Technology integration into the early childhood environment provides learning opportunities that promote self-directed learning and interaction with peers for young children with disabilities. This study reports the results and implications of a survey of 132 inclusive childcare settings on the availability of computers in childcare settings,…

Compared expressive language used by preschoolers when engaged at a classroom computer center with that used during free play. Found that mean lengths of utterance showed no significant differences in amount of language spoken, no matter the context. Found exceptions in which one student was more expressive at the computer, and three others were…

Describes preschoolers' collaboration during free play in a computer lab, focusing on the computer's contribution to active, peer-mediated learning. Discusses these observations in terms of Parten's insights on children's social play and Vygotsky's socio-cultural learning theory, noting that the children scaffolded each other's growing computer…

"Constructionism" is a theory of learning proposed by Seymour Papert of MIT. Co-instructors for a first year seminar for undergraduate students provided education students with a one-semester constructionist experience to learn by engaging with technology. Students used LEGO[R] construction bricks and pieces to solve problems by building, working…