Adaptive & Assistive Technologies
Adaptive & Assistive Technologies
The broad definition of “assistive technology (AT) is” basically “any device, piece of equipment or system that helps a person with a disability work around his challenges so he can learn, communicate or simply function better” (The Understood Team, 2017). “Assistive technology can’t “cure” learning and attention issues, but it can help kids work around their challenges” (The Understood Team, 2017).
Applying assistive technology as an educator and using the assistive measures at one's fingertips in this 21st century of access to technology is in the best interest for our 21st century students. As educators we are like customer service representatives for our students also, which means catering to their needs and preferences for learning styles and assistance when needed for academic achievement. As teachers it is our responsibility to support our students and to discover how they best learn with assistive technology as needed, so that we can better understand how to assist them daily in our 21st century classrooms.
Eight, great ideas for “assistive technology” and “adaptive tools” are “audio players and recorders, timers, reading guides, seat cushions, FM listening systems, calculators, writing supports, and graphic organizers” (Morin, n.d.). It is interesting to know that “an inflatable seat cushion can help kids with sensory processing and attention issues” (Morin, n.d.). This adaptive tool of a “cushion can provide enough movement and stimulation to help a child maximize his focus without having to get up and walk around” (Morin, n.d.).
New and exciting assistive technology tools are coming to light daily for our 21st century students. For example, there is a writing tool that “helps students circumvent the actual physical task of writing” (Stanberry & Raskind, 2009). There is also “a speech recognition program” that “works in conjunction with a word processor” (Stanberry & Raskind, 2009). It is quite fascinating that doctors, and now kids in school can “dictate into a microphone,” and that their “spoken words appear on the computer screen as text” (Stanberry & Raskind, 2009). It is refreshing to know that “this can help a user whose oral language ability is better than his writing skills” in our 21st century classrooms (Stanberry & Raskind, 2009).
Examples
Some examples of assistive technology devices that support literacy content standards and student technology standards are “proofreading software,” online “graphic organizers” that are appropriate for varied learning environments and student readiness levels, and “text-to-speech assistive tools” (Teach Thought Staff, 2015). Due to the digital age that we currently live in, there have been “rapid advances in assistive technology” that have helped to create more meaningful learning experiences that have affected “students, parents and teachers” that currently “have a seemingly limitless number of tools at their disposal” (Teach Thought Staff, 2015). These assistive technology “tools” that “start to appear in the home and in the classroom, can be utilized “for students’ academic and personal growth” through the direction of “parents and teachers” for our 21st century students (Teach Thought Staff, 2015). Below are the explanations of some of my recommended resources.
Proofreading Software
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“Proofreading software” such as Ginger, which can be located from the link, “is a branch of assistive technology that goes above and beyond the typical proofreading features found in a word processing system, such as correcting words frequently misspelled by students with dyslexia” (Teach Thought Staff, 2015). There are also “a number of other features that can help students work on” their “English skill set to become a more effective and accurate writer” (Teach Thought Staff, 2015). Even though Ginger is “primarily geared towards individuals with dyslexia, proofreading software can be helpful to those with any type of learning disorder that makes writing and reading challenging” (Teach Thought Staff, 2015). “Ginger offers several features that can help students with dyslexia and other learning disorders with writing” (Teach Thought Staff, 2015). Another advantage to using Ginger is that it is “also designed for speakers of languages other than English” (Teach Thought Staff, 2015).
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Ginger Instructional Tutorial Video Below
Summary
There are many simple items that can be called “assistive technology,” which can present a type of “first class” seating for students in the classroom. There is a whole process for the assistive technology assessment of a student. There are many excellent questions that can be asked in relation to the effectiveness and appropriateness of what is recommended as assistive technology for each student. For example, one question to ask would be “which tools do you think will be effective in addressing my child’s specific needs?” (The Understood Team, 2017). If we approach these assistive technology tools as if they were to be used for our own children instead of just students, we may begin to see assistive technology in a whole new light.
International Society for Technology in Education Standards Being Met:
Teaching, Learning and Assessments - ISTE-C Standard 2.a: “Coach teachers in and model design and implementation of technology-enhanced learning experiences addressing content standards and student technology standards” (ISTE, 2011).
