How does bringing your own personal device help students?

1. BYOD AND THE IMPACT ON THE LEGAL CONSTRUCTS OF
THE IEP
ASHLEY WOODSON
SPE/584: LEARNING DISABILITIES AND LANGUAGE AND DEVELOPMENT DISORDERS

2. WHAT IS BYOD?
 BYOD is an acronym for “Bring Your Own Device”.
 Devices most commonly brought to work and/or school include:
 Cell phones (i.e. smart phones)
 Tablets
 Laptops
 Other types of personal devices can include:
 Communication boards
 Reading pens
 Other assistive technology and/or service

3. WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS IN B.Y.O.D?
 In a school setting, the benefits of bringing your own device helps when you are teaching in a rural
district and funding is limited in purchasing technology for every child.
 For example, XYZ School District can only afford to purchase 200 laptops for 450 students. Teachers and
administrators would have to form a plan in how every child can utilize the limited supply of technology. So, this
saves the district money.
 Another benefit to bringing your own device is that students are able to use devices that is tailored
made for their own use of technology.
 Not every student wants to use a tablet or laptop. Some may very well want to use their cell phones to access
content.
 Students like to personalize the way they learn; and, in most cases, students are cognizant of how they want their
technology to look.
 There will be an increase in student productivity in and outside of the classroom
 Bringing your own device is not limited to laptops and tablets. It also includes applications and
technology services needed to help a student become more proficient and have accessibility to the
learning content.

4. WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF B.Y.O.D?
 Better student organization in assignments and
notes
 Limitless access to resources and content
 Students take charge in their own learning
 Differentiation in delivery of content
 Increased student engagement
 More personalized learning
 Gives responsibility
 Helps with positive behavior reinforcement

5. WHAT ARE THE DISADVANTAGES OF B.Y.O.D?
 One of the biggest disadvantages of bringing your own device is that not all students and their families
afford technology.
 This may cause other students to feel left out or may cause disheartening feelings towards their peers.
 May cause division among students over who has technology and who doesn’t.
 Another disadvantage is that depending upon the type of device, training may need to be offered for
the teacher or other adult to familiarize themselves with the settings and functionality of the device.
 Parents may not want their children bringing their own personal devices in concern of it being stolen or
broken.
 It may cause more distraction with the students as they may not be in correct sites or apps.

6. WHAT ARE THE DISADVANTAGES OF B.Y.O.D?
 All the devices may overload school’s wireless
network
 Possible cheating on coursework
 Possible viruses from home networks infiltrating
the school’s network
 Age differences may play a part in how effective
BYOD can be (i.e. younger students may not
benefit as much as older students)
 Applications may not work properly on all
devices (i.e. Apple apps on Android devices)
 Some students may not want to bring their
devices
 Some students may not remember to charge
their devices or forget to bring power cords for
easy charging
 Not all teachers agree with using technology in
the classroom

7. HOW CAN B.Y.O.D. BE IMPLEMENTED IN AN IEP?
 A student may need an evaluation that discusses which types of assistive technology can be used to
support the student in and out of the classroom
 If a student require use of a technology device and can benefit from bringing their own device, it should
be included in their IEP under student supports and accommodations.
 This must be noted how the technology can help with the deficit and/or skill the student struggles with in their
needs section of the IEP.
 Guidelines must be in place and ensure that parents, students, and school personnel that work with the
student are aware of these guidelines.
 Who will be responsible for purchasing the device?
 Is the device affordable?
 Does everyone know how to operate the device?
 How will the device or service be used?

8. WHAT OTHER LEGAL MATTERS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED?
 How secure is the device being brought to school?
 What kind of content is already present on the device?
 What kind of device program policy can be implemented that steers students from committing
plagiarism?
 How private are the devices in keeping unknown users from accessing the device?
 Is the learning content within the appropriate guidelines of the standards?

9. BYOD – SHOULD WE EMBRACE IT OR NOT?
 Bringing your own devices have many great benefits to help all students with their learning gaps,
learning achievements, and engagement.
 With many budget cuts, participating in a bring your own device can help support limited funds in
providing technology for every student.
 Students with disabilities are not limited to cell phones and laptops. Most benefit from other forms of
technology to assist with not only academic limitations but also physical.
 One way to steer from any of the disadvantages of personal devices is to ensure all adults and students
know the device policy and guidelines, which should be included in a classroom management plan.
 Student User Agreements, user guidelines for technology, user guidelines of social communication of using
devices
 IT department will need to ensure wireless capabilities and filtering are monitored
 Bottom Line: Instead of banning personal devices, embrace them and teach/model the appropriate uses
for it so that every child has a fair chance of increasing their academic achievements.

10. REFERENCES
 Wainwright, A. (2012). 20 Pros and Cons of implementing BYOD in schools. Retrieved from
https://www.securedgenetworks.com/blog/20-pros-and-cons-of-implementing-byod-in-schools.
 The Room 241 Team (2012). What is BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) and Why Should Teachers Care?
Retrieved from https://education.cu-portland.edu/blog/classroom-resources/what-is-byod-bring-your-
own-device-and-why-should-teachers-care/.
 Georgia Department of Education (2019). Legal Mandates for Assistive Technology. Retrieved from
http://www.gpat.org/Georgia-Project-for-Assistive-Technology/Pages/Legal-Mandates-for-Assistive-
Technology.aspx.