With a faculty of approximately 130 teachers, over 90 percent have participated in technology inservice programs. Computers were introduced in 1983 in this K-12 residential school, which serves approximately 610 students who are blind, deaf, or have special needs. For all of these students, computer technology is used in various ways. For those who are blind, for example, it is used primarily as a means of extending communication. For students who are deaf, it is used as a springboard to build concepts for written language.
All equipment used in the school is purchased through special funds.
In addition, a private foundation supports the purchase of some of the equipment. The school is now in the process of being retrofitted to handle new technology. Since the school is made up of a complex of buildings, it will take some time to wire the entire institution. However, this year, almost every classroom has at least one computer. When computers were first introduced to students who are blind, staff began experimenting with word processing capabilities.