Summarizing my Semester with AT

Beginning the course in Assistive Technology, I did not know what to expect. I knew I have encountered students throughout my (currently short) teaching career who have needs other students do not; I knew of students who had behavioral issues, and ones who were unable to hold attention for long periods of time without becoming distracted; I knew of students who had physical disabilities and emotional disabilities; I knew of students who had various learning disabilities, and I also knew my own niece struggled in subjects, which meant she had a learning disability. However, I didn’t know what any of this meant, what I could do about it, or what could help these students in their education.

Studying Assistive Technology has been eye opening. As I substitute in schools and teach students who have certain needs, I am more aware of what I am teaching, how I am teaching it, and how I can help the student. By implementing various AT services and devices in classrooms and schools, and by differentiating instruction, teachers are better able to tend to the needs to all of their students – all of the learners in the class.

The entire semester has caused me to look at my world from a different perspective. I feel that’s important. I should be able to understand (or try to understand) the perspective of my students.

This is just the beginning; I hope to continue learning about AT outside of this course as it will help my future students. Doing what is best for them is what my career is about.

Let's Play... and Learn

Exploring Let's Play! Projects, a site adapted for parents as a way to introduce/help/guide them in their experiences with Assistive Technology and Universal Design, it was easy to see and understand the valuable resources the site provided. The site emphasized the importance of play in a child's life, encouraging parents to encourage play.

In fact, one of the most helpful pages on the site, in my opinion was the Toy Adaption page, giving parents questions to ask when their child is having diffculty with a toy. These questions, ranging from "Can my child reach the toy?" to "How can I make this toy more simple?" offer parents guidance in finding adaptations for their children's needs and toys. Adapting a toy could be as simply as stabilizing the item so the child can get a better hold, enhacing objects with color, or making an object more simple.

Similary, another page on the site, Emerging Play Strategies, lists six different ways a child plays. This allows parents to better connect the type of toy needed with the type of toy and the needs of their child.

Lastly, the site offeres plenty of resources for contacting vendors who design or offer toys/adaptive materials.

Overall, the site is a wonderful source for parents, and even pre-childhood educators, who want a better understanding of how adaptive toys are used, how to integrate assitive techonology, or how to apply Universal Design.

The Power of Silence

"Of those who say nothing, few are silent."

Thomas Neiel

The teacher I was subbing for today left plans to have "an easy day." Great! I don't mind the OCCASIONAL easy day. Especially if the students have New York State Exams over the next few days. Not to mention, this meant I had a say in what the classes did today. Instead of setting the kids loose, or strictly playing games, or some pointless activity that would have wasted fifty-four minutes of the day, I grabbed a Story Works magazine... well, I grabbed 3 sets of Story Works. They're amazing - thought-provoking articles, engaging activities; overall, perfect for an "easy" day. The first thing I did with the students was read an article titled "The Day Aliens Attacked America," which discussed Orson Welles' broadcast of War of the Worlds in 1938, space exploration, and more. The students were captivated! After, I thought I would move onto something fun, but still educationally related: Mad Libs. See, Mad Libs require students to associate words with parts of speech. As they're creating sill paragraphs, they're also learning nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and so on. This is where my lesson came in today. The kids completely enjoyed the Mad Libs, which I expected they would. However, they also began getting carried away, as I put a stop to their slightly goofy, slightly inappropriate (think bodily functions) suggestions one student blurted out a very offensive word that silenced the entire class. Not only was my point of "let's not get carried away" received after that, but the class made their own point about boundaries. We were able to go back to having appropriate fun.

Free Write - Journal 11

This week I realized the importance of educators communicating together. Between two jobs and four graduate-level courses worth of projects, I have found myself stressed for time, trying to keep up with projects and papers, and wondering why educators don't discuss deadlines with each other. As a result of keeping track of my final assignments, and with an unconventional class this past week, I forgot to write my journal entry. So, here it is, filled with frustration and anxiety because I have to finish up everything else as well.

I realize this may sound like I have poor time management. However, I have been working diligently on several of my projects throughout the week, save one (which miraculously was finished last night). I have also always been great at multitasking, and have no doubt that I will get every project done, and get it done to my best ability. Still, as an educator and a student, I know the pressures and stresses students face. If I gained anything from this past week, it is to discuss my curriculum with other teachers so our students do not being overwhelmed.

