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- 1. Differentiated Instruction
Assistive Technology
John Williams
ITEC 7530
2. Key Terms
3. What is differentiated instruction?
Differentiated Instruction - Recognizing students varying
background knowledge, readiness, language, preferences in learning,
interests, and reacting responsively. Differentiated instruction is
a process to approach teaching and learning for students of
differing abilities in the same class. The intent of
differentiating instruction is to maximize each students growth and
individual success by meeting each student where he or she is, and
assisting in the learning process
4. What is a special needs student?
Special Needs Student - The term Special Needs is a short form of
Special Education Needs and is a way to refer to students with
disabilities. The term Special Needs in the education setting comes
into play whenever a child's education program is officially
altered from what would normally be provided to students through an
Individual Education Plan, which is sometimes referred to as an
Individual Program plan
5. What is an Individualized Education Plan (IEP)?
Individualized Education Plan (IEP) - Kids with delayed skills or
other disabilities might be eligible for special services that
provide individualized education programs in public schools, free
of charge to families
6. Who needs an Individualized Education Plan or Program
(IEP)?
Individualized Education Plan/Program - A child who has difficulty
learning and functioning and has been identified as a special needs
student is the perfect candidate for an IEP. Kids struggling in
school may qualify for support services, allowing them to be taught
in a special way for reasons such as: learning disabilities,
attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), emotional
disorders, mental retardation, autism, hearing impairment, visual
impairment, speech/language impairment, & developmental
delays
7. IEPs in action: how do they fit in at school?
Inclusion - Inclusion is a term which expresses commitment to
educate each child, to the maximum extent appropriate, in the
school and classroom he or she would otherwise attend. It involves
bringing the support services to the child (rather than moving the
child to the services) and requires only that the child will
benefit from being in the class (rather than having to keep up with
the other students). Proponents of inclusion generally favor newer
forms of education service delivery
8. Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) - To the maximum extent
appropriate, children with disabilities, including children in
public or private institutions or other care facilities, are
educated with children who are nondisabled; and Special classes,
separate schooling, or other removal of children with disabilities
from the regular educational environment occurs only if the nature
or severity of the disability is such that education in regular
classes with the use of supplementary aids and services cannot be
achieved satisfactorily
9. What are supplementary aids/assistive technology?
Assistive Technology - 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
functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities
10. Types of Assistive Technology (AT)
11. Assistive Listening Devices
Persons with hearing impairments can be assisted in a variety of
ways to function better within the home, school, community, and
employment. Although hearing aids offer benefits for some
individuals with specific types of hearing loss, many people need
more assistance than hearing aids can provide. There are many types
of assistive equipment available to aid individuals who are hearing
impaired or deaf. Assistive technology for persons with hearing
impairments attempts to utilize other modalities of communication,
whereby the inability to hear will not affect the overall
performance of an individual in a specified task
12. Examples
Refreshable Braille displays provide tactile output of information
represented on the computer screen. A Braille "cell" is composed of
a series of dots. The pattern of the dots and various combinations
of the cells are used in place of letters. Refreshable Braille
displays mechanically lift small rounded plastic or metal pins as
needed to form Braille characters. The user reads the Braille
letters with his or her fingers, and then, after a line is read,
can refresh the display to read the next line
13. Light signaler alerts monitor computer sounds and alert the
computer user with light signals. This is useful when a computer
user can not hear computer sounds or is not directly in front of
the computer screen. As an example, a light can flash alerting the
user when a new e-mail message has arrived or a computer command
has completed
14. Braille embossers transfer computer generated text into
embossed Braille output. Braille translation programs convert text
scanned-in or generated via standard word processing programs into
Braille, which can be printed on the embosser
15. Assistive Visual Devices
Multiple forms of assistive technologies and devices are available
for persons with visual impairments. Adaptive technologies range
from hand held magnifiers and closed-circuit TV systems to computer
software that produces auditory and tactile outputs for the text
displayed on a computer monitor. These technologies are very
specialized and must be precisely matched with the individual's
level of vision and their environmental requirements
16. Examples
Text-to-Speech (TTS) or speech synthesizers receive information
going to the screen in the form of letters, numbers, and
punctuation marks, and then "speak" it out loud in a computerized
voice. Using speech synthesizers allows computer users who are
blind or who have learning difficulties to hear what they are
typing and also provide a spoken voice for individuals who can not
communicate orally, but can communicate their thoughts through
typing
17. Screen readers are used to verbalize, or "speak," everything on
the screen including text, graphics, control buttons, and menus
into a computerized voice that is spoken aloud. In essence, a
screen reader transforms a graphic user interface (GUI) into an
audio interface. Screen readers are essential for computer users
who are blind
18. Screen enlargers, or screen magnifiers, work like a magnifying
glass for the computer by enlarging a portion of the screen which
can increase legibility and make it easier to see items on the
computer. Some screen enlargers allow a person to zoom in and out
