Journey last four months - Increased Confidence when it comes to Assistive Technology with my Students

 

Overall this journey has brought me knowledge and comfort when it comes to using Assistive Technology in my classroom.  I am a bigger proponent of its use to help my students have success in my class.  Ultimately, that is always one of my primary goals - student's achieving to their potential.  Of course, I always want them to feel comfortable and enjoy the learning process.  If  AT, can help them with either of those goals - it's use is desirable.

Throughout, I have been amazed at the large number and variety of resources now available.  I also know that AT does not always mean electronics.  It can simply be a rubber grip for a pencil.  I think today there sometimes is an undue fascination with technology.  Sometimes, though a little aid (like a slant board) can do the trick.  However, on the other hand, sometimes students will need to have their entire textbook or supplemental readings scanned into a reader like Kurzweil so they can fully participate and achieve in my class.

 

Overall, I love having more confidence and knowledge about the way in which AT can support my classroom learning environment.  I have grown as a teacher throughout by increasing my knowledge about these important tools.

 

High School Transition to College - How do a student's rights change (IDEA v. ADA)?

In my last post, I mentioned that once in college students with disabilities lose the protections they receive under IDEA; nonetheless, they still have rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act that can help them navigate and have success in the college setting.  This blog will discuss how these rights shift during the transition from high school to college.

1. Once in college, not every student with an IEP automatically gets accommodation's in college.  At a recent class, an advisor from Cabrini College discussed that in order for students to qualify for accommodations there; they must bring evidence of a disability.  She said this could simply be the latest reevaluation that the high school performed OR it could be evidence from a doctor overseeing the student.   She said the accommodations that the IEP provided do not translate to the college setting NOR do they even determine eligibility.

2. Students in college no longer qualify for full accommodations as they did in high school.  Under ADA, they only need to be provided with reasonable accommodations like auxiliary aids (Smart pen, larger keyboard, quiet testing area) but not accommodations that change the nature of the curriculum (e.g. shortened tests, alternate readings that are at a lower reading level).


3. Parents no longer have a right to have a role as the child is an adult at 18.  The student must advocate for themselves.  Though I imagine parents still get involved as they can; it just is no longer a requirement!

4. When it comes to assistive technology, in high school the district had to provide it.  In college, ADA does not require that schools provide AT.  Though students can certainly purchase it themselves and ask that they be able to use it.  In some cases, the student would need to demonstrate a disability (smart pen) but in some cases, they could just use it (scan and read programs for assignments).

Source: Dell, A; Newton, G and Petroff, J.  (2012).  Assistive Technology in the Classroom: Enhancing the School Experience of Students with Disabilities. Pearson Education.

Transitioning to College - Students can use Assistive Technology as a Reasonable Accomodation

 

When students with IEPs move from high school to college, they lose the protections of the IDEA.  Still there are legal protections like ADA and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act that help make sure that colleges reasonably accommodate students with disabilities.  This blog will provide some examples as to why and how assistive technology can qualify as a reasonable accommodation for students with disabilities in the college setting.

1. If a student is hard of hearing, a FM listening system can be set up to help that student gain the information in a lecture.  This is cheaper than having a sign language interpreter in the class and would provide higher accuracy for the student.

2. For students who have trouble reading, the college could allow actual people to read the book (again pretty costly) or they could make available to the student text readers, audio books and/or scan and read systems.

3. For students who have difficulty writing, a college could hire a note taker.  However, a portable note take like Neo or a smart pen (that records lectures as well as captures information written down with the pen) may provide more useful, accurate and less costly accommodations for a student with a physical disability that impacts his/her writing.

Source: Dell, A; Newton, G and Petroff, J.  (2012).  Assistive Technology in the Classroom: Enhancing the School Experience of Students with Disabilities. Pearson Education.

University of Kentucky's AT Toolkit - Another Great Resource!

In my last post, I blogged about a resource for educator's to use when making the determination of AT for a student with an IEP.  This blog looks at yet another resource put out by the University of Kentucky (see link below).  What I like about their toolkit is that first there is an introductory powerpoint that in less than 30 slides goes over each of the steps for determining the need, choice and implementation of AT.   http://serc.gws.uky.edu/www/ukatii/toolkit/index.html

Also, the website has clear and easy to use forms.  One form focuses on the actual implementation of AT.  (Link to form: http://serc.gws.uky.edu/www/ukatii/toolkit/AT_Implementation.pdf)  

I have found a lot of info on determining if there is a need and how that need can be met for AT.  This is a new form for me and I like it as it sets up (among other things). 

1. Who is responsible for acquiring the AT device (can be more than one person)
2. Who is responsible for making sure that all parties are trained in its use
3. Who is responsible for maintaining and repairing the device.

Having such a form makes clear to all involved who to go to for different needs related to the actual implementation of AT for students with IEPs.

OTAP = Oregon Technology Access Program - Wonderful Resource for Educators Considering Assistive Technology

OTAP provides an excellent resource for educators in helping them determine in their decision making for Assistive Technology.  In previous blogs, I have discussed different aspects about the decision making of AT; this document is a great one-stop shopping resource.


The PDF (link provided below) is a 77 page document (with a clear table of contents :) that helps to provide not only a clear step by step procedural basis for determining whether AT should be part of an IEP.  It also establishes the roles of various participants in gathering information in order to prepare thorough documentation about the students current needs, strengths and possible uses for AT.

