Assistive Technology in Special Education

By Kathryn Mercanti, Fran Oliveira and Megan Valois

Welcome, Introductions and Ice-Breaker Activity!

“... providing students with assistive technology software is akin to providing them with a ‘toolkit’ for

assistance specific to their needs.”

- Ministry of Education, Education for All (2006)

What is Assistive Technology?

• Assistive technology (AT) has become a fundamental component of learning for today’s students, especially for those who have learning disabilities. Using technology in the classroom enhances student learning and offers differentiated instruction to help meet the needs of each individual. Assistive technology helps support identified students in areas of deficit and targets visual, auditory and kinesthetic learners. The following workshop will focus on a variety of assistive technologies available to teachers and students to support learning.

What kinds of assistive technology tools are

available?The term "assistive technology" has usually been applied to

computerhardware and software and electronic devices. However, many ATtools are now available on the Internet.

• Alternative Calculators or Keyboards• Audio Books (ie. Podcasts)• Digital Recorders (i.e. Echo SmartPen)• Electronic Text (i.e. Bookshare)• Electronic Math Worksheets (i.e. MathPad)• Graphic organizers and outlining (i.e. Inspiration)• Optical character recognition (OCR for scanning)• Portable Word Processors (i.e. N eo)• Speech-to-Text Programs (i.e. WordQ)• Spell checkers (portable or built into word processor such as

Ginger)• Text-to-Speech (ie; REACH) • Word-prediction programs

What are the benefits?• Assistive Technology benefits students with exceptionalities

because it acts as a “great equalizer for individuals with disabilities that might prevent full participation in school, work, and the community.” Michael Behrmann from Edutopia explains that “this is most evident in the case of individuals with mobility, hearing, or vision impairments, but is also true for individuals with limitations in cognition and perception. With technology, an individual physically unable to speak can communicate with spoken language. Using a portable voice synthesizer, a student can ask and respond to questions in the "regular" classroom, overcoming a physical obstacle that may have forced placement in a special segregated classroom or required a full-time instructional aide or interpreter to provide "a voice."”

• http://www.edutopia.org/assistive-technology-young-children-special-education

‘Instructional’ versus ‘Assistive’• The difference between assistive technology and instructional

technology is that assistive devices include any device that students with exceptionalities use to help them learn and function more effectively. These might include things such as hearing aids and amplification devices that enable hearing-impaired students to hear what's going on in the classroom. It can also include devices such as:

• glare-reduction screens, screen magnifiers, and Braille note-taking devices that enable visually impaired students to participate

• voice-recognition software that turns the spoken word into type on a computer screen so students unable to move their limbs can take part; and

• technologies that enable students to control their computers simply by following letters and commands on the computer screen with their eyes.

• http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/tech/tech086.shtml

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXnqToAwqiE

Some thoughts

on Assistive

Technology

Organizational Tools• As educators, we have all witnessed the benefits of technology

and how it can enhance learning effectively for our students, especially those who are exceptional. Students who have learning disabilities often struggle with organization, specifically organizing thoughts and ideas when writing. Assistive technology can help students plan, organize and keep track of information.

WHAT ARE ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY ORGANIZATIONAL TOOLS?

• Organizational tools offer a visual representation of ideas and concepts. These representations are presented in a physical manner and can be connected with arrows to show the relationship between ideas. They can be linked, rearranged, color-coded, and matched with a variety of icons to suit the needs of the user.

How do these help?

HOW DO ORGANIZATIONAL TOOLS SUPPORT STUDENTS WITH

LEARNING DISABILITIES?• Visual thinking and learning strategies help to increase

academic performance for students of all learning abilities. Computers are used in the classroom to support students with all aspects of writing, not just word processing. Organizational tools help make the writing process easier to develop and record ideas, to edit ideas, and to share ideas with others. Students with learning disabilities often find difficulty in brainstorming, listing ideas, and overall planning when they are writing. Graphic organizers assist exceptional students with organization by helping to generate topics and content for writing projects.

Examples of organizational tools

SMART IDEAS SOFTWARE • Smart Ideas Software uses graphic organizers to aid

understanding and help organize thoughts. It allows students/teachers to write ideas in small chunks using colourful diagrams. This program enables its users to create simple concept mapping to show basic connections between ideas, as well as detailed mapping. Students create work through the use of graphic organizers and are able to import their information into a Microsoft Word document.

