Digital Citizenship for special education students can be tricky. For my students, the three basic tenants I want them learn are:
1) Be careful with the hardware! Appropriate use of all our wonderful technology (computers, iTouchs, touch-screens, AT buttons, communication devices, etc.) is so important. Many times they don't realize how rough they are with equipment.
2) If you are online, be sure there is an adult with you. I don't think my class understands the dangers of the web. I think by teaching them to ask permission to use the computer and making sure an adult can see what they are doing will help them to avoid trouble.
3) Don't communicate online with someone you don't know. Because most of my students are non-readers, I worry about the increasing video capabilities of hand-held devices or use of web cams at home. They may be a great way to communicate, but there can also be misuse.
The best way for educating my students on being good digital citizens is to model the behavior and give lots of praise when I observe those behaviors. Another important key factor is the education of the parents. Parents need information on keeping their child "digitally" safe. These are children that are especially vulnerable to predators. Therefore, it's our job to help keep parents up to speed.
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