It also provides an excellent list of resources for AT that a team could browse through in determining what possibilities might be available to aid the student.  Finally there are a lot of forms in the document that schools could modify to suit their needs.  For instance, a form titled "Assistance Request for Assistive Technology" found on page 32, sets up a clear and comprehensive checklist for IEP team members to use when gathering general information about a child's needs.  Another form has the classic SETT framework that I have discussed in previous blogs.  Overall, it's a great go to guide for educators who wish a step by step procedure with forms for decision making around AT.

http://www.otap-oregon.org/Documents/AT%20Model%20Operating%20Guidelines.pdf

Meeting the Communication needs of the Family and the Community for a student who uses Augmentive Communication

In the last blog, I discussed some strategies teachers can use when thinking about helping families use communication tools.  This blog will focus on using the augmentive communication tool in the community.  Typically, people in the community are less familiar with such tools so teachers can support their use by creating situations such as assemblies or planned field trips.  This week the new and unfamiliar person may be more "prepped" to engage with such a student.  Thereby, providing our student with a positive experience using augmentive communication with a stranger.

The textbook also provides some helpful tips for all of us who may engage with a person using augmentive communication

1. Talk to the person normally as you would for someone of their age.  Do not talk to an 18 year old like they are 5 years old.

2. Be as normal as you can be; people using augmentive communication want to have typical conversations. 

3. Talk to the individual not someone who is with them (or helping them do something). 

4. If they have a screen with typed words, ask if you can read it.  Do not assume you should.  Many will want to use a computer generated voice.

5. If you are having a regular conversation, do not praise the use of the augmentive device.  They are just talking and want you to talk with them.

Source: Dell, A; Newton, G and Petroff, J.  (2012).  Assistive Technology in the Classroom: Enhancing the School Experience of Students with Disabilities. Pearson Education.

Supporting the Use of Augmentive Communication at Home and in the Community

In the last post, I discussed how IEP must reflect on goals for a student who uses Augmentive Communication Tools within the school setting.  One additional important feature of these tools is using them beyond the classroom.  Using them at home reinforces what students learned in school and helps them generalize their learnings to new situations.

To accomplish this, there must be a working relationship between the teacher(s) and the family.  Regular communication must occur so the needs of the family/student can be understood as well as various outcomes from using the tool can be evaluated.  For example, an expanded vocabulary may be needed at home for things that do not occur in school (like preparing to go to sleep at night).  One must also reflect on the culture of the family itself to best support the student and his/her family.

Finally, one must provide training to the family in the use of the augmentive tool.  Also teaching them how to respond/react to the student using the tool must be implemented.  For instance, parents and siblings may need to be taught to wait for the child to respond and not fill in possible answers.  This will show the child that they want to hear from him/her and will encourage expanded use of the tool.

Source: Dell, A; Newton, G and Petroff, J.  (2012).  Assistive Technology in the Classroom: Enhancing the School Experience of Students with Disabilities. Pearson Education.

Integrating Augmentive Communication into the IEP

Students who utilize augmentive communication tools need to have the use of these be incorporated into their IEP so they facilitate their skills and abilities to engage with others.  The goal should not simply be using the augmentive tool rather students should use them as a means for accomplishing their goal. 

As stated the IEP goals should focus on effective and efficient communication.  This can be done through a variety of situations such as with people they are familiar with, within the classroom context and within daily interactions.   The IEP must also remember to include personnel who will assist with the use and maintenance of augmentive tools.  This will prevent extended periods of time of a device not being used as it is broken.  Instead, there is a responsible person in charge of fixing it.

Source: Dell, A; Newton, G and Petroff, J.  (2012).  Assistive Technology in the Classroom: Enhancing the School Experience of Students with Disabilities. Pearson Education.

Teaching Tip for supporting students to move beyond Learned Helplessness when it comes to Augmentive Communication

Some students with disabilities develop a sense that they just cannot do a specific task related to augmentive communication.  Thus, they cease even trying to communicate; this can be characterized as learned helpless.  Teachers can take active steps to help students overcome this type of misperception.

1. Create a daily expectation of communication using the augmentive device.  This could be choosing an activity at recess or lunch; or picking a book to read.

2. Create a brief list of activities that happened during the student's day and have the student communicate these to his/her parents.

3. Allow sometimes for the augmentive communication tool to "break down" or have an issue.  This will allow the student to problem solve and gain skills in self-help.

4. Give students a choice as to when or how to use their device.

5. Give the student some powerful commands/responses to common questions (e.g. "I really do not want to do that!").

Source: Dell, A; Newton, G and Petroff, J.  (2012).  Assistive Technology in the Classroom: Enhancing the School Experience of Students with Disabilities. Pearson Education.

On-Line Tools for Math

In the past few blogs, I have discussed various methods and ideas to help students achieve math oriented goals.  In this post, I hope to share some websites that I find useful for elementary students.

1. This is a link to a whole group of on-line games.  http://www.rakisradresources.com/2012/07/top-10-math-websites-for-elementary.html .  It gives a brief description of the game and targeted math goals.  One I explored below was made up by teachers in Oswego School District.

2.  http://resources.oswego.org/games/  This has wonderful, easy to use, and typically very engaging math games to reinforce simple topics like basic addition.  It's free and you can readily navigate the table of listed activities to find what your elementary student may need to learn.  I played a game called Ghostblaster II and played a cute (and easy to understand game) where ghosts appeared with two numbers on their "bodies".  I had to click the z button whenever the target sum (say 9) appeared.  My 6 year-old son played it and found it to be "okay".

3.  Another site I found from Raki's Resources (see #1) was http://www.coolmath-games.com/1-number-games-01.html.  This site had many games to explore and I again went to check out the simple addition games.  The one I chose was Brainie, the first "level" had me identify simple addition problems as well as numbers.  It was fun as their was a speed component to it.

Overall, there are wonderful resources available for free on-line to help students meet their math goals!