Assistive Technology and Collaboration, Consultation, and Teaming

Ernest Cherullo, M.S., M.A.Ed., CCC/SLP-LIllinois State University

Objectives • Participants will be able to provide a working definition of assistive technology • Participants will be able to identify the areas of assistive technology often seen in

schools (reading, writing, access, communication)

• Participants will identify the need for data collection and its purpose in problem solving

• Participants will be able to identify one problem solving model for assistive technology collaboration

• Participants will be able to complete a problem solving model (SETT) given a student in their classroom

• Participants will generate at least one assistive technology tool or strategy for each of the areas of assistive technology referral often seen in schools

Day 1- Overview of Assistive Technology

• Objective– Participants will be able to provide a working

definition of Assistive Technology– Participants will be able to identify three areas of

assistive technology assistance often seen in the school setting

Day 1: Overview of Assistive Technology

• Illinois State Board of Education Definition of “Assistive Technology” (AT)

– Assistive technology includes both devices and services. As defined in IDEA:

– an assistive technology device means 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 a child with a disability. (34 CFR 300.5)

– an assistive technology service means any service that directly assists a child with a disability in the selection, acquisition, or use of an assistive technology device. (34 CFR 300.6)

– During the IEP process, assistive technology must be considered for every child and then provided by districts if required in a child's IEP to access a free and appropriate public education (FAPE).

• http://www.isbe.state.il.us/spec-ed/html/assist_tech.htm

Overview of Assistive Technology• The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

defines AT as both a device and a service:

• Assistive Technology DeviceAny item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customize, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of a child with a disability.

• Assistive Technology ServiceAny service that directly assists a child with a disability in the selection, acquisition, or use of an assistive technology device.

Overview of Assistive Technology

• In Google, there are 1,130,000 (plus) hits for “Assistive Technology”.

• If you search in Google, “Assistive Technology” definitions, you will receive 835,000 (plus) possible hits.

Overview of Assistive Technology

• Level of Technology Support– People often define assistive technology into three

levels: low, mid, and high-tech.

Overview of Assistive Technology

• Access Considerations– Positioning and stability (proximal to distal) greatly

influence computer access for students with physical disabilities. Easels, size and location of computer monitors, along with the method that a student accesses the computer are all important.

Overview of Assistive Technology

• Access Activity #1– Push activity

• Access Activity #2– Writing Activity• One sentence reflection on presentation with hand far

off to side• One sentence reflection on presentation with hand in

normal proximal position

Overview of Assistive Technology

• Alternative Access Methods• Trackballs

• Touch screens (built-in, add-on)• Switches

• Computer access positioning (Ergo Arms)• Optical head pointing (Smart-NAV)

• T-Bars• Alternative keyboards (IntelliKeys, Big Keys, ergo

keyboards, on-screen)• Keyguard

• Speech/voice

Overview of Assistive Technology

• Alternative Mice – Smart Nav• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0s5iqRpWH9c

– Adaptive Mice• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lZ9TQZLEOY

Overview of Assistive Technology

• Writing Support– Word prediction

• Word Q• Co: Writer

– http://www.donjohnston.com/media/flash/product_demo/cowriter6/index.html– (5 minutes)

• Graphic Organizer• Activity

– Who are you? » In presentation in classroom will have individuals brain storm with sticky notes

and then again with inspiration and compare the two strategies

• Sticky notes• Inspiration • Draft Builder

Overview of Assistive Technology

• More Alternative Access– Speak Q– Dragon Naturally Speaking• Demonstration of dragon naturally speaking

– www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWtmbQ0mxdU

Alternative Keyboards– Big Keys– Intellikeys keyboard

Overview of Assistive Technology

• Portable Word Processors– NEO– Fusion• Word prediction• Thesaurus• Dictionary• Lasts all day• Light way

– Interfaces with both Mac and PC word processing formats

Overview of Assistive Technology• Alternative and Augmentative Communication• What is AAC?• Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) includes all forms of

communication (other than oral speech) that are used to express thoughts, needs, wants, and ideas. We all use AAC when we make facial expressions or gestures, use symbols or pictures, or write.

• People with severe speech or language problems rely on AAC to supplement existing speech or replace speech that is not functional. Special augmentative aids, such as picture and symbol communication boards and electronic devices, are available to help people express themselves. This may increase social interaction, school performance, and feelings of self-worth.

• AAC users should not stop using speech if they are able to do so. The AAC aids and devices are used to enhance their communication.

• Demo– www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNTzCXOGJMA

Overview of Assistive Technology• What are the types of AAC systems?

– When children or adults cannot use speech to communicate effectively in all situations, there are options.

• Unaided communication systems- – rely on the user's body to convey messages. Examples include gestures, body language,

and/or sign language.

