# data[].attributes.body
Caryn Herrick

Ursula Hines

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
What is assistive technology?

Assistive technology (AT) is any kind of technology that can be used to enhance the functional independence of a person with a disability. Assistive technology helps to level the playing field for individuals with disabilities by providing them a way to fully engage in life's activities. Assistive technology devices are tools to help overcome challenges and enable people living with disabilities to enhance their quality of life and lead more independent lives.

Michigan Alliance for Families has partnered with Alt+Shift (formerly known as MITS) to produce an Assistive Technology Guide for Parents and Educators. In addition to the information here, we also have a free On Demand webinar available on this topic.

What does the law say about AT?

Assistive technology is defined in Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) as both the AT device and the training/support to choose and use an AT device.

Devices―any item, piece of equipment, or product system that is used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of a child with a disability (excludes a medical device that is surgically implanted, or the replacement of such device).

Services―directly assists a child with a disability in the selection, acquisition, or use of an assistive technology device.

Besides IDEA, there are other assistive technology laws to help individuals access AT.

How does this fit into the IEP process?

Because assistive technology has so many benefits , the law requires all IEP teams to consider the need for assistive technology. Any needs identified should be reflected in the content of the IEP. Start the process by requesting an assistive technology evaluation (use this sample letter as a template). You can also contact your local AT coordinator.

What should be included in the evaluation?

To determine the assistive technology needs of a child, an AT evaluation should assess the child's strengths as well as areas of weakness. One format for assessment is the SETT framework. More helpful:

What help is available in Michigan?

In Michigan, we have Alt+Shift (formerly known as MITS), a statewide project focusing on:

assistive technology (from NICHCY Legacy: Assistive technology enables children/youth with disabilities to participate more fully in all aspects of life (home, school, and community) and helps them access their right to a free appropriate, public education in the least restrictive environment.)

universal design in learning (from CAST: Universal design for learning (UDL) is a set of principles for curriculum development that give all individuals equal opportunities to learn. UDL provides a blueprint for creating instructional goals, methods, materials, and assessments that work for everyone, flexible approaches that can be customized and adjusted for individual needs

accessible instructional materials (from NCAEM: For students with sensory, physical, cognitive, or learning differences and their teachers, accessible instructional materials (AIM) may open doors to teaching and learning that ordinary print-based materials have closed. Accessible instructional materials are specialized formats including braille, audio, large print, and digital text.)

Additional Organizations and Initiatives in Michigan

What about an iPad?

There is a lot of interest in using iPads/iPods to meet the assistive technology needs of students. Obtaining an iPad as an AT service would follow the same process outlined above for any other AT device.

What else is out there?

Check out these quick factsheets from the Center on Technology and Disability

Organizations related to assistive technology:

Learning Ally (previously known as Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic) a non-profit volunteer organization operating nationwide. It produces and maintains a library of educational accessible audiobooks to people who cannot effectively read standard print because of visual impairment, dyslexia or other disability.

Bookshare, ensuring that all individuals with print disabilities have equal access to print materials. 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.

Center for Implementing Technology in Education identifies evidence-based practices for integrating instructional technology to support the achievement of all students.

Assistive Technology Considerations - from the Michigan Alliance for Families Webinar Series (cc version coming soon)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Assistive technology (AT) is any kind of technology that can be used to enhance the functional independence of a person with a disability. Assistive technology helps to level the playing field for individuals with disabilities by providing them a way to fully engage in life's activities.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
assistive technology wrightslaw special education law iep autism adhd needs learning disabilities advocacy 504 resources add dyslexia needs no child left behind act regulations services nclb idea ld peter pamela wright

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Strategies for Assistive Technology Negotiations - Wrightslaw

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Learn strategies for negotiating with the school for assistive technology services and find resources to support these strategies.

# data[].attributes.body
https://atxchange.org/welcome.aspx

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This is a collection of videos created by the Simon Technology Center that teaches you about assistive technology, technology tips & tricks, and more.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.entities[].name
Communication Assistive Technology for Early Intervention

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Discover what Assistive Technology can do. For more information please contact assist@rslsteeper.com / 0113 2070 449. Produced by kino-studios.com

# data[].attributes.body
Ipads have free or cheap apps to help with all kinds of AT.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
50 Popular iPad Apps For Struggling Readers & Writers
by TeachThought Staff

Whether you're the parent of a child with a reading disability or an educator that works with learning disabled students on a daily basis, you're undoubtedly always looking for new tools to help these bright young kids meet their potential and work through their disability. While there are numerous technologies out there that can help, perhaps one of the richest is the iPad, which offers dozens of applications designed to meet the needs of learning disabled kids and beginning readers alike.