Thoughts on Being a Substitute

I substitute regularly in Webster School District. While I have subbed at several schools, on several teams, and in several classes within that district, I usually sub at one particular school and for the same group of children thanks (truly many thanks) to classroom teachers continually relying on me while they’re absent. As a result, I have come to know the students as if I had my own class at the school. Being able to sub for the same students frequently makes my job as a substitute teacher easier, giving me the opportunity to know each student as an individual, understand his or her needs, understand where each student excels and where each student may need extra help, and know when a concept is just not “clicking,” giving me more options and different ways to present the materials of the lesson. Furthermore, students are more comfortable with me since they see me more frequently in various classes; they understand my classroom management style and they don’t lose out on learning when their teacher is unavailable. It’s a win-win situation for everyone involved.

At the same time, I would love my own classroom and would love to know I’d be seeing the same group of students each day, create my own lessons, and have a little more security.

New and Exciting Changes

Earlier this evening, I was discussing with my friend Megan, an English teacher, her lesson plans for this week. She has decided to do an overview of Helen Keller since their school has recently performed the play The Miracle Worker. I let Megan know of a recent project I completed for one of my graduate classes, a virtual fieldtrip on genres, which included a section on nonfiction stories. One of those stories happened to be This is My Story by Helen Keller and with it I offered websites and videos to view.

Beyond wanting to discuss Helen Keller, Megan also wanted to bring to the attention of her students information “about people with disabilities and the timeline of treatment.” At this point, I mentioned another graduate class I am taking, Assistive Technology, and an article I happened to read earlier in the day. Welcome to Holland by Emily Perl Kingsley discusses a mother’s anticipation for the birth of her first child, equating it to her dream vacation to Italy. After months of preparation for her “dream vacation” the mother’s plans are changed as she ends up in Holland rather than Italy. Symbolizing a child with a disability, Holland offers a new, exciting, yet uncertain experience, and while it is no longer the mother’s dream vacation, she is ale to see hope and beauty is the place she has found herself.

After sharing the article with Megan, she decided she wants to share it with her students during the week. Her only concern is the position she is in as a pregnant teacher: will her students think she is trying to tell them she is having a child with a disability? We discussed this thoroughly, and I was able to remind Megan that she could use her position as an attention getting and as a learning experience. If her students do question Megan’s intentions, she should be honest by telling them she doesn’t know if her child will or won’t have a disability, however, that would not change her love for her child. She should then steer the discussion back to Helen Keller, whose family did abandon her, and who became a brilliant and intelligent woman in lieu of being a person who is deaf and blind. Overall, the article has been an eye-opening experience not only for me and my friend, but a possible learning experience for Megan’s students.

Design for the Other 90%

Design for the other 90%, a movement that "began" during the 1960s and 1970s and has grown tremendously since, encompasses an idea of providing everyone, worldwide, with with the products and services that many of us have and take for granted. The services and products that 5.8 billion people have restricted access to, if any access at all, include our accessibility to food, water, shelter, transportation, education, health care, and energy.

Focusing on Education:

Only 16% of the world population has access to basic computer technologies, meaning the remaining 84% don' t have the technologies available or the energy to support them. As a result, the movement, which includes educators, engineers, designers, and entrepreneurs, is looking to find ways to provide technological resources to countries in poverty and remote areas of the world.

The Projects:

• AMD Personal Internet Communicator
• Kinkajou Microfilm Projector and Portable Library
• One Laptop per Child
• Sierra Portable Light Project
• Solar Home Light System

The movement/project is amazing and deserves more attention through news, media, and word of mouth.

Experience... almost

Today I am subbing in Webster School District at one of the middle schools. I love this school and would love nothing more than to get a job working here as an ELA teacher. However, that is not what this post is about. Today I am not subbing for an ELA teacher. Instead I am subbing for Academic Flex (a course where you help students realize the steps it takes to succeed, what it takes to be a good person, and how to accomplish their goals in life) and RTI (reading). I love both of these courses, and I find the students in them to be wonderful, fun, and always ready to learn.

