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Assess your program for the quality of its assistive technology support using this modified QIAT Rubric adapted for use by ABE by the AZ Adult Education's AT Team.

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Wisconsin Assistive Technology Initiative (WATI) Assessment 

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Wisconsin Assistive Technology Initiative (WATI) Assessment 

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This is a comprehensive document with several assessment tools

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Puts AT into the control of the learner. Create a profile, explore the possibilities, track the AT YOU need institution to institution, become a self-advocate.

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Toolkit 4 Transition - Helping Students and their Families with Assistive Technology

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I love working with all age groups in a variety of disability categories with an emphasis on using Assistive Technology tools to develop student learning. Implementing Assistive Technology tools and learning strategies to enhance reading, writing, note-taking, organizational skills, time management and study skills is a passion for me as an educator.

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When a One-Stop customer experiences difficulty performing certain tasks, there is a possibility they may have a learning disability (which may not have been previously identified). One-Stop staff are not intended to be diagnosticians. However, this simple screening tool can assist One-Stop staff in determining the possible presence of a learning disability.

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Needs Assessment

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Auditory

If you are an auditory learner, you learn by hearing and listening. You understand and remember things you have heard. You store information by the way it sounds, and you have an easier time understanding spoken instructions than written ones. You often learn by reading out loud because you have to hear it or speak it in order to know it.

As an auditory learner, you probably hum or talk to yourself or others if you become bored. People may think you are not paying attention, even though you may be hearing and understanding everything being said.

Here are some things that auditory learners like you can do to learn better.

Sit where you can hear.

Have your hearing checked on a regular basis.

Use flashcards to learn new words; read them out loud.

Read stories, assignments, or directions out loud.

Record yourself spelling words and then listen to the recording.

Have test questions read to you out loud.

Study new material by reading it out loud.

Remember that you need to hear things, not just see things, in order to learn well.

Visual

If you are a visual learner, you learn by reading or seeing pictures. You understand and remember things by sight. You can picture what you are learning in your head, and you learn best by using methods that are primarily visual. You like to see what you are learning.

As a visual learner, you are usually neat and clean. You often close your eyes to visualize or remember something, and you will find something to watch if you become bored. You may have difficulty with spoken directions and may be easily distracted by sounds. You are attracted to color and to spoken language (like stories) that is rich in imagery.

Here are some things that visual learners like you can do to learn better:

Sit near the front of the classroom. (It won't mean you're the teacher's pet!)

Have your eyesight checked on a regular basis.

Use flashcards to learn new words.

Try to visualize things that you hear or things that are read to you.

Write down key words, ideas, or instructions.

Draw pictures to help explain new concepts and then explain the pictures.

Color code things.

Avoid distractions during study times.

Remember that you need to see things, not just hear things, to learn well.

Tactile

If you are a tactile learner, you learn by touching and doing. You understand and remember things through physical movement. You are a "hands-on" learner who prefers to touch, move, build, or draw what you learn, and you tend to learn better when some type of physical activity is involved. You need to be active and take frequent breaks, you often speak with your hands and with gestures, and you may have difficulty sitting still.

As a tactile learner, you like to take things apart and put things together, and you tend to find reasons to tinker or move around when you become bored. You may be very well coordinated and have good athletic ability. You can easily remember things that were done but may have difficulty remembering what you saw or heard in the process. You often communicate by touching, and you appreciate physically expressed forms of encouragement, such as a pat on the back.

Here are some things that tactile learners like you can do to learn better:

Participate in activities that involve touching, building, moving, or drawing.

Do lots of hands-on activities like completing art projects, taking walks, or acting out stories.

It's OK to chew gum, walk around, or rock in a chair while reading or studying.

Use flashcards and arrange them in groups to show relationships between ideas.

Trace words with your finger to learn spelling (finger spelling).

Take frequent breaks during reading or studying periods (frequent, but not long).

It's OK to tap a pencil, shake your foot, or hold on to something while learning.

