A List of Assistive Technology Tools

 

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Recently, my teaching partner, Chantelle Davies has been using our delicious account to collate a bundle of assistive technology resources that we have used with our students or ones that other teachers have recommended to us. Do you know of any great AT tools that we do not have on the list? Please share.
AT tools on Delicious

Learning From An AT Chat

Here is a guest post from my teaching partner Chantelle Davies.  Thanks Chantelle for sharing some and conducting an AT Chat. Your posts are always informative. 

Reading along with the most recent ATchat was my first experience with following a twitter chat. Although, it took some time to become accustom to following along several thought threads from a variety of people (with the limited content one can put into a single tweet); I did come to really appreciate that value of sharing thoughts about education with people from around the globe.

One of my initial challenges in following the chat was the need for a common vocabulary understanding. Terms like UDL and RTI were frequently used, and although they sounded familiar I had to jump over to do a google search to refresh my memory.

As I had first guessed, UDL was referring to the term Universal Design of Learning. If you are unfamiliar with this, this is the idea that educators can minimize barriers for students, while maximizing learning for all students. The theory is that if we support the students ‘between the lines’ of the majority, then we will benefit everyone. This is just like the idea that providing a ramp for someone in a wheelchair supports people with strollers, on bikes, with a walking cane, or someone on roller blades. UDL has three principals:

Representation - show learning in different ways

Action and Expression - allow students to approach learning tasks and demonstrate what they know in different ways

Engagement - offer options to engage students and keep their interests

Centre on UDL

CAST

RTI or Response to Intervention “is a multi-tier approach to the early identification and support of students with learning and behavior needs.” http://www.rtinetwork.org/learn/what/whatisrti

I discovered that RTI relates to the three tiered intervention approach that I am already familiar with. I guess I just didn’t know the terms properly:

At the tier 1 stage, students who have been identified as struggling learners through a series of test and screenings receive instruction and support in addition to their regular learning that is completed in a time frame of up to eight weeks.

Children who are still struggling after the eight week intervention are moved into the tier 2 stage. Students then receive increasingly intense intervention support in a small-group setting.

Students who continue to show difficulties in their learning following their grading period where tier 2 intervention was offered, move into the tier 3 stage. It is in tier 3 where students receive individualized intensive instruction. Following individualized instruction, students may be referred for further evaluations that would allow for special education services offered by the school board.

So, from this chat I learned some new acronyms and I was also exposed to a few new tools. A lot of the talk in the ATchat was about the tools available on students devices that can support them in their learning, and the logic that was often presented was that many of these tools could benefit all students.

Two of the tools mentioned in the ATchat were WordTalk and Balabolka. Both of these are free text-to-speech software that will work well with Windows operating systems. I see the value in offering these tools because students that struggle to read many of the texts provided in class for learning (for example around science of social studies topics) can now feel more independent in reading the material given to the rest of the class. Students will definitely feel more engaged when they feel they can be successful. Further, the beauty of using a tool like WordTalk allows all students to approach their learning with this extra tool if they feel it would be helpful. Even the best readers in the class could use these tools to extend their learning and find other more advanced reading material on their learning topic to deepen their understanding of the material.

Associative Learning - One World Schoolhouse Reflections Continued

Here is a guest post by my teaching partner, Chantelle Davies about The One World Schoolhouse by Salman Khan. We have been reading this book and I find that we have been discussing and questioning how is methods would work in our setting.




http://www.marcdegraauw.com/files/reference_as_social_interaction.htm

In recent days I have picked up where I left off in listening to my audiobook, The One World Schoolhouse by Salman Khan. In the book, Khan discusses the scientific side of how education happens. A phrase he used that really stuck with me was that, “we learn by deciding to learn.” So often, educators talk ‘at’ students hoping that they will at some point just absorb the material they are hearing. However, despite all of our repeating of concepts, if a student does not see any value in trying to learn the material; the chances are that he or she will not retain any of the information for any extended period of time. From time to time, when I’m trying to get a student to understand a concept they are not grasping well they will regurgitate the ‘correct’ answers back to me simply so they can move on and head back to their seat. Often this means that while they may briefly understand the concept, in a day or two I find they need further review as they have not logged this into their long term memory.

Khan explains that some of the research he has explored shows that students need to be able to relate new learning to something they have previously learned. This is called associative learning. Thus, students will retain information better if they can make meaningful connections to what they already know and they are more likely to want to learn the material if these links are there.