Teaching, Learning and Assessments - ISTE-C Standard 2.d: “Coach teachers in and model design and implementation of technology-enhanced learning experiences emphasizing creativity, higher-order thinking skills and processes, and mental habits of mind (such as critical thinking, metacognition and self-regulation)” (ISTE, 2011).
Teaching, Learning and Assessments - ISTE-C Standard 2.e: “Coach teachers in and model design and implementation of technology-enhanced learning experiences using differentiation, including adjusting content, process, product and learning environment based on student readiness levels, learning styles, interests and personal goals” (ISTE, 2011).
Teaching, Learning and Assessments - ISTE-C 2.g: “Coach teachers in and model effective use of technology tools and resources to continuously assess student learning and technology literacy by applying a rich variety of formative and summative assessments aligned with content and student technology standards” (ISTE, 2011).
Teaching, Learning and Assessments - ISTE-C 2.h: “Coach teachers in and model effective use of technology tools and resources to systematically collect and analyze student achievement data, interpret results, and communicate findings to improve instructional practice and maximize student learning” (ISTE, 2011).
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Digital Age Learning Environments - ISTE-C 3.d: “Select, evaluate and facilitate the use of adaptive and assistive technologies to support student learning” (ISTE, 2011).
Graphic Organizers
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“Graphic organizers” are “effective in helping students to organize their thoughts during the writing process” (Teach Thought Staff, 2015). “Graphic organizers as an assistive technology” for students “can be a strong choice” if they are struggling “with dysgraphia or disorders of written expressions” and “particularly the conceptual aspects of writing” (Teach Thought Staff, 2015). Graphic organizers are wonderful for all students to use and “work by helping the student map out a course of action” to begin moving forward with developing their writing and literacy skills (Teach Thought Staff, 2015). Based “on the type of writing, the graphic organizer can prompt the writer to describe an object, chart out a course of events or perform some other task that can help in planning the piece” that can be a challenging aspect of writing (Teach Thought Staff, 2015). “Graphic organizers” are known to “vary by type and technological sophistication” and are known to be “low-tech handouts” (Teach Thought Staff, 2015). Simple handout forms for graphic organizers do not need to be “technologically advanced” (Teach Thought Staff, 2015). Examples of graphic organizers “handouts" can be found at the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Company link for anyone to use (Teach Thought Staff, 2015). Regarding graphic organizers “the sandwich chart can assist students with paragraph writing,” the “sequence chart can help with narrative writing and the ordering of events,” the “sense chart is designed for descriptive writing,” which is “where writers are prompted for terms that characterize and express an item” (Teach Thought Staff, 2015). There are many “other sample charts” that “exist and can help students with virtually any type of writing” as needed (Teach Thought Staff, 2015).
Text-to-Speech Device
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There is “text-to-speech assistive tool” called Intel Reader, which “is a mobile handheld device that uses TTS technology to read printed text aloud” (Teach Thought Staff, 2015). The Intel Reader “features a high-resolution camera that captures printed text, converts it to digital text and reads it to the user” (Teach Thought Staff, 2015). It is noted that “during playback, words are highlighted as they are read aloud, and the user can pause and have the device spell out highlighted words” (Teach Thought Staff, 2015). I found it intriguing that “the available Intel Portable Capture Station functions as a stand for the Intel Reader to easily and quickly capture text from books and other documents” (Teach Thought Staff, 2015). The Intel Reader is about the “size and weight of a paperback book,” and “the Intel Reader is mobile enough to use in any environment,” as an assistive technology tool at their fingertips (Teach Thought Staff, 2015). “Students can also transfer content from a home computer, or save generated audio versions of printed materials to a computer” (Teach Thought Staff, 2015). Available voices vary in gender, pitch and speed” (Teach Thought Staff, 2015). This valuable tool has been around the past 8 years, but I am just now hearing about this amazing product for students, and wanted to share the good news. An Intel press release about Intel Reader can be found from the link.
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Intel Reader Instructional Tutorial Video Below