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5 Assistive Technologies being used in the classroom

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This website really showed me how much helpful sources are out there for students. -LA 

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This website really showed me how much helpful sources are out there for students. -LA 

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I knew there were assistive technologies out there, but my knowledge of them was limited. This article is a great intro to the types of assistive technology that are out there and how to utilize the tools in the classroom. -ER

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An Overview of Assistive Technology

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"We just have to get you through school."

"You will be fine once you are out in the real world."

These phrases are repeated refrains for most dyslexics. They hear these comments from their parents and they hear them from their teachers. Many dyslexics are left to hope that their current school struggles do not foreshadow struggle in the "real world".

Meanwhile, educators are regularly reminded of how grades and test scores are not reliable predictors of success outside of academia. They are constantly challenged to design curriculum that more effectively delivers and measures the competencies that are necessary to be successful beyond the classroom. Clearly, there is a disconnect between the good intentions of educators and the reality of the current academic environment. Aware of this gap, educators everywhere are scrambling to innovate and redesign curriculum to better meet the needs of their students. Most educators understand that abilities measured by academia do not necessarily line up with what is being asked of their students once they leave school.

Project Based Learning (PBL) is one of a number of educational approaches aimed at making learning more applicable to life outside the classroom. It asks students to engage with authentic, experiential questions and challenges them with thoughtfully designed projects and tasks. Students are asked to create projects to answer authentic questions. Some of the questions are practical: How can we lower student dropout rates at our school? How can we reduce waste in the school kitchen? In other cases the questions are profound: How can we overcome racism? What is art? PBL is based on the idea that school assignments should involve authentic learning experiences and activities that reflect the work that people must do in the everyday world. It emphasizes a number of skills that educators have generally agreed are essential for a "Twenty-first Century Education". Those qualities include: collaboration, creativity, communication, and critical-thinking. Along with content absorption, these flexible PBL skills are essential for a work world that is transforming so rapidly that it is currently beyond anyone's imagination as to where we will ultimately land.

So what does this have to do with dyslexics? A lot, as it turns out. Project Based Learning is distinguished by its focus on "big picture thinking" and rewarding students for expressing their understanding in a variety of ways. This is ideal for students who tend to be big-picture thinkers and remember content better if it is attached to overarching concepts. Project Based Learning's interdisciplinary approach integrates, rather than compartmentalizes, knowledge. This is advantageous for students who like to make connections between ideas.

Elementary School teachers, at least the impressive ones, have long understood the power of teaching and learning through projects. But a farm to table project that incorporates science, social studies, math and language arts is a lot easier to plan and execute in a self-contained classroom when all those subjects are taught by a single teacher. It gets trickier in secondary school when a single subject teachers attempt a project that incorporates content across multiple disciplines involving planning and participation from many individuals. Most secondary school teachers don't argue with the efficacy of the PBL model, they just can't figure out how to manage the logistics. However, despite the inherent challenges, various public, private and charter schools are specifically designing programs to enable this kind of cross-discipline project learning.

Even strict traditionalists will have a hard time arguing with the results of a 2008-2009 Belleview Washington study (see video below) involving researchers at the University of Washington and its LIFE Center (Learning in Informal and Formal Environments). The study explored what would happen if a traditional AP U.S. Government and Politics course (a class many would argue that is so content dependent that it could never withstand the depth and adjusted pace of PBL) was replaced with a project based curriculum. The results were quite compelling. Not only were the students more engaged, and reported the content to be more relevant, but when compared to students from comparable schools who were taught using traditional curriculum, they significantly outperformed their peers in both the standard AP tests and when they had to apply what they had learned to a complex scenario test.

