BY CAMERON BELL 

A s children head back to school this fall, they will once again be surrounded by their peers wielding cell phones, laptops, and other internet-connected devices. With each school year, more and more students use these tools both inside and outside of the classroom. The evolving technology allows students to more easily engage with their studies and with one another. For parents of children with special needs in particular, the widespread availability of internet devices can pose an exciting opportunity for access to specialized tools and networks for their child's development. However, some parents might be wary of the potential dangers that can come with their child's exposure to the internet. While it is true that the internet can present certain situations that are not well-suited to children, especially those with special needs, there are many strategies that parents can take to stay vigilant and protect their children as they engage in online spaces.

In this age, it is hard to overstate thebenefits that the internet gives its users through access to limitless information at an impressively high speed. The resources that are available online have become increasingly accommodating for people of different abilities and diverse learning modalities. These resources can range from applications that enhance electronic text readability for those who have trouble seeing, to software that can verbally communicate on behalf of people who cannot do so without assistance. These programs are especially encouraging to parents of children with special needs who might

worry about their child's ability to understand and engage with their lessons in school.

Around the U.S., more classrooms are embracing iPads and tablets as learning tools. In the context of adaptive technology, these electronic devices may particularly benefit students in need of accommodations like screen magnification and text-to-speech tools. These devices even give students access to video footage of their classroom lessons that they can later review from home. Many parents see this opportunity for repetition as a significant benefit, since it can lessen or eliminate their child's need for a costly tutor or more highly specialized learning curriculum, even if they have trouble keeping up with the pace of the classroom.1 Electronics like tablets and computers also give children the opportunity to type instead of hand-write their assignments. This can be helpful to students with disabilities that make it hard for them to write or concentrate for long periods of time, as typing typically increases their output speed. Additionally, parents and teachers have noted children's improved motor skills as a result of tablet use in a learning environment.2 Given the demonstrated value of electronic and web-based technology, there are many reasons to advocate for its adoption in the classrooms of children with disabilities.

Outside of the classroom, the internet can provide children and young adults with disabilities with many other learning opportunities and benefits. Aside from the vast collection of tools and resources that exist online to assist people with disabilities with tasks like reading and speaking, the internet also provides a safe space for people to interact without necessarily disclosing the effects of their disabilities. Thanks to the anonymity that comes with communicating textually, people with special needs can use the internet to communicate with others in much the same way as their peers and not be judged by their tone, physical appearance, or other presentations of their disability.3 Additionally, text-based communication allows people to express themselves in explicit terms, such as showing emotion with animated emojis, which are easier for some individuals to interpret than the nuance in verbal and physical cues that accompany in-person communication.4 For many people with disabilities, this ease in communication comes with a greater sense of inclusion among their internet-using peers. While the internet can offer a respite from the day-to-day difficulties of life with disabilities, young people may also seek

out online communities to connect with peers with similar life experiences. Chat rooms, discussion boards, Facebook groups, and dedicated disability networking sites can serve as a meeting ground for people whose disabilities they may not see reflected in their offline social interactions. The connections fostered in online spaces, particularly for individuals who have found it challenging to forge social bonds, can yield meaningful relationships and alleviate feelings of loneliness. Quality online social engagement also has the potential to reduce social barriers in in-person interactions.5

However, as with any technology, it is important to encourage habits for safe and responsible usage. When considering their child's role in online communities, parents should be aware of the pitfalls inherent in internet-based communication. The anonymity granted to internet users presents a double-edged sword by also enabling people to hide their identities to participate in illegal activity, such as soliciting private information or money from unsuspecting strangers. Because personal devices allow children and young adults to access the internet in ways that may go unseen by their parents, it can be difficult for parents to monitor everything that their kids do online. This can be especially scary for parents of children with special needs, specifically for those whose children might have more trouble detecting red flags for risky behavior.

Beyond the dangers associated with strangers online, many parents also fear the risk of their children being hurt by their peers on the web. Cyberbullying is defined as the use of electronic communication to bully a person by sending repeated messages of an intimidating or threatening nature. As more and more students spend time online, cyberbullying continues to grow as a national problem: in 2015, a Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) survey estimated that 16% of the participating students had been bullied electronically in the 12 months prior to the survey.6 While cyberbullying is rampant throughout the U.S. among children and young adults of all populations, studies have found that those with disabilities are at an especially high risk.7 However, while parents should be aware of this risk, they should not necessarily let it discourage them from giving their children with special needs access to the internet. There are many strategies that parents can use to protect their If parents want their children with special needs to fully take advantage of the internet's opportunities, they should be aware of the steps they can take to keep them safe. child's safety online without having to restrict their access to certain sites. A general lack of internet safety awareness contributes to the dangerous behaviors that children and teens engage in online.

By having open conversations about how to avoid internet dangers, parents can make a significant difference in guiding their children's behavior on the web. For instance, parents are encouraged to remind their children that nothing on the internet is 100% private, no matter what they have been told, and to understand the potential consequences behind sharing private information online. Additionally, parents can take precautions like creating a "Do Not Share" list for their children to follow at all times, or by acquainting themselves with privacy and security features of the social websites that their children want to use. Visit contact.org.uk/media/750755/cyberbully- ing_and_send_-_module_final.pdf for an informative and detailed guide full of helpful recommendations and resources on internet safety for parents of young people with disabilities.

Parents should also familiarize themselves with their child's legal rights in cases of cyberbullying and bullying in general. While there is no federal law that specifically applies to bullying, cases of bullying that are based on disability can qualify as harassment or discrimination. In these cases, schools are legally obligated to address the situation.8 Additionally, each state has its own laws regarding cyberbullying and other related behaviors. Visit stopbullying.gov/laws/index.html to become familiar with your state's bullying laws and whether they apply to cyberbullying.

The internet and all of the technology that makes it accessible can be academically and socially beneficial to young people with a variety of special needs. However, if parents want their children with special needs to fully take advantage of the internet's opportunities, they should be aware of the steps they can take to keep them safe. By setting clear and concise guidelines for internet safety and understanding how to intervene in cases of dangerous behavior, parents can better protect their children while still empowering them to freely explore all that the internet has to offer.•

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Cameron Bell is a summer intern at Genetic Alliance, where she works with the Expecting Health team. She is a rising senior at Georgetown University studying biology and public health. After graduating, she is interested in pursuing a genetic counseling degree.

References 1. parentinfo.org/article/learning-disabilities-autism-and-internet-safety 2. pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2012/04/technology_can_help_special-ne.html 3. ldonline.org/article/61320 4. parentinfo.org/article/learning-disabilities-autism-and-internet-safety 5. mdpi.com/1999-5903/5/3/376/pdf 6. stopbullying.gov/cyberbullying/what-is-it/index.html 7. sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0747563215303150 8. stopbullying.gov/laws/index.html