Here, we highlight just a few of the amazing apps out there that can help students with a reading disability improve their skills not only in reading, writing, and spelling, but also get a boost in confidence and learn to see school as a fun, engaging activity, not a struggle.

Note: See also 15 Of The Best Educational Apps For Improved Reading Comprehension & 20 iPad Apps To Teach Elementary Reading

Helpful Tools

These tools are useful for both educators and students with reading disabilities alike, aiding in everything from looking up a correct spelling to reading text out loud.

1. Speak It!: Speak It! is a great text-to-speech solution that can allow students with reading disabilities to get a little help with reading when they need it.

2. Talk to Me: Talk to Me is another text to speech application. It can be used to read words out loud as they are typed, which can help students to better correlate the letters and words with how they're pronounced.

3. Dragon Dictation: Dragon Dictation works in reverse of the two apps we just listed. Instead of reading text out loud, the application writes down spoken text. For students who struggle with writing, it can be a great way for them to jot down ideas or get help learning.

4. Dyslexic Like Me: Explaining dyslexia to a child can be hard, but this application can make it a little easier. It's an interactive children's book that helps students to understand dyslexia and become empowered to overcome their learning disability.

5. Merriam-Webster Dictionary: If spelling is a problem, it's always a good idea to have a really great dictionary on hand. This app from Merriam-Webster can provide that.

6. Ditionary.com: If Dictionary.com is your go-to place for definitions and spelling help, this app can be a great way to bring that functionality to your iPad or iPhone.

7. Prizmo: With Prizmo, users can scan in any kind of text document and have the program read it out loud, which can be a big help to those who struggle with reading.

8. Flashcards for iPad: This app makes it easy to study words, spelling, and other things that young and LD readers might need help with.

9. Soundnote: Using Soundnote, you can record drawings, notes, and audio all at once, balancing reading-based skills with those that are auditory and visual.

Fundamentals

These apps help teach the fundamentals of reading, writing, and spelling to any young learner, but can be especially helpful for those who are struggling.

1. Alphabet Zoo: Alphabet Zoo is a great tool for helping young readers to recognize letter sounds. Using text and pictures of animals, kids can build their reading skills while having fun.

2. Find the Letters HD: A favorite of special education teachers and psychologists, this app asks learners to find letters and numbers in a coloring grid. It helps build skills in spatial positioning, depth orientation, form discrimination, and concentration and attention.

3. First Words Sampler: Preschoolers with a reading disability can get a head start on improving their skills with this app that teaches them about letters and words using fun graphics and sounds.

4. Montessori Crosswords: Embrace the Montessori method by using this app to help youngsters improve their spelling and reading skills through engaging phonics-based exercises.

5. Read & Write :Students can practice reading and writing letters using this application. Users can trace letters, learn letter sounds, and get illustrations to go along with each part of the alphabet.

6. Sound Literacy: With a portion of the proceeds from this app going to the Dyslexia Association, there's no reason not to sign on. Even better, the app is incredibly useful, employing the Orton-Gillingham method to help students recognize the spellings of English phonemes.

7. weesay ABC: Using pictures, words, and sounds, this application makes it easy for young students to practice and learn their ABCs.

8. abc PocketPhonics: This app is a great tool for teaching reading disabled students the fundamentals of letter sounds and shapes.

9. The Writing Machine: By correlating pictures and words, reading text, sounding out letters, this tool helps students develop early literacy abilities with greater ease.

10. WordSort: One of the top educational apps out there, this game helps kids to learn how to identify parts of speech, like nouns, adverbs, and verbs, as well as emphasizing grammar skills.

11. ABC Phonics Word Families: Using analogy phonics (or word families) this application teaches young learners to see and hear the patterns of commonality in a set of words. With flashcards, spelling words, scrambled words, and games, this app is a must-have for helping students.

Reading

These excellent iPad apps can be a big help to reading disabled students who need a little extra support when trying to read.

1. Blio: Blio offers all the same features of any basic e-reader, and also a few things that make it unique. Through synchronized highlighting and a serial presentation view, the app helps those with reading disabilities make sense of the text, something many other similar apps don't offer.

2. Read 2 Me: For those who have difficulty reading, apps like Read 2 Me can be a godsend. The app comes complete with an entire library of texts, all of which can be read out loud.

3. Read2Go: If you use DAISY (Digital Accessible Information System) books in your classroom, Read2Go is one of the best and most accessible ways to read those books on iOS.

4. AppWriter: Designed with reading and writing disabilities in mind, this text editor for iPad integrates numerous accessibility features into standard text editing functionality.