Use a computer to reinforce learning through the sense of touch.

Remember that you learn best by doing, not just by reading, seeing, or hearing.

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What's Your Learning Style? 20 Questions

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Auditory If you are an auditory learner, you learn by hearing and listening. You understand and remember things you have heard. You store information by the way it sounds, and you have an easier time understanding spoken instructions than written ones.

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As an adult learner you tend to be self-directed...

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Learning Disabilities Association of America

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What is learning disability (LD) screening?

Screening is the first step in the process of gathering relevant information about an individual with a suspected learning disability. Screening does not determine whether or not the person has a learning disability. It may include observations,
informal interviews, the use of a written tool, and/or a review of medical, school, or work histories.

How is LD screening different from LD diagnosis?

An LD diagnosis is a formal assessment that determines the actual presence of a learning disability. LD screening is an informal process that shows whether there is a probability that the person might have an undiagnosed learning disability. Informal screening can be done by an advocate for the person with a suspected learning disability, but formal diagnosis must be done by a qualified professional who can evaluate learning disabilities.

Why should LD screening be done?

Adults who have struggled with school and work may have undiagnosed learning disabilities. Screening is a way for an advocate to better determine the probability of the suspected learning disability, and to help the person decide if he or she needs to continue with an LD diagnosis. Also, LD screening can identify areas of strengths and challenges that will help the person better understand why he or she has struggled in certain areas of life. Knowing one's strengths can help
determine the best strategies and/or technology to use to succeed in school and work.

Observations

Observations may include, but are not limited to, the following:

Does the person show unexpected underachievement in some areas, but demonstrates at least average ability in other areas?

Does the person show signs of poor vision or hearing?

Does the person having problems in the following areas: reading (oral and silent), expressive language (writing, spelling, handwriting), or math?

Does the person exhibit social behaviors that can
interfere with learning, working, or daily living?

Informal Interviews

Advocates who conduct LD screening may ask the person, in an informal discussion, some questions about their past successes and challenges. The answers may indicate past behaviors, events, or characteristics that are associated with adults who have learning disabilities. Typical questions may include:

Did you get special help in school?

Do any of your family members have problems learning?

Have you had difficulty getting or keeping a job?

Do you have problems with reading, writing, or math skills?

What do you enjoy most, and why?

Informed Consent and Confidentiality

Informed consent ensures that the person undergoing the screening process understands the purpose of the screening, who will conduct the screening, how the results will be used, and how confidentiality will be maintained. Individual screenings by advocates should include a signed consent which should include the following information:

The name of the screening instruments used

The interval of time for screening

The purpose of screening

Who will see the results

How the results will be used

Where the forms will be stored and for how long

The adult's signature and date

The advocate's signature

Screening Tools

There are a number of screening tools available for advocates to use with the person who may have an undiagnosed learning disability. Some of these tools require special training, while others are available online. Some tools are free; others require training and may have associated training costs.

It is important, however, to choose a screening tool that is designed for the appropriate age group. When conducted and reviewed appropriately, using the right screening tool can be a valuable step in determining the need to seek further advice and evaluation.
Screening tools should also be:

Inexpensive

Quick to administer, score, and easy to interpret

Narrow in purpose

Able to provide information in several areas, such as language, motor and social skills

LD Screening Follow-Up

Advocates should be familiar with follow-up resources for those whose screening indicates a strong possibility of a learning disability, especially if the lack of documentation is a barrier to completing educational and career goals. The appropriate next step is to locate a licensed diagnostician to complete a formal LD assessment. For more information about LD assessments, see the information page at Adults Learning Disabilities Assessment Process.

Resources

LDA encourages the distribution of this information. Please provide appropriate credit if portions are cited. Information may not be reprinted for the purpose of resale.

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Screening Adults for Learning Disabilities

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Download Screening Adults for Learning Disabilities What is learning disability (LD) screening? Screening is the first step in the process of gathering relevant information about an individual with a suspected learning disability. Screening does not determine whether or not the person has a learning disability.

