Assistive Technology Presentation for ITEC 7530

1. Assistive Technologies
Presentation
Jeff Patty (9/24/15)

2. Special needs is generally a term used to describe a clinical diagnosis for
individuals who require assistance for disabilities that may be medical,
developmental, physical, emotional, or behavioral. These can come in
many forms including: mild learning disabilities, hearing impairment,
ADHD, mental disorders, physical issues, developmental delays, to a
number of different challenges. Typically, these students are going to
struggle in a general classroom and will need some form of
accommodations to be successful. General education teachers must work
with special education teachers and parents to formulate a plan that will
allow for these students to succeed and hopefully be able to stay in
inclusion classes.
Special Needs

3. • “Assistive Technology (AT) is any item, piece of equipment, software or product
system that is used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of
individuals with disabilities.”
• “Assistive technology includes products and services to help people who have
difficulty speaking, typing, writing, remembering, pointing, seeing, hearing,
learning, walking, etc.”
http://www.atia.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3859
What is Assistive
Technology?

4. • “The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a federal law enacted in
1990 and reauthorized in 1997 and 2004. It is designed to protect the rights of
students with, regardless of ability. Furthermore, IDEA strives not only to grant
equal access to students with disabilities, but also to provide additional special
education services and procedural safeguards.”
• “Special education services are individualized to meet the unique needs of students
with disabilities and are provided in the least restrictive environment. Special
education may include individual or small group instruction, curriculum or teaching
modifications, assistive technology, transition services and other specialized
services such as physical, occupational, and speech therapy. These services are
provided in accordance with an Individualized Education Program (IEP), which is
specifically tailored to the unique needs of each student.”
http://www.help4adhd.org/education/rights/idea
Individuals with Disabilities Education
Act (IDEA)

5. • “Every child receiving special education services must have an IEP plan.
Kids from age 3 through high school graduation or a maximum age of 22
(whichever comes first) may be eligible for an IEP.”
• “The IEP is meant to address each child’s unique learning issues and
include specific educational goals. It is a legally binding document. The
school must provide everything it promises in the IEP.”
https://www.understood.org/en/school-learning/special-services/ieps/understanding-
individualized-education-programs
Create an Individualized Education
Plan (IEP)

6. • Just because a child is struggling in a class does not mean they will automatically be
qualified for an IEP. There is a very involved and somewhat lengthy process that
must take place.
• “An evaluation. Parents, teachers, a counselor, a doctor or anyone else who
suspects a child is struggling can request an evaluation. The school psychologist
and other professionals may give your child various tests. They also may observe
your child in the classroom.”
• “A decision. The IEP team, which includes parents and school officials, decides
whether or not your child needs special education services in order to learn the
general education curriculum. IDEA says that having any of 13 disabilities may
qualify a child for special education. The school and parents review the evaluation
and determine whether the results show that your child needs services and
supports.”
• “If the IEP team agrees that your child needs services, then the next step is to
create an IEP.”
https://www.understood.org/en/school-learning/special-services/ieps/understanding-individualized-education-programs
Who Qualifies for an IEP?

7. • “A child’s present levels of educational performance: This is a thorough
description of the child’s current abilities, skills, weaknesses and strengths. It’s
the part of the IEP that explains how the child’s learning issues affect his ability
to learn the general education curriculum.”
• “The results of the child’s evaluations and tests.”
• “Special education and related services to be provided.”
• “Accommodations and modifications including Supplementary aids and
services.”
• “Annual educational goals.”
• “A description of how the child’s progress will be measured and reported to
the parent.”
• “The date the IEP will go into effect.”
https://www.understood.org/en/school-learning/special-services/ieps/understanding-individualized-
education-programs
What’s included on an IEP?

8. Augmentative Communication Reading Guides
Assistive Listening (hearing aids,
amplifiers, captions)
Writing Support
Computer-based Instruction Calendar & Planner
Seating Pencil Grip
Positioning Magnifier
Mobility Raised Line Paper
Vision Calculators
Audio Players & Recorders Graphic Organizers
Timers Extra Time on Tests
Assistive Technology Solutions

9. • Step 1: Collect child and family information (Strategies that work)
• Step 2: Identify activities for participation.
• Step 3: What can be observed that indicates the intervention is
successful?
• Step 4: Brainstorm AT solutions. Discuss possible solutions with
educators, family members, physical therapist, and other people with
whom the child interacts on a weekly basis.
• Step 5: Try it out. Determine when the AT intervention will begin and
create an observation plan to record how the child participates with the
AT supports.
• Step 6: Identify what worked. Reflect on your plan and discuss what
worked and what did not. Make modifications as needed and try again.
http://www.ldonline.org/article/8088
Identifying AT Solutions