With the reading courses, the students are intelligent, bright, thoughtful… and require a little extra help. For some that might be getting help sounding out words and for others that could mean using no-tech AT device. In any case, they remind me of when I was young. As a little girl I had a speech impediment. I couldn’t speak if it meant saving my life. Once, I got lost in Ames (remember Ames?). I was playing a game of hide-and-seek with my mom, except she wasn’t aware of that fact. By the time I realized my mom was no longer around, I began crying and walked my way up to the front of the store, where luckily store employees were standing. When asked who my mom was I replied Beverly… or so I thought. Suddenly, over the intercom, the employees were paging, “Will Barbara Lee please come get your daughter at the front desk.” Luckily, my mom new she was Barbara Lee!

Anyway, the point of that little anecdote is that I remember struggling with my speech, and I remember having a hard time reading in school. I went to speech therapy and used many different techniques and services to help me hear the “right” way, which then helped me speak the right way.

I feel Webster does a decent job accommodating their students who have disabilities, whether it is learning, physical, behavioral, etc. I’m always pleased to see the cooperation of the teachers and the equipment provided for the students when I sub in the school.

Individual Needs

Throughout the beginning weeks of our Assistive Technology course we have discussed, read about, researched, and created projects on various aspects of AT. However, within each discussion, reading, activity, and project, one detail has remained prominent: it is important to match the right Assistive Technology to the right individual. Generalizing the needs of different persons to fit one device or service will not do those individuals or the technology justification.

Individuals of all abilities have different needs depending on age, dependency, socio-economic status, education, health, etc. A young child needs and wants more attention from parents than a teenager. A student in fifth grade will read different books than a college student or working adult. An elderly person will have different concerns than a person in his/her 20’s

With this in mind, it would be impossible to imagine that individuals with disabilities would have the same AT needs and would require the same devices if people, overall, are so uniquely different. The fact is they don’t. Assistive Technology needs vary with age, disability, tasks to be performed, setting in which AT will be used, and more.

In schools, Individualized Education Programs (IEP) are generated for each student determined to have a disability. An IEP, along with additional analysis and input from teachers, parents, and student, will determine a students strengths, weakness, and abilities. With this analysis possible AT devices and services can be considered.

However, once AT is chosen, the process of matching the individual to AT shouldn’t stop. After all, students should be monitored to see how they effectively use and benefit from the device or service. If an AT device isn’t benefitting a student, it should be reconsidered or replaced. Furthermore, just because one device works for one student, it should not necessarily be used with all students. Each student has his/her own IEP, own needs, and own abilities. Regardless of cost, those acquiring AT for individuals with disability should recognize the needs of the individual first.

Increasing Interest and Learning in Students

As an educator, I love to design lessons and units integrating technology and Web use. I find my students are more involved with the lessons when working with technology, thereby making them more likely enjoy and understand the content. Furthermore, integrating Web activities into a lesson differentiates instruction, allowing more students to find suitable ways for them to acquire knowledge.

After completing two Modules at UDL Online, I realized that Universal Design for Learning could help teachers who struggle with differentiating their instruction. UDL incorporates multimedia and online-learning to vary their curriculum and address the needs of all learners. Rather than asking if a child will succeed or fail at the work, UDL asks is the curriculum will succeed or fail the students, addressing goals, methods, materials, and assessment methods.

Regardless of how implementation is achieved, integrating various forms of multimedia, technology, and online-learning can help our students learn more effectively and enjoy their classes more. Varying instruction and integrating materials that many students are already familiar with (Web, i-Pods, texting, YouTube, etc) will increase the students’ awareness in the course and thereby increase the students’ acquisition of the material.

What AT am I Looking At?