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The more UDL we use in setting up our classrooms and lessons, the less adaptations we have to make later.

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Audrey O'Clair Padlet full of great accessibility resources

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Gamify your Adult Ed Classroom.

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Assistive Technology Specialist, AZDOE

(928) 637-1876
bruce.kennedy@azed.gov

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Privacy Policy | Web Accessibility | Site Map Arizona Ombudsman - Citizens' Aide helps citizens to resolve onging issues with state agencies. © 2018 Arizona Department of Education

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Sandra C. Figueroa, Education Program Specialists, AZDOE

(602) 364-3358
Sandra.Figueroa@azed.gov

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Ohio Center for Autism and Low Incidence - document has some interesting 'suggested alternatives' for typical classroom actions

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Assistive Technology is all around us! Many of the tools available are free or cost very little to use. On the following pages are lists of Assistive Technology tools you may find useful when completing various tasks both in or out of school. Many of these tools may help you complete tasks more quickly, easily, or independently. Tools are broken down into sub-categories such as Reading, Writing, or Notetaking, for example. All apps and programs on the following pages are free or cost less than $25.

We do our best to stay updated on the latest information about the apps on the following pages along with adding the latest and greatest apps as soon as they come out. If you find an error in our listing or want to share a program, software, website or app that we should add, please contact us at dusek@augsburg.edu.

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Free or Low Cost Assistive Technology for Everyone - CLASS Disability Resources

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Assistive Technology is all around us! Many of the tools available are free or cost very little to use. On the following pages are lists of Assistive Technology tools you may find useful when completing various tasks both in or out of school. Many of these tools may help you complete tasks more quickly, easily, or ...

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Chrome Web Apps and Extensions grouped by need

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Chrome Web Apps and Extensions grouped by need

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Chrome Extensions for struggling students and special needs

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Chrome Extensions for struggling students and special needs

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Chrome Extensions for Struggling Students and Special Needs

Technology can be a powerful tool to assist students when learning, as it provides accessibility and accommodations to support everyone. In particular the Chrome web browser allows users to install a wide variety of web extensions that provide tools that can help all learners.

In this blog post we will take a look at dozens of Chrome web extensions and apps and other tools and features that can assist students in seven main categories:

🗣️ Text to Speech

☑️ Behavior, Focus, and Organization

Some of the tools fit into more than one topic, but each is only listed once. Certainly this list does not cover all of the useful web extensions and tools available for learners, but it is a great place to begin.

In addition to the list of extensions and tools, I have also linked in the video from a webinar I did on " Google Tools to Support All Learners" along with my ever-growing resource document and slideshow from the session.

▶️ Training Video (54 minutes)

🗣️ Text to Speech Tools

Read&Write for Google Chrome
Chrome web extension link
The "Swiss Army Knife" of extensions with tools including word prediction, dictionary, picture dictionary, text to speech, screenshot reader, speech maker, screen mask, translator, highlighters, voice note, and more. Works on webpages, PDFs, Google Docs, and Google Slides.
Note: There is a paid version with all the tools and a free version with a subset of the tools. Educators can get the paid version for a year at no cost by filling out the form at: https://www.texthelp.com/products/free-for-teachers/

The Immersive Reader extension can read aloud any text you have selected, as well as providing additional reading supports. These include Text Preferences to change the text size, increase or decrease spacing, change fonts, and colors, Grammar Options to break words into syllables, as well as color code and label the parts of speech, and Reading Preferences to turn on or off the picture dictionary option, and to select the language for translation.

Read Aloud
Chrome web extension link
This text-to-speech extension will read either the entire page or just the text that you have selected. In addition to the normal options to adjust the speed, pitch, and volume of the voice, the best feature is the wide collection of high-quality voices to choose from.

Announcify
Chrome web extension link
This is another text to speech tool that not only reads a webpage, but also removes distracting elements from the site. The only drawback is the inability to select specific text to read, as the entire page is read aloud.

