# data[].attributes.body
The Iris Center at Vanderbilt University has created a bibliography, organized by specific disabilities, enabling educators to direct students to find books to best represent their own experiences. Additionally, Iris Center has a curated list of films portraying people with disabilities. An incredible resource to discover!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The IRIS Center Peabody College Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN 37203 [email protected]. The IRIS Center is funded through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) Grant #H325E220001. The contents of this Website do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government. Project Officer, Sarah Allen.

Copyright 2023 Vanderbilt University. All rights reserved.

* For refund and privacy policy information visit our Help & Support page.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Children's Books: Portrayals of People with Disabilities

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The IRIS Center Peabody College Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN 37203 [email protected]. The IRIS Center is funded through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) Grant #H325E220001. The contents of this Website do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S.

# data[].attributes.headline
Accommodating Special Education Students with Chrome Books

# data[].attributes.subject
Accommodating Special Education Students with Chrome Books

# data[].attributes.body
This article outlines how various features on a Chrome Book can be adapted to help special education learners. This is especially useful now in this time of remote learning when so many of our students are using this type of technology. Librarians, as technology gurus, can assist online learners with these hacks.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Technology Solutions That Drive Education

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Magnification Features Make Information Larger and Clearer

For those who need to get a clearer view of on-screen classwork, Chromebook's full-screen magnifier makes everything bigger, with multiple levels of magnification available depending on the specific user need. A recent enhancement to this feature, Docked Magnifier, offers enhanced navigation by enlarging just the top third of the screen.

"For some users who rely on magnification all day long, it can be challenging to have to pan around the screen so much," Allen says. "We wanted an alternative that doesn't create as much motion on the screen."

While accessibility typically brings to mind those with impaired vision or hearing, some students experience diminished dexterity, making it difficult to manipulate a mouse or operate a conventional keyboard.

Chromebook's on-screen keyboard gives students an alternative option. They can use the mouse or a joystick to interact with the on-screen keyboard, which also accepts speech-to-text input. Another dexterity support, Automatic Clicks, instructs the computer to automatically take action when the cursor stops moving for a certain amount of time: It's a way to "click" without having to physically click.

"For those with motor and dexterity issues, there are a lot of different use cases where these features can be very helpful," Allen says.

Google also has taken steps in support of parents who may be working to implement their young learners' various accessibility accommodations. This includes a guide for parents on distance learning tools for students with disabilities, as well as online training for teachers seeking to implement the Chromebook accessibility features.

To make the most of these tools, teachers also need to be engaged, ensuring their online instruction materials are readily usable and accessible for those with special needs.

"They can be thinking about the contrast of slides or adding text to their visuals for those using screen readers," Allen says. "It's really important that the teachers themselves keep these accessibility issues in mind to create an inclusive learning environment."
Brought to you by:

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How to Accommodate Students with Disabilities Using Chromebooks

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
For those who need to get a clearer view of on-screen classwork, Chromebook's full-screen magnifier makes everything bigger, with multiple levels of magnification available depending on the specific user need. A recent enhancement to this feature, Docked Magnifier, offers enhanced navigation by enlarging just the top third of the screen.

# data[].attributes.body
A podcast series with short stories to help kids calm their minds and guide them through breathing exercises. These types of visualizations are proven to be effective for all kids but especially for special ed students who have difficulty with mood regulation.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Short stories that help children calm down and relax by guiding them through visualisation and breathing exercises.

# data[].attributes.body
In the curated section for books about kids with disabilities, special ed students will find gems that represent them in print. Favorites include: Fish in  a Tree, by Lynda Mullaly Hunt, about a young girl, struggling with dyslexia, and

Thank You, Mr. Falker, by Patricia Polacco, telling the tale of Trisha, struggling with learning to read.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
TeachingBooks | Author & Book Resources to Support Reading Education

# data[].attributes.body
Read about how one class used VR technology to enhance the learning experience of special education students. This tool can be adapted in a MakerSpace or other library lessons to reach learners with specific learning challenges, but also excite all students with the possibilities!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Technology Solutions That Drive Education

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
This is just one example of how technology can give students who think and learn differently a more personalized and accessible learning experience.

Referred to as assistive technology, these tools are "any type of equipment or software that helps people to work around the challenges they have, whether that be with learning, communication or mobility," explains Kara Ball, an elementary science and STEM education specialist for Baltimore City Public Schools and a special education expert at Understood, a nonprofit organization providing support for people with disabilities and their families.

But what types of assistive technology tools are out there? And how can educators best use them in a modern learning environment to help students of all abilities reach their full potential?
MORE ON EDTECH: Read about the 2020 ed tech trends that focus on equity and tech accessibility.
Examples of Assistive Technology in the Classroom

Nearly 7 million students in the U.S. - almost 14 percent of all students - received special education in the 2017-2018 school year under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), according to the most recent figures from the U.S. Department of Education.