• Visit this website for a brief tutorial on Smart Ideas: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=437PmTo-63A

• Visit this website for the user guide for Smart Ideas:http://downloads01.smarttech.com/media/sitecore/en/support/product/smartideas/smartideas4/guides/smartideasusersguide.pdf

• Visit this website for a video on the benefits of using Smart Ideas for teachers:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dw5Sc3ljjY

More organizational tools

INSPIRATION SOFTWARE: • Inspiration Software is another computer program that

assists students with visually organizing thoughts and ideas in a chart which helps students with the writing process (written expression and communication). Specifically, students brainstorm using symbols and images to represent and sort their ideas, and create visual diagrams and graphic organizers to break down work into manageable sections.

• Visit this website for a tutorial on Inspiration Software:http://www.inspiration.com/Kidspiration

BenefitsBenefits of SMART IDEAS and INSPIRATION software:• Helps students organize thoughts in a logical manner

(brainstorm ideas)• Provides images to support ideas• Enables students who find words/writing overwhelming to

use pictures/diagrams to form ideas• Helps students to compose short or long writing assignments

by gradually building on ideas• Breaks down larger assignments/tasks into smaller chunks to

help students process information• Students/teachers have a visual representation of the topic• Students/teachers can easily add or remove ideas/concepts

through class discussion• Teachers can have students collaborate ideas/show

connections between ideas

Assistive Technology and Differentiated

Instruction SMART IDEAS and INSPIRATION software support

differentiated instruction by:

• allowing students to be actively involved in the lesson • providing a visual concept of what is being discussed• allowing tactile learners to create something with the

information they have learned• allowing lessons to be tailored for individual students to

learn and demonstrate their understanding in ways that best suit their specific learning needs.

Technology to Support Executive Functioning

Skills (Apps):ICON NAME DESCRIPTION

iStudiez Pro -scheduling appointments and reminding you of deadlines

Next Thing -a digital sticky note

iThoughts -mapping tool to organize thoughts and ideas

Corkulous -giant bulletin board to collect and organize ideas

Flashcards Deluxe -five-sided flash cards

Dropbox -organizational tool for keeping files accessible

Alarm Clock Free -alarm clock with snooze and local weather conditions

PDF Expert -reads/highlights/take notes in PDF

• “We believe that technology is equitably implemented when it is: available, used routinely, used in ways that reflect real-world applications of interest, complexity, and power, used to enhance learning opportunities for all students, used to monitor teacher/students progress over time.”

• “Social Justice: Choice or Necessity” by Colleen Swain and David Edyburn, page 16.

Assistive Technology for Language Difficulties

• There are a wide variety of assistive technologies available for students with exceptionalities in the areas of language (receptive, expressive, spelling, Dyslexia, etc) or speech (communication disorders/exceptionalities).

• Assistive technology for language usually encompasses one or more of the following: – text to speech, speech to text, word recognition/prediction,

audio books or audio recorders and word processing.

• We will offer one example of each: adapted keyboard, text to speech, speech to text, word prediction and audio recorders; however, there are many options available.

Product: REACH by Infogrip.comUses: Adapted Keyboard and Text to SpeechTarget group: REACH works well for individuals who have

Cerebral Palsy, Muscular Dystrophy or other disorders that make communicating difficult.

• Description: REACH is not only an on-screen keyboard but a tool chest, loaded with features to help you write, access information, communicate, access the Internet, learn, and dynamically interact with others as easy and efficiently as possible. It has “ScanBuddy” a mouse emulation system that lets you point and click your mouse using only a switch. Furthermore, REACH speaks as you type or after you're finished typing. You can highlight text virtually anywhere on the screen and have it read back to you.

• http://www.infogrip.com

Product: Dragon NaturallySpeaking Uses: Speech to text Target group: For students with fine motor skill difficulties,

spelling/grammar issues, processing issues or physical disabilities preventing typing.

• Description: Dragon NaturallySpeaking is a speech recognition software package that talks and types. It turns your voice into text and therefore, instead of requiring a student to type information, it can be dictated orally. Dragon has the ability to playback your speech in documents and has a built in text to speech option also.l

Product: Co-Writer Uses: Word prediction Target group: Co-Writer helps students who struggle with

illegiblehandwriting, poor phonetic or inventive spelling, physical

disabilities thatmakes typing difficult, students with difficulty translating

thoughts into writing and students with dyslexia.

