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.