This document discusses key concepts related to assistive technology and differentiated instruction. It defines differentiated instruction as purposefully designing instruction to accommodate student needs through flexible content, strategies and assessments. Ten tips for personalized learning via technology are provided, such as delivering instruction through multiple media, gathering feedback and giving students options. The document also discusses learning profiles, neural networks, examples of low-tech and high-tech assistive tools, characteristics of culturally responsive teachers, supporting cognitive and metacognitive needs, and principles of equitable access to technology.

1. Assistive Technology
Diversity/Culture In Educational Technology
Joel Bowman
Jacksonville State University
EIM 504

2. Differentiated Instruction
 Differentiated instruction is purposefully designing instruction to
accommodate the known needs of one’s students and providing them with
different content, strategies, and means of demonstrating the desired
learning goals.
 This instruction allows students to learn concepts or achieve learning goals
by providing flexibility in materials, methods, and assessments.
 This method of instruction allows all students to learn in their own way.

3. Ten Tips for Personalized Learning Via
Technology
1. Deliver instruction through multiple
forms of media
2. Gather and use immediate feedback on
students understanding
3. Give students options
4. Automate basic-skills practice
5. Practice independent work skills
6. Create a weekly must-do and may-do
list
7. Pretest students knowledge before
each unit
8. Be flexible when plans go awry
9. Let students drive
10. Share the work of creating
differentiated lessons
Retrieved Ocotober 1 2014 from http://www.edutopia.org/stw-differentiated-instruction-ten-key-
lessons

4. Learning Profile
 A learning profile is a description of a student’s abilities, interests, learning
preferences, and other relevant information that can impact learning.
 Know the What, How, and Why for each learner
 Provide multiple means of representation
 Provide multiple means for action and expression
 Provide multiple means for engagement

5. Neural Networks
 Recognition Networks
 Neural networks in the brain that help to identify sensory data, such as objects,
facts, and patterns.
 Strategic Networks
 Neural networks that control processes for planning, executing, and monitoring
your actions.
 Affective Networks
 Neural networks that relate to feelings and emotion, and which influence
motivation for and engagement with a particular goal, method, medium, or
assessment.

6. Assistive Technology
 Low-Tech Assistive Tools
 Spell checkers, switch toys, timers, calculators, and talking picture frames
 Mid-Tech Assistive Tools
 Talking dictionaries, word-processing software, electronic organizers, text
messaging, and captioning
 High-Tech Assistive Tools
 Touch sensitive pads, eye-tracking technology, speech synthesizers, and
environmental controls

7. Culturally Responsive Teacher
1. Are socially conscious, meaning that one’s understanding is influenced by one’s
culture
2. View students’ diverse backgrounds as assets rather than liabilities
3. Feel personally responsible for helping schools be more responsive to all students;
4. Understand how learners construct knowledge
5. Know about the lives of their students
6. Design instruction that builds upon students’ prior knowledge and experiences
and stretches them beyond the familiar

8. Supporting The Cognitive Needs of
Students
 Observing closely and describing what's there
 Building explanations and interpretations
 Reasoning with evidence
 Making connections
 Considering different viewpoints and perspectives
 Capturing the heart and forming conclusions
 Wondering and asking questions
 Uncovering complexity and going below the surface of things

9. Supporting The Metacognitive Needs of
Students
 The ability to think about our own thinking.
 Reflection is a vital component of authentic learning.
 Reflective thinking helps students make connections among their learning goals.
 Reflective thinking helps students focus on the processes they use to achieve
those goals.
 Reflective thinking helps students make connections with the content they are
learning.
 Reflective thinking helps students to better understand processes and
explanations so that they can apply them beyond the immediate problem they are
solving.

10. Equitable Access
1. Access to up-to-date hardware, software and connectivity.
2. Access to meaningful, high-quality, culturally responsive content and the
opportunity to contribute to that content.
3. Access to educators who know how to use digital tools and resources.
4. Access to systems sustained by leaders with vision and support for change
via technology.

11. References
Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P. (2010). Technology integration for
meaningful classroom use: A standards-based approach (2nd ed.). Belmont,
Calif.: Wadsworth.
Rubenstein, G. (2014, April 13). Ten Tips for Personalized Learning via
Technology. Retrieved October 1, 2014, from http://www.edutopia.org/stw-differentiated-
instruction-ten-key-lessons.