Assistive Technology:
In a perfect world everyone would be healthy, happy, and have
above average intelligence; however, this is not a perfect world and we are all
different. As teachers we must always strive to place all of our students on a
level playing field and assist all students with whatever means necessary. In
order for us to do this we must be up-to-date on the newest technology
available. I thought I knew the most up-to-date technology until I started
researching!
I will discuss software, websites, and types of hardware for
several types of disabilities as well as for students with gifts and talents. I
will discuss students with mild and moderate disabilities, physical
disabilities, sensory disabilities, at-risk students, and students with gifts
and talents.
Students with mild disabilities, such as learning and
emotional disabilities, often have trouble with learning and not with
technology itself. I would use websites such as: http://www.ixl.com/math/grade-1 to
reinforce the math skills we are learning in the classroom for more practice. I
would also have the students use calculators for difficult math problems. I
would have them use the following website for reading practice: http://pbskids.org/games/reading.html.
The students would use headphones to hear the words being read to them while
visually see them at the same time. For the students who are unable to write themselves,
I would have them use software Dragon Talk’s Naturally Speaking. I found the
software at Amazon for about $60.00 for the computers in my classroom. The
software allows the student to speak and the computer types it for them and the
papers can be printed.
Students with moderate to severe disabilities need help with
living skills, such as interaction skills and money management skills. I would
use the following website to reinforce the counting coins skill learned in
class: http://www.turtlediary.com/grade-1-games/math-games/counting-coins.html.
I would have the students use headphones and alternative keyboards for the
practice games. I found a great website that has many different kinds of
alternative keyboards available: http://www.enablemart.com/computer-accessibility/keyboards/alternative-keyboards.
Students with physical disabilities need more hardware
assistance to help them accomplish daily classroom activities. I would have a
computer with a joystick in the place of a mouse. I would also have voice
recognition software, Dragon Talk’s Naturally Speaking, to allow the students
to speak the words and have the computer type for them. I would also use the
following app for the purpose of communicating when words are not coming out
like we need them to: Answers Yes No. It
allows students to choose which they would rather say and it allows them to
communicate with their peers around them. Information on this app can be found
on the following link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/answers-yesno-hd/id393762442?mt=8
Students with sensory disabilities, such as vision and
hearing, also need hardware to assist them in the classroom. For a student that
is blind I would have braille books. I
would like to purchase the optical character recognition software for my
classroom. The software allows you to take books and scan them into the
computer and it then it takes the words and reads the story to the student. For
students who are partially sighted I have a magnifying glass over one of my
computer screens, but I would want to get a closed-circuit television
magnification system. I would also want to purchase hardware for the iPad to
use the app: The HumanWare Communicator, this app allows the deaf, blind, and
sighted people to communicate with each other. The hardware comes with HumanWare Brailliant braille display or a
BrailleNote apex and Bluetooth to help the deaf and blind communicate. For more
information on this wonderful app please click on the following link: http://appfinder.lisisoft.com/app/humanware-communicator.html.
I would accommodate my deaf students by using my Red Cat Amplification system
in my classroom. I would also use sign language as much as possible in my
classroom and around the school. I have taught my students simple sign language
in my classroom by using the following websites: http://www.aslpro.com/samples/ewpic01/ewpic01/ewpic01.html,
http://lifeprint.com/, and http://www.handspeak.com/?utm_expid=18398096-2.
I try to use software and hardware to motivate my at-risk
students as well. My students love the following website: http://www.softschools.com/math/games/. This website has tons
of games to help practice math and reading. I allow the students to use
calculators and a Turbo Twist Math game by Leap Frog as a math learning tool.
I sometimes find it more difficult to accommodate the gifted
and talented students than students with disabilities! I have my gifted and
talented students do research and Power Points on the computers. I have them use
the app: Scramble with friends. This app helps students to build their
vocabulary while communicating with other students around the world. The Smithsonian
Channel is also another great app for the students to learn interesting facts
and watch videos from the museum.
I am amazed at how much technology there is for all types of
students and adults and most of it is free, we just have to take the time to
find it. Teachers are the people parents turn to for information on these
things and we should know and be up-to-date on technology and accommodations. I
am more aware of what is out there, but it changes daily and it will be an
on-going process of learning new hardware, software, and technology, but I am
up to the challenge.
Resource:
Robyler, M. D. & Doering, A. (2013). Integrating Educational Technology Into
Teaching. 6th edition
Social Bookmarking:
I choose to use Diigo and you can find my bookmarks on the
following link: https://www.diigo.com/user/hilla7972
