The Tools
There are many “tools” that could be considered for a student who has trouble listening and understanding instructions. Sometimes, just an adjustment of where the child sits fixes the problem or eliminates the barrier. Other times, assistive technology is needed. Today, the options for assistive technology are endless. In Samanthas case there were many options of assistive technology I could provide her with to help her be successful in the classroom.
1. Classroom Amplifier System: This system is installed in a classroom to provide stereo sound. The teacher wears a microphone, which then transmits sound to the speakers.
2. Auditory Trainer Device: This device consists of a microphone worn by the teacher, and a headset worn by the student. The student is able to directly hear what the teacher is saying through the headset, proving to be less obtrusive and distracting than the classroom amplification system.
3. Variable-Speech Control Tape Recorder: This is similar to any generic tape recorder, and can be found in most electronics stores. The component that is benef...
Once a week, Ms. Neiman has an occupational therapist visit our nonverbal student and our student with autism. Occupational therapist uses special equipment to help children with developmental disabilities, they help students develop and improve the skills needed for daily living. The occupational therapist uses techniques that work the children’s brain, for the nonverbal student since she is at a lower learning level she is teaching her to match colors and unscrew lids. For the student with autism, she is teaching him to tie knots and how to properly draw shapes. She removes the obstacles for the children by supplying the students with the necessary specific help needed in the areas in which the students are lacking or not doing well. One of the gestures Ms. Neiman wanted the nonverbal student to learn was, “I want more”. In trying to do so, she contacted the speech therapist for her input. The speech therapist found a device where she could record her voice saying “I want more” and the student could press the button when trying to relay that message. Ms. Neiman tried the device for about a month and she realized the student was not responding to the button. She removed trying to teach the student how
This will benefit Billy and his peer helper. The device would be considered low tech. Since Billy wears glasses he can use a computer with a screen reading software. Which will allow him to see the text displayed and hear what is being said while looking at the word. Screen reading software would be considered high tech. Both devices can be used to assist Billy in a regular classroom. Billy can use the classroom devices at desk to have a better understanding of what’s being taught. During choice or computer time Billy can use the screen reading to review what he didn’t understand during teaching instructions. I think both devices will interest and encourage Billy to want to
Student, environment, task, and assistive technology tools (SETT) consist of several questions that serve as a guide for collecting data and making important assistive technology decisions” (Barbara, n.d.). The purpose of these questions is for the IEP team to “consider the student’s needs and abilities, develop a system of tools that address the student’s needs, and connect the AT assessment with the proposed intervention.” (Marino, 2006, p. 21). When asking these questions it’s important to focus on all aspects of “SETT”: the student, the environment, the task, and the devices being used. The ultimate goal is to have a balance between all four areas (Marino, 2006).
Learning disabilities are very common among students in today’s society. Some students have specific needs that must be met in order for them to learn, while other students are not getting the help that they need to succeed in the classroom. Reading disabilities, related to the disability of dyslexia (National Center for Learning Disabilities, 2014), can be met with certain assistive technology that can make learning to read easier for the students. A type of assistive technology that helps reading disabilities is an audio book that allows students to hear the book read to them with the option of following along (Raskind & Stanberry, 2010). Audio books allow the students to focus on the purpose of the book; rather than struggling to read the book and focus on what the book is trying to explain. Since this type of assistive technology reads out loud to the students, it can guide them to learn how to read certain words correctly and how to grasp the concepts of the book easier. A specific type of an audio book source is Audible (Raskind & Stanberry, 2010), which allows the user to download and auto book on to a “smartphone, tablet, or desktop” (Audible Inc., 2014, p. 1). This source benefits students because they can listen to book in a classroom setting or they can listen to the book at home, especially when writing a book report.
In chapter four the focus switches away from assistive technology supporting students in one content area and focuses on the teaching profession and how assistive technology can assist teachers to employ a universal design for learning. The Universal Design for Learning (UDL) promote learning that best for the student and promoting students a variety of methods to express their knowledge.
On the other hand, the Kendall Support Services Team (2003) indicates that FM hearing aids allow children to hear at the same volume regardless of where they are seated. In fact, FM systems may cover over 100 feet and are portable (Colorado Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing). These systems require teachers to wear microphones and students to wear special hearing aids (Kendall Support Services Team, 2003). Similarly, soundfield systems amplify the instructor’s voice, not only for the deaf students, but for the w...