on a particular area of the screen
19. What is a Mild Disability?
Impairments that are sufficiently mild so that generally normal
functioning is possible when appropriate medical, educational, or
other special services are provided
20. Examples of Assistive Technology for Mild Disabilities
Organization - Low-tech solutions include teaching students to
organize their thoughts or work using flow-charting, task analysis,
webbing, and outlining. These strategies can also be accomplished
using high-tech, graphic, software-based organizers to assist
students in developing and structuring ideas. Such graphic
organizers allow students to manipulate and reconfigure
brainstormed ideas and color code and group those ideas in ways
that visually represent their thoughts. Another high-tech solution
might be the outline function of word processing software, which
lets students set out major ideas or topics and then add
subcategories of information. Using the Internet, local area
networks, or LCD projection systems enables students and their
teachers to collaborate, give feedback, and modify these
applications either as a group or individually at different
times
21. Note Taking - A simple, no-tech approach to note taking is for
the teacher to provide copies of structured outlines in which
students fill in information. Low- and high-tech methods include:
videotaping class sessions for visual learners or those who are
unable to attend class for extended periods of time, sending
web-cam photography across the Internet to allow students to see
and hear what is happening in class (for students who are unable to
attend class), sending class notes or presentations to students via
e-mail, translating print-based notes to voice by using optical
character recognition (OCR) software with a voice synthesizer,
using notebook computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), or
portable word processing keyboards to help students with the
mechanics of note taking
22. Writing - During the writing process, word processors allow
teachers to make suggestions on the student's disk. If computers
are networked, students can read each other's work and make
recommendations for revision. Computer editing also reduces or
eliminates problems such as multiple erasures, torn papers, and
poor handwriting. The final copy is neat and legible
23. Identifying the Right Assistive Technology
Six Easy Steps
24. Step One
Collect child and family information. Begin the discussion about
the childs strengths, abilities, preferences and needs. What
strategies have been found to work best?
25. Step Two
Identify activities for participation. Discuss the various
activities within the environments that a child encounters
throughout the day. What is preventing him/her from participating
more?
26. Step Three
What can be observed that indicates the intervention is successful?
What is his/her current level of participation and what observable
behaviors will reflect an increase in independent interactions?
What changes (e.g., number of initiations, expression attempts,
responses, reactions, etc.) will you look for?
27. Step Four
Brainstorm AT solutions. With the activity and desired outcomes
established, you are now ready to discuss possible solutions with
educators, family members, physical therapist, and other people
with whom the child interacts on a weekly basis. Do the childs
needs include supports for movement, communication and/or use of
materials? Start with what is available in the environment (what
other children use) and consider adaptations to those materials. A
range of options that address specific support areas should be
considered
28. Step Five
Try it out. Determine when the AT intervention will begin and
create an observation plan to record how the child participates
with the AT supports
29. Step Six
Identify what worked. Selecting AT interventions is a continuous
learning opportunity. Reflect on your plan and discuss what worked.
What didnt work? What should be done differently? Make
modifications as needed and try again. Only by trying the AT can
certain factors such as technology placement, amount of force,
mounting, number of choices, etc. be determined and adjusted
30. A Working Overview/Summary
Students with Special Needs
31. Four Critical Areas
Instructional Strategies
Instructional Materials
Curricular Content
Assessment Practices
32. Instructional Strategies
Inclusion: Students with special needs are in the same room working
and participating with regular students on the same material
This is the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) allowing the
special needs student access to the same quality instruction and
material as other students
In this environment, the modifications that are needed, are
included in the Individualized Education Plan (IEP) of the
individual student
33. Instructional Materials
Decide what materials you need in order to successfully teach these
special students
Various forms of assistive technology (AT) are available to help
you teach the required content
The disability of the individual student will aid in deciding which
AT device is best suited to help you instruct that student
34. Curricular Content
The special needs student should be integrated as much as possible
into the general education classroom
This includes understanding content and completing assignments with
other classmates
Only the modifications that have to be made, according to the IEP
of the student, should be made in order for that student to achieve
academic success
35. Assessment Practices
Is the student succeeding in the classroom?
Is the IEP meeting the needs of the student?
Is the right assistive technology being used in order to help you
and the student?
Never be content, continually monitor and assess your performance
as well as that of the student
36. References
37. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_needs -
Special_Education_Needs
http://kidshealth.org/parent/growth/learning/iep.html
http://www.kidstogether.org
http://www.weac.org/issues_advocacy/resource_pages_on_issues_one/special_education/special_education_inclusion.aspx
38. http://www.1donline.org/article/8088
http://www.asha.org/public/hearing/treatment/assist_tech.htm
http://www.tkmartin.msstate.edu/services/hearing
http://www.microsoft.com/enable/at/types.aspx
39. http://www.education.com/definition/mild-disabilities
http://www.ericdigests.org/2003-1/assistive.htm
http://www.allbusiness.com/agriculture-forestry-fishing-hunting/944685-1.html