ICT skills are now regarded as one of a set of core skills vital to the educational development of all learners, but in particular those with special educational needs.

The benefits of ICT for deaf and hard of hearing students

• It is visual and interactive and greatly appeals to deaf and hard of hearing students
• Evidence of improved literacy levels
• Increased independence, confidence, motivation and social contact
• Allows one to use different approaches to learning
  (e.g. Collaborative learning)
• Offers excellent forms of communication - ending isolation and improved social contact (email, fax, mobile phone (SMS), videophone, computer conferencing, chat rooms, discussion forums etc)
• The almost silent nature of the Internet offers huge advantages to the deaf. It facilitates access to information and communication
• It allows better access to the curriculum.

The benefits identified above are based on our experience over a long number of years and are supported in the literature.

How we use ICT in St. Mary's
We use ICT extensively to assist students in the acquisition and development of language and in the development of communication skills, at all levels right across the curriculum in a number of creative ways.

"Students are enthusiastic about using computers and they enjoy learning a wide range of computer applications. These include word processing, desktop publishing, e-mail, importing images from digital cameras and scanners, data analysis through graphs, spreadsheets or charts. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) skills are used to support learning in other subjects also. For example, students learn to source data from CD ROM and internet sources; to record results; to record educational visits and to process images and texts used in imaginative writing in English. Students use ICT to present information in different ways, such as, communicating by means of video telephone and exchanging information using e-mail. Students are able to explain a range of ICT experiences including work in graphics and word processing. Grant funding and school investment in Information and Communication Technology has had a considerable impact on attainment levels in learning across all curricular areas." D.E.S. Inspectors' Report, 2004