Although some projects are designed to be completed independently, Project Based Learning often involves groups of students working together to achieve a common goal. This is ideal for a dyslexic. The collaborative nature of this style of learning offers all students an opportunity to leverage their strengths while diminishing their challenges. It also simulates the type of tasks that they will encounter outside of school involving group work, presentation skills, and information drawn from a variety of subject areas. For example, students at City Arts and Technology High School in San Francisco collaborated on a massive project that transformed their school into a multi-media museum with the objective of teaching the lessons of the Holocaust. Their project involved digital design, theatrical performance, sculpture, graphic art, radio commentary, scrap-booking, memorials and more. Students applied and integrated content from multiple subjects, including Social Studies, English Language Arts, Integrated Science, Academic Literacy, Art, Digital Media and Spanish. In addition to the collaborative work, every student had to write a paper addressing the question, "Am I My Brother or Sister's Keeper?" (For more information about this project click here.) Projects like the Holocaust Museum showcase a variety of student strengths and talents, allow students to make content connections across disciplines, and offer a platform for students to express what they have learned in a variety of ways.

Finally, Project-Based Learning measures a student's ability to learn in depth. It doesn't rely on timed tests or multiple-choice tests to measure understanding. Rather, it requires students to synthesize and create meaning from content. Kiera Chase is a member of the Intervention Team at Envision Schools, a group of public charter college preparatory schools in San Francisco, Oakland and Hayward, California that were founded on a school-wide Project Based Learning model. Ms. Chase explains that PBL rewards the ability to formulate original ideas and allows students to express their understanding in a variety of ways. Someone who is able to make connections between ideas and various disciplines does well with PBL's constructivist approach. Additionally, assessment is individualized and authentic. It measures the quality of the final project, how well the students apply and demonstrate their knowledge, and how much effort they put into the project and group as a whole. While Ms. Chase points out that there are no studies that specifically track the outcomes of dyslexic students involved in Project Based Learning, she does note that this kind of learning is good for students who seek different paths to understanding.

Not surprisingly, the components that make Project Based Learning effective for teaching dyslexics are the same elements that make it a powerful instructional method for all students. Teaching content and skills relevant to the "real world" benefits everyone, and all educators agree on the value of teaching depth versus breadth, even if many courses fail to do it. Ultimately, the distinguishing characteristics of PBL illustrate, once again, how the approaches that serve dyslexics best also serve all students, regardless of their learning style.
Photos in this article are courtesy of Envision Schools, "Envision Schools: Teaching Success."
Resources:

Edutopia: Offers an overview and introduction to Project Based Learning
http://www.edutopia.org/project-based-learning
Envision Schools Project Exchange: offers an online resource for educators, parents and others interested in project-based learning. Four different Envision Schools share their projects with each other and with the public.
http://www.envisionprojects.org/cs/envision/print/docs/750
Online Resource for Project Based Learning
http://pbl-online.org/
Buck Institute for Project Based Learning: A source for free materials connected to Project Based Learning
http://www.bie.org/about/
Project Based Learning: Explained (a three minute video)

Examples of schools that are applying Project Based Learning as a school-wide model
Envision Schools New Tech Network Expeditionary Learning EAST Initiative

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"We just have to get you through school." "You will be fine once you are out in the real world." These phrases are repeated refrains for most dyslexics. They hear these comments from their parents and they hear them from their teachers.

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Articales on Project Based Learning (PBL)

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Project Based Learning (PBL) is a teaching method in which students learn by actively engaging in real-world and personally meaningful projects.

Project Based Learning (PBL) is a teaching method in which students learn by actively engaging in real-world and personally meaningful projects.

In Project Based Learning, teachers make learning come alive for students.

Students work on a project over an extended period of time - from a week up to a semester - that engages them in solving a real-world problem or answering a complex question. They demonstrate their knowledge and skills by creating a public product or presentation for a real audience.

As a result, students develop deep content knowledge as well as critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, and communication skills. Project Based Learning unleashes a contagious, creative energy among students and teachers.

And in case you were looking for a more formal definition...