5. Audiobooks: Sometimes students with reading disabilities might just want a break from reading books the old fashioned way. That's why this amazing collection of free audiobooks can come in handy, offering access to classics like Romeo and Juliet and Treasure Island.

6. Bob's Books: Bob's Books uses phonics-based interactive games to help kids learn how to read. Activities will help young learners to sound out words, spell, and make connections between letters and sounds.

7. iStoryTime: There are numerous titles to choose from in the iStoryTime series, all of which allow kids to have the book read to them or to get help reading it themselves.

8. MeeGenius! Kids' Books: MeeGenius is another series that's perfect for practicing reading skills. Those with trouble reading can use illustrations and helpful word highlighting to get help, or just have the book read to them until they're confident enough to do it on their own.

9. Reading Trainer: While this app is designed to help average readers boost their reading speed and ability, it can be useful to those who struggle as well, as many of the skills taught can help just about anyone become a more confident reader.

10. See Read Say: This application will help to ensure that young learners are familiar with all of the Dolch sight words (the most common words), using games, activities, and tons of practice.

11. Stories2Learn: Why use existing stories to help troubled readers when you can build your own? This application lets you develop your own text and audio stories, including messages, topics, and other things that can help keep kids interested.

12. eReading series: The eReading series from Brain Integration LLC, helps young readers at all levels of proficiency learn about topics like Greek Mythology and Gulliver's Travels. Users can have the book read to them, or practice reading without the help, too.

Writing

For those with reading disabilities, sometimes writing can also be a trying task. Here are some apps that can help teach, assist, and make writing more fun.

1. iWrite Words: Named by The Washington Post as one of the best apps for special needs kids, this game-based program helps youngsters learn to write their letters through a fun and engaging setup that uses illustrations and animations to keep things interesting.

2. AlphaWriter: Using Montessori-based learning methods, this application helps kids to learn how to read, write, and spell phonetically. It also teaches lessons on consonants and vowels, letter sounds, writing stories, and much more.

3. Sentence Builder: Through this application, elementary school children will learn how to build grammatically correct sentences, with a special focus on using connector words.

4. Story Builder: After kids are done learning how to build sentences, they can move onto this app which combines those sentences into one coherent story, complete with illustrations.

5. Writing Prompts: Having trouble thinking of things for students to write about? This app removes that roadblock and offers up numerous ideas for short writing assignments.

6. Idea Sketch: This mind-mapping app can help learning disabled students make sense of their ideas and organize them in ways that they can easily translate into written work.

7. Storyrobe: Teachers and students can build and share their own unique stories through this application. Integration with YouTube and email makes it easy to share and revise, too.

Spelling

These applications can be excellent tools for improving spelling skills.

1. American Wordspeller: Looking up a word in a dictionary isn't that simple if you have no idea how to spell it. This app removes that problem and employs a method that lets you much more easily pinpoint how to spell just about any word.

2. Word Magic: Created by the parents of a five-year-old, this app for young learners help kids learn words and how to spell them correctly. It uses lots of positive reinforcement, rewards, and fun pictures to keep things interesting to learners.

3. Typ-O: Poor spellers can rejoice over this great application that help you spell words correctly in any typing-related program on your iPhone or iPad.

4. A1 Spelling App: This application is a great way to help poor spellers begin to learn the correct spelling of common words, increasing difficulty as kids master words.

5. iSpell Word: iSpell Word is designed to help kids learn the spellings of simple English words. It uses games to teach, with each level of the game employing more difficult words so kids are always challenged.

6. Jumbline: If you're looking to make reading, writing, and spelling into a game, this app can help. It's full of word games that ask players to use speed, smarts, pattern recognition, and spelling skills to win.

7. Spelling Bee Challenge: Kids can have fun taking part in a mock spelling bee using this application that boosts both spelling and vocab skills.

8. Word Fall: In this educational game, words fall from the sky and players must collect letters to form basic words.

9. WordLadder: This highly challenging word game will get older readers thinking about how words are spelled and how they can be connected and changed to form new words.

10. ACT Spell: Developed especially for learners with disabilities and special needs, this tool helps develop motor control, word recognition, spelling, and reading skills.

11. Word Wizard: Lauded by The New York Times, this word-focused app lets kids hear the sounds of letters and words through a movable alphabet while also engaging them in spelling practice and games.

This is a cross-post from content partners at onlinecollegecourses.com
report this ad

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
50 Popular iPad Apps For Struggling Readers & Writers

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
50 Popular iPad Apps For Struggling Readers & Writers by TeachThought Staff Whether you're the parent of a child with a reading disability or an educator that works with learning disabled students on a daily basis, you're undoubtedly always looking for new tools to help these bright young kids meet their potential and work through their disability.