Transcript Assistive Technology

Meeting the Needs of Students
Pam Dunnington
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Meeting the Needs of Students
The Purpose of this PowerPoint Presentation is to
offer information on some of the Assistive Technology
available. The presentation will offer possible solutions
to meet the needs of students.
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Meeting the Needs of Students
According the Individuals with
Disabilities Act (IDEA),
technology can be defined as:
“Any item, piece of equipment,
or product system …that is
used to increase, maintain, or
improve the functional
capabilities of children with
disabilities”. (Cavanaugh, 20
USC 140 – 25)
http://techlearning.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=20300252
PSD
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Meeting the Needs of Students
Assistive Technology
can be Low Tech:
 Incline Board
 Raised Line Paper
 Paper stabilizers- (could
use paperclips)
 Pencil grips
 Sticky notes
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Meeting the Needs of Students
Assistive Technology
can be High Tech:
 Computers, laptops, tablets
 Voice synthesizers
 Braille readers
 Voice recognition software
 Portable word processors
 Word Prediction Software
 Prompting and scheduling
software using mobile
phones, PDAs, or the
internet.
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Meeting the Needs of Students
The definition may be so broad in
nature that teachers and
parents are intimidated leading
to:
 Indecisiveness
 Failure to utilize tools available
 Uncertainty of whom to
approach for assistive
technology
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Meeting the Needs of Students
Schools frequently train
educators how to integrate
technology to engage
learners.
How can educators use
technology as a means to
receive a fair and equal
education, providing greater
independence and increased
academic achievement?
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Meeting the Needs of Students
Each day technology
makes strides in the
world, and the
educational institutions
are no exception.
How can we use
assistive technology as
a means to “think
outside the box,” to help
students?
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Meeting the Needs of Students
What are the obstacles that face learners?
 Samantha can’t see well enough to make out the keys
on the keyboard.
 Michael has problems decoding which affect his ability
to read and interpret all written forms of text.
 Emily was not able to hear the instructor give additional
information to the class due to her hearing impairment.
 Austin can not write quick enough to take notes like his
fellow classmates, his writing is affected by Dysgraphia.
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Meeting the Needs of Students
There are students whom may need to utilize assistive technology
as a means of making regular classroom curriculum accessible to
them.
http://www.utexas.edu/education/news/TATPfunding.html
What kind of Assistive Technology is available to students?
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Meeting the Needs of Students
Alternative technology devices
for individuals with mobility,
vision or reading disabilities
can include the following:
 Roller ball or a modified
mouse
 Adaptive keyboards
 Picture communications
 Screen readers
http://www.cedwvu.org/programs/atclinic/
www.novitatech.org.au/ content
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Meeting the Needs of Students
Personal planning devices or
software used with PDAs or
select mobile phones can allow
students independence and
academic success for cognitive
disabilities such as:




Autism
Multiple Sclerosis
Brain Injury
ADD/ADHD
PEAT is a software program which is
used with Alzheimer's patients, autism
spectrum, and people with short and
long term memory disorders.
http://www.brainaid.com/index.html
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Meeting the Needs of Students
For visually impaired students
or students with visual
processing difficulties, some
options include:
devices scanning read-aloud
pen, an electronic book with
read-aloud features, or a
printer that will adapt text into
Braille could greatly increase
their learning abilities.
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Meeting the Needs of Students
Electronic speaking devices with pictographics for
English as a Second Language students, hearing
impaired students, students with Dyslexia, and
additional reading difficulties will receive immediate
feedback using the technology enhanced
equipment.
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Meeting the Needs of Students
There may be students whom
feel increased stress by having
another means of having more
attention drawn to the
student’s unique needs.
Teachers and caregivers may
need to prepare themselves
for handling a students anxiety
of yet another way of being
different than his/her peers.
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Meeting the Needs of Students
One such way would be to give that student an
opportunity to have an edge in the area of technology,
and be able to assist fellow students.
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Meeting the Needs of Students
Families may have cultural or social influences that
shape their own opinions on the use of assistive
technology.
“African American families have suggested that a preference not
to use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC)
devices in public settings due to the stigma associated with
having attention focused on the child and family.”
Address the apprehensions of families, either by an a
school AT professional or a community liaison,
before implementing any assistive technology .
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Meeting the Needs of Students
Higher education has different means in
which students advocate to reach their
academic goals.
The goal for all learners should be to
acquire the skills to meet educational and
professional goals.
Students must investigate what means
perspective institutions may have to
accommodate their learning differences.
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Meeting the Needs of Students
The creative forces that have developed hardware and
software can directly impact the quality of an individual’s
life in schools, and in the community.
Continue to look for what is available because the types
of resources available for learning differences is everchanging.
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Meeting the Needs of Students
A final consideration to address is that most technology
will require some kind of fine-tuning. There will also be a
period of adjustment for an individual to become familiar
with new technologies.
Many hardware and software companies offer a "try it,
before you buy it," option, which prevents making an
expensive purchase if an assistive technology device is
ineffective.
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Meeting the Needs of Students
Community Liaison – A person outside the school whom will
help establish relationships with families.
Decoding- (difficulty with sounds/symbol relationships;
problems discriminating between sounds and between
certain letters (e.g., bs and ds, ps and qs; frequent reversal
of letters and numbers; difficulty blending sounds together
to form a word.)
Dysgraphia – hand writing impairment of individuals with
normal intelligence.
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Meeting the Needs of Students
Content-Driven - relates to seven content areas including
Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies,
Visual and Performing Arts, Health and physical education
and Foreign Languages.
Mainstreamed - Students placed in one or more selected
regular classes attended special education resource
classes as well.
Advocate- One that argues for a cause; a supporter or
defender: an advocate of civil rights.
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Meeting the Needs of Students
For Further Information:
 http://www.irsc.org/
 http://www.warrennet.org/at/at%20toolbox/introduction.html
 http://www.gatfl.org/ldguide/default.htm
 http://www.washington.edu/accessit/articles?109
 http://www.abilityhub.com/
 http://www.disabilityresources.org/AT.html
 http://abilitynet.wetpaint.com
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Thank You
For viewing
Meeting the Needs of Students
Pamela S. Dunnington
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