New Article on Navigation Support for Students with Intellectual Disability

It can be challenging for new students to find their way around an unfamiliar college campus. College students with intellectual disability can learn to navigate independently with the help of assistive technology

Institute for Community Inclusion Program Director Lori Cooney, MEd, co-authored a new article in the Journal of Special Education Technology with colleagues Olivia Hester, PhD, from The University of Alabama and Don McMahon, PhD, from Washington State University titled, “Navigation Support for Students with Intellectual Disability Using Mobile Devices.”

Google My Maps is free, web-based tool that can customize maps for each student’s unique needs. The authors discuss ways to integrate person-centered planning into Google My Maps as well as the tool’s practical implications and directions for future research.

Read the full article in the Journal of Special Education Technology.

For further reading, check out the latest Think College Insight Brief, “Navigating Independence: What Works to Teach Campus Navigation,” which includes an overview of peer-reviewed research on beneficial campus navigation teaching practices. Several of the studies in this review include using web-based mapping tools and other assistive technology to help navigate campus.