Assistive Technologies in the Classroom

By Megan Troutt

Overview of Special Education

• There are over a million students in the U.S. who qualify as special needs students under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

• 80% of students with disabilities have high-incidence ones such as learning disabilities, speech or language impairments, mild intellectual disabilities, and emotional disturbances

• The other 20% have low-incidence disabilities such as moderate to severe mental retardation, multiple disabilities, orthopedic impairments, visual or hearing impairments, autism, traumatic brain injury, and developmental delays

Special Education cont-d• There are many professionals who interact with

these children consistently– General education teachers– Special education teachers– School psychologists– Counselors– Occupational/Speech/Language Therapists– Social Workers– And most important – Parents

**These professionals need to work together to figure out what is best for the special needs children individually and what paths need to be taken. IEP’s are always created for the students, which can include Assistive Technology

What is Assistive Technology?

• Many students with disabilities of all ages need Assistive Technology (AT) to get through everyday school activities.

• Reasons students may need AT– Mobility– Communication– Participation– Vision/Hearing

What to do in the Beginning (for teachers)

1. Find out detailed information about the child and the family.

2. Identify participation activities and what is holding them back from participating more

3. How will you notice the changes as the occur? Brainstorm if an intervention would affect participation

more.

Steps – cont’d

4. Think of Assistive Technology solutions for the students in need

5. Try out the Assistive Technology on the students6. Identify what worked and what needs to be fixed for next

time

These steps should be followed by all education professionals in order to determine what to do regarding AT for special needs children

The steps can be viewed more in depth at LDOnline

Assistive Technology in the Classroom

• IDEA defines AT as "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" 

• Some of the most common AT include:– Visual problems – Braille textbooks, books on tape, eyeglasses, large

print books– Communication problems – Communication boards and books, pictures

and photos, electronic dictionaries– Students with studying problems – Highlighters, post-its, electronic

organizers, portable word processors– Hearing problems – Hearing aids, CC Television, pictures and photos,

communication boards

*For an even more extensive list, you can check out Assistive Technology

More In-Depth with Books on Tape

• Books on tape are great AT’s for students with many different disabilities. Students with visual impairments benefit the most from these books, but students with ADHD or learning disabilities can also excel by using an audio book.

• These books can help students focus more, especially if they have a hard time reading certain words or distracted by other noises.

• Books on tape are available everywhere now-a-days and they are usually accessible on learning tablets that many students utilize daily

The Truth of Assistive Technology

• It’s crucial for young students to be introduced to an enriching academic environment where they have the AT they need.

• Surveys say that 45% of students who need AT are not receiving it.

• Children need family support more than anything, especially when they are affected by a disability.

Individual Educational Plan (IEP)

• The IEP’s created by the educational professionals and the parents will determine what AT’s are necessary.

• IEP’s can be adjusted and changed when necessary if certain AT’s are not working.

• IEP’s need to be reevaluated after a year to see if progress was made. Students with special needs need IEP’s in order to succeed in the classroom.

Encouragement to Give to Parents

• Teachers should always communicate with the parents

• Make sure to always ask them questions because they will know more about the child’s behavior outside of school

• Tell the parents about organizations and groups that they can get involved in to learn more about having a child with special needs and dealing with assistive technologies

ResourcesThe Division for Early Childhood. http://www.dec-sped.org/

Friend, Marilyn. Including Students with Special Needs. 5th Edition. PearsonEducation. 2009

Minnesota Department of Children, Families, and Learning. (2001). Assistive technology checklist process. Retrieved November 20, 2002, from http://www.integratingstandards.org/index.html

National Center for Technology Innovation and Center for Implementing Technology in Education (CITEd) (2006) by LDOnline http://www.ldonline.org/article/8088

North Central Regional Educational Laboratory http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/methods/technlgy/te7assist.htm

Reed, P. R. (2001). A resource guide for teachers and administrators about assistive technology. Oshkosh, WI: Wisconsin Assistive Technology Initiative