It is easy to understand that there are several Assistive Technology devices and services available to individuals who need assistance. However, when considering Assistive Technology, how does one determine which device or service is best? Certain AT is better for an individual depending on a person’s disability and need, while other AT may be more helpful due to a person's age. Listed below are some options when considering Assistive Technology:

Disabilities/Needs

Physical Disability

- Wheelchair, Standing Wheelchair

- Assistive Seating

- Height Adjustable Suspension

Deafness/Hearing Impairment/Audio

- Fire Alarm Paging System

- Door Bell Lighting System

- Telecommunications (TDD, TTY)

Visual Impairment/Blindness

- Braille and Braille Technology

- Large Print

- Remote Infrared Audible Signage (RIAS)

- Screen Magnifiers

Communication

- Augmentative and Alternative Communication

Learning

- Mind Mapping Software

- Text-to-Speech

- Symbol-based Software

- General User Interface for Disorders of Execution (GUIDE)

Age

Infant/Toddler

- Switches

- Augmentative Communication Devices

Childhood

- IntelliTools' IntelliKeys with Overlay Maker

- Customizable Keyboard

- Word Prediction Software (i.e.: Don Johnston's Co:Writer SmartApplet)

- Enlarged print

- Personalized Books

- Book Worm from AbleNet

Adolescence

- Overlays

- Word Prediction Software

- Vocational Training

- Community Living

Elderly

- Sound Sensitive devices

- Large Print

- Grab Bars in Bathroom/Shower

- Wheelchair Lifts/Stair Climbs

With appropriate devices and services for every need and age, and with funding available from various sources, individuals with disabilities can receive Assistive Technology that is right for them.

Researched Cites:

- http://www.techlearning.com/article/18186

- http://www.fape.org/pubs/FAPE-12.pdf

- http://www.taalliance.org/publications/pdfs/all7.pdf

- http://www.tfeinc.com/shop/index.php?_a=viewProd&productId=2098

- http://aspe.hhs.gov/daltcp/reports/asttech.htm

- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assistive_technology

- http://www.cenmi.org

Gaining Independence with AT

As an educator studying Educational Technology in graduate school, I find any form of technology important in learning. While I do not feel individuals need to constantly be sitting at a computer or incorporating technology into lessons, I do find the application of technology into education a great tool for students’ understanding and acquisition of content. In this case, while planning lessons, I make the choice for my students to incorporate and use Educational Technology in the classroom.

However, teachers do not always make the decisions. In many case, using technology, especially Assistive Technology (AT), is a personal choice. When an individual becomes dependent on technology for life-supporting purposes, technology becomes more beneficial and allows the individual more freedom throughout the day. An individual’s decision to use AT can provide that person the ability to obtain a more independent lifestyle. This is also true if the reverse occurs: if an individual chooses against the use of AT, he or she may find less independence throughout the day.

To aid individuals with disabilities in obtaining more independent lifestyles, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Titles II and III, prohibits discrimination with services provided to individuals with disabilities and requires programs to accommodate people with disabilities as they would the general public. This requires the use of AT by providing ways for individuals to easily enter, exit, and maneuver through buildings. Also, communication devices must be implemented within buildings, including Braille, large print, and listening devices.

Nevertheless, while the public is required to provide these AT services in public buildings, individuals with disabilities face accessibility issues within their own homes as well. As a result, Universal Design (UD) Smart Homes address “the entire environment [of a home]” to create a more accessible living space. Smart Homes are created with AT devices and services to aid individuals with disabilities toward a more independent lifestyle. The homes include features accessible for everyone, including extra hallway space, lower sinks, automatic light switches, soft-slope landscaping, non-slip floors, varying counter heights, and so on (Schwab, 2004). As a result, the Assistive Technology used within the home allows all individuals within the house to access all features and lead independent lives.

Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)

Assistive Technology (AT) is “used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of a child with disabilities” (IDEA) and allows for more independence when accomplishing educational and life tasks. However, as with many fields grouping individuals together, AT includes subcategories to identify specific issues within among its users. As a subset of AT, Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) refers to a “method of communication used by individuals with severe speech and language disabilities… who are unable to use verbal speech but are cognitively able or whose speech is difficult to understand” (Watson). Whereas AT focuses on creating independence and functional capabilities for a person with disabilities, AAC isolates to focus on the individual’s need for communication.