To ensure those services are provided and that instruction is inclusive of all learners, school districts are increasingly integrating assistive technology tools in general education classrooms.

Ball categorizes them into two areas: high tech and low tech. High tech refers to devices or equipment with digital or electronic components, such as augmentative communication devices, alternative keyboards and power wheelchairs. It also includes software or built-in accessibility features on devices such as text to speech, word prediction and optical character recognition. Low tech refers to simple adaptive tools such as timers, graphic organizers and flexible furniture.

"Assistive technology really gives students the ability to access grade-level content and allows them to be independent," Ball says.
Discover how immersive technology sparks critical thinking, communication, collaboration and creativity.
Adopting Assistive Technology in a Modern Learning Environment

As schools increasingly embrace modern learning environments and integrate technology into classrooms and the curriculum, they must also be mindful about potential barriers of technology in special education.

Here are a few ways educators can use digital tools in the classroom to meet the individual needs of their students and help them through learning challenges:

For students who are blind or visually impaired: Today, many devices such as Google Chromebooks come with audiovisual assistance. For example, Chromebooks have a built-in screen reader called ChromeVox, which reads content out loud for users on the Chrome browser. Chromebooks also have features that make on-screen content easier to read, such as screen magnifiers, high-contrast mode and select-to-speak. Teachers can also plug in or pair a Braille keyboard with Bluetooth if students need Braille support. Popular cloud-based applications such as G Suite for Education and Microsoft Office 365 also have dictation capabilities, allowing students to type by using their voice.

For students who are deaf or hard of hearing: Ball says she uses FM systems - wireless devices that directly transmit sounds to a hearing aid - to communicate clearly with students who have hearing loss, even in a noisy classroom. For teachers using video technology in the classroom, there are educational apps such as Flipgrid with closed-caption features, as well as videoconferencing tools such as Microsoft Teams, which comes with live captioning and subtitles.

For students with speech disabilities: Speech-to-text software and word prediction tools can assist students with speech disabilities in communicating with their teachers and peers. For example, Office 365 applications have Dictate, an AI-enabled add-in that allows students to speak into a microphone and have their speech converted into text on the computer.

For students with learning, cognitive and developmental disabilities: Besides creating VR experiences for students with autism, tools such as memory aids, audio books and text-to-speech systems are especially helpful for students who need assistance with learning, attention and organization. One particular tool is Microsoft's Immersive Reader, which was specifically designed to support students with dyslexia and dysgraphia. With the Immersive Reader, students can have text read out loud and broken into syllables - even in other languages. Microsoft's Tell Me feature allows students to access commands on Office 365 applications without having to remember them. There are also downloadable fonts such as OpenDyslexic, which can enhance readability and reading speed for students with dyslexia, Ball says. Plus, there are handy smart tools such as the Livescribe Echo Smartpen, which acts as an all-in-one microphone, speaker and storage device.

For students who need mobility assistance: One way teachers can optimize their classrooms for all students is by adopting flexible furniture, a key component of a modern learning environment. Standing desks, wobble stools and even exercise balls give students more freedom and comfort to move around in the classroom, Ball says. Another example is having students use interactive displays or touch-screen monitors if they aren't physically able to use a keyboard or computer mouse.

With assistive technology, schools can create more inclusive classrooms and empower students with disabilities to participate in the general education curriculum.

"If I'd had any of those options available to me, I probably would have been a very different student," says Ball, who has dyslexia and dyscalcula. "Being able to give students these resources to help them be independent is really the benefit of these technologies."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Assistive Technology in The Classroom Empowers Students with Disabilities

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Assistive technology (AT) is available to help individuals with many types of disabilities. Learn how assistive technology gives students a voice in their education.

# data[].attributes.body
Using apps to help develop the necessary social-emotional literacy that all children need and is often very difficult for special ed students to achieve, these tools make it easier to bring these lessons to the library or the classroom. Ranging in use for all ages, the author notes that the efficacy of these apps is still to be determined. Many are also available in web format.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Here are nine apps to help special ed students of all ages build emotional literacy, learn self-regulation, and focus on problem solving and task planning.

Photo credit: Jayne Clare

Social and emotional learning (SEL) is the cornerstone of emotional intelligence, as these abilities do not come naturally for some special education students. Children in special ed settings need to have their confidence, courage, and emotional awareness nurtured in order to successfully play, work, cooperate, and be productive in their studies. We have all heard that technology can be a great playing-field leveler in a classroom with diverse learners. It can also assist in providing social and emotional skills. Let's face it -- the digital lifestyle is here to stay, so using digital technology to enhance SEL makes perfect sense.