• Aided communication systems –– require the use of tools or equipment in addition to the user's body. Aided

communication methods can range from paper and pencil to communication books or boards to devices that produce voice output (speech generating devices or SGD's)and/or written output. Electronic communication aids allow the user to use picture symbols, letters, and/or words and phrases to create messages. Some devices can be programmed to produce different spoken

Overview of Assistive Technology

• Static, Synthesized, and Digitized– Flip Book– PODD– Switches– Multistep Switches– Go Talks– High End Devices– Proloquo2go

Overview of Assistive Technology

• Operating System Accessibility Options Windows PC

– The operating system has some basic built in options to assist with increasing accessibility for individuals with disabilities.

• Guides by Impairment: http://www.microsoft.com/enable/guides/default.aspx

• Guides by Operating Systemhttp://www.microsoft.com/enable/products/default.aspxThe options do vary depending on the specific operating system (Windows 95, Windows 98, ME, 2000, XP, Vista, Windows 7, etc.)

Overview of Assistive Technology

• Operating System Accessibility Options Apple/Mac

• Machttp://www.apple.com/accessibility/

Options include: zoom, keyboard navigation, sticky keys, slow keys, mouse keys, captioning, visual alert, spoken items, talking alerts, speech recognition, display adjustment.

• AT Product Search for third-party Mac-compatible productshttp://guide.apple.com/uscategories/assisttech.lasso

Homework

• Participants will find one example of assistive technology being used in their school setting in the areas of access, writing, and communication.

• Participants will identify a student in his/her home school that might benefit from Assistive Technology

• Participants will bring a written copy of this to turn in.

Day 2

• Problem Solving Model for Assistive Technology

• Objective:– Participants will be able to identify one problem

solving model for assistive technology collaboration

– Participants will be able to complete a problem solving model (SETT) given a student in their classroom

SETT

• The SETT was designed to aid the process of gathering, organizing and analyzing data to inform collaborative problem solving and decision making for assistive technology.

• Information is gathered concerning student’s abilities and needs, the environment in which they are taking place, the tasks required for the student’s active participation within the environment and the tools needs for completing the task.

• The SETT Framework was created by Zoy Zabala Dave Edyburn (2001)

SETT Framework

• Student: – What does this student need to do in your class,

describe a typical assignment?– What are this student’s strengths and challenges?– What accommodations are currently being used?

Are they successful?

– Activity • break into small groups and identify a student.• Answer the questions above

SETT Framework• Environment:• Most Likely Classroom Environment-• What materials and equipment are currently available in the

environment'?• What is the physical arrangement? Are there special concerns?• What is the instructional arrangement? Are there likely to be

changes?• What supports are available to the student?• What resources are available to the people supporting the

student?– Activity

• Cotinue on with identified student and identify the environment

SETT Framework

• Tasks• What activities take place in the environment?• What activities support the student's curriculum?• What are the critical elements of the activities?• How might the activities be modified to accommodate the

student's special needs?• How might technology support the student's active

participation in those activities?– Activity– Continue on with identified student and identify the required

tasks to be performed

SETT Framework

• Tools• What strategies might be used to invite increased

student performance? What no-tech,low-tech, and high-tech options should be considered when developing a system for astudent with these needs and abilities doing these tasks in these environments?

• How might these tools be tried out with the student in the customary environments inwhich they will be used?

Homework

• Go back to your school team and complete the Assistive Technology Consideration piece we discussed today in the areas of Student, Environment, and Tasks.

• Please type up the summary of the problem solving process as it will be collected to demonstrate and check for understanding of the concept.

Day 3Data Collection

• Objective– Participants will identify the need for data

collection and its purpose in problem solving

Data Collection

• To Collect Data need a data collection plan• A Data Collection plan is a plan by which we

identify the behavior we are looking for (in all of its forms) and how we will track it, who will track it, and where will we will track it.

Data Collection

• What is Data Collection– Data collection is the process by which a team

records and obtains information.– To obtain data you must CLEARLY identify what

you are looking for…– Data collection is nothing more than planning for

and obtaining useful information on which to base your decisions.

Data Collection

• Defining Terms:– When looking at behavior we must clearly identify

all forms of the behavior that are considered acceptable.

– As a group lets identify how many “who’s” we hear now that we have better defined it

Data Collection

• Activity– Watch video– Make a tally mark for every time you hear the

word: “who”• www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGF-fmN6IPE• Alternative (faster version)

– www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAX29q-N6II

Data Collection

• Data can be collected on:– Writing– Communication– Direction Following– Any behavior that is observable once defined

Data Collection

• Why is data collection important?• Data supports the positive outcomes (or lack

of) of the assistive technology intervention• The success and failure will rest on how

individuals collect data on student use of various systems.

Data Collection

• Remember when collecting data we need to create a data tracking plan that identifies:– What is the behavior– How will we track it– Who will track it– Where will we track it

Homework

• Sit down with the group that you worked with to create a SETT framework. Talk about how you will plan to track data for this trial period.

• Submit your data tracking plan to the instructor.

• Submit the material to echerullo@sased.org by October 31,2011 in order to receive your CEU credit.

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