1. ASHFORD EDU 620 ENTIRE COURSE
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Week 1
Universal Design for Learning. Learn about universal design for learning (UDL)
using your assigned readings, National Center on Universal Design for Learning
and UDL: Principles and Practice, and the Ashford Library. Then, explain what
UDL is, why it is important in the learning environment, and how it can impact the
lives of learners (both with and without disabilities). Lastly, develop a basic lesson
plan that incorporates UDL standards. Your lesson plan should include a learning
outcome, at least one learning resource, and the related learning activity(ies).
Make sure to support your plan with at least two scholarly resources.
Response to Intervention and Assistive Technology. Chapter Two of your
textbook describes response to intervention (RTI) as “a multilayered system that
can prevent academic and social failure before a student is unnecessarily or
prematurely identified as having a disability” (p.28). Review the section on
Response to Intervention in your textbook, and conduct additional research on
this approach using the Ashford Library.
Then, write a four- to five-page paper (excluding title and reference pages), in
which you:
§ Summarize your research findings on RTI
§ Examine how RTI supports the use of assistive technology (AT) in learning
§ Evaluate the repercussions of neglecting to use RTI
Your paper should be formatted to APA style, and should include five scholarly
sources.
Week 2
Referral and Assessment for Assistive Technology. Chapter Three of your
text explains a process called Referral and Assessment for Assistive Technology.
For this discussion assignment, design a diagram, chart, or other visual that
illustrates the four steps involved this process. (To do this, you may use Microsoft
Word, Microsoft PowerPoint, Timeglider or any other tool you prefer.) Then,
select one of the four steps, and explain why it is important to the whole process,
and what it contributes to the overall learning experience.

2. Autism and Learning. Many learners with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
experience challenges communicating with others. Watch the video, iPad Unlocks
New World for People with Autism, and analyze how tools like the iPad can
support learning for students with ASD. Then, describe an example of how you
might incorporate a tool like the iPad into a lesson plan.
Evaluation of Assistive Technology. Write a paper that examines the following
quote from your textbook:
“AT, like education, should not be approached with a „one size fits all‟ mentality”
(p.40).
Explain what this quote means in your own words. Then, describe the various
steps and aspects that should be considered when deciding on an assistive
technology, and evaluate the risks (both to the student and the teacher) that are
involved in approaching assistive technology with a “one size fits all” mentality.
Paper should be three to five pages in length (excluding title and reference
pages), formatted to APA style, and supported with three to five scholarly
sources.
Week 3
High-Incidence Disabilities. As stated in your text, the three categories of high-
incidence disabilities defined in the Individuals with Disabilities Education
Improvement Act (IDEIA) of 2004 are:
§ Mild learning disabilities
§ Mental retardation
§ Emotional or behavioral disorders
For this discussion, select one of the three categories to research. Then, provide
a specific example of a disability that falls under the category you selected,
explain how this disability impacts learning (i.e., through gaining information,
expressing information, and/or organizing information), and identify one possible
AT that could support a student who has this disability
Pedagogical Strategies for Learning Disabilities. Successful Strategies for
Teaching Students With Learning Disabilities outlines various pedagogical
strategies for supporting students with learning disabilities. Review the
strategies/interventions listed, and select one to investigate. Conduct a web-
search of the selected strategy and report on your findings in the discussion
forum. Describe at least two specific examples of what these strategies might
look like in the classroom.