Project Based Learning is a teaching method in which students gain knowledge and skills by working for an extended period of time to investigate and respond to an authentic, engaging, and complex question, problem, or challenge.

Watch Project Based Learning in Action

These 7-10 minute videos show the Gold Standard PBL model in action, capturing the nuts and bolts of a PBL unit from beginning to end.

This project features teacher Rayhan Ahmed at Leaders High School in Brooklyn, NY, with his 11th grade chemistry class.

This project features Kimberly Head-Trotter of McKissack Middle School, in Nashville, TN, with her 6th grade ELA/History class.

This project features teacher Cheryl Bautista of Katherine Smith Elementary School, San Jose, CA and her third graders.

How does PBL differ from "doing a project"?

PBL is becoming widely used in schools and other educational settings, with different varieties being practiced. However, there are key characteristics that differentiate "doing a project" from engaging in rigorous Project Based Learning.

We find it helpful to distinguish a "dessert project" - a short, intellectually-light project served up after the teacher covers the content of a unit in the usual way - from a "main course" project, in which the project is the unit. In Project Based Learning, the project is the vehicle for teaching the important knowledge and skills student need to learn. The project contains and frames curriculum and instruction.

In contrast to dessert projects, PBL requires critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration, and various forms of communication. To answer a driving question and create high-quality work, students need to do much more than remember information. They need to use higher-order thinking skills and learn to work as a team.
Learn more about "dessert" projects vs PBL
The gold standard for high-quality PBL

To help ensure your students are getting the main course and are engaging in quality Project Based Learning, PBLWorks promotes a research-informed model for "Gold Standard PBL."

The Gold Standard PBL model encompasses two useful guides for educators:

1) Seven Essential Project Design Elements provide a framework for developing high quality projects for your classroom, and

2) Seven Project Based Teaching Practices help teachers, schools, and organizations improve, calibrate, and assess their practice.

The Gold Standard PBL model aligns with the High Quality PBL Framework. This framework describes what students should be doing, learning, and experiencing in a good project. Learn more at HQPBL.org.

Yes, we provide PBL training for educators!

PBLWorks offers a variety of workshops, courses and services for teachers, school and district leaders, and instructional coaches to get started and advance their practice with Project Based Learning.
Learn more

This project features teacher Rayhan Ahmed at Leaders High School in Brooklyn, NY, with his 11th grade chemistry class.

This project features Kimberly Head-Trotter of McKissack Middle School, in Nashville, TN, with her 6th grade ELA/History class.

This project features teacher Cheryl Bautista of Katherine Smith Elementary School, San Jose, CA and her third graders.

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Project Based Learning (PBL) is a teaching method in which students learn by actively engaging in real-world and personally meaningful projects. Project Based Learning (PBL) is a teaching method in which students learn by actively engaging in real-world and personally meaningful projects.

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South Carolina Assistive Technology Program (SCATP)

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The South Carolina Assistive Technology Program (SCATP) is a federally funded project concerned with getting technology into the hands of people with disabilities so that they might live, work, learn and be a more independent part of the community.

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One of the most remarkable aspects of modern education is the great diversity of today's classroom. Thanks to mainstreaming and inclusion policies, students of all abilities study in all classrooms from kindergarten through college, even when they have physical, psychological, or cognitive disabilities that seem too challenging to integrate or excluded them from traditional classrooms in the past. This has been a benefit not just for disabled students, who gain educational opportunities, but also for their non-disabled colleagues, who learn that a student with a disability is in most ways just the same as they are, and no one to fear.

However, this integration creates challenges for educators. For example, the cost of teaching disabled students has more and more often fell on the already-stretched budgets of public schools. As one American school official told Huffington Post, this "raises an ethical responsibility question. We welcome our students with special needs, but the most expensive programming is on public districts." This means that many schools may not be able to afford the kinds of special tools and equipment that may be needed.

