Technology in Education with DynaVox Systems

1716 Words4 Pages

Technology in Education with DynaVox Systems There have always been implications in the way a teacher can teach a student. You have your perfect students who seem to know more than you, the bad student who doesn’t want to learn, and then you have your student with a disability. These students try hard to succeed, but without the proper equipment, are unable to do so. This comes into play especially with students who are unable to speak. There were many ways in the past to help people who couldn’t talk by either writing the words down all the way, to using sign language. Using these methods to convey a message to a person or group of people can take a long time. This could be, and is, very discouraging for someone who just wants to tell you the answer, or ask a question; however there isn’t an easy way to get it out. Luckily a company over in Europe developed a system that enables teaching and learning to come easier to a person with a disability. This system is called DynaVox. DynaVox was an educational computer system that came about in 1983 through Sentient Systems Technology. This system was developed to help children and adults with speech, language, learning, and physical disabilities. This tool can be used in the classroom, workplace, and community to enable people with disabilities to learn and communicate. The company and system have grown dramatically over the past few years, and have improved the lives of many children who didn’t have the means to communicate before. DynaVox System Software, or DSS, is designed to be something that is easy to use, no matter what disability you have. The DynaVox has a rubber edge with a 12 inch color touch screen. On the touch screen and as part of the system, you are able to have seventy-seven buttons that have different fonts and graphics. You press a button and it says to whomever you are talking to, what you want or need. In each system they give you a total of thirty-three hundred different symbols called the DynaSyms. These are pictures of things like humans, animals, nature, food, and everyday lingo. If there isn’t a symbol in the system that you need to use to communicate with, you can connect your DynaVox to Windows or Macintosh.

Show More
Related

  • Path-Goal Theory And Servant Leadership Analysis

    1983 Words  | 4 Pages

    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

    Read More

  • The Pros And Cons Of Dyslexia

    725 Words  | 2 Pages

    Dyslexia is the most prominent learning disability here in the United State but, it is also the most misunderstood. For centuries, those with dyslexia have been labeled as stupid and incompetent, when in fact they extremely intelligent, excelling in areas such as art, science and music. Due to our lack of knowledge and understanding, we as a nation are ignorant, deeming truth to the stereotypes that have long been associated with this so called “disease.” In order to reverse the damage that has already been done, we must differentiate fact from fiction. In order to fully understand dyslexia, individuals need to be provided with resources that address every aspect of the disability, including what it is, the possible causes, signs, symptoms and treatments available. Awareness is key to change.

    Read More

  • The History of Special Education in the Twentith Century

    2375 Words  | 5 Pages

    During the 1920's, separate schools were established for the blind, deaf, and more severely retarded (Reddy, p5). However, students that were considered mildly disabled were educated in regular schools, just thought to be 'slow learners'. Soon educators started to develop separate classes for disabled students. The reasoning for taking them out of the normal classroom (exclusion) has not changed in the last eighty years. People today, who are still in favor of exclusion, have the same justification for their belief. It was thought that students...

    Read More

  • Proposal for Dr. Friedlander Contract

    1058 Words  | 3 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • The Documentary: Only God Could Hear Me

    807 Words  | 2 Pages

    Furthermore, this documentary changed several ideas in my mind about these people who cannot communicate and speak. Before I see this video, I did not think that they can communicate as normal people. I thought that they can only speak and answer easy questions. However, this documentary showed me that these individuals with AAC devices can live, work, and communicate normally. They have the chance to achieve many goals in their lives better than normal individuals. The AAC systems do not just allow them to speak and meet their basic needs. However, these AAC systems affect their educations, financial, and professions. I also realized that they have an important role in their societies as normal people. Furthermore, I believe that the professionals such as Bruce Baker, Katya Hill and Barry Romich who contributed in making the AAC systems are genius. They created something for individuals who have communication disabilities to allow them to function as normal people. They gave them the way to communicate and live the normal

    Read More

  • Augmentative Communication Essay

    1000 Words  | 2 Pages

    "When we talk about communication, we are talking about peoples' lives, no less than that - so there really are no degrees of freedom. If we get it wrong, if we miss the boat - people drown" (Mirenda, 2008). I feel that it is our duty to provide not only meaningful education but a means in which the students are given the tools necessary to function and communicate to the best of their abilities and AAC can do this. The Assistive Technology tools can assist the students to improve their communication and have a bright future in which they are a productive, independent adults.

