The state of Texas, the first to adopt a law requiring instruction for students with dyslexia in 1985, continues to set the standard when it comes to dyslexia education reform (T. Flanders, personal communication, August 30, 2011). Until recently, little consideration was made in the use of assistive technology (AT) for students with mild disabilities, specifically in the field of dyslexia education and intervention (Edyburn, 2006, p. 18). With the passing of Senate Bill 866, concerning the implementation of classroom technology plans for students with dyslexia, the pursuit of reform has become of utmost importance (The Texas State Senate-Information News and Events of the 82nd Legislative Session, 2011). Although Texas is proactive in dyslexia policy decision making, there continues to be a gap between dyslexia mandates and the actualization of dyslexia reform, where teachers are required to perform tasks that have not been fully realized by lawmakers.
Dyslexia is caused by a lack of maturation in the part of the brain responsible for language. One positive aspect of this disorder is how receptive dyslexic students are to the visual, spatial, and lateral thinking abilities that can be heightened and fostered through the use of computer programs (Camarata, 2006). AT includes, but is not limited to, the use of any technical aid, device, tool or adaptation that supports students in the educational environment (Loftus, 2009). Phipps, Sutherland, and Seal (2002) stress the importance of matching assistive technology to the individual using it instead of adopting a one size fits all mentality. Oftentimes trial and error is necessary to determine the appropriate tools and techniques for a specific user ("DO-IT", 2010). Implem...
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...ld aid classroom teachers who are not equipped or trained in dyslexia intervention.
Texas Legislature Online - 81(R) Text for HB 461. (n.d.). Texas Legislature Online. Retrieved August 24, 2011, from http://www.legis.state.tx.us
This site gives insight to the committees that are formed to make informed decisions about dyslexia and related disorders. It includes membership and agendas.
The Texas State Senate - Information News and Events of the 82nd Legislative Session. (n.d.). The Texas State Senate - Information News and Events of the 82nd Legislative Session. Retrieved August 24, 2011, from http://www.senate.state.tx.us
This site provides access to documents relating to Texas Citizenship and walks you through the process of passing a bill. Carefully outlined are ways to advocate before election, before legislation, during legislation, and after legislation.
The specific language based disorder of dyslexia is a learning “disability” or “syndrome” that creates an imbalance of reading, writing and comprehension skills in children and adults (Lucid Research, 2006; Shaywitz, 1998). Around 4 percent of the population are affected by the specific language based disorder (Lucid Research, 2006), as well as 80 percent of people with a learning disorder are reported to be dyslexic (Shaywitz, 1998). Dyslexia is not connected to low levels of intelligence, inadequate schooling and education or social circumstances, rather, an individual who is deficit in the phonological process, the breaking down of a word, and the auditory process, taking in sound and interpreting correctly (Lucid Research, 2006; Shaywitz, 1998; Wang and Yang, 2014). Since dyslexia is reported to be a life-long learning disability and symptoms are varied for each person, large amounts of research have been conducted in attempts to understand the severity and the impairments associated with
With over 25 years in the field of special education Dr. Friedlander brings a unique perspective to the field of assistive technology. Through the lens of a Licensed and Certified School Psychologist, Dr. Friedlander has worked with many children who present with learning differences who have benefited from the use of assistive technology. Dr. Friedlander is presently an Associate Professor of Education at the College of St. Elizabeth where he teaches graduate level courses in assistive technology and coordinates the Graduate Programs in Special Education. Dr. Friedlander has authored numerous books, videos and informational material pertaining to the use of assistive technology in the classroom. Dr. Friedlander is a frequent presenter at state and national conferences on the topic of assistive technology and eLearning.
Too frequently dyslexia, dyscalculia, and dysgraphia are clumped together and thought to be the same problem. In reality, the three issues are similar but also constitute many of their own distinct complications. Dyslexia is manifested not only in seeing letters backwards and upside down but is the inability to decipher sounds and letters or shapes. “Dyslexia reflects a deficiency in the processing of the distinctive linguistic units, called phonemes, that make up all spoken and written words.” (Shaywitz pg98) This makes it difficult for the child to sound out words phonetically to read fluently; they might also struggle with remembering
To begin with, dyslexia is not a something that can be seen right away. People do not have symptoms like nausea or congestion to show that have dyslexia. Dyslexia is a disability that happens in the brain. Even though it can not always be physically seen, there are a few ways to tell if someone has dyslexia. If a child has dyslexia, it can be shown by the child reading with pauses or reading the words incorrectly by placing another word in instead of the one written down. An example would be by confusing the word ‘cat’ with bat or word like “fell/fall and who/how” (Dyslexia) There can be many possible reasons for misreading these words, one reason would be because the brain is just too tired to be able to connect what it sees to what it is supposed to sound like. Non dyslexic people can tell how words are supposed to sound by dividing the word into “individual phonemes” (V., Nathan). Phonemes are similar to syllables. Except there can be many phonemes in a one syllable words. Phonemes are the units of sounds words. An example is the words ‘bag.’ If divided by phon...
Robert Buck once said, “If children can’t learn the way we teach, then we have to teach the way they learn.” The Wilson Language Program has become disclosed to amplify this mentality. Dyslexia is a common disease among ten to fifteen percent of the United States, where a human being has trouble in learning to read or interpret words, letters, and other symbols. Programs are reaching out to try to terminate as much distress of dyslexia as possible. Up and coming programs, The Wilson Language Program for example, are making their best efforts to start working with children from a young age with the slight signs of this common problem. Catching dyslexia earlier in life brings more assurance that the child’s future will have little to no setbacks or disadvantages for success. In order to enhance the regressive literacy of dyslexic individuals, the Wilson Language Program is progressively being implemented into regular schooling to ensure that reading standards are met, through structure, hours of research, copious practice, and strong evidence.
