Computer Accessibility Features for students with disabilities

www.microsoft.com

In addition to having Universally Designed features built in to all computers, there are also special features for people with disabilities.  These Macintosh and Windows features take into account people who have visual, physical or hearing challenges. 

Here are a few of these features:

www.thewindowsclub.com

STICKYKEYS: Allow students to press keys sequentially instead of all at once. For students with Cerebral Palsy, pressing several keys at once is challenging.

SLOW KEY: This feature helps students with hand tremors, muscle weakness or poor fine or gross motor control because it ignores unintentional and brief key strokes.  Pressure must be applied to the keys for them to work.

www.daube.ch

MOUSEKEYS: Allows users to execute all mouse functions by using the numbers on their keyboard.  This is great for students with severe physical disabilities.

Universal Design features that facilitate computer access

www.dailymail.co.uk

Dell, A., Newton, D. & Jerry, P. in their book Assistive Technology (2012) note that "wanting to sell as many computers as possible, the (computer) industry recognized the commercial value of designing operating systems that are usable by as many people as possible. (p.164)" Some of these Universally Designed features that they mention in their book are:

• choice of mouse or keyboard shortcuts to control the computer - this is great for users who find it difficult to control the mouse. Students with fine motor control difficulties, limited range of motion or visual impairments
•  voice control - this is great for students with motor control issues, muscle weakness, fatigue or vision impairments
• accommodate left or right handed users 
• size of icons - speed of the mouse - this is useful for students with poor hand eye coordination, visual impairments, hand tremors, mild motor issues or cognitive disabilities
• user pace - slowing the mouse pointer speed may assist students with visual tracking difficulties, fine motor issues

All of these features ensure that the product, which in this case is the computer, can be used by as many people as possible.  Brilliant marketing!

Importance of Augmentative Communication

http://www.schoolgrowth.com/blog/bid/248566/Board-Peer-Review-Communication

"Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) includes all forms of communication (other than oral speech) that are used to express thoughts, needs, wants, and ideas. We all use AAC when we make facial expressions or gestures, use symbols or pictures, or write." American Speech Language Hearing Association (ASHA - www.http://www.asha.org/public/speech/disorders/AAC/)  As people, we lose some of our power when we lose our ability to speak.  Dell, A., Deborah, N., & Petroff, J.(Assistive Technology, 2012) compare not being able to speak to trying to communicate while being in a foreign country or to having laryngitis .  I feel that this is a weak comparison.  These situations are temporary.  Students with cerebral palsy, nonverbal Autism, dyspraxia or other speech disorders rarely have a temporary laps in their ability to communicate - it is a permanent way of being for them.  Augmentative communication tools empower people with nonverbal disabilities.

www.soaw.org

Problems resulting from not being able to speak are abundant.  People often equate one's capacity to think with one's ability to speak, this is sometimes accurate, but not always.  An inability to speak or speak clearly often leads to temper tantrums, acting out or self harming behaviors as a result of the frustration.  
 
Source: Dell, A., Newton, G and Petroff, J.  (2012).  Assistive Technology in the Classroom: Enhancing the School Experience of Students with Disabilities. Pearson Education.

Enhance Communication

Deaf student in a hearing world...

http://www.disabilityworld.org/01-03_04/arts/perspektiva.shtml

"Computer technology "meant the beginning of the end of my isolation - isolation from other people," writes Hank Kisor, a Chicago journalist who is deaf." (Dell, A. Newton, D. & Petroff J.2012 page 139) How powerful is that statement?  Students who are deaf or hard of hearing face many challenges in a hearing world.  They often cannot follow lectures, instructions or miss important information.  These students may find it difficult to communicate with their teachers or make friends......let alone make a phone call. For hard of hearing students background noise makes it difficult to focus on one speaker.  

Awareness and technology can help to overcome obstacles for deaf and hard of hearing students.  The choices are vast but it isn't a one size fits all model.  Information for the descriptions was gleaned from Assistive Technology in the Classroom by Amy G. Dell, Deborah A. Newton and Jerry G. Petroff.

FM System

The teacher can wear the microphone and the student has the hearing device. This is a good device when one student needs the support.  It is unobtrusive and portable. The student can sit anywhere and it can be used inside or outside.  However, the sound is amplified therefore confidentiality can be breached and there could be potential electrical interference.

 Induction Loop System

Uses electromagnetic waves to transmit the teacher's voice directly to the student's hearing aid.  This requires a permanent hearing aid installation and there could be possible electromagnetic interference.

Soundfield Amplification System

Broadcasts the teacher's voice through the speakers for all students to hear better; however it is only useful for people with mild or moderate hearing loss.

There are so many wonderful resources that address UDL and the use of Assistive Technology on the World Wide Web.  Selecting just a few of the quality ones is difficult but here I go....

Useful Resources:

www.pattan.net

http://www.ncld.org/students-disabilities/assistive-technology-education

Assistive Technology in the Classroom: Enhancing the School Experiences of Students with Disabilities, Second Edition 2012 by Amy G. Dell, Deborah A Newton, Jerry G. Petroff, Pearson, 

ISBN 10: 0-13-139040-6

Now that I have learned about UDL and explored several sample lessons; how am I doing with implementing UDL in my own lessons?  I used the UDL Guidelines 2.0 for Educators worksheet to assess a 6-8 grade reading lesson on Summaries using a Fishbone Map graphic organizer.  The purpose of the lesson was to guide students through the thought process they would use for reading a nonfiction article.  Through a series of structured activities, they were guided through the steps good readers would take in reading the article.  They worked through the article in small steps - at times reading independently, in groups or listening to the teacher's reading.  Although many components of the traditional lesson were good (especially providing multiple means of engagement), when viewed through the lens of UDL, there are areas that needed to be strengthened.  Below is what the analysis of the lesson's strengths and weaknesses look like based on the worksheet.