ChromeOS Select-to-Speak

If you have a Chromebook, there is a built in tool for text-to-speak called " Select-to-speak". Nothing needs to be installed. It just needs to be turned on.

First click in the bottom right corner of your Chromebook screen to open the system menu.

Here click on the "Accessibility" icon.

Note: If you do not see the "Accessibility" icon you can click on the gear to go into the advanced settings to turn it on.

Now from the "Accessibility" menu click on the "Select-to-speak" option.

This will put a little speaker icon down in the bottom right corner.

Anytime you need to have something read aloud, just click the icon and drag your mouse to select the text you want to hear.

Using the toolbar you can also pause, change speeds, and jump forwards and backwards through the text.

Docs Voice Typing is not an extension that needs to be installed, but instead is actually built right into Google Docs and Google Slides. With voice typing you can simply speak and anything you say will automatically be typed for you.

When we are in a Google Doc we click the "Tools" menu and then choose "Voice Typing" from the drop down menu.

This will open up a floating microphone.

To start dictating to the document, we simply click the microphone icon.

Now anything you say will automatically be typed into the document.

In addition to words, you are also able to say punctuation. For a full list of all the commands you can speak, click the question mark icon below the microphone, and this will open up a help menu with all of the details.

When done, we just click the microphone again to stop the speech to text.

VoiceIn Voice Typing
Chrome web extension link
This speech-to-text extension allows the user to dictate text for any text box or text entry portion of a web page. You can either click the extension or right-click and choose "Start recording" to use it. Be sure to click the extension again to turn off the speech-to-text function when done.

Chromebook Dictation Tool

First click in the bottom right corner of your Chromebook screen to open the system menu.

Here click on the "Accessibility" icon.

Note: If you do not see the "Accessibility" icon you can click on the gear to go into the advanced settings to turn it on.

Now from the "Accessibility" menu click on the "Dictation" option to enable speech to text.

This will put a little microphone icon down in the bottom right corner.

Anytime you need to do speech to text just click on the "Dictation" icon and start speaking.

Anything you say will automatically be typed into the computer wherever you are.

This works in websites, documents, forms, and more.

If you are using a Chromebook there is actually a speech to text tool built right in. Nothing needs to be installed. It just needs to be turned on.

Present your slideshow as normal.

Click the "3-dots" button on the navigation bar.

Choose "Captions preference" and then toggle on the captions.

As you speak your words will be live captioned and will display on the screen.

Using the same menu you can adjust the size and position of the captions.

Live captions are available in several Google products including Slides and Meet. In Google Slides you can display live captions as follows:

👓 Readability Tools

Lexend fonts are intended to reduce visual stress and so improve reading performance. Initially they were designed with dyslexia and struggling readers in mind, but Bonnie Shaver-Troup, creator of the Lexend project, soon found out that these fonts are also great for everyone else.

Mercury Reader
Chrome web extension link
Make any website easier to read by removing ads, comments, and all other distractions, so just the core content remains. Users can also adjust the font size and color scheme of the new text.

Chrome web extension link
Override all fonts on a webpage with the OpenDyslexic font, making the text more easily readable.

Dyslexia Friendly
Chrome web extension link
This extension replaces the fonts on a web page with either OpenDyslexic or Comic Sans, and provides a horizontal shaded bar to help the user stay on the correct line when reading. The only drawback is there is no easy way to toggle it on and off, so you will want to use an extension management tool to let you turn it off when not in use.

WaspLine Reader
Chrome web extension link
This tool creates a more readable version of a web page by applying color gradients that make it easier for the eyes to chain together the ending of a line with the beginning of the next.

Color Overlay is a filter which puts a tint on your browser viewport to make text more readable. This could be used by people suffering by visual distortions reading the content on the normal background (Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome). The colored overlay can improve reading abilities of such users by reducing or eliminate perceptual processing errors.

