Assistive Technology

I have seen firsthand in my classroom how assistive technology can help a student succeed.  A student in my class, who has a mild form of autism, has benefited greatly from just a few little things I’ve done.  First, let’s take a look at just what assistive technology is and when it should be used.  Assistive technology is any device or service that helps a student perform more effectively in the general classroom.  Students with disabilities, from very mild to gifted students, can benefit from assistive technology.  Assistive technology should be used when the device or service helps a student in the classroom.  In my classroom, I have a student, with a mild form of autism, who has trouble with fine motor skills.  At the beginning of the year, he took his spelling test on the iPad where he did not have to write the words.  This allowed him to focus on actually spelling the words and not worrying about his handwriting.  Below, I am going to take a look at different disabilities students may have in a classroom and how to serve them better with assistive technology.

Students with mild cognitive disabilities can make great gains by using products that reinforce skills, have interactive capabilities, and even text to speech software.  Students with mild disabilities are considered to make up most of the student population with disabilities.  Teachers should become very familiar with assistive technology devices that can help these students.  Voice recognition software would help greatly with writing, and software involving drills, games, and tutorials can aid in math.  Fishdog.net has many apps that will support students with mild disabilities.  One device that can help students with mild disabilities is a Neo Writer.  Once a student types in a few letters of a word, it offers some suggestions to finish the word.  We all use something similar to this when typing on out iPads and iPhones. 

Students who suffer moderate to severe cognitive disabilities must have basic life skills in order to make sure they can take care of themselves, to the best of their ability, outside of school.  Various apps and websites than reinforce the basic life skills, such as time and money, are available.  Time, Money, and Fractions- On-Track App can help with these skills.  It is important for all students to learn these skills to function in the world!  Customized keyboards, such as the Intellikeys keyboard can be used to help these students operate a computer. 

There are many was to accommodate students with physical disabilities by using assistive technology.  Students with physical disabilities need to be able to access and use technology just as their regular peer would.  One device that can be used on a computer with students who have physical disabilities is a joy stick.  Joy sticks are easier to operate than a regular mouse and can benefit a student who has difficulty with motor movements.  Spectronics offers some great solutions for both hardware and software aids for students with physical disabilities. 

Students with sensory disabilities can also gain from using assistive technology.  Students with sensory disabilities have a disability related to hearing or seeing.  For students who are blind, screen readers is a software that is available that will read any text that appears on the screen.  For the deaf, students need aid in technology with audio feedback.  They also need help hearing the teacher talk!  FM amplification systems are being used as assistive listening devices that the teacher wears to amplify his or her voice.

At-risk students are not technically considered students with disabilities.  Sometimes, their low performance is compared with those students with disabilities.  The students who are considered “at-risk” can also benefit from assistive technology.  If students who are at-risk have trouble in written expression, a word process that will predict words, www.donjohnston.com, can be used.  Students can also use manipulative to help solve problems.

Another group of students that can benefit from assistive technology is the group with gifts and talents.  Gifted students need to be assisted in pace, process, passion, product, and peer. Assistive technology can help reach these goals.  For process, students can participate in distance learn from Destination Imagination, www.destinationimagination.org.  Students can use iPads, laptops, and other devices to help great products and share then with their peers in the classroom and around the world on sites like Edmodo!

Assistive technology can help all types of students.  Teachers need to make sure they give every student an equal opportunity to succeed and use assistive devices to help them.

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On Google Reader, I stubled across the Assistive Technology Blog that list assistive technology to help with students with different disabilities.  This blog post very frequently and would be a great resources for a teacher to visit when he/she needs new ideas for assitive technology!References

Roblyer, M.D. & Doering, A.H. (2010). Integrating educational technology into

teaching, 5th edition.  Columbus, Ohio: Merrill Prentice Hall.

Social Bookmarking- Delicious

I will be the first to admit... I didn't keep up with my social book marking site all semester like I was supposed to. I've never used something like that... and didn't need it. First, it did not take me long AT ALL to add 50 bookmarks. Between sites I learned from Dr. R, my classmates, and ones I use already, I had over 50 before I knew it. I see the benefit of using a site like this, if I would just make myself use it!!