Dyslexia is one of several distinct learning disabilities. It is a specific language based disorder of constitutional origin characterized by difficulties in single word decoding, usually reflecting insufficient phonological processing abilities. These difficulties in single word decoding are often unexpected in relation to age and other cognitive and academic abilities; they are not the result of generalized developmental disability or sensory impairment. Dyslexia is manifest by ...
Next, we need to tackle the many misconceptions associated with dyslexia. Many people acquaint having a learning disability as having a disease. This is completely false, dyslexia is not a disease, and therefore there is no magic pill that can cure it. Actually, there is no cure and it cannot be outgrown. According to the journey into dyslexia, “it is a lifelong issue.” However, it is manageable with the assistance and resources, those with dyslexia can continue to keep up and retain their grade level in
Riviere, A. Assistive Technology: Meeting the Needs of Adults with Learning Disabilities. Washington, DC: NALLD, 1996. (ED 401 686)
Dyslexia is a very common learning disorder that affects more than three million cases reported every year. It can also be referred to as a language based learning disability. Dyslexia is a disability that impairs one’s ability (usually identified in children) to read and interpret different letters/words. It cannot be cured and is generally a lifelong condition but can be treated with therapists/specialists. This disorder does not translate to poor individual intelligence, just simply an individual that struggles in an area of learning. More often than not, this disability can be self diagnosed by an adult. This disorder is the most common learning disability in American children. Although, scientists cannot pinpoint the percentage of children
Assistive technology is often used by individuals with a learning disability. A learning disability “describes a neurobiological disorder in which a person’s brain works or is structured differently” (Lee1). A person’s abilities can be severely affected from a learning disability. They may listen differently, talk differently, write, spell, organize, and work with school subjects in a different way. Learning disabilities also affect people’s individual and personal lives to a great extent. According to the National Institutes of Health, one in seven children has a learning disability. The disability manifests itself when the child shows difficulty in reading, writing, spelling, and conversing with others. The added time they need to process information may make them seem less intelligent then others around them, but this is not the case. Individuals with learning disabilities are just as smart as anyone else; they just need to learn in a different way. The earlier a learning disability is noticed and detected, the earlier a child may be able to learn how to deal with or compensate for it (Lee 1). This is where assistive technology comes into play.
Assistive Technology or “AT” is a term used in this context to describe an item or technique used to make the navigation of a home, school or play environment more accessible for a child with special needs (Lowenthal & Egan, 2003). This paper is written to explore some of the assistive technology (AT) options available to serve two children with special needs in separate circumstances. Low, mid and high tech options will be addressed with regards to the specific needs and intentions of the parents and teachers in each child’s life. Attached is a table offering options for assistive technology in the classroom to support the educational goals of each child.The first case study addressed in this paper is Savannah, a three-year old student who is wheelchair bound. She has a seizure disorder and has been diagnosed with spastic cerebral palsy. She has limited vision but seems to be able to recognize items presented to her such as shapes and colors. Savannah participates in “social” language. She loves music and cause/effect activities. She knows all of her colors and shapes, is able to recite the alphabet by rote. In written word, Savannah recognizes both her name and those of her classmates. Savannah’s parents have expressed a desire to have her placed in a more restrictive classroom, and her teacher is interested in working more to support Savannah in the areas of writing and organizational skills. Some assistive technology suggestions for use in supporting Savannah are discussed below. Because Savannah’s teacher is working on encouraging Savannah in the area of writing, assistive technology options to support this area of development will be discussed herein. A low-tech ...
specific learning disabilities in the United States of America. The Journal of International Association of Special Education, 10(1), 21-26.
Many students struggle with learning disabilities. Two common disabilities are Dyslexia and Dysgraphia. “According to the latest dyslexia research from the National Institutes of Health, Dyslexia affects 20 percent of Americans” (“What is Dyslexia?”) Dysgraphia is difficulty with writing that sometimes accompanies Dyslexia. Students that have Dyslexia and Dysgraphia will struggle with vocabulary, grammar, and punctuation, but there is help.
Rose, J. (2009). Identifying and Teaching Children and Young People with Dyslexia and Literacy Difficulties. Retrieved from http://www.education.gov.uk/publications//eOrderingDownload/00659-2009DOM-EN.pdf
According to dyslexic researchers, Emma Sumner, Vincent Connelly, and Anna L. Barnett dyslexia shows it itself via, “ …significant difficulties with acquiring orthographic knowledge and [children with dyslexia] show poor phonological skills” (Sumner, Connelly, and Barnett, 2013). Owen Barden, another dyslexia researcher states, “Dyslexia is a specific learning difficulty which mainly affects the development of literacy and language related skills… It is characterized by difficulties with phonological processing, rapid naming, working memory, processing speed, and the automatic development of skills that may not match up to an individual’s other cognitive abilities” (Barden, 2014). Finally, according to the International Dyslexia Association the formal definition of dyslexia is, “Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction” (International Dyslexia Association). Another definition for dyslexia, according to Emma Sumner et la, dyslexic researchers, is, “ Children with dyslexia have significant