Assistive Technology Is Not Just For Students With Disabilities By Lori Arguelles.

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Assistive Technology Is Not Just For Students

With DisabilitiesBy Lori Arguelles

Paige’s Story

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Npd_ETGZcRE&feature=g-hist

What is Assistive Technology (AT)

Assistive technology is defined as any item, piece of equipment, or product system that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities.

How Can Assistive Technology Help

Boost self esteem

Enhance quality of life

Increase productivity

Improve performance

Increase independence

Assistive Technology Devices That May Already

Be In Your ClassroomWord processor Computer

Text to speech Smart phones

Spell checker Scanning access

Calculator Voice recognition

Digital recorders Camera

E-organizers Extra time

E-books Peer support

Inclusion Students and Assistive Technology

Inclusion: The practice of educating all or most children in the same classroom, including children with physical, mental, and developmental disabilities. (Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development)

AT helps students who have disabilities learn the material in a way that they can understand it

AT helps eliminate barriers students may face that prevent them from being at the same level as their classmates

Assistive Technology for all students, not just those with disabilities

Technology can enhance the curriculum and meet a wider range of learners

Technology can increase flexibility of presentations

Technology improves lectures and allows students with impairments to be engaged

Technology can provide visualization in a variety of ways

How can a student benefit from assistive technology

Reading/Dyslexia

Writing

Math

Speech Impairment

Learning/Studying

Vision screen readers, SonicFinder

Hearing Textcommunication, captions

Assistive Technology and “At Risk” Students

A growing number of students are considered “At Risk” most could benefit form some type of cognitive task assistance.

Because most “at risk” students don’t fall into the diagnostic profile, they don’t receive assistance: if Assistive Technology was available to all students, these students would benefit.

Assistive Technology and Universal Design

A teacher's goal is for students to learn skills and understand the subject. Traditional curriculum offer only limited flexibility for meeting goals –and often requiring students to adapt to the curriculum. Universally designed curriculum overcomes limitations by incorporating three principles of flexibility into the design:

Multiple methods of presentation

Multiple options for participation

Multiple means of expression

Universal Design defined

Universal design is the design of products and environments to be used by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design. The intent of universal design is to simplify life for everyone by making products, communications, and the built environment more usable by as many people as possible at little or no extra cost. Universal design benefits people of all ages and abilities.” (The Center for Universal Design, 1997)

Universal Design for Learning and Assistive Technology

Assistive technology looks at overcoming the barriers the Individual faces in the environment.

UDL looks at making the learning environment as flexible and accommodating as possible

Both approaches strive to insure the access, participation and progress of students with disabilities.

The Use of Assistive Technology In The Classroom Can Help Struggling

Learners Succeed

Multiple Methods of Presentation

Flexibility in presentation allows the same concepts to be taught using a variety of methods, media, or materials. How would this look in a classroom?

Content could be presented using multiple media, such as oral lectures, textbooks, charts or diagrams, audio tapes, and videos.

The same content could be changed from one medium to another, such as oral output for students with reading difficulties or pictures and illustrations for students who need a visual image.

The Use of Assistive Technology In The Classroom Con’t

Materials would have adjustable presentation characteristics - changeable font style and size, highlighting of main concepts, or variable volume and speed controls.

Material could be adjusted to match students' cognitive styles. For example, students who prefer sequential, factual information might learn a history lesson from a timeline-style presentation. Students who learn better with a base of broader concepts might choose to have the same lesson presented from a big picture, or cause-and-effect perspective, with dates and facts filled in later.

Tips For Teachers

If technology is available use it.

Develop a habit of including technology in daily lesson plans.

Visit your media specialist for helpful suggestions.

Familiarize all student with the assistive technology available.

Attend IEP meetings and become familiar with needs and suggestions for use of assistive technology.

Technology Helps

“. . . ordinary people do extraordinary things. Technology helps extraordinary people do ordinary things.

John Scully (middle), Apple Computer, late 1980’s

Work Cited

http://www.greatschools.org/special-education/assistive-technology/785-universal-design-for-learning-improved-access-for-all.gs

http://www.fctd.info/ http://www.greatschools.org/special-education/assistive-te

chnology/785-universal-design-for-learning-improved-access-for-all.gs?page=2

http://www.google.com/url?url=http://impactofspecialneeds.weebly.com/uploads/3/4/1/9/3419723/udl_intro.ppt&rct=j&sa=U&ei=uUDGUJu3H_G42QX38YCgAg&ved=0CBsQFjAC&q=assistive+technology+universal+classroom+design+and+inclusion+ppt&usg=AFQjCNE6D_mNFgOpdSzb5J3LpSOLl6OFZA

http://idea.ed.gov/