Take some time to offer your reflections on this challenging issue in the discussion forum. Please post your thoughts by Friday at 9pm and respond to two of your peers by Sunday evening at 9pm. As you think about your response and those of your peers, offer information that will help extend your (and their!) thinking, and perhaps move the conversation to the next level.
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The realm of assistive technology has come a long way since the last time I took a class on the topic. In fact, when I was going for my teacher certification there was no “class” on technology, assistive or otherwise. At the time, my certification program saw technology as just something cool that we might or might not want to bring into our classrooms. Now, we not only have computers in labs and classrooms, but we have students entering 1-to-1 laptop environments (Maine’s MLTI program) and even the introduction of portable devices such as the iPad and iPod Touch as vehicles through which assistive technology tools are being delivered.
In order to make assistive technology tools a viable reality, all of the players need to have a stake in its application in order to ensure their proper and consistent use. It’s not enough to just buy and install the equipment; a plan needs to be developed and ready to implement that will show both student and teacher how the assistive technology should be used and why. I think the why is also important to the student “buy in,” because if the student doesn’t see why they should use it then they may resist using it. When I was an Ed. Tech. at the elementary level, I had a student who was very, very small for her age. Her fingers were so small that using a standard keyboard was difficult for her and she did not look forward to computer class. Then the occupational therapist and I got together to purchase a “little fingers” keyboard for her. Each class I would have to disconnect a computer in order to setup the special keyboard, but when the student saw how she could be just as productive as her peers with this keyboard her attitude did a complete 180°.
When it comes to assistive technology educators need to know just as much, if not more, than the student when it comes to the how and why. Now matter how precise a tool is as a match for the student, they still need to be taught when and how to use it. Educators also need to be aware of how the content they are teaching may change when it is filtered through a piece of assistive technology. For example, if a teacher assigns a piece of text to read that a students’ Text-to-Speech program is unable to analyze properly, this could be a problem. Hence, teachers need to be ready to make changes in their instructional practices regardless of how good the digital content is or how efficient the assistive technology may be. The more that the content is in digital form the easier it is for educators to modify that content into a format that will sync with a students special needs. A common thread found in the articles we had to read strongly reinforce the message that digital content, such as ebooks, can be modified faster and easier than more traditional books that are paper form for students with special needs.
In the end, we have to remember to see students as individuals, each with his and hers own unique way of learning, comprehending, and applying knowledge and skills. Technology, whether it be for general education or special needs use, cannot be seen as a stand-in or babysitter for a teacher will the ability to assess a students’ progress and make adjusts accordingly. It is only when all the players work together: student, teacher, special needs advisor, and assistive technology that we can help each student become successful in their educational career.
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