Week 11: English Languge Learners

I’ve had zero experience in teaching English Language Leaners, other than my classroom sits next to the ELL room at school. I always assumed that assistive technologies were merely geared towards special education realm. However, after reading a few of the articles that were posted, that is far from the truth. Technologies can also benefit ELL students in many ways. For instance, teachers for ELL students utilize online software such as Read Naturally and Rosetta Stone to help student grasp the language and focus on writing skills.

Both of these websites offer a variety of different activities to the students that help them build confidence while learning English. Students build fluency through the use and increase their vocabularies while building sentence structures.

In addition to the use of software technologies discussed in this week’s readings, I found this approach to be very helpful and observing in passing and talking to the ELL teacher next door. Assistive technology is considered any device that is used to improve the functional capabilities of a student.  Therefore, I feel that using these types of teaching strategies can technically be considered a form of assistive technology for ESL students.    I think any type of engaging, visual teaching will not only help ESL students, but will benefit all the students in the class.  Other examples of technologies that will help ESL students include word processing spelling and grammar check, translation devices/websites, and computer programs that allow students to listen to speech or emails.      

Also, since I’m on an iPad kick after last week, I came across this interesting article that was published by the Tamapa Bay Times. The article goes into how the school received a grant and bought iPads to help benefit ELL students.

Week 10: Students with Emotional/Behavioral Disorders

This week’s blog offering has to deal with Students with Emotional/Behavioral Disorders (EBD). Before moving to my current 12:1:4 classroom for students with severe and multiple disabilities, I was in a 6:1:1 classroom for students with emotional/behavioral disorders. In this classroom I saw a number of disorders such as Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Anxiety, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Bipolar Disorder. In other words, EBD is a very comprehensive disorder and encompasses a number of different diagnoses. The Gallaudet article does a nice job outlining a number of different ailments.

 In my classroom, I had the luxury of incorporating an iPad about half way through the school year. Fortunately, now I can look back and reflect what kind of an impact the iPad had in my classroom. Students in my classroom were all over the place on the EBD scale, as the slideshow points out students behaviors can differ. I had a handful of students who would externalize their behavior, while I had a few students that would internalize their behavior. However, the implementation of technology into the classroom did not care what kind of behavior you had.

The implementation of an iPad, a piece of assistive technology in some cases was huge. The iPad can act as a way of communication for students who struggle to communicate. I had a student ask for the iPad as a way to write his morning journal. This was an effective way for this particular student convey his thoughts. As a result of his success, other students wanted to try. They were also successful. However, this brought up a problem, 6 students and only 1 iPad. Thankfully, my classroom had enough computers for students to use, and use the iPad on a rotational basis.

Another way the iPad benefited my students with EBD was a way for students to be rewarded for good behavior.  Before the iPad was implemented students had very little to work for in terms of a reward. Previously, students had the reward for puzzles, games and computer time. However, the iPad was fun and exciting and very motivating. The iPad made these students work harder in class, focus on their work and not be disruptive.

Week 8: Funding

Working in a classroom that has a lot of assistive technology, I found this week’s topic of funding interesting and informative. Time is not our best friend here as technology advances at a rapid pace, It is essential to have funding in place in order to have our students technology up to date. The benefits of having up to date technology are critical in order to build confidence and mastering the technology for the student.  As the article, Assistive and Universally Designed Technology, discusses "technology making things possible." For some students technology plays a critical role in their education and in their daily form of communication. Without this technology, school and life would be near impossible. The use of technology allows these students to focus on the “possible” instead of focusing on the ‘impossible.” Without funding none of this is possible.

I have seen in my classroom DynaVoxes become quickly out of date or in need of repair. Getting a new AAC device or the device updated is a time consuming process. With these pieces of equipment being extremely expensive, as the article Funding Assistive Technology points out the difficulty with funding is finding appropriate funding and ensuring that their is no cost to the parents. Funding can be difficult to come by because not all funding sources will approve the technology or approve the newest technology.

           

It is essential to have a paper trail when developing a plan to incorporate technology into a student’s life. The article, Building an Initial Information Base, goes into detail talking about developing an appropriate educational plan for a student. Perhaps the most critical element to building a paper trail is getting the assistive technology onto the students IEP, that way it would fall under IDEA. From the IEP’s I’ve read and written the assistive technology needs to improve “functional levels” for the student with a disability.

No matter the amount of work that it takes to get approval for a piece of assistive technology, it’s definitely worth it. As an educator we owe it to our selves to make our students way of life easier and more effective.

Week 7: Technology and the law

Throughout this semester the central theme of my blog has been assistive technology. With that being said, I know how to use, implement and make changes to these devices; so this weeks readings were very interesting for me. They were interesting because I never realized how many laws there were for providing assistive technology to students with disabilities.  The fact that there are several laws just reinforces the notion that assistive technology is extremely important in the classroom.

Both sites provided a summation of the legislation behind the funding associated with assistive technology. A few pieces of legislation caught my eye. The “Tech Act” of 1988 provided federal funds to states to develop training and delivery systems for assistive technology devices and services. It required states and territories to develop statewide, consumer-responsive programs of technology-related services for individuals with disabilities of all ages. Moreover, this was the first act of its kind to insure funding. This act was further strengthened by the implementation of Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 1990 and 1997.