In some instances, online college programs are also inaccessible to many students. A study by Wichita State University showed that "as many as 80% of all online instructors do not consider the needs of students with disabilities when designing or instructing their courses despite the high percentage of post-secondary students with disabilities." This situation has resulted in a lawsuit against the University of Montana, brought by the school's Alliance for Disability and Students at the University of Montana on behalf of students who could not enroll in important courses for their major that are only available online.

Thankfully, educators today can implement many new technologies to make their courses more accessible at little to no cost, to aid students with disabilities, whether those students are in a traditional or online classroom. While most people may be familiar with alternative keyboards and touch screens that replace traditional touch-type keyboards for people with mobility challenges, other new technologies are constantly in development, and each is a great boon to the learning process, opening doors, expanding learning experiences and even broadening the parameters of what can be learned for millions of students.

Check out some of the many tools that students can use to access your course materials and participate in online courses.
8 Helpful ECE Technology Tools For Your Classroom

1. Screen Readers are described by the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) as "software programs that allow blind or visually impaired users to read the text that is displayed on the computer screen with a speech synthesizer." The AFB suggests them for those with low vision, because "learning to listen to speech output will prove more productive for such individuals than struggling to read text while leaning close to the computer screen."

2. Word Talk is a free add-in for Microsoft Word, this program can read aloud any document written in Word and create audio files that can be saved. In addition, assistive technology expert Paul Hamilton writes that "WordTalk functions can be accessed by customizable keyboard shortcuts-for individuals with vision challenges, or those who cannot use a mouse effectively, or to speed the work of anyone who relies extensively on WordTalk." In addition, students with reading disabilities can also use screen readers to help them understand course materials.

3. Word Prediction programsinclude a number of different applications, some of which can be downloaded from the Internet, are available to help students with writing challenges. Word predictors "can help a user during word processing by 'predicting' a word the user intends to type. Predictions are based on spelling, syntax, and frequent/recent use. This prompts kids who struggle with writing to use proper spelling, grammar, and word choices, with fewer keystrokes." Students who struggle with memory difficulties might find this program useful, too.

4. Supernova Access Suite is "a complete screen reader with natural sounding speech and integrated screen magnifier with Braille display support." This product can be downloaded from YourDolphin.com, which also offers a free trial so that students can make sure it will work for them. This company offers many varieties of this technology, making it easy for students to select the right program for their needs.

5. Video Magnifiers are also sometimes described as a form of closed-circuit television (CCTV) that "uses a video camera to display a magnified image on a monitor or television screen." Students with low vision can use them to read their course materials with greater ease. A company named Ulva offers a variety of styles for students to choose from to suit their academic requirements.

6. Close Captioning and Subtitling: Services such as those provided by the CPC company can be used on both Mac and Windows formats, and enable deaf students to watch the same online video material as their colleagues. This makes it easier for them to participate in online courses that offer video lectures of their professors. They can also use the program to create their own videos with subtitles or close-captioning, which may come in handy for students with speech disorders.

7. FaceMouse: For students with limited mobility, Claro's FaceMouse turns a standard webcam into a mouse operator, allowing students to use their head and facial gestures to perform a number of tasks, including pointing the cursor, clicking on sites, or typing on the keyboard. For example, "Claro FaceMouse effectively turns the user's head into a remote 'joystick' controller. Claro FaceMouse has a variable setting for sensitivity, making the mouse pointer easier to control. Specific head or facial actions can be linked to keyboard presses. 'Head Down' can be assigned as the 'Down Cursor', and 'Mouth Open' could be 'Enter Key'. All the various face actions can be assigned to a keystroke."

8. Sip-and-Puff Systems: A truly innovative tool that makes computer use easier for students with mobility challenges, including paralysis and fine motor skill difficulties, sip-and-puff systems allow users to control a mouthstick, similar to a joystick, using their breath. Students can direct the mouthstick to click on web pages, type, and perform other functions.