Khan asks why in our current system, do we chunk and separate concepts that we are teaching. Contrary to this thought, many teachers that I know do blend their subjects and learning concepts together. Well, at least in the lower grades they do. Language lessons are often intertwined with science and social studies lessons; while the arts are blended into assignments across all areas of the curriculum. The challenge with this comes as students get older and move to a rotary system where subjects are taught in isolation. When different teachers are teaching each subject, the separation as Khan discussed does indeed exist. When teachers don’t see students for multiple subjects, they are unable to find and demonstrate those natural learning links across the curriculum. Thus, stifling the associative learning. Should we then be re-evaluating the model commonly used in our middle schools and high schools? Is this another reason for elementary schools to avoid the rotary system?

Support - Resources - Strategies

As I was exploring special educational supports across the district I rediscovered a site called Teacher's Gateway to Special Education.  This link offers a great strategies and resources for teaching students with special needs. The teaching strategy and resource is broken down into Special Needs, Formal Exceptionalities Determined By IPRC and Diagnosed Medical/Psychological Conditions.  When a specific exceptionality is chosen the page shows common characteristics and teaching strategies including instructional, environmental and assessment.  This site is a great starting point that my lead you into exploring how to use assitive technology to help students achieve to their full potential.

I have created the following graphic pyramid that outlines access to assistive technology for students. To view the document please follow the following link:  Assitive Technology PDF.

Resource:  Special Education Report 2013 - 2014

Assistive Technology

Click for image source.

Technology can be advantageous for a broad range of students, in addition to those with special needs. Teachers can build supports using technology to ensure progress for all learners into their instruction methods and learning materials. Assistive technology plays an important role in the provision of instruction based on Universal Design (i.e., good for all, essential for some).Education for All, 2005; Learning for All, 2011)

Having had a conversation with the Resource Teacher, KG, at my school, I contemplated the above idea about the use of assistive technology in the classroom and realized that while it is essential for some students, assistive technology can support any student who may be experiencing difficulties.  Our conversation focused around assistive technology that can be accessed by all and specific assistive technology that may be required to support the needs of individual students.  As with all technology, what is really important is that each student can be supported in a way that will allow them to succeed.
The RT shared with me a number of programs that would support any student who might be struggling with reading or writing.  These programs included WordQ, Clicker, Premier and Read and Write For Google.  These programs main features are that they can read student created material, they can predict words when students are writing and they can read text such as web articles, I have used WordQ and Read and Write in the past with a few students and the change in engagement from these students has been incredible. Work completion has increased and the students feel proud of their accomplishments.  It would greatly benefit other students in the class to use these programs as well however, the struggling students are the only ones who use this due to limited resources.  I have often wondered if by only allowing the struggling students the access to these programs, am I centering them out?

As we continued our conversation I asked about students who might require specialized technology in order for them to succeed in the classroom.  KG explained that students could receive assistive technology to meet individual needs through Special Equipment Amount Claims. Special Equipment Amount Claims provide funding to school boards to assist with the costs of equipment needed to support students with special needs and where the need for specific equipment is recommended by a qualified professional.  The SEA Claim covers a variety of items including computers, software, computing related devices as well as training and technician costs.  The equipment the student receives moves with the student as it is essential for them to be independent and to succeed in the classroom.

As we talked about the SEA Claims, I recalled a student who had a DynaVox.  The DynaVox allowed the student to communicate with peers and the teacher.  This piece of assistive technology was something that allowed the student share knowledge, to write ideas and to express thinking.  This is a form of assistive technology that is specific to the needs of the student and thus it is important for teachers to embrace the technology and to have patients when using new technology.  To some teachers, new technologies in the class may feel like something else added to their plate, however for the student it may be the only means by which to be successful.

For students who struggle, assistive technology provides tools and supports that help the students become more independent learners by allowing them to control how they can process information.

On a final note I asked what is the most sought after tool?  The response was that in general there is a need for more technology.  Students with highest needs receive tools but there is not enough resources to support every student's needs.  As an observation, I noticed that while Mrs. Gresku worked with some of our most challenged students, she was doing so without assistive technology.  I began to wonder if the resource teacher or the resource room is overlooked when technology is distributed within schools?  Is this the last place that should be considered for technology or the first?