10. Some of the typical indicators:
• Slower than typical in all developmental areas
• Cognitive deficits in memory, attention, and language
• Limited conceptual, social, and practical adaptive skills
• Trouble paying attention, hyperactivity, and impulsive behaviors
• Able to learn practical life skills
• Functions in daily life
• Attains reading and math skills up to grade levels 3 to 6
http://www.healthyplace.com/neurodevelopmental-disorders/intellectual-disability/mild-moderate-
severe-intellectual-disability-differences/
Mild Learning Disabilities

11. • Mild Learning disabilities are often good candidates for either no-tech
or low-tech solutions, but may also be supplemented with higher
technology solutions depending on what works best for the student
and what is available in the classroom.
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is usually considered a mild
learning disability, which is characterized as a neurobehavioral disorder
that results in difficulties in inattention, hyperactivity, impulsiveness, or
any combination.
• Distractibility, Impulsiveness, Interrupting, Fidgeting/Hyperactivity,
Trouble with Directions
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity
Disorder (ADHD)

12. • Assist student in organization with a portfolio
• Create schedules, lists, outlines, calendars, and a list of tasks
• Engage with the student directly and often
• Provide order and predictability for the student
• Provide directions in the simplest terms
• Divide assignments into smaller portions and offer notes and alternative
delivery styles for the information
• Color code assignments and/or subjects
• Provide some system of rewards for successful behavior
• Provide the student with feedback, but do so privately and positively
• Involve the parents from the beginning and provide needed feedback,
as they will be able to provide necessary input and offer solutions they
know will work
Working with ADHD

13. • Auditory disabilities can come in a variety of forms and are not limited
to not being able to hear properly, although those are also considered
disabilities.
• Auditory processing is a condition that makes it hard to recognize subtle
differences between sounds in words. It affects the ability to process
what other people are saying.
• There are a variety of auditory devices and techniques that can be
utilized to assist these students. Some amplify speech, while others
may provide an alternate auditory modality depending on the exact
issue. Assistive listening devices can amplify the sounds, separate
background noises, create speech to text, and produce closed
captioning.
https://www.understood.org/en/learning-attention-issues/child-learning-disabilities/auditory-processing-
disorder/understanding-auditory-processing-disorder
Auditory Disabilities

14. • There are a variety of non-technical strategies, as well as technical
devices that can aid students in the area of reading when dealing with
Learning Disabilities:
• Audio books and publications, recorded books allows students to listen
to text in a variety of formats.
• Paper-based computer pen, allows students to write on special paper
with this pen, which is recorded. The material can be played back later.
• Speech synthesizers/screen readers, can display and read aloud text on
the screen.
• Variable-speed tape recorders, allows playback of recorded material at
varying speeds without distorting the playback voice.
http://www.greatschools.org/gk/articles/reading-tools/
Assistive Technology - Reading

15. • Additionally, like with reading modifications there are a number of
assistive technology writing strategies and accompanying technology-
based solutions:
• Word processing and multimedia software, designed with special
controls to assist in writing (sizable fonts, line spacing, predictable
writing, spell/grammar checking, organizational features).
• Graphic organizers that group concepts visually and visual thesauruses.
• Tools for creating text-to-speech, creating text, reviewing text, larger
keyboards. Some of these are used for more extreme cases for
students with physical and sensory access, where typical tools are not
sufficient.
http://www.cited.org/index.aspx?page_id=108
Assistive Technology - Writing

16. • Gluck, S. (2014, June 12). Mild, Moderate, Severe Intellectual Disability Differences - HealthyPlace. Retrieved September 21,
2015, from http://www.healthyplace.com/neurodevelopmental-disorders/intellectual- disability/mild-moderate-severe-
intellectual-disability-differences/
• Help for Young Learners: How To Choose AT? (n.d.). Retrieved September 21, 2015, from
http://www.ldonline.org/article/8088
• IDEA (The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act). (n.d.). Retrieved September 20, 2015, from
http://www.help4adhd.org/education/rights/idea
• Stanberry, K. (n.d.). Assistive technology tools: Reading | GreatKids. Retrieved September 24, 2015, from
http://www.greatschools.org/gk/articles/reading-tools/
REFERENCES

17. • Stanberry, K. (2014, October 23). Understanding Individualized Education Programs. Retrieved September 20,
2015, from https://www.understood.org/en/school-learning/special-services/ieps/understanding- individualized-
education-programs
• Understanding Auditory Processing Disorder. (2014, April 16). Retrieved September 21, 2015, from
https://www.understood.org/en/learning-attention-issues/child-learning-disabilities/auditory-processing-
disorder/understanding-auditory-processing-disorder
• Using Assistive Technology to Support Writing. (n.d.). Retrieved September 24, 2015, from
http://www.cited.org/index.aspx?page_id=108
• What is Assistive Technology? How Is It Funded? (n.d.). Retrieved September 20, 2015, from
http://www.atia.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3859
REFERENCES