Since individuals using AAC technologies are unable to verbally speak or can be difficult to understand, Augmentative and Alternative Communication uses a variety of non-verbal communication tools and devices to assist in communicating. Most commonly used include communication boards, symbols, drawings and pictures, sign language, non-verbal gestures, or a combination of these. Furthermore, many AAC cases involve Assistive Technology (Watson). In fact, like Assistive Technology, Augmentative and Alternative Communication consists of no-, low-, and high-tech devices. No-tech AAC devices include picture and symbol boards that don’t require batteries; these devices can be used by pointing at the picture/symbol to communicate what an individual wants or needs. Low-tech devices become more involved and may use a battery, incorporating the picture/symbol, the word, and an object that matches. High-tech devices are electronic devices that allow messages to be stored and retrieved. With high-tech AAC devices, there are two subcategories: dedicated and non-dedication. Dedicated tools are developed primarily for the purpose of communicating, whereas non-dedicated tools can be used for communication but have other functions as well, such as a computer. When determining if an individual requires AAC, one should consider the individual’s cognitive ability, physical ability, vocabulary use, motivation, and which AAC system would match the individual’s needs (Watson). Doing so will help place the individual with the proper AAC device and allow for better communication.

Cost Efficiency in Assistive Technology

As we advance further into an age of technology, we find ourselves pushing for hi-tech products in every educational setting. After all, if it is part of our current societal way-of-life, and if it is what the newest generation was born into, why shouldn’t we use our best advancements and tools to expand the minds of our students? Especially if it is to provide various learning strategies, materials, and technologies that will increase a child’s understanding and acquisition of learned subjects. However, the need for technology goes deeper than the traditional classroom. In fact, in today’s classes, we have a variety of learners, with an assortment of abilities. Take a moment and ask yourself how a student with disabilities learns differently than other students, and how technology can benefit him or her. Placing a laptop in front of a student with 20/20 vision is quite different than placing a laptop in front of a student with 20/200 vision. Regardless of the reason, Assistive Technology (AT) holds a prominent role in today’s educations setting.

Make a list of possible needs for students requiring AT and you could find hand-held spell-checkers, advanced reading aids, word processing programs with speech-enabled feedback, alternate paper, pencil grips, voice dictation software, computer-based organizational programs, adapted eating utensils and drinking aids, TTY (text telephones), alphabet boards, computer touch screens, alternate keyboards, adaptive seating… the list is unending (Georgia Product 2000).

Unfortunately, schools and families face funding issues when equipping their schools and homes with assistive technologies. How is it financially possible to meet the needs of students and schools requiring Assistive Technology? In fact, the majority of the devices on the list remain high-tech, involving a computer chip to function, making the aforementioned list relatively expensive. Even so, the devices that fall into the no-tech (i.e.: pencil grips) or low-tech (i.e.: magnifying glass) categories can be costly to replace or supply in abundance.

Still, one can advocate, “focus on no-tech and low-tech devices.” However, this will only get a school and student so far. First, the school will inevitably have to replace the device or will have to provide multiple copies for multiple students, again raising the price. Not to mention, how can we stick to no- and low-tech devices when some students' Individualized Education Plans (IEP) show they require high-tech AT services? Giving a student a magnifying glass who would better benefit from a computer enabled with a word processing system that included speech-feedback would set the student back, not benefit him or her.

Therefore, the answer is not focusing on the wrong devices because they are cheaper, but finding ways to afford and fund the beneficial devices. There are several options when looking to fund Assistive Technology, including funding under the IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) and the Tech Acts, Medicaid, school programs, private funding, loans programs, and lending libraries. The IDEA and Tech Acts offer funding for AT supplies and services. However, their funds are depleting and requests for devices are not always granted. The Tech Act also offers no- or low-interest loans. Moving on, Medicaid covers a variety of devices only if they are “medically necessary.” Furthermore, Medicaid requires a physician’s authorization before assistance is granted. By law, school districts are required to provide AT services and supplies to students with disabilities to aid in education, as deemed necessary on a student’s IEP. For those still unsure how to fund their AT needs, private insurance and loan programs are available as well (Georgia Product, 2000). Lastly, AT organizations in various states have lending libraries, allowing schools and organizations to borrow devices to match a child’s needs before purchasing the product (FCTD, 2007).

Therefore, can we legitimately argue no- and low-tech devices are enough for our students requiring high-tech Assistive Technology services? When funding is available, what price do we put on a student’s education? There isn’t one.