Gabriela Marcu, assistant professor of information, electrical engineering, and computer science, is studying the ways in which educational technology might better support students with special needs.
While technology is used in K-12 classrooms frequently, it does not always address the needs of students with special needs or the educators who work with them. Marcu conducted two studies focused on this problem, and both found that communication among teachers, students, and parents is inadequate.
“We’re all more connected than ever, but in special education, communication is still quite a challenge,” Marcu said. “As a designer, I would like to shape the future of technology so we can make this better with the right tools. The goal was to give children more agency over their success.”