These devices, some as simple as a highlighter, help to organize and keep on track the individual with a learning disability. Assistive technology has many benefits to a student and helps individuals to compensate in their studies to be able to achieve all that they can in their school career.
The continuous prerequisite to provide more services every day as an enterprise, corporate, or educational organizations continually expands reflects the need to balance the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) with a balance of in and out-service resources available for the community. The blend of cost efficiency and actionable objectives of a help-desk function should be categorized and defined by the mission and support garnered by the technology the organization includes and should disabuse the end user from seeking the “common” answer. First, a helpdesk should be defined in the sense of a direction that communicates what users should be looking for, such as a particular malfunction or corruption to a user PC rather than the traditional error or search of a particular function. In this mission the following objectives from (Bulchand-Gidumal, 2009) summarize the help desk:
Any user that ventures unto a specific website seeks explicit information, and if that user is unable to find said information, that user is more likely to leave the site and find a site more accommodating to his/her needs. It is the function of the navigation menu to aid users in locating what material is being sought. According to Eccher (2015, p.70), usability and maintainability are two important concerns when creating the navigation menus of a website and that the menu is a key element of effective website design (Eccher, 2015, p. 70). Usability as it relates to navigation bars will be discussed below, while maintainability will be addressed not only as it applies to navigating a website, but also as it relates to keeping website current for users to able to navigate the site.
... CLD info sheets: assistive technology. Council for Learning Disabilities. Retrieved on April 24, 2005, from http://www.cldinternational.org/c/@CS_yKIo7l8ozY/Pages/assistive.html
How are Learning Disabilities Diagnosed? – A child is often diagnosed with a Learning Disability when they e...
Assistive technology plays an important role in the learning process for individuals with disabilities. Assistive technology is defined as "any item, piece of equipment or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities." (Maushak, Kelley & Blodgett, 2001, p. 419) Assistive technology is very beneficial to individuals that have disabilities. For example, students with mental retardation benefit from extremely organized learning situations because of their limited cognitive abilities. Students who are hearing impaired, blind, or visually impaired may need differentiated pedagogical materials. More emphasis should be placed on visual materials for students with hearing impairments than for other students. Modifying instruction for all students, especially exceptional students, requires strong dependence on media, materials and technology and the right choice of these components to fit particular ends. Moreover, research has indicated that technology not only can be adapted for use with students with disabilities, but when used can enhance students' educational achievement and self-image. (Duhaney & Duhaney, 2000, p. 393) With this knowledge, there have been many new products that have been developed to help individualize programs to fit the criteria for specific disabilities. Through out this paper we will be disusing three different pieces of assistive technologies. We will be looking at Dynawrite, AlphaSmart, and Texthelp and the benefits of each program.
People with disabilities meet barriers of all types. However, technology is helping to lower many of these barriers. By using computing technology for tasks such as reading and writing documents, communicating with others, and searching for information on the Internet, people with disabilities are capable of handling a wider range of activities independently. Still, people with disabilities face a variety of barriers to computer use. These barriers can be grouped into three functional categories: barriers to providing computer input, interpreting output, and reading supporting documentation. (Ref. Burgstahler, Ph.D. Sheryl - Article, Working Together: People with Disabilities)
Technology has rapidly changed over the years and has expanded our infrastructure greatly. In particular, as technology advances the education system adapts to the many changes. The world of technology brings about many new improvements and shows no sign of slowing down. Many people spend their day to day lives utilizing the great aspects of technology doing almost anything imaginable. Through technology teachers and students can connect and expound upon the many fields of education. Technology is an ever growing aid in education that has increased awareness, communication, and accessibility. How is technology shaping education? The uses of mobile devices and applications have shown a great influence in the education system.
Technology is truly taking a turn for the worst on mental health. Technology is the future, it’s supposed to be the greatest thing to ever happen. Although technology may be helping the world out, it is hurting the people who use it. Technology is taking over lives and damaging mental health, it is the main cause of mental health issues and it needs to be taken seriously. Technology is not beneficial for mental health because it is causing isolation, depression, and mental illness in children.