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.

IPad Apps for learning Math

As I work through the plethora of resources that are available from publishers, I continue to gravitate toward what the IPad has to offer.  There is nothing better than snuggling up to a great game in the IPad - the children can easily navigate through many of the activities and they are usually engaged because there are so many interesting apps that incorporate not only math content but also the child's interest.

Here are a few of my favorites:
Montessorium:

Let's Make Shapes: Fun tracing and drawing application for young children.

edu dice: teaches toddlers to do simple addition with two dice.

TECHMATRIX

Techmatrix.org is a great tool that can help with searching for assistive technology and programs for Math, Reading and other subject areas.   As the screen shot shows, the advanced search options can lead anyone in the right direction whether it is price, content area or anything else that is the most important factor for determining the suitability of a product.

Educational applications used for teaching math concepts, math skills and problem solving

In their book Assistive Technology in the Classroom, Dell, Newton and Petroff (2012) quote that "The National Mathematics Advisory Panel (2008) states, "Understanding core concepts is a necessary component of proficiency with arithmetic and is needed to transfer previously learned procedures to solve novel problems" (p.130)  They further state that students need automaticity, fluency and conceptual understanding to be able to solve complex mathematical problems.

Some tools that support these processes are:

Internet 4 Classrooms Free, high quality resources
National Library of Virtual Manipulatives: Free, resources can be browsed using subcategories.
Virtual Laboratories of Probability: High quality but free resources for students of statistics.
Math Playground: Graded practice modules provide games that reinforce important concepts.
Conceptua Math: Online common core curriculum for elementary and middle school students.
Destination Math: Online math curriculum from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Tools that address visual spacial difficulties

Students with disabilities often face problems with writing numbers, aligning digits, and creating visual representations.  Their work may look like this:

http://www.edublox.com/severe-learning-disabilities.htm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  TOOLS:

Virtual Pencil Arithmetic: 

• computer simulated paper and pencil program for students who find writing the 'traditional way' challenging. ($199)

Number Navigator 2:

• this simple math processor is ideal for solving simple math problem on the computer. ($ Free)

Microsoft Equation Editor:

• this is an ideal program for students who have good mouse control but are less effective with paper and pencil.  The draw back is that to show their work, the students need to use the text box or drawing tools - there isn't a built in component for this. (included in the MS Office Bundle)

Scientific Notebook:

• this is a more high end program that allows users to solve equations not just write them.  This allows students with disabilities to participate in advanced Math classes.

Educational Applications for automaticity and fact fluency.

Reaching automaticity with important information is essential according to Dell, Newton and Petroff in their book Assistive Technology in the Classroom (2012).  In chapter five, they recommend several tools that can help students reach mastery and automaticity in understanding math concepts.  The National Mathematics Advisory Council (2008) outlined some benchmarks for students, but reaching them is very difficult for many students.  Here are some tools that can help reinforce math concepts.  Low and high tech tools can also compensate for working memory weaknesses, freeing up the students to attack more complex problems - the calculator is just one of these tools - here are some more:

MathPad Plus: 

http://www.intellitools.com/mathpad.html

This is an excellent tool for students who struggle with visual spacial and handwriting difficulties. Dell, Newton and Petroff (2012) note that Math Pad Plus " is a talking math worksheet program that enables students to perform arithmetic computations  with whole numbers on the computer in much teh same way they would using pencil and paper". (p. 126)

FASTT Math:

This is an intervention program that supports students in acquiring math fluency.    The program assesses students, then provides customized lessons that are specific to a student's need.  Teachers can also monitor student progress through this program.

Considerations for Educational Applications that meet students' goals and objectives.

Math can be just as challenging as reading, for students with learning difficulties and other special needs.  The more advanced the concepts become, the more abstract thinking that is required.  Once some students move away from concrete manipulatives, it becomes more challenging for them. So, there are applications that can help support students' needs but there are some important considerations that must be addressed when selecting these tools.

Here are eight main considerations from Assistive Technology in the Classroom by Amy Dell, Deborah Newton and Jerry Petroff:

1.  Simplified screens and instructions - too many graphics can be distracting and take away from salient information.
2.  Consistent placement of menus and control features - energy and concentration can be devoted to the content of the activity
3.  Graphics along with text to support nonreaders and early readers -  picture cues provide scaffolding
4.  Audio input - frequent and relevant feedback and audible instructions can helpful for auditory learners or nonreaders
5.  Accessibility by a variety of methods - keyboard, mouse or with alternate computer access
6.  Ability to set pace and level of difficulty - students should be able to adjust the speed with which they have to respond so they can demonstrate mastery of concepts
7. Appropriate and unambiguous feedback - should be clear and unambiguous
8.  Easy error correction - should be stimulating and rewarding not lead to confusion

Assistive Technology & Math

Assistive technology can break down the barriers that impede learning.  When it comes to math, assistive technology is ideal for helping "students master needed skills because they can be customized to meet individual needs, provide sufficient repetition, and systematically present materials (Dell, Newton, Petroff p. 118).  In their book, Assistive Technology in the Classroom, Dell, Newton and Petroff dedicate an entire chapter to educational applications that focus on Math.  They mention automaticity and fluency as the one of the main goals of using technology for teaching Math.  Many of the programs they mention are set up in a systematic manner that allow for logical way to acquire skills and master each substep in an engaging manner.  Subsequent posts will focus on Chapter 5 in more detail.