    Read More

  • Universal Design For Learning Chapter 4 Summary

    651 Words  | 2 Pages

    Technology may offer a variety of options for students who may struggle with written expression or have learning difficulties or disabilities. Programs can simplify website, such as netTrekker; encourage visual expressions of knowledge, such as PowerPoint or Google Slides. Students can add images, words, recorded audio and videos.

    Read More

  • The Concept Of Normality (ADD And ADHD?

    948 Words  | 2 Pages

    People that are seen as having a disability are often passed through the majority of their classes or are not properly taught. In other words, teachers and professors may expect less from them. This does not benefit the student nor does it show that the teacher is interested in trying to help students with such disorders. In what possible way does it make sense to send someone out into the world without teaching them to the best of their capabilities? The lack of effort in the teacher’s work ethic comes off quite arrogant and selfish. It is the responsibility of a teacher to prepare the student for the real world and give them every piece of knowledge they can

    Read More

  • Dyslexia

    1966 Words  | 4 Pages

    The intended purpose of the application paper is to introduce dyslexia, a neurologically based learning disability. The paper identifies the etiology, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of dyslexia as a learning disability and provides a neurological basis for the disorder. Dyslexia is defined as a reading and writing disorder, unexplained by any deficits in learning motivation, intelligence or sensitivity. Dyslexia is a disorder that is found to have changes in parts of the brain as well as significant differences in DNA. With treatment and management dyslexia has the potential to be improved and allow the individual normal functioning reading and writing skills. Dyslexia is a learning disability with many complicated factors and symptoms that can cause an individual problems in their educational career.

    Read More

  • Assistive Technology

    2100 Words  | 5 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Learning Disabilities

    778 Words  | 2 Pages

    Students without learning disabilities face problems like these, but these areas become increasingly difficult when you have trouble interrupting such everyday subjects. Since, a majority of these men were alive before a time when learning disabilities were a documented problem, most of them fl...

    Read More

  • Dyslexia

    1077 Words  | 3 Pages

    Dyslexia is a learning disability characterized by problems in expressive or receptive, oral or written language. It is characterized by extreme difficulty learning and remembering letters, written or spoken words, and individual letter sounds. Extremely poor spelling and illegible handwriting are common symptoms. Problems may emerge in reading, spelling, writing, speaking, or listening. Dyslexia is not a disease, therefore it doesn't have a cure. Dyslexia describes a different kind of mind, often gifted and productive, that learns differently. During my extensive research of this topic, I have become very interested and sympathetic for people who have it.

    Read More

  • Speech and Language Disorders

    2768 Words  | 6 Pages

    ... 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

    Read More

  • Language Assessment

    2016 Words  | 5 Pages

    Kuder, S.J. (2008). Teaching Students with Language and Communication Disabilities (3rd edition). Boston, Massachusetts: Allyn and Bacon.

    Read More

  • How can ICT support the learning of children with special educational

    1110 Words  | 3 Pages

    The mouse motion can be slowed down for better control. The toolbar can be created to suit the children's needs. However if this is not suitable there are many peripherals and devices, which can support children with SEN, but not all are appropriate for everyone. For those children with a physical disability a variety of switches, optical pointers, voice controlled devices and word prediction software has been designed to overcome the problems these children have using traditional input devices such as the mouse and keyboard.

    Read More

More about Technology in Education with DynaVox Systems

Open Document