Final Reflections

Technology changes very quickly.  There are always new gadgets and apps that are being created to meet the students' needs.. As I set out on this journey to learn more about assistive technology, I wanted to learn about correctly documenting the technology in the Individualized Education Plans and the law as it pertains to assistive technology and the special education student.  The third item I was hoping to learn about were devices for the specific needs of students.  I really liked how the book that I was given Assistive Technology in the Classroom (2012) by Amy Dell, Deborah Newton and took the approach of recommending devices for the specific needs of students, not the specific disabilities. 

I did learn everything I intended to learn from reading the textbook and the resources I was instructed to peruse.  I am now more knowledgeable about IDEA and ADA.  I also know where and how to find resources that can meet the needs of students.  I will continue to refer back to this blog as a reference for my own instruction as I get to know more and more students.

IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) vs. ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act)

The tools that are used to support students with special needs are the same in colleges as in schools, but the way the students get the technology and assistance are completely different.  Here is a comparison:

Assistive technology for college students

Dell, Newton and Petroff (2012) in their book Assistive Technology in the classroom, dedicated a chapter to transition planning from high school to college.  On page 324, the mention that 50.3% of college educated students with special needs children find gainful employment, compared to the 30.2% of non college graduates.  For students with special needs to be able to attend college, they often need to be able to advocate for themselves and they also need resources that help them succeed.  In college, reading and writing demands increase.  Students also need to learn how to organize their time.  Assistive technology is the solution for students with visual and auditory impairments, or learning challenges. 

For the tools to be helpful, they should be:
1. easy to use
2. age appropriate
3. the student's own choice to use it
4. appropriate to the environment it is used in
5. easily accessible
6. able to offer training and maintenance

Making It Work: Effective Implementation of Assistive Technology Guide

Making It Work: Effective Implementation of Assistive Technology Guide

This resource offers seven downloadable sections on how assistive technology should be implemented.  I did live in British Columbia for nine years and earned my undergraduate degrees in education while living there, so this resource really peaked my interest. The resources are extremely comprehensive and not necessarily for teachers who are looking for a light application of assistive technology resources.  

Augmentative communication in the home and community

The school system uses Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) to drive instruction in school but it is important to reinforce communication in the home and community environment. Dell, Newton and Petroff in their book Assistive Technology in the Classroom (2012) on page 293 point out that this requires family involvement, cultural acumen, and knowing where the student is active in the community.  Home, school and community all require different types of communication demands.  Families should also have the opportunity to learn the student's augmentative communication devices.  On page 294 and 295 there are many useful tips for supporting families.  Some important ones are:

1.  keep it simple
2. give parents permission to expand the child's communication options on the device
3.  teach family members to provide opportunities for communication and ample wait time

Augmentative Communication and the IEP

The Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) dictate what students need to learn and how they need to communicate.  Augmentative communication needs to be a part of the student's individual program and must be carefully considered for every nonverbal student.  The components need to be outlined in the IEP.  Also, a student's academic goals and objectives should be created with the augmentative communication device in mind and it should be understood that his or her goals will be reached with the aid of this device.  When a student uses an augmentative communication device, they should be taught to use it within and across the school day, according to Dell, Newton and Petroff (2012) in their book Assistive Technology in the Classroom on page 291.  Another important note that must be mentioned is that the augmentative communication device isn't an IEP goal but rather a means with which to accomplish a goal - this distinction is very important.  The last two items that must be considered in the IEP are:
1. the list of augmentative communication services provided by related services personell
2. a plan for who will service the equipment

Strategies that help overcome "learned helplessness"

I have focused a lot on engaging ways to support students learning but sometimes, too many supports can lead to a phenomenon called "learned helplessness". In chapter 12 of their book Assistive Technology in the Classroom (2012) Dell, Newton and Petroff suggest the following strategies on page 290:  These authors note that this can occur after years of disempowerment.  Providing students with a voice can give them power.  Teachers have to help students become active participants in their environments.

• build a daily expectation of communication through specific activities such as choosing the activity during recess, picking a book to read, or identifying where to eat lunch.
• construct a brief daily report to parents that is communicated by the student
• allow natural consequences to occur and procvide avenues for repair
• provide choice making whenever possible that requires the student to use their augmentative communication system.
• provide powerful phrases on the device for a students to reject or protest something

A tool like Dynavox can give students a voice.