Helping students with learning disabilities.

2. How can we help?
Each classroom is compiled of students that all learn
differently and some may have learning disabilities. It
is important for teachers to be aware of the
resources out there to help them differentiate for
these students.

3. Assistive Technology
Assistive technology can be defined as a device or a service.
AT device: any item, piece of equipment or product system, whether
acquired commercially off the shelf, modified or customized, that is
used to increase, maintain or improve the functional capabilities of
individuals with disabilities (McSorley & Wilbur, 2000)
AT service: any service that directly assists an individual with a
disability in the selection, acquisition, or use of an assistive technology
device (McSorley & Wilbur, 2000)

4. Students with hearing
problems:
Always allow the student to sit near the sound
source. This could be you or the speakers used
during the presentation of material using technology.
Make sure to speak over any noise competition.
Students may also be provided with a Hearing
Assistive Technology System. This can be used with
or with our hearing aids.

5. Reading…
Audio books can be very helpful for students with
disabilities that have difficulty reading.
Optical Character Recognition is a type of technology
where a teacher or student can scan printed
documents into a computer which can then be read
to the student. This is available in many different
forms, such as software or an individual unit.

6. Writing
For students with disabilities, writing can be very
difficult. If students need to take notes, a Livescribe
pen can be very helpful. The pen records the teacher
talking and then it can be uploaded onto the
computer for students to manipulate. Students can
tap on parts of the notes and have them read to
them.

7. Writing continued…
WordQ is another resource that is very beneficial for
helping students with disabilities on their writing. The
software is similar to a cell phone in that it has text
prediction, but also has a highlighting feature and is
able to provide auditory feedback.

8. Students with ADD/ADHD
We all know these students have a very difficult time focusing.
The website www.helpguide.org provides many ideas to helping
children in your classroom with ADD/ADHD.
For example, develop a hand signal with the student so that
when they are off task during a lesson you can use the hand
signal without stopping instruction or distracting the rest of the
class.
You may also want to seat them away from windows and doors.

9. Students with ADD/ADHD
Give instructions and directions one at a time and repeat
when the student needs you to.
During work time, make sure the student is in a quiet
place in the room.
Let students know the order of a lesson and what they are
going to be doing.
Students with ADD/ADHD should be given frequent, short
assessments rather than lengthy assessments.

10. References
Hearing Assistive Technology. (2015, January 1). Retrieved March 1, 2015, from
http://www.asha.org/public/hearing/treatment/assist_tech.htm
McSorley, J., & Wilbur, J. (2000, March 23). Assistive Technology. Retrieved March 1, 2015, from
http://uts.cc.utexas.edu/~wilbur/access/assistive.html
The Write Tools for ADHD Students. (2015, January 1). Retrieved March 1, 2015, from
http://www.additudemag.com/adhd/article/9365.html
Assistive technology tools: Reading. (n.d.). Retrieved March 1, 2015, from http://www.greatschools.org/special-
education/assistive-technology/948-reading-tools.gs?content=948
Segal, J., & Smith, M. (2015, February 1). Teaching Students with ADD / ADHD. Retrieved March 1, 2015, from
http://www.helpguide.org/articles/add-adhd/teaching-students-with-adhd-attention-deficit-disorder.htm