• Description: Co:Writer interprets spelling and grammar mistakes and offers word suggestions in real time. Co:Writer's Word Bank automatically presents a list of topic-specific words whenever a “topic dictionary” is selected. Other words can also be programmed.

• Co-Writer demonstration: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWEKwJ-BBJ4

Product: Audio Boo (App)Uses: Audio recording Target group: Audio Boo helps students who struggle with fine

motor skill difficulties, poor phonetic or inventive spelling, physical disabilities that

makes typing difficult, students with difficulty translating thoughts into writing and students with dyslexia.

• Description: Audio Boo allows students to record messages, questions, text, reflections, etc through their mobile device or computer and post/share them online. The “boos” can be shared on social media platforms also. Audio Boo allows students to record and share insights that they might otherwise struggle to output, in a more tradition form like a journal. Students can share and respond to each other’s “boos”.

• Sample audio-boos from a Grade 5 class: http://audioboo.fm/channel/michael-faraday-school

Ipads as an Assistive Technology

• Both the iPad and iPod are extremely useful tools in the classroom. With its multitude of applications (apps), the iPad is not only beneficial for typically functioning students in the classroom, but it can be an invaluable learning tool for students with special needs.

• There are many apps to support students with the following exceptionalities: Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), Developmental Delays (DD), Learning Disabilities (LD), Blind/Low Vision, Hearing Impaired and other physical disabilities.

• For the purposes of this presentation, today the focus will be on applications that are useful for students with ASD/DD and LD.  

• The apps described here are just a small fraction of those that are available. With the iPad, the possibilities are endless!

Benefits• Engages students in active learning• Facilitates all types of learners• Allows for individualized and customized learning• Fosters higher-order thinking skills are embedded in 21st

century skills• Provides immediate feedback • Brings the real world to the classroom• Promotes collaboration among students• Makes learning fun and exciting with the “coolness” factor

– not “special technology” for exceptional learners – the same type of technology that everyone else uses.

• Supports equitable access to technology

Source: iTouch, iLearn, iBelieve

How can the iPad assist students with ASD/DD?

Social/Communication• Hidden Curriculum on the Go- contains real-life based

conversations about the countless “unwritten social rules” that we encounter every day and that can cause confusion and anxiety

• Proloquo to Go (by AssistiveWare)- this application breaks down the barriers of communication for special needs individuals who are unable to communicate verbally. It provides natural sounding text-to-speech voices. Proloquo to go is most appropriate for students who are able to use a Picture Exchange System (PECS) independently and efficiently

• Model Me kids- models appropriate social skills• iConverse

How can the iPad assist students with ASD/DD?

Organization• iPrompts• All Done• Visual Timer

Life Skills• Edukitchen- matching, counting, arranging games with a

kitchen theme• Grocery iQ

Language and Math• See examples on DD slide

How can the iPad assist students with LD?

Organization• myHomework • aNote• White board• Wikipanion • Siri 

Mathematics• Math Tutor• Splash Math• Graphing Calculator• Freddy Fraction

How can the iPad assist students with LD?

Language• Bluster• Tumblebooks to Go- books that are read to the student• Pocket Phonics- fun phonics for younger students• Kindle for iPhone• Spelling City- teachers are able to enter word lists online

Considerations: • protective covers to ensure that the iPad is not damaged• education and knowledge about how to use the iPad-

Apple Stores hold free classes! • security issues- may need to disable the camera and video

function, unsupervised use of the internet

In summary …. • As clearly demonstrated in this

presentation, assistive technology helps to enhance learning in areas where students with special needs struggle. Furthermore, it promotes differentiated instruction in an inclusive classroom and fosters a positive and effective learning environment for all students, regardless of their individualized needs.

“We can no longer teach today's students with yesterday's tools and expect them to succeed.”

- iTouch, iLearn, iBelieve presentation

References• http://www.ncld.org/students-disabilities/assistive-technology-education/

apps-students-ld-organization-study• http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/tech/tech086.shtml• http://www.edutopia.org/assistive-technology-young-children-special-

education• http://atclassroom.blogspot.ca• Presentation: iTouch, iLearn, iBelieve