3. Assistive Technology Evaluation. Chapter Five of your textbook provides
tables of various assistive technology solutions for reading, spelling, writing, and
mathematics.
Select two different ATs from one of the lists, and choose one of the following
assignment options.
Option 1 – Recorded Presentation
Using Jing or YouTube, present a comparison of the two ATs you selected.
Imagine you are presenting these tools to your school's principal, as possible
solutions for students with mild learning disabilities. Your presentation should be
no more than 10 minutes, and should:
§ Describe each ATs purpose and capabilities
§ Provide information on each ATs cost
§ Explain how each AT could be applied in the classroom (e.g., examples of
learning activities which use the AT)
§ Evaluation of which AT would be a better investment
For this assignment option, you are welcome to either record yourself in front of
the camera, or record yourself talking over a PowerPoint presentation. When you
are finished, submit your work as a link pasted into a Word document.
Option 2 – Written Analysis
In Microsoft Word, compare the two ATs you selected. Imagine you will be
providing this document to your school‟s principal, as possible solutions for
students with mild learning disabilities. Your analysis should be clear, succinct,
easy to read, and one to two pages in length. In your analysis, you should:
§ Describe each ATs purpose and capabilities
§ Provide information on each ATs cost
§ Explain how each AT could be applied in the classroom (e.g., examples of
learning activities which use the AT)
§ Evaluation of which AT would be a better investment
For this assignment option, the purpose is to provide all necessary information,
and nothing more. It should be formatted in such a way that the reader can get a
glimpse of all the necessary information immediately.
Week 4

4. Physical Disabilities and Assistive Technology. Read Chapter Six of your
textbook, and watch the video,How Assistive Technology Enables Dreams. Then,
examine the importance of assistive technology in supporting students with
physical impairments. Discuss how assistive technology can empower students
and promote greater independence.
Next, Identify some AT devices that can be considered with physical disabilities,
and explain how you would incorporate AT into the classroom (e.g., any special
considerations you would make, how you would prepare yourself and the student,
which subject(s) the AT device might be best suited for, etc.).
Distance Learning. While distance learning can certainly support students with
physical disabilities, Chapter 10 of your textbook focuses on distance learning as
a tool for students with various disabilities. Examine the benefits and challenges
of distance learning for students with physical disabilities. (Hint: Consider both
gross motor disabilities as well as fine motor disabilities.) What are some AT
devices that can be used to support learners with physical disabilities in the
distance learning environment? What are some AT devices that can be used to
support learners with other disabilities (i.e autism, learning disabilities, intellectual
disabilities, etc.) in the distance learning environment?
Assistive Technology Plan. For the Week Four assignment, you will create an
assistive technology plan for a learner with a physical impairment. In the chart
below, identify a learner with a physical impairment to create an assistive
technology plan to support them in the classroom. In your plan, you will identify
the learner, the disability area, and the grade level. Then in two to three
paragraphs, you will discuss the characteristics of the student such as the
educational strengths and needs of the student (academic, mobility,
communication, social, environmental and curricular access, etc.), family
involvement, classroom challenges or concerns, existing supports, and other
pertinent information about the student.
Based on the description of the student‟s needs and disability area, you will
identify at least five areas of challenge related to materials and methods in the
classroom or learning environment, discuss potential barriers or missed
opportunities, and then discuss at least two possible solutions to address each
area of challenge (see example for a student with low vision in the chart below).
Your solutions must be research-based and should be cited within the chart.
Please use a minimum of two peer-reviewed sources for substantiating your AT
solutions. APA format is required, including a reference page for all in-text
citations.
Assistive Technology Plan
Name of Learner:
Disability Area:

5. Age/Grade:
Description of the Learner (educational strengths, needs, family involvement,
other pertinent information):
Goals of the AT Plan:
Materials and Methods
Potential Barriers/Missed Opportunities
AT Solutions
Example:
Printed textbook or worksheets
Student with a visual impairment has difficulty seeing small text.
This student would benefit from using a text-to-speech program, such as Kurzweil
3000 (http://www.kurzweiledu.com/k12.html) so that text can be converted to files
and read aloud to the student. Further, the student could benefit from having an
electronic magnifier for text-based resources used in the learning environment
(Beard, Carpenter, & Johnston, 2011).
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Week 5
Sensory Disabilities. Chapter Eight of the textbook covers sensory disabilities.
The most commonly known are visual and hearing impairments. Explain how
these types of disabilities could impact one‟s learning experience, and identify
some AT devices that can support students with these disabilities. Finally, select
an academic subject (e.g., mathematics, science, language arts, fine arts, etc.)
and describe how the AT devices you identified could be applied to a lesson in
that subject.
Age of Onset. There are many things to consider when supporting students with
sensory impairments: one being the age of onset. What does the text say about
this important piece of information? What can it tell the teacher or service
professional? How might knowing this information impact the support a student
receives? Finally, what is one other piece of information you would gather, if you
were responsible for supporting a student with either a visual or hearing
impairment?