Engaging the students in multiple ways was my strength based on the tool.  If the students aren't hooked into the activity, they will not learn.  There must be some element of interest for their attention to be intrigued.  Maintaining that attention is another issue.  

Providing Multiple Means for Engagement was the strongest area of my lesson.  The strengths of the lesson are in black and ways I could have improved it listed in red:

Providing various ways to interact with the material was a weakness in the lesson.  Having only the overhead projector and the paper copy of the reading, creates barriers for the students who are struggling learners.  In the table below, I identified ways to remedy this weakness.  According to David Schaaf's (2013) observations in a Deaf or Hard of Hearing classroom, the Whiteboard is a very useful tool to break down possible learning barriers for many students.

David N. Schaaf (2013). Assistive Technologies in Florida’s Classrooms.  Journal of Applied Learning Technology V. 3 NO 2, 6-12.

The weak area of the lesson was in the area of Providing Multiple Means for Action and Expression.  The ways I could have improved are listed in red:

 

Universally Designed Lessons help to eliminate curriculum barriers and create an even playing field.  Students who have been identified as needing Special Education services, need specially designed instruction - the way this instruction looks is outlined in a document called the Individualized Education Plan (IEP).  In the IEP, the special education teachers identify the students' weaknesses based on test scores, standardized testing, Psycho educational evaluations etc. and create goals so that the students can begin to overcome their learning or physical barriers.  The following Curriculum Barriers Analysis reveals the barriers that a student who I work with faces on a daily basis.  He is of average Intelligence but his processing speed is slow, resulting in decreased written output.  When the demands of writing are off the table, his response time (orally) is much quicker. He is has not learned to use the keyboard for typing yet - at least not very effectively.

What are my solutions to helping him to continue learning?  

• Wait time - he needs time to formulate his thoughts and understand my questions
• Limited demands on handwriting: I use letter tiles, syllable cards and the whiteboard - this limits his need to write on paper.  He loved writing with a dry erase pen on the whiteboard since it glides easily, makes a dark line and he can write large letters. When I do require him to write, I provide him with specially lined paper for primary students - it has clear barriers for where his words need to go.
• Instead of using books, I either copy just a paragraph for him or we use short articles.  This limits his frustration with having to read too much.

The Center for Applied Technology (CAST - www.cast.org) is filled with a wealth of teacher friendly resources that help with incorporating the concept of Universal Design in Learning.  The examples below, are clips of the assessment portions of a Social Studies lesson with a Reading focus.  The traditional lesson has been enhanced with a Universal Design for Learning (UDL) perspective. This is a useful lesson to read through; it provides alternative ways to meet all of the students' needs.  Yes, UDL is ideal for students who struggle but I couldn't help thinking of the gifted students.  They always need other ways to representing information - the traditional way is too simple and easy for them - it leaves so much of their potential untapped. 

 

Furthermore, the UDL approach leaves so much more wiggle room for what to do and how to do it.  When one looks at the use of technology through a traditional vs. UDL lens, so many options become available for students.  UDL is a frame of mind for teachers. 

http://www.cast.org/teachingeverystudent/

But, what is UDL?

In my previous posts, I have given examples of Universal Design in general and Universal Design for Learning (UDL).  But Universal Design is so complex that people can actually earn a whole graduate degree on this one topic.  This post will explore UDL in a little more detail.
A concise definition of Universal Design for Learning was provided by the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008, which stated:

The term UNIVERSAL DESIGN FOR LEARNING means a scientifically valid framework for guiding educational practice that:
(A) provides flexibility in the ways information is presented, in the ways students respond or demonstrate knowledge and skills, and in the ways students are engaged; and
(B) reduces barriers in instruction, provides appropriate accommodations, supports, and  challenges, and maintains high achievement expectations for all students, including students with disabilities and students who are limited English proficient.

Click below to access full article:

UDL Guidelines Version 2 - AMAZING!!!

Why UDL?

The amazing part of UDL is that it makes sense.  All components of the three principles are key for the creation of an expert learner (students who know exactly how to learn and what to do with information). However, I feel that Principle III. Providing Multiple Means of Engagement and especially Guideline 7 is especially crucial for learning.  The most motivated learner can become discouraged if they cannot establish a connection with the material they are learning; on the flip side, the most disengaged student can become engaged and productive if they are interested in what they are learning and how they are learning.  On the CAST.org website, there are lesson examples that can be used as instructional guides on how Universally Designed Lessons should look - WOW- they are even accepting new submissions:

 

Guideline 7: Provide options for recruiting interest

Checkpoint 7.1: Optimize individual choice and autonomy  

Checkpoint 7.2: Optimize relevance, value, and authenticity

Checkpoint 7.3: Minimize threats and distractions 

http://www.udlcenter.org/implementation/examples

But, you as the reader of this blog don't feel that Guideline 7 is the most essential?

That is okay. If we all agreed on everything, diversity wouldn't exist and the World would be boring.  The idea here is, that UDL is well researched and the CAST website has amazing resources.  For example, Planning for All Learners (PALS). PALS helps teachers identify the weaknesses in their curriculum and make it accessible for all learners.PALC offers a curriculum barriers identification tool; it will be explored in more detail in a later post.

http://www.cast.org/teachingeverystudent/toolkits/tk_procedures.cfm?tk_id=21