Elizabeth Harris

ITEC 7530 – Spring 2014

ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY:EDUCATIONAL APPLICATIONS

Overview

• This presentation will present:

• an overview of the procedures and policies in place for students who have special needs and their legal basis

• information concerning the history and make-up of accommodation systems

• resources that can enhance students' educational experience

• how assistive technology can benefit the entire class

• suggestions for educators to include in their planning

Purpose

• Due to existing conditions, which may be temporary or permanent, some students may need varying accommodations to allow them to fully participate in the process of education - due to impairments or disabilities that affect/limit their abilities to:

• walk, breathe, eat, or sleep• communicate, see, hear, or speak• read, concentrate, think, or learn• stand, bend, lift, or work

• Most important thing to remember?

• Above all else, a student is a student

• A student is not the tools of which they make use

Legal developments

• U.S. Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504 (1)

• First ensured that students with “limitations” would be entitled to various accommodations to allow them to participate in public schools

• Still exists in “504 Plans”

• Education for All Handicapped Children Act, 1975 (2)

• Ensured access to special education and supportive services

• Amended in 1998, renamed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (3)

• IDEA was further amended in 2004

• Establishment of the Individual Education Program (IEP)

504 Plans

• Section 504 of the U.S. Rehabilitation Act of 1973 allowed for the development of specialized plans to assist students with impairments while participating in public schools (4)

• 504 plans provide assistance to overcome limitations in both physical and mental processes in order to ensure fair treatment at school

• Not the formalized process that surrounds the current procedures for IEP development, but still should involve the student and parents as well as school personnel

• Plans should be reviewed annually to determine current needs of the student

504 plan options

• Examples of accommodations in 504 plans include:

• preferential seating• extended time on tests and assignments• reduced homework or classwork• verbal, visual, or technology aids• modified textbooks or audio-video materials• behavior management support• adjusted class schedules or grading• verbal testing• excused lateness, absence, or missed classwork• pre-approved nurse's office visits and accompaniment to visits• occupational or physical therapy

• Many of these are involved in IEPs as well – and are examples of non-tech assistive devices/methods

IDEA & IEPs

• Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) established the formal system of Individual Education Program (IEP) development to ensure the most supportive services are available to students in public schools (5)

• Development of IEP includes

• assessment of the student’s skills and limitations by various professionals, presentation of needed accommodations

• Involvement of educational professionals to accurately apply the assistance to the curriculum

• Parents and the student are important members of the team

• SMART goals are established (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, timely) for the student’s school year.

• Reviewed annually

From plans to programs

• No longer just a case of different seating and / or testing arrangements

• IEPs include a variety of educational adjustments

• Students may receive therapy during the school day

• Therapists may work with the classroom teacher on inclusionary techniques for use in the general classroom

• Student may attend some classes in a separate room, but many will be in a general classroom – with accommodations as needed

• Goal is to support the student, not have them stand out

• Older students should be allowed flexibility in accommodation methods to help support high levels of self-esteem and awareness

Assistive Technologies• Assistive technologies (AT) are now included – not just non-tech

methods

• Definition: “any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities” (6)

• Levels of technology: (7)

• Non-tech: pencil grips, page turn tabs, picture directions rather than written, computer carrels for isolation/removal of distractions

• Low-tech: computer for writing (rather than by hand), adjustments to software for easier visibility, tactile demonstration models, communication boards, variations on input devices (keyboards, mice, touch screen options)

• High-tech: OCR / text reader programs, speech-to-text software, note taking systems (some with audio or video recording capability), e-books, educational applications running on in-class tablet devices

AT applied to instruction

• Lahm and Morrissette (1994)(8) outlined seven areas of instruction where AT can be useful:• Organization – developing concept maps and outlines can help with

recall• Note-taking – students are not limited to just what they can get

written down – even video or audio recording can help with review• Writing Assistance – computers remove the limitations of pen & paper

– voice recognition software takes the ease even further• Productivity – from calculators to computers, tools can assist with

task completion• Access to reference materials – multimedia methods of research allow

for research to be completed with a minimum of movement• Cognitive Assistance – programs to help student through tutorials,

drill and practice, problem-solving and simulations• Materials Modification – not just from the instruction side – students

themselves can create materials through a variety of methods

Not just for IEP students• It is not only those students with IEPs that can benefit from the

application of AT to the classroom

• Tools to help develop organization and provide cognitive assistance can benefit all students in their educational pursuits

• The completion of multi-media research and the development of alternative materials can help students to become aware of not only their own level of knowledge, but how to present their findings

• The help of productivity software and word processing programs can make more students comfortable with writing and expressing themselves

• Students with varied learning styles will benefit from the options

• Working together as a team can help all students in the room (and help the IEP student not “be different”)

Useful planning tools

• Developing lesson plans that include the use of instructional or assistive technology can produce a classroom that supports all of its students

• Tools are available to provide information about what is available and how it can be applied to lesson development – one suggestion:

• Various publications from the Technology and Media Division of the Council for Exceptional Children (9)

• Technology Fans – assistive technology suggestions

• TAM Series – “Practical Ideas for Practitioners”

• Planning Tools – “designed to be used by practitioners as they consider and implement assistive technology, instructional technology, and Universal Design for Learning”

References (Cited)

1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Section_504_of_the_Rehabilitation_Act

2) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_for_All_Handicapped_Children_Act

3) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Individuals_with_Disabilities_Education_Act

4) http://kidshealth.org/parent/positive/learning/504-plans.html

5) http://kidshealth.org/parent/positive/learning/iep.html

6) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assistive_technology

7) http://assistivetechnologyforeducation.com/examples-of-assistive-technology/

8) https://www.teachervision.com/assistive-technology/teaching-methods/3791.html

9) http://www.tamcec.org/publications/

Additional References

• Creating SMART goals: http://topachievement.com/smart.html

• US Department of Education IDEA site: http://idea.ed.gov/

• Georgia Project for Assistive Technology: http://www.gpat.org/Georgia-Project-for-Assistive-Technology/Pages/default.aspx

• Technology and Media Division of the Council for Exceptional Children: http://www.tamcec.org/

• Assistive Technology for students with Mild Disabilities-Update 2002: http://www.ericdigests.org/2003-1/assistive.htm