Assistive technology is basically extending the abilities of
an individual in ways that provides sensory and physical access. Assistive technology
is the kind of tool and technology that supports anyone with disabilities such
as: building communication with others, partaking in activities and much more. People
with special needs learn to live an independent lifestyle with the help of assistive
technology. Nowadays, there are so many technologies to help with special
education, but I still sometimes worry. I worry on the thought of children and
adults that lacks the technology and support to help them. Assistive technology
is broadly used and needed in the following ways: personal care, work
equipment, helps with school, recreation, reading, writing, seeing, hearing, mobility,
and communication are to name a few. The federal law of the United States
classify disability as: deaf, speech impaired handicapped, health impairment
and much more. (Roblyer & Doering, 2013).
For special education “teachers also need to know what they don’t
know regarding technology in their content area. Research is required to
acquire this knowledge along with time and professional development to
understand the procedural knowledge of using the technology (Roblyer &
Doering, 2013, p. 413).” As technology continues to grow for special education
the learning needs meets’ the requirements. Technology in special education is
defined as: mild disabilities, moderate and severe disabilities, physical
disabilities, sensory disabilities, at-risk behaviors/situations, and gifts and
talents (Roblyer & Doering, 2013).
When it comes down to assistive technology for special
education, “the general goal is always the same: to harness the potential of
technology in ways that offer an individual with a disability increased
opportunities for learning, productivity, and independence opportunities that
otherwise would not be available (Robyler & Doering, 2013, p. 400).
Mild disabilities: considered to be the most prevalent
type of disability that includes: writing, reading, and mathematics. The key is
to balance remediation of skill deficits with activities that help develop more
creative and higher level thinking skills.
Moderate disabilities: software that is available
to help teach important functional skills.
Hardware: Enabling Devices and RIDBC Auslan Tutor
Physical disabilities: provides
training to ensure the student is able to operate independently, and identify appropriate
tools for access and control that will allow the individual to function across
environments: home, school, community, and work.
Hardware:
Sensory disabilities:
for individuals that are blind, visually impaired, and who are hearing
impaired. Just to name a few: the blind uses screen readers and canes; visually
impaired uses closed-circuit television (CCTV), and built in computer screen
magnification; hearing impaired uses FM amplification systems.
Website: Tap-n-See Zoo and Articulation Station Pro
Hardware: Several
useful links-
At-Risk Behaviors/Situations: provides immediate feedback on performance quizzes
and instructional materials. Also, includes powerful websites and software’s
for engaging in learning activities.
Gifts and Talents:
provide tools such as: multimedia presentations, web page design, portfolios,
document learning experiences, in self-direct research, and many more. These students’
falls under the category of the Pyryt’s Ps: pace, process, passion, product,
and peer when determining gifted and talent students.
References:
Roblyer,
M. D., & Doering, A. H. (2013).
Integrating educational technology into
teaching. Boston, MA:
Pearson Education, Inc.
RT @kevinmiyar: We now have an Accessibility module in #drupal. http://t.co/fDvfchsd0j… #stillindev #openthoseissues #a11y
— Marvin Williams (@mwilliamsAT) July 9, 2013
Assistive technology is constantly growing & has a positive impact all across the world today. What do you think? #ED505UWARAY
— Brittany Lewis (@BrittLew0712) July 14, 2013
Great job! This was a time consuming task. But you found some great websites and hardware examples. There are so many great apps and games available online to help students with disabilities and so many great inventions out there that are available when you have the resources to fund them.
ReplyDeleteAwesome job as usual!! I enjoyed the setup and with some incredible examples. I work with students with special needs and will be working one on one this year with a student who will use an iPad as an assistive device. I am anxious to see just how much I can aid her in using it to prevent hand fatigue due to a physical condition! I agree with Carolyn! Lots of good resources out there...we just have to find them!
ReplyDeleteLadies, to believe it this was really my first time really looking into special education. I found so much useful information that it amazed me. I have experience with kids, but not the ones with disability. This assignment was tough, but I learned a lot from it. You are right Anne, so many useful resources out there, we just have to find them. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI loved your blog post and your AT's. We both choose Dragon and Ablenet. Those are both such great resources especially Dragon! You can use it on a computer, iPad, or and iPhone! We just need more funding in SpEd!
ReplyDelete