Inclusive education in rural Alberta, Canada: Utilizing ICT to support twenty-first century learning

Abstract

Information and Communications Technology (ICT), has become a term with many meanings within many contexts. For the purposes of this paper, ICT in a K-12 context represents the possibility for change in the public education system in Alberta, from traditional pedagogies of exclusion to one which embraces inclusive practice for all students. The implication of such fundamental change has equal significance for teacher practice. The use of ICT has the potential to transform traditional education into multidimensional learning environments that support traditional, mobile, and blended learning environments. In so doing, the significance of ICT for twenty-first century learners may be tantamount to a paradigm shift, which could change the face of public education, and have a significant positive impact on teaching practice and student learning.