Assistive+Technology

Many federal laws, including the __[|Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)]__, section 504 of the Rehabilitation amendments, and the __[|Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA),]__require that the use of assistive technology be considered in the Individual Education Plans (IEP) of all learners with special needs. When assistive technology is utilized in the classroom, it opens new doors for all different types of learners by providing equal opportunities for all students to obtain a high quality education.

Here are some examples of assistive technology that can accommodate the needs of different learners in a typical classroom lesson:

ITouch should be added here with websites like readprint.com, and Project Gutenberg (sites that provide free books online) || || A hearing loop, which amplifies sound and reduces background noise; if available, FM system classroom systems), signaling lights, printed directions for activities, e-mail to send notes to student, assistive listener, speech-to-text system (i.e., Voice Input systems already installed on most computers for word processing activities), one-to-one communicators, [|computerized speech recognition] Closed captioning, text that goes on the bottom of the television screen. Look for a small box with ‘CC’ inside or a small box with a cartoon balloon marker, to verify if the programs are closed captioned. || adaptive pointing devices, demonstrate knowledge orally rather than in writing, on-off switches connected to the computer to allow for student involvement with activities and programs in association with Screen [|Scanning Software], voice recognition software such as DragonDictate which allows you to control your mouse by voice, dictate directly into a Windows application such as MS Word or Word Perfect, and has a high rate of accuracy. Use of a [|Smart Table] that can be accessed when a Smart Board is unreachable //Targeted Reinnervation// allows human muscles to control mechanical devices so people that have lost the use of a finger or whole hand now have hope that they can get a replacement! Please view the video from the following link - IMPORTANT-Click on "continue to video" at the bottom of the irritating computer game ad that comes up when you click on this link. ***[] || (trouble recognizing letters and words) || * Visual-Spatial recognition tasks may be very challenging and take a student with learning difficulties much longer to complete Optical character recognition, abbreviation expanders, podcasts of lessons, alternative keyboards (alphasmart), text-to-voice systems (i.e., Kurzwiel, Dragon Naturally Speaking (voice input), and [|IBM's ViaVoice]), screen-reading software, [|Quicklink Scanning Pen], voice-to-text systems, Handhelp [|electronic dictionaries] Word processing software with spell check Graphic organizing software (ie [|kidspiration]) [|Co-Writer] (interprets spelling and grammar mistakes and offers word suggestions in real time, word prediction software) || Translation tools: device, software or web-based (Yahoo! Babel Fish or Google Translate ) Speech-to-Text or Text-to-Speech software or OS utility - Take a look at Voki for a text-to-speech avatar Webcast (ScreenToaster) or Podcast (Audacity) of lesson for the student to proceed at his/her own pace. Subtitles/transcripts for videos, webcasts, podcasts - check out dotSUB an open source community for creating subtitles for any video || Laptop computers Speech recognition software ||
 * ===Student=== || ===Challenges/Difficulties Students Would Encounter=== || ===Assistive Technology Accommodations=== ||
 * Low Vision Student || * Very poor distance vision
 * Difficult to see the chalkboard or to gather detailed information from filmstrips, charts, or overhead screens
 * Glare from windows and lights
 * Slower readers
 * Eyes cannot be strained but may tire quickly
 * Storing and using large print materials
 * Nonverbal communication such as facial expressions
 * Standarized tests || [|Video magnifiers], large print, contrasting colors, radio readers, braille texts if student reads braille, audiobooks:[| Bookshare.org], [|Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic]; screen reader, low projection vision screen, paper that reduces glare, [|Quicklink Scanning Pen]
 * Deaf Student || * Peer interaction
 * Group communication- Student must continually try to visually track and interpret the information being expressed as well as revise the information they would like to contribute
 * Noise and lighting impact a deaf student’s ability to hear and receive information visually
 * Difficulty following who the speaker is
 * It may be easier for a student who is deaf to misinterpret instructions given orally
 * Visual barriers within the classroom
 * School programs and presentations
 * Students in Wheelchair without use of his left hand || * Difficulty moving mouse and launching/exiting programs
 * Navigating classroom layout- students in wheelchairs will require a wider walkway space than students without wheelchairs
 * Handwriting- copying notes from the board and taking notes from oral presentations or discussions
 * Fitting legs under a traditional student desk || Room layout, furniture adjust-ability, adaptive keyboards,
 * Student with Learning Difficulties
 * Handwriting- copying notes from the board and taking notes from oral presentations or discussions
 * Editing/revising work || Audio books and publications, mp3s,
 * ELL Students || * Absence of background knowledge
 * Difficulty keeping up with speaker(s)
 * Difficulty taking notes
 * Difficulty asking questions/participating in class discussion
 * Limited interactions with other students
 * Limited higher order thinking skills || Presentation of material in multiple formats: spoken, written (handouts and on board/SmartBoard), visual media (graphs, charts, illustrations, images, video, animation) and audio media (music, radio)
 * Student impaired hand writing skills || * Difficulty taking notes or completing basic classroom assignments
 * Difficulty reading his own hand writing
 * Difficulty editing and revising || Keyboard word processors