6. Assistive Technology for Visual and Hearing Impairments. Search the web
for videos and/or articles on AT for visual and hearing impairments (e.g., screen
reader software, hearing aids, etc.). Then, write an evaluation of these
technologies. Your paper should include:
§ The specific devices you researched
§ What these devices enable learners to do, and how they work
§ Any challenges you foresee in using and/or learning to use the devices
§ How these devices might be incorporated into the classroom
Your paper should be three to five pages in length (excluding title and reference
pages) and formatted to APA style.
Week 6
Assistive Technology for Communication. In Chapter Seven of the text, we
meet Betsy Taylor in the “Assistive Technology Snapshot”. Based on Betsy‟s
educational and communication needs, discuss some of the possible
accommodations and assistive technology devices or programs you might use to
support her classroom needs (further than the ones suggested in the case study).
Further, evaluate the IEP team‟s decision to use a fixed-display communication
board and discuss if you feel this is an appropriate device or if you feel other AAC
devices should be explored and why. Lastly, discuss ways the device you are
suggesting or supporting could be used in the context of classroom activities.
Focus of the Final Project
Over the past six weeks, you have learned about several disabilities and how
they impact a student‟s learning experience. For the final project, you will be
asked to respond to several case studies. Each of these case studies involves a
specific disability and a unique set of issues for each of the identified students.
Your assignment is to respond uniquely to each of the scenarios. Your responses
should include the following elements:
§ Identification of the specific academic/behavioral issues that could be
addressed through assistive technology
§ Identification of at least three assistive technologies that will address the
academic/behavioral needs of each student
§ An overview of how each of the identified assistive technologies will be
implemented for the student.
§ A discussion of anticipated results based upon the use of the assistive
technologies for each of the case studies.

7. § Responses must be supported with evidence from the text and at least two
additional scholarly resources.
Case Study #1
Emily is a five-year-old female student who is visually impaired. Emily has low
vision and has some independence. She is able to see letters and numbers with
amplification. In the past, Emily has been enrolled in a Head Start class with
typical peers. Emily experienced great success in her preschool classroom. She
had access to assistive technology that assisted her in participating in most
activities within the class. Emily will be starting kindergarten in the fall. She will be
in a general education class with typical peers. Emily‟s parents, and her IEP
team, expect her to be fully included in most activities. Please describe assistive
technologies that will allow Emily to have access to grade level content and to
participate with her peers in the classroom.
Case Study #2
David is a third-grade student who has been identified as having a specific
learning disability in the areas of reading and written language. During David‟s
last formal assessment, he was identified as reading two years below grade level.
Through the assessment process it was discovered that he had particular
difficulty with word identification and comprehension. Also, David refuses to write.
When given classroom writing prompts, David will often write only one sentence.
Interestingly, when given the opportunity to verbally respond to the prompt, his
answers are comprehensive and meet grade level standards for content. Please
identify several assistive technologies that may support David in reading and
writing.
Case Study #3
Michael is a ten-year-old boy who has a diagnosis of autism. He has little
language and will often act out when he does not get what he wants. His behavior
includes throwing items, hitting, and biting. His IEP identifies the use of tangibles
and the computer as a way to reinforce appropriate behavior. Michael‟s teacher is
looking for ways to increase his communication and to motivate him to behave
appropriately in class. Please identify assistive technologies that can support
Michael in class.
Case Study #4
Holly is a sixteen-year-old female student in the eleventh grade. Holly suffers
from cerebral palsy and attends school through a combination of online and
physical campus. Holly is currently enrolled in English, math, social studies, and
several electives. She is close to grade level in all subject areas. Holly has a
desire to attend college after high school. Please describe the types of assistive
technology that can be used to provide her with access in the online environment.

8. Also, what types of technology can be used to support Holly in her transition to
college?
Your responses should be presented in an eight- to ten-page paper in
addition to the title and reference page using APA format.