These technologies can make an enormous difference to students by increasing accessibility and academic performance. No matter what programs you decide to implement or suggest to students, it is important to remember that students using these technologies may require more time to complete assignments and participate in online forums. Also, make sure that the materials you use in your courses are clearly written, scanned properly, and in other ways easy for assistive technologies to access.

One way to do this is to learn more about Universal Design for Learning, a method of preparing course materials, classroom activities, and lectures in such a way that students of all abilities can access and understand them. The National Center on Universal Design for Learning in the United States is a good place to start because it is dedicated to "creating instructional goals, methods, materials, and assessments that work for everyone-not a single, one-size-fits-all solution but rather flexible approaches that can be customized and adjusted for individual needs."

Finally, if you would like to learn more about the different kinds of technologies that are appropriate for your classes, you can use Dell's Assistive Technology Configuration Tool, which will help you determine the software and hardware best suited to your students' needs. You might also consider joining one of the many several associations and groups that work to provide students with access to assistive technologies, such as the Alliance for Technology Access.

Remember that no matter what you do, it will help expand opportunities for a great variety of students to become more intellectually fulfilled and succeed in their academic goals.
This article was first published on opencolleges.edu.au

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8 Helpful Assistive Technology Tools For Your Classroom

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One of the most remarkable aspects of modern education is the great diversity of today's classroom. Thanks to mainstreaming and inclusion policies, students of all abilities study in all classrooms from kindergarten through college, even when they have physical, psychological, or cognitive disabilities that seem too challenging to integrate or excluded them from traditional classrooms in the past.

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Editor's note: I recently pulled together a compilation of assistive technologies here. I think this guest post from Best Colleges Online will also be of interest to innovative educators who want to ensure their students have access to multiple learning supports.

Learning disabilities manifest themselves in countless ways, varying in severity from the very mild to the debilitating and those that impact different elements of education. Yet they almost universally end up equally stereotyped, misunderstood and sometimes even unfairly stigmatized. The rigid traditional classroom structure rarely provides the learning disabled with the resources necessary to meet their reading, writing, math, social and mobility skills or sense impairment. Because of this, many learning disabled students feel marginalized by their peers and instructors alike, oftentimes hindered more by imposed isolation than the conditions themselves. But as technology marches on, so too do opportunities for academic success. No matter their struggle, these perfectly competent, capable individuals probably have something available to close any unfortunate, challenging gaps. It's all a matter of finding the right answer and finding ways to pay for it - though the more financially strapped have a few options available, depending on their situation and what they require.

Please be aware that this article is not meant to take the place of legitimate medical advice. Different individuals require different solutions based on numerous factors, and only a small sample of the myriad assistive technologies available receives representation here. Take it as a brief overview rather than something even one atom definitive or professional - save diagnoses and prescriptions for the experts.

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Editor's note: I recently pulled together a compilation of assistive technologies here. I think this guest post from Best Colleges Online will also be of interest to innovative educators who want to ensure their students have access to multiple learning supports.

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Technology provides a terrific way to remove the obstacles to learning. Fortunately, many of the tools available are free but what are they? I reached out to my PLN through Facebook, Twitter, Classroom 2.0 and Google+ to find out. Here are the fabulous resources shared by my PLN.
Assistive Tech Starter Kit
The following accessibility tools are recommended to get started with assistive technology .

accessibility features of our products for vision & hearing impaired.

Accessibility on the PCs with MS Office

Accessibility with mobiles

VLingo (Android - free, BlackBerry - cheap)

Dragon (iOS - free) on handhelds or tablets.

These are all free (or cheap) and provide both effective Text-To-Speech (thus access to content) and those with Word-by-Word highlighting help build sight-word recognition. One of the best uses of text to speech is to support writing with "read back" editing.

- Accessible Book Collection Bookshare® is free for all U.S. students with qualifying disabilities, thanks to an award from the U.S. Department of Education Office of Special Education Programs. Bookshare offers a searchable online library with approximately 90,000 digital books, textbooks, teacher-recommended reading, periodicals and assistive technology tools.