I wish I could organize it better-- by subject. I know I can tag it and do it that way, but I guess I wish I could have headings and those websites lister there. I may have to continue using this, it's a great resource! (How many times have we said "It's a great resource!" this term? - ha!) Here is the link to my delicious site!

Jennifer

Web 2.0

I was introduced to several new tools during this assignment! I must say, I enjoyed them very much!

For my assignment, I used the AL Third grade science course of study standard 13, Describe ways to sustain natural resources, including recycling, reusing, conserving, and protecting the environment.

I started out by making a bubbl concept map.  I made this one, but I would invlove my students in making one during the lesson.

 

We used this program earlier in the session.  I have used concept mapping software before, Inspiration.  I am very fond of this software!  I think it is more user friendly than bubble (or maybe I just haven't used bubble enough?)  However, it is not free! Bubble is, so I can hopefully learn to use it better!

Glogster is very interesting.  This was very user friendly.  I think it could be used in a paperless classroom in place of handouts.  Students could view the glogsters created by the teacher.  It would have notes, videos, websites, and videos about the topic.  Each child could go through with his/her device. 

I would use the glogster in my class as a digital handout. This would introduce the concept.  We could view it in class and go over what's on it.  When finished, I can post to my blog and e-mail to students and parents to study!  Here is the link to my glogster. 

I have used Animoto before and really enjoy it!  It is great for making slideshows with a little something extra.  The backgrouds, music, and ability to add captions make this a great tool to use.  I put together a quick video with pictures reminding students of the important concepts.  We would watch this at the end of the lesson for review.  Here is the link to my animoto.

For free choice, I chose to make 2 Voki's.  This is my FAVORITE!  Who doesn't love the "Talking Tom" videos that go around on Facebook.  This is a free way to make these and use in the classroom!  I am going to make one to encourage my students to do well on the ARMT+ next week!  I think they will love it!  I've embeded the two I made below!  This would be used as an engaging activity on day two of this unit!





On google reader, I stumbled across a blog called "Blogging About the Web 2.0 Connected Classroom."  This blog has some great posts about 2.0 resources that can be used in the classroom and how to use them!

My google reader review is a separate post!

Jennifer

Google Reader

Something I love to do is trying new websites, apps, games, software, anything realted to technology.  I was excited to try google reader, because I've never heard of it before!  I love the idea of google reader.  I think it's great that everything you want to follow is right there.  How awesome would this be if your class had blogs?  You would know immediately when it had been updated without going to the site.  This is the feature I love about google reader.

As neat at seeing updates all in one spot, I missed going to the blog.  Maybe it's the colorful backgroud and the formatting aligned correctly.  I don't know.  I didn't like actually reading the posts on google reader, though.  I would always click and go to the blog!

One of the blogs I followed this term was Seomra Ranga.  This blog has many different features.  Apps, blog, filmstrips, curriculum, and much more!  My favorite part was the apps!  Typically once a week, sometimes more, an app review would be posted for the primary grades.  Since we have iPads in my classroom, I really gained a lot from this.  There are SO many apps out there and well, they just are aren't great.  A big hit in my room this week, and a favorite posts was on Mystery Math Town App.  This app has students solve problems while working their way through a house and collecting fireflies.  The pictures on the wall talk- reminded us of Harry Potter- which is also a big hit in my room right now!  This app integrates math facts with a fun and engaging game!

Another blog I followed was Nerdy Book Club.  This blog has a post everday!  There are MANY people who contribute to this blog to make that possible.  I think my favorite thing about this blog was that there were so many book reviews.  As a future library media specialists, this is important that have a trusty source with book reviews.  I cannot read every book in the library; but I may have students ask questions!  If I have a great site to go to and read reviews, it will help a lot!

Overall, I enjoyed this assignemt and learning more through educational blogs!

Jennifer