This document discusses assistive technologies and IEPs for students with special needs. It defines assistive technologies as devices that help people with disabilities perform tasks independently and provide a least restrictive environment in classrooms. An IEP is an individualized education plan that sets goals for students with mild learning disabilities. The document outlines different types of assistive technologies for various disabilities, including learning disabilities, hearing impairments, and ADHD. Examples provided are hearing aids, graphic organizers, and text-reading software. The goal of assistive technologies and IEPs is to support students with special needs and promote their inclusion in regular classrooms.

1. IEP’s And Assistive Technology:Making the Difference Mary Smith June 13, 2010 ITEC 7530 Module 6: WebQuest Activity

2. Teaching Students with Special Needs The process of teaching students with special needs usually includes an individually planned and monitored arrangement with equipment and materials that help learners with disabilities to achieve a higher level of learning and success in the classroom Common disabilities include: Learning and communication challenges Hearing impairments Traumatic brain injury Physical disabilities Emotional and behavioral disorders, such as ADHD Developmental disorders From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_education

3. Inclusion and Least Restrictive Environment Inclusion is defined as having students with special educational needs spend the majority of their time in school with non-disabled students From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inclusion_(education) “Least restrictive environment“ is defined as providing students with a disabilities the opportunity to be educated with non-disabled students as much as possible based on the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Least_Restrictive_Environment

4. What is an IEP? An IEP is an Individualized Education Plan to help students with mild learning disabilities succeed in the classroom This programs sets up goals for the child to achieve throughout the year, between the teacher, student, and parents From: http://kidshealth.org/parent/positive/learning/iep.html#

5. Assistive Technology Assistive technology (AT) is the term that defines assistive, adaptive, or rehabilitative devices for people who have disabilities and also involves the process in selecting, locating, and using these devices AT’s provide people with more independence by allowing them to perform tasks that they may not have ordinarily been able to do this can provide a least restrictive environment in the classroom for students who have disabilities, allowing them to be included in every day activities From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assistive_technology

6. Types of Assistive Technologies AT’s for Students with Learning or Studying Problems Post-It notes Picture schedule Social stories Portable word processors Hand held computers Graphic organizer software Text-reading software AT’s for Students with Hearing Disabilities Hearing aids Pictures, photographs, objects Communication boards Closed-captioning television CD-based (text)books, electronic books Phonic ear From: http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/methods/technlgy/te7assist.htm

7. Assistive Technologies for Students with ADHD Graphic organizers are a great tool to keep students with ADHD focused and on topic in the classroom Having printed lesson plans can also help the students to know from the start what is expected of them These tools can also be used with all of the students in the classroom, which provides a feeling of inclusion for those students with disabilities, as they are not being singled out From: http://www.teachervision.fen.com/add-and-adhd/resource/5348.html?detoured=1

9. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inclusion_(education)

10. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Least_Restrictive_Environment

11. http://kidshealth.org/parent/positive/learning/iep.html#

12. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assistive_technology

13. http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/methods/technlgy/te7assist.htm

14. http://www.teachervision.fen.com/add-and-adhd/resource/5348.html?detoured=1