Tar Heel Reader
This is a collection of free, easy-to-read, and accessible books on a wide range of topics. The books may be downloaded as slide shows in PowerPoint, Impress, or Flash format. Each book can be speech enabled and accessed using multiple interfaces, including touch screens, the IntelliKeys with custom overlays, and 1 to 3 switches.

This fabulous toolkit will get you started and keep you going when it comes to learning about the best UDL tools.

Here are some of the items you'll find.

Mobile Learning for Special Needs Wiki

This wiki has a lot of information on using mobile tech with students who have special needs. Here are some of the resources you will discover on this site.

Apps Lists - iPod touch and iPad applications ("apps") to use with students with disabilities.

Accessories - Includes a list of stands, cases, input devices, and speakers for use with students with special needs.

Video Case Studies - See what it looks like to use mobile apps.

Advice and Recommendations from an Expert
Assistive technology has to be targeted, so it's not one particular product, but the right product for a specific need in a specific kid (and sometimes for a specific point in time).

is a great organizational resource

Eileen Marzola has a good handle on this and has written and spoken on the topic.

Voice Recognition
In my own work, I like voice-recognition software for adolescents and adults. Any product that reads the word for kids who can't do so themselves is a good thing -- some better than others.

Dragon Naturally speaking is pretty good

Ginger is a Software I did a few pilots with (a writing revision tool for kids with challenges in writing) which worked reasonably well and they are often updating it to make it better

Kurzweil is worth the money for someone who really needs it, but there are other programs that will read text and each one has its own functionality

Read, Write and Gold was recommended to me by a Canadian colleague and I hope to check it out soon

iPad
My jury is still out on that, so I have to defer to those who have used it with students. I would consider, is it more of a motivational tool or truly an assistive tool?

Courtesy of
Esther Klein Friedman

Connect with others using assistive tech

Join others interested in using assistive technology. Here are two groups to get started.

Get the latest Scoop on Assistive Tech with Scoop.It!

Scoop.It allows you to curate a beautiful collection of information about your favorite topic. Here is one that focuses on assistive Tech.

Special Ed and Tech Scoop.It - A collection of articles, videos, links about the latest UDL and assistive tech news. Featured headlines include the following:

A collection of assistive tech resources that includes the following gems:

- LIve binder of special education apps

Assistive Tech Freeware - The following is what I believe to be good AT and useful software weeded out from all the freeware that's available.

Assistive Tech Collection from Cybraryman

The internet catalog for students, teachers, administrators & parents with relevant links personally selected by an educator/author with over 30 years of experience.

Examples of Using Assistive Tech for Learning

Google Docs as Assistive Tech
Special education teacher Karen Chichester uses Google docs to get her students motivated about writing. She wrote the following piece to explain how she uses this technology with her special education students.

This article will tell you how to make any book interactive using QR codes.
Resource courtesy of

Not so free products
If you really want to purchase software, here are suggestions, but I recommend you start with free tools. This has the benefit of empowering students to use tools on their own at no cost and if necessary, you can move to a paid for tool later.

or
Literacy software tool designed to enhance success for individuals with reading challenges and writing difficulties.

Several innovative educators recommend steering clear of this overpriced option.

This is a tool that teachers love because they have the ability to customize the input device to meet each student's needs. Some educators who use iPads, say that iPads can do what Intellikeys do more affordably and effectively. -Video about custom overlays: -Their Facebook page is
http://www.intellitools.co​m/videos_itk04.html.
here.

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Free Assistive Tech Tools Make Learning Accessible to All

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Technology provides a terrific way to remove the obstacles to learning. Fortunately, many of the tools available are free but what are they? I reached out to my PLN through Facebook, Twitter, Classroom 2.0 and Google+ to find out. Here are the fabulous resources shared by my PLN.