Assistive+Technology+for+Classroom+and+Home


 * What is Assistive Technology? HOME**

According to the 1985 Technology Act and the Technology-Related Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities Act 1988, Assistive Technology is "any item, piece of equipment, or product system that is used to improve the functional capabilities of people with disabilities, as well as services for designing and customizing equipment, coordinating therapies, and training or technologial assistance for parents, teachers and the child."

There are many different tools available for students who struggle in school with mild disabilities, such as dyslexia, visual impairment or blindness, or who struggle with reading or writing due to another type of learning disability. Many of them are available for free, or can be set up for use in school or home if the child has an IEP. They vary in price. Parents and teachers can request these types of assistances for the students and just need to meet with an AT specialist to see what would work for that individual. Each child's needs are different, so it's not one-size-fits-all either. Some things can be simple accommodations that teachers can make for students who struggle with dyslexia or other reading/writing difficulties and ADHD that don't necessarily need to be for those who have IEP's.

"Schools unfairly priviledge certain techniques for no other reason than the fact that those methods are comfortable for those in power" (Ira Socol, an AT specialist for Michigan). He says that the deliberately chosen technology in the classrooms, such as regular books, pencils, and paper (traditional ways of teaching), enable some and disable others. What if all a student needed to do was to have text read to him/her while looking at the text or reading it in Braille (if the student were blind) to be able to perform at the level of his peers? What if the student had tools to help him/her be able to figure out what a word is without teacher assistance and become more independent and take more responsibility for his/her own learning? What if that student could dictate his/her stories or papers to a computer that would help type it up for him and make it from speech to text, so that his/her flow of ideas is not hindered by writing mechanics?


 * AT Resources for the Blind or Visually Impaired and those with other reading disabilities:**

These are some that will read text for you from a computer screen. They also have Braille Reading Formant (BRF) Technology.

[|www.florida**reading**.com/**victorread**er**stream**.shtml] [| -]
 * The Victor Reader Stream**--reads text of any kind from the computer

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 * Bookshare**--the world's largest online library or digital books that is free for those students with print disabilities.

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 * DAISY**--Digital Accessible Information System that also reads books and other texts. Many of the books from Bookshare are compatible in this format.

Here is a video that shows how DAISYhelps those with any type of reading disabilities: []

Here is the link for more information: http://www.wizcomtech.com/eng/catalog/a/readingpenTS/
 * The Reading Pen**--A hand-held tool for middle school to adult level readers that scans and reads words on a page and has a built in dictionary for students to look up the meanings of words as well. It comes with its own headset, so other students aren't disrupted by hearing text read aloud.

Here is an article that gives the pros and cons of the Reading Pen []

This is an article from USA today about alternative desks to help those who struggle with focusing and ADHD: [] Here is another one about students using Yoga/Exercise balls in leu of chairs for sitting in the classroom to help with focusing as well: []
 * AT Resources for those with ADHD**

Another great resource for parents and teacher students with mild disabilities is: []


 * Writing Tools**

This program has many features for students who struggle with literacy or communication. The Clicker 5 has symbols/pictures, pre-made words and phrases for students to click on to make their sentences for writing. It can also be used for someone who is non-verbal or autistic for communicating in this way. Having these tools for students who are non-verbal can help teachers better assess what they know and are comprehending. The program is made for those with visual impairment or physical handicaps because there is a large font option and variable line spacing, as well as compatability with the USB Crick switch for those with physical impairment to be able to use the computer program. It has talking books for helping with readingand those with dyslexia, as well as activities that are broken down into smaller steps to reinforce literacy skills. Students with speech and language difficulties can develop sound awareness through sound matching activities. Teachers can record their own or download some, based on students' needs, depenting on what they need to practice.
 * Clicker 5/WriteOnline**

The WritingOnline software that goes along with Clicker 5 for the upper elementary-college age levels. It also has the //Learning Grids World// for online resources in content area subjects. For helping students with writing difficulties, there are organizers in the Workspace for mind maps, diagrams and outlines. Teachers can assess student's writing history--how much time they have spent on their document, what sections are pasted, and spelling errors, as well as add teacher notes to their documents. It can be integrated with classroom Moodles and students can access their documents at home through their class Moodle as well. The cost is very reasonable for a unlimited school liscence--$2000. There is a separate cost for Clicker 5 and Write Online, but both were the same. []

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 * Kurzweil 3000** This is another program similar to the Clicker 5, but more expensive. It also includes study tools, such as highlighting and flashcards and notes.

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 * Write Out Loud** by Don Johnston is a nice program for helping students with writing.


 * Other similar writing programs:**

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 * ReadWriteGold**

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 * ReadQWriteQ**