However, I have yet to encounter research that focuses on the effectiveness of using apps designed solely to enhance the social and emotional health of children. Researchers and educators have only begun to closely investigate the impact of these technologies on SEL. For special ed teachers, that research can't come soon enough.

Young children acquire and utilize their initial social skills mostly in the context of play and shared activities. Through play, they form their first interpersonal interactions and develop important social skills related to empathy, cooperation, conflict resolution, and self-control, which will be used throughout life to maintain healthy relationships with others.

9 Skill-Building Apps

1. Breathe, Think, Do (Sesame Street) teaches children to keep calm and carry on by introducing three possible strategies for working through problems. It touches on familiar emotional challenges such as problem solving, self-control, planning, and time on task. Intended for very young children, this simple app gives players different scenarios in which the Blue Monster character needs to regulate his or her emotions using the breathe-think-do technique.

2. Touch and Learn -- Emotions (Innovative Mobile Apps) is chock full of wonderful photographs representing four different feelings per page. The child is prompted to match the verbal cue with the appropriate photo. This app focuses on helping kids read body language and understand emotions by looking at pictures and figuring out which person is expressing a given emotion.

3. Avokiddo Emotions provides opportunities for younger children to explore a wide range of feelings through several silly characters and a plethora of props. This app incorporates activities to help children understand the subtle cause and effect of facial expressions. The main idea is exposing young children to a variety of feelings and helping them grasp emotional connections with those feelings.

4. Emotionary (Funny Feelings) is designed to give a wide age range of kids the tools and skills to express themselves well in our world of emoticons. The app has become a popular resource for the special needs population. This collection of emotions and funny feelings now allows users to draw their own emotionary "selfie" to match how they are feeling.

5. GoNoodle is a wonderful web-based way to get younger kids out of their seats and moving. These short physical activities provide brain breaks that can help keep them focused throughout a long day. Studies have shown that physical activity increases blood flow, which increases concentration and attentiveness. This enhances students' ability to acquire and recall information. These activities make them cross the mid-line of the body, engaging both sides of the brain. GoNoodle provides teachers with fun, interactive ways to get kids moving and feeling good about themselves.

6. IF. . . The Emotional IQ Game (If You Can) promotes teamwork and collaboration, accentuating how to be in touch with our own feelings and the feelings of those around us. With this app, kids (recommended ages 9-11) learn to listen, make friends, and deal with bullying in an adventure story/game format. IF's motto: "Play Learn Grow: Succeed at school with friends in life!" This pretty much says it all.

7. The Middle School Confidential series is a powerhouse of SEL lessons by tween/teen expert Annie Fox. The book/app series for ages 8-14 is a graphic novel sequence focused on making stepping-stones out of stumbling blocks on the road to becoming a teenager. Readers follow the adventures of a group of seventh-grade friends trying to navigate the ever-changing drama of their friendships, families, and school. Excellent resource!

8. Stop, Breathe & Think (Tools for Peace) promotes mindfulness, meditation, and compassion for middle and high school students and adults. Research has shown that people can develop kindness and compassion by focusing on them through mindfulness and meditation practices. You can cultivate your frame of mind in a very short timespan with simple meditation.

9. I would be remiss if I didn't include the The Social Express in this collection of apps. Its quality content keeps students engaged and on the path to mastering healthy social and emotional skills. Research-based webisodes give kids the exposure necessary to develop meaningful relationships and become more socially competent in all realms of life. This program covers the gamut from preschool through high school with a robust SEL curriculum.

Several apps can be used in the classroom or at home to assist in reinforcing social and emotional learning while also helping kids cope with the pressures that we all face. These apps can help teachers and parents in addressing students with special needs, and many are also available in a web format.

The Puzzle of Tech Use

Most students with or without disabilities can and do benefit from SEL-focused technology in the classroom. Incorporating these tech tools should increase student incentive to learn through individualized lessons, especially when tailored to a student's specific needs. When done well, tech not only reinforces key SEL skills that children need to learn, but it can also drive student enthusiasm and promote self-assurance.

This topic may seem like an oxymoron since we want children to learn how to focus during "real time" and how to live with less tech. A wonderful TED Talk addressing this conundrum is Sherry Turkle's " Connected, but alone?"

Do you know of any digital SEL resources for special education students? Please tell us about them in the comments below.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Here are nine apps to help special ed students of all ages build emotional literacy, learn self-regulation, and focus on problem solving and task planning. Photo credit: Jayne Clare Social and emotional learning (SEL) is the cornerstone of emotional intelligence, as these abilities do not come naturally for some special education students.