These acts are essential to individuals who suffer from impairments that require assistive technology but also staff that works with these individuals. I have several students who have very expensive DynaVox devices that help them in their day-to-day communication. I strongly believe, without these pieces of legislation their families wouldn’t be able to pay for them. Our classroom assistive technology specialist often calls the justification process for these AAC devices “creative writing.” I talked to her about the process and says that she can have a justification sent be 2 or 3 times until it’s approved. Nevertheless, students will still benefit from the device no matter how many times the justification needs to be written.

Week 6: Technology for Sensory Impairments

The incorporation of assistive technology does not remove a sensory impairment, it can help remedi­ate its effects so that a person is able to use a computer with full or nearly full functionality. Just because a student may have hearing loss, or vision impairment, doesn’t mean they cannot learn math like the rest of their peers.  They just may need technology to help them along the way. 

Both the articles and websites specifically concentrated on the types of assistive technology available to students with vision impairments.  I found the Microsoft website to be very fascinating.  I use Microsoft applications regularly, and consider myself pretty knowledgeable about the software. I also found the tips on iOS very insightful. I use Apple products everyday and have seen some of the things mentioned in the guide but never knew what they did. My hope is that more teachers read these quick guides because in a world where students with disabilities are mainstreamed in general education classes, the more knowledge teachers have about assistive technologies, the better the students will learn.

The webinar by Nathalie DeWit was long but extremely helpful when it came to incorporating different types of assistive technologies for students with multiple disabilities and visual impairments. She looks at certain types of iPad apps, switches, and many more different options. I can use many of her ideas in my classroom this year. This year, I have a student who is legally blind.  The student wears glasses to help with his,, but is still in need of additional services. Currently we are doing our best to adapt materials for him. We get enlarged textbooks, have ZoomText software available on a computer and try to write in only colors he can see. He has been largely successful in our class due to these implementations.

Week 5: Technology for Gifted and Talented Students

Unlike the past few weeks this class, I have very no experience with gifted/talented students. I found both readings this week really opened my eyes to fact that a child can have the potential to reach higher levels of accomplishment even while dealing with the affects of a learning disability. In order to do this, it is necessary for many gifted and talented students to use assistive technology.

The Virtual Learning article provided a nice glimpse into what gifted and talented student has to experience. Previously, I always assumed a child labeled as “gifted,” was at a much higher level as the rest of the students, and therefore needed to be challenged.  I never associated “that child” with also having a disability that they were trying to overcome. 

In the article, Sean was described as having low-vision, and therefore required the use of a computer to increase his ability to read text. The use of this type of assistive technology allowed Sean to build confidence and excel in the classroom.  Without this form of assistive technology, he may not have been given the opportunity to read more advanced texts simple because he could not see it. 

As educators it is our job to reach every student and make sure that each one is successful through differentiating our instruction on a daily basis in all subject areas. By broadening our teaching we can accommodate al types of students. Both articles call for merging technology with advanced curriculum can allow teachers to reach those students are well above the rest of their peers with limited teacher involvement. One way to merge technology with curriculum is by implementing a Web Quest. This instructional method allows a student to work with most or all information around a given topic using the internet and other computer resources with specific guided instructions from the teacher. Depending on what is being studied in class you may also allow your students to take a virtual trip through a museum such as one of my favorite museums, the Natural history Museum in D.C. and equip them with a viewer’s guide (The hope Diamond, most famous diamond in the world is located on the second floor. Be sure to check it out). I believe that the possibilities are endless when it comes to using technology to enhance and enrich our curriculum and daily lessons.

Week 4: Technology and Communication Impairments

This week we look at how technology can help students with disabilities communicate. Choosing the most effective communication device for a student with communication impairment should be left for a speech pathologist. However, I am a person who with students with communication impairments on a daily basis. I look for the most effective way for students to effectively communicate while building independence and confidence. These devices are very expensive and deciding on the correct one for a student is critical. As pointed out in the NIDCD article there are several types of assistive devices available, ALDs, AAC, and alerting devices. These pieces of assistive technology help students who would otherwise be silent in the classroom become an active participate.

I’ve been fortunate to experience two of the three. I’ve seen and worked with ALDs and AAC devices. During student teaching I had a student who needed a ALD device in the classroom to hear me.  As the ASHA article points out, a FM system is a device that uses radio signals to transmit amplified sounds. This student had a cochlear implant. As far as teaching wise, I was not hindered. I had to wear a microphone while I taught. At the time, I thought the device was awesome, I was able to see a student who couldn’t normally hear me, become an active participate in class through this FM device.

Communicating with an individual with a communication impairment can be as simple as utilizing a PECS system or more involved with a touchscreen device such as a Dynavox or a Tobii eye gaze system. Both forms of AAC are very effective and help grow independence and confidence. PECS can be made through numerous software offerings. I tend to favor Boardmaker due to the simplicity. Entire lessons can be made through Boardmaker. Additionally, PECS are utilized in Unique learning system and News-2-you newspaper, both of which are utilized in my room. News-2-you newspaper also is also offered on some AAC devices such as Saltillo, PRC, Jabbla, and MyTalk, which is a great help to a student. Both of these PECS learning venues offer a wide variety of PECS and even offer text to speech, which is of great importance to my class. Also, in my class, I have two students who use a DynaVox device to communicate. This touchscreen device can also be operated via a head mouse. The use of an AAC device like a DynaVox helps greatly for a student communicate and express their minds. While it takes a long time for both staff and student to get use to these devices they are worth it as the benefits outweigh the cons.

Utilizing communication devices to bridge the gap in a communication impairment is critical for the growth of a student. As always these devices need to be selected carefully so a student can build independence and confidence.