ATbar
Chrome web extension link
Similar to the Color Overlay extension, this toolbar can generate color overlays for webpages, but also has features for a dictionary, text to speech, word prediction, and more.

MagicScroll Web Reader
Chrome web extension link
Turn web pages into a flippable e-book with easy clickable or keyboard control, as well as control over font size and page color as well.

Chrome web extension link
This screen overlay tool darkens out the page except for a horizontal band you can move up and down as you read, helping the student focus.

High Contrast
Chrome web extension link
This tool can make webpages easier to read by changing the colors to increase contrast, invert the colors, or switch to gray-scale.

Color Enhancer
Chrome web extension link
For people who are partially color-blind, this tool can help adjust and improve webpage colors.

Additional ChromeOS Features

📗 Reading Comprehension Tools

Google Dictionary
Chrome web extension link
Don't get stuck on an unknown word. Double-click on any word to get a pop-up definition, as well as spoken pronunciation for many words.

SMMRY
Chrome bookmark link
While not technically an extension, this tool functions very much like one and is launched from your Chrome bookmarks bar. Summarize any online article with a simple click of the SMMRY bookmark link. This will generate a simplified version with fewer sentences (7 by default) and just the most important information. Settings can be adjusted for longer or shorter summaries, as well as emphasis on certain desired words..

The QuillBot Chrome extension will summarize text as a new paragraph or by key sentences, in multiple levels of length. Sign in with your Google account for free to be able to summarize texts up to 5,000 characters at a time.

Auto Highlight
Chrome web extension link
This extension takes a different approach to summarizing. Instead of removing the non-essential portions of the text, it highlights what is most important. This allows the reader to still look at the rest of the article if needed. Three levels of highlighting can be chosen.

Behaviour, Focus, and Organization Tools

Simple Blocker
Chrome web extension link
This tool helps students to stay focused on their work by blocking distracting websites. The user can choose the sites to block, how long to block them, and optional password protection.

uBlock Origin
Chrome web extension link
A simple but powerful ad-blocking extension to help remove distracting ads from websites, making pages less cluttered and easier to read.

Move It
Chrome web extension link
For students who need a break, this extension can be set to periodically have them stop working and do something physical for a moment.

Google Keep
Chrome web extension link
Keep allows users to save and retrieve any information they come across including text, links, pictures, speech, handwriting, doodles, and more. The tool works as an extension, web site, Android app, and iOS app, and integrates into Google Docs, Slides, and Drawings.

Ambient audio sites and tools can let students create their own custom mix of background sounds to help them concentrate and drown out potentially distracting noises.

Pear Deck lets you add interactive elements to your slides including multiple choice, text entry, numeric entry, drawing, and draggable activities.

You can insert pre-made template slides provided in the Add-on.

Or you can add interactive elements to slides you have already created.

When you present the slideshow through the Pear Deck Add-on, students join the presentation and can interact with it.

You can show students responses by clicking the "Show Responses" button in the bottom right corner of the screen. Responses can be shown individually or aggregated together to look for patterns.

Pear Deck Webinar (1 hour) - Blog post

Pear Deck Add-on for Slides

This extension can make it easier for students to locate their mouse cursor by allowing them to customize the size and look of the mouse cursor.

Click-free Browsing
Chrome web extension link
For users who have a difficulty clicking a mouse, this extension adds on-screen navigation buttons the user can simply hover over to use.

Vimium
Chrome web extension link
Provides keyboard shortcuts for navigation and control for someone with difficulty using a mouse.

CrxMouse
Chrome web extension link
Use mouse gestures to navigate including forward, backward, scrolling, refreshing, switching tabs, and more. The user can even program their own custom mouse gestures to open programs and perform other tasks.

Caret Browsing
Chrome web extension link
This extension gives you a movable cursor in any web page, allowing you to move through the text with your arrows keys and select text with the keyboard.

Additional ChromeOS Features

Tools to support learners are constantly being created and improved, so be sure to check back often as I continue to update my resource documents " Google Tools to Support all Learners". And be sure to let me know of any tools you would recommend for the list. I look forward to learning from you!

