Strategies for infusing technology while working with special needs students

1. C.M. COCCHI

2. 8 IMPORTANT TIPS
FOR WORKING WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
CHILDREN
1. Interact
2. Observe their
Actions
3. Use Common
Sense
4. Be Flexible
5. Be Consistent
6. Use visual,
auditory or tactile
cues
7. Have a Plan…
and a Backup
Plan
8. Be Positive
-Karen Wang

3. ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY
INTRODUCTION
Parents can now work with educators to
develop a plan — the individualized
education program (IEP) — to help kids
succeed in school. The IEP describes
the goals the team sets for a child during
the school year, as well as any special
support needed to help achieve them.
- Kids Health (Nemours)

4. ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY
FOR MILD DISIBILITIES
Assistive technologies for individuals
with mild disabilities include:
No Technology
○ No-tech “refers to any assistive device that is not
electronic” (Behrmann & Jerome, 2002)
Low Technology
○ Simple electronic assistive devices
High Technology
○ High functioning, complex electric devices such as
computers

5. ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY
FOR MILD DISIBILITIES
Examples
Note Taking
○ No-tech: fill-in-the-blank outlines
○ Low-tech: videotaping class sessions
○ High-tech: sending videos and photos to students via the
internet
Writing
○ Word processing via computer
Academic Productivity
○ Calculators
○ Computers for communicating with peers and note taking
Cognitive Assistance
○ Prompting assistive technology such as electronic
calendars can assist with scheduling and other problem-solving
skills
- Behrmann & Jerome, 2002

6. ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY
FOR HEARING IMPAIRMENT
Hearing assistive technology systems (HATS)
are devices that can help you function
better in your day-to-day communication
situations. HATS can be used with or
without hearing aids or cochlear implants to
make hearing easier—and thereby reduce
stress and fatigue. Hearing aids + HATS =
better listening and better communication!
- American Speech-Language-Hearing Association

7. ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY
FOR HEARING IMPAIRMENT
EXAMPLES
FM Systems
Infrared Systems
Induction Loop Systems
One-to-One Communicators
Telephone amplifying devices for cordless, cell, digital, and wired
phones
Amplified answering machines
Amplified telephones with different frequency responses
Loud doorbells
Computers
Wake-up alarms (loud bell or vibrating clock)
- American Speech-Language-Hearing Association

8. REFRENCES
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. (2014). Hearing
Assistive Technology. Retrieved from
http://www.asha.org/public/hearing/treatment/assist_tech.htm
Behrmann, M. & Jerome, M.K. (2002). Assistive Technology for
Students with Mild Disabilities. ERIC. Retrieved from:
http://www.ericdigests.org/2003-1/assistive.htm
Kids Health from Nemours. (2014, September). Individualized
Education Program s(IEPs). Retrieved from
http://kidshealth.org/parent/positive/learning/iep.html
Wang, K. (2005, October 15). 8 Important Tips For Working With
A Special Needs Child [Web log comment]. Retrieved from
http://www.friendshipcircle.org/blog/2012/10/15/8-important-tips-for-
working-with-a-special-needs-child/