICT use at "High-Tech Schools." Research report. Lucerne: University of Teacher Education Central Switzerland.
Niederer, R. et al. (2002). Information and communication technologies in elementary schools in Switzerland. Neuchâtel: Federal Statistical Office.
Sturny, G. (1990). Special education. In R. Niederer & K. Frey (Eds.), Informatics and computer use in Swiss education. Zurich: ETH.
- > The services and information of the cantonal ICT specialist offices are considered useful, although not in a specialist direction - however, they are not fundamentally well known. Specialized advisory and specialist offices (such as FST or active communication) are better known and rated as valuable.
- > The cantonal ICT specialist offices could better fulfill their tasks towards special schools if they were better known and also offered more specialized information and services.
- > The influence of computer use on teaching style and teacher role is considered significant - agreement is greater here in the French- and Italian-speaking institutions.
Swiss Journal of Special Education 4/06