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Chrome Extensions for Struggling Students and Special Needs

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Technology can be a powerful tool to assist students when learning, as it provides accessibility and accommodations to support everyone. In...

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Assistive Technology Internet Modules | Module List

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Assistive Technology Internet Modules | ATIM Help Email: atim_info@ocali.org Copyright © 2018 | OCALI is a project of the ESC of Central Ohio Listen to this website with BrowseAloud

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Training Modules Home Consideration Module Leadership Module Legal Module Administration Module Evaluation Module Implementation Module Reading Module Writing Module Transition Module

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Follow the world's leading AT experts and ask them questions on Twitter

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Follow the world's leading AT experts and ask them questions on Twitter

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Chris Bugaj @attipscast
Tony Vincent @tonyvincent
Audrey O'Clair @audreyoclair
Nancy Kawaja @nancykawaja
Matthew Press @mpress77
https://twitter.com/IOWA_iCATER

Other AT Specialists:
Mike Marotta @mmatp
Beth Poss @possbeth
Emily Graniero @emilygraniero
Caroline Musselwhite @AACCaroline
Gail Van Tatenhove @gvantatenhove

Tweet chats:
AT Tweet Chat: #ATChat
UDL Tweet Chat: #UDLChat

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Choosing AT- The Least Dangerous Assumption 

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Choosing AT- The Least Dangerous Assumption 

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A crucial component to consider before deciding upon AT or accommodations in the classroom.

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Make curriculum accessible by all learners from the start and you'll have to spend a lot less time searching for AT.

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As classrooms incorporate more digital technology, it becomes increasingly important that materials used in the classroom are designed to be useable by all students from the start. This requires adjustments in the way materials are purchased, and that, in turn, will drive the availability of more flexible and accessible learning materials in the marketplace.

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When we design the learning experience for the "average student", we may be reaching no students at all.

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The Myth of Average:  Todd Rose at TEDxSonomaCounty

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Tools to Create More types of Content in your classroom

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Tools to Create More types of Content in your classroom

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Use audio, videos, pictures AND text to present information. It's simple and easy AT and UDL rolled into 1.

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AT Videos from Iowa Center for Assistive Tech

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AT Videos from Iowa Center for Assistive Tech

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Explore hundreds of possible AT devices, their uses and functions, all in video format

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The Iowa Center for Assistive Technology Education and Research, within the College of Education at the University of Iowa

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Face it!? The best way to make our content available in a variety of modalities is by having a digital classroom. Does your program not provide an LMS? Here's some to chech out.

Google Classroom
Schoology
Edmodo
SeeSaw
Moodle

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Story Shares
Archive
Open Library

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Google Keep - Virtual "Post-its" on steroids- Chrome App
OneNote
Evernote
SmartPens
VideoNot.es (for YouTube)

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Apple- designed for everyone

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Accessibility - Designed for everyone - YouTube

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Sign in now to see your channels and recommendations!

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ReadandWrite for Google Chrome (This one is FREE to educators!)
SpeakIt! for Google Chrome
ClaroRead- software for a variety of devices

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Sign in now to see your channels and recommendations!

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ScreenShader- Chrome app
OpenDyslexic Font- Download a dyslexic friendly font for FREE
High Contrast- Chrome app

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Text Compactor
Rewordify
Free Summarizer
http://tools4noobs.com/summarize
smmry.com
Newsela
The Simple English language of Wikipedia

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This webmix features free resources for students who struggle and the teachers who support them.

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AZTAP is the FREE AZ lending library. Borrow any assistive technology, for free, for 2 weeks.

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Welcome to the Arizona Technology Access Program!

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What is Assistive Technology? Assistive Technology (AT) includes thousands of products that enable persons with disabilities to be more productive and independent in daily activities. Assistive technology products range from simple to complex and can be used at home, work, school and in the community to reduce barriers and increase personal abilities.