Assistive Technology Presentation

1. Expanding Ability:
Working with Special Needs
Students
By: Brandon M. Mainer

2. Mission
Ensure students with disabilities have equal
access to the same learning environment as
other students.

3. Choosing the Right Assistive Technology
 Collect background information on the student (i.e. biographical)
 Identify the student’s daily activities
 Research ideas that cope with student’s disabilities
 Find assistive technology to enhance student learning
 Try the program out and identify areas of improvement.

4. Instructional Learning Areas
 Direct instruction
 Learning strategy instruction
 Sequential, simultaneous structured multi-sensory approach

5. Benefits to Instructors
 Break learning into small steps
 Supply regular, quality feedback
 Use diagrams, graphics and pictures to augment what they say in words
 Model instructional practices that they want students to follow
 Engage students in process type questions like “How is the strategy working? Where
else might you apply it?”

6. Devices for Assistive Technology
 Ipads and tablets
 Computers
 Cell Phones
 Reading and Writing
 Note-Taking

7. Scaffolding Theory
Instruction of taking subject material and
breaking it down into simpler understanding
that students can learning at a time.

8. Six Learning Strategies of Scaffolding
1) Show and Tell
2) Tap into Prior Knowledge
3) Give Time to Talk
4) Pre-Teach Vocabulary
5) Use Visual Aids
6) Pause, Ask Questions, Pause, Review

9. Conclusion
 Identify your method of teaching
 Identify student needs from disabilities
 Pick a device(s) that best fit student’s needs
 Put the plan in action
 Check for positive and negative feedback of device choice

10. References
Alber, R. (2011, May 24). 6 Scaffolding Strategies to Use With Your Students. Retrieved
June 15, 2015, from http://www.edutopia.org/blog/scaffolding-lessons-six-strategies-rebecca-alber
AT Examples. (2012, August 6). Retrieved June 11, 2015, from http://atfored.com/examples-of-assistive-
technology/
Successful Strategies for Teaching Students with Learning Disabilities. (n.d.). Retrieved June 13, 2015, from
http://ldaamerica.org/successful-strategies-for-teaching-students-with-learning-disabilities