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Dyslexia

What is dyslexia? - Kelli Sandman-Hurley. (2013, July 15). YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zafiGBrFkRM&t=46s

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What is dyslexia? - Kelli Sandman-Hurley

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The IDEA’s Special Education Categories: Specific Learning Disability. (2013, September 1). YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZidxNIR8xDg

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The IDEA's Special Education Categories: Specific Learning Disability

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Definition
Orthopedic impairment includes any kind of physical impairment which will affect the learning of a student.  This includes a variety of impairments, some of which were present from birth (such as congenital anomalies), those that happened after birth due to external circumstances (e.g. amputations), those that were brought on due to a disease, and other causes (e.g. cerebral palsy).

Practical Help/Differentiated Instruction

Many students who have an orthopedic impairment don’t have any intellectual deficiencies. Teachers can, however, practically help students with an orthopedic impairment by arranging the seating arrangement within the class so the disabled student can sit near the door.  A special desk may be provided for the student, and the width of the aisles may be adjusted accordingly for the student.  Teachers can also focus on fine-motor skills development with the student by including activities which develop these.

In addition, the student with an orthopedic impairment may meet with a variety of therapists, including: physical therapists, massage therapists, adaptive PE education therapists, etc.  The teacher should be in contact with the team that supports the student with an orthopedic impairment, so that the teacher is aware of signs the student exhibits which point towards health problems, and can then immediately take the appropriate action.  Consulting with the student's specialists can also allow the teacher to specifically differentiate activities for that student.  For example, if the student can more easily speak than write, the teacher can allow the student to respond to answers on a test orally.

Forms of Assistive Technology
Teachers can push to include different types of assistive technologies for students with an orthopedic impairment.  These assistive technologies can help the student to have access to the material used in the classroom.  One type of assistive technology which can be used is high-tech assistive technology.  This type of technology may be needed because the student can’t move his/her body as another student can in order to access the classroom material, or a student may not be able to use his/her hand to write as another student may be able to.  In this category of assistive technology, teachers can use various types of software which can read a screen and/or recognize speech and dictate for the student.  One such piece of software is an APP called Dragon Dictation.  This APP is well known to be able to accurately jot down what students say.

In addition, if a student has an orthopedic impairment which affects his/her speech (such as cerebral palsy may do), assistive technology which can produce speech for the student would be greatly beneficial.  In the above YouTube video, one can see such a piece of assistive technology; it’s called Dynovox.

Finally, assistive technology can be included which is considered to be low-tech.  This includes technology such as canes, walkers and wheelchairs.  If wheelchairs are used, then the premises would need to be wheelchair accessible.

References
Assistive technology - top apps for students with special needs. Special Education Guide. (2021, November 29). Retrieved June 11, 2022, from https://www.specialeducationguide.com/pre-k-12/tools-and-research/7-apps-to-use-as-assistive-technology/

LaRose, S. E., Thoron, A. C., & Colelasure, B. C. (2019, November 6). Teaching Students with Disabilities—Orthopedic Impairment. AEC600/WC262: Teaching students with Disabilities: Orthopedic Impairment. Retrieved June 11, 2022, from https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/WC262

Orthopedic impairments. Project IDEAL. (n.d.). Retrieved June 11, 2022, from http://www.projectidealonline.org/v/orthopedic-impairments/

pacercenter. (2012, September 28).

Assistive technology in action - meet elle. YouTube. Retrieved June 11, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g95TO20hnmo

Sec. 300.8 (C) (8). Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. (2017, May 2). Retrieved June 11, 2022, from https://sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/a/300.8/c/8

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Assistive Technology in Action - Meet Elle

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Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI):

Traumatic brain injury can occur after receiving a violent hit to the head or jolt from head to body. Objects that can move through the brain tissue such as a bullet or a shattered piece of the skull can, also cause traumatic brain injury.

Mild TBI may temporarily affect your brain- cell size. A more- serious TBI can cause physical damage to the brain and lead to long- term complications.

There are 4 types of traumatic brain injury:

·      Concussion (most common): Caused by a sudden blow to the brain. The concussion jolts the brain causing it to move in that direction. Essentially a concussion is a shaken brain.

·      Contusions: A bruise on the brain- a mild form of bleeding under the skin.

·      Penetrating Injuries: Occurs when an object penetrates the skull and the brain.

·      Anoxic Brain Injuries: Caused by shaking of the brain, but more severely than a concussion. During this time, the brain is moving so fast that the brain stem can’t keep up which causes tears in the connection.

How does Traumatic Brain Injury Affect Learning?

Many students who suffer from TBI can return to school whether it is a traditional school setting or through specialized programs. Traumatic brain injuries create many uncertainties because two injuries are not the same.

Academic Impact:

·      Shortened attention span and impulsivity

·      Difficulty or inability to read, write, or listen

·      Difficulty comprehending or retaining new material; difficulty recalling old information

·      Increased disorganization in thoughts

·      Reduced social skills

How to assist students with TBI?

To work constructively with students with TBI, teachers may need to:

·      Provide repetition and consistency

·      Demonstrate new tasks, state instructions, and provide examples to illustrate ideas and concepts

·      Avoid figurative language

·      Reinforce lengthening periods of attention to appropriate tasks

·      Probe skill acquisition frequently and provide repeated practice

·      Teach compensatory strategies for increasing memory

·      Be prepared for students' reduced stamina and increased fatigue and provide rest breaks as needed

·      Keep the environment as distraction-free as possible

Assistive Technologies:

Along with providing extra time for assignments, teachers can give students with TBI extra time to complete assignments.

·      Voice recorder keychains or message recorders to help students to playback the lessons.

·      Handheld microcomputers to help students with grammar and spelling corrections.

·      Allow students to use e- dictionary for reference

Sources:

Kreutzer, J. (2018, August 15). Accommodations guide for students with Brain Injury. BrainLine. Retrieved June 10, 2022, from https://www.brainline.org/article/accommodations-guide-students-brain-injury

Students with traumatic brain injuries. Accredited Schools Online. (2021, April 22). Retrieved June 10, 2022, from https://www.accreditedschoolsonline.org/resources/students-traumatic-brain-injury/

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Specific Learning disability is a condition that disrupts the learning process, and can effect ones ability to listen, think, speak, write, read, write, spell or do mathematical calculations. According to IDEA the term includes such conditions as:

perceptual disabilities

brain injury

minimal brain dysfunction

dyslexia

developmental aphasia

"The “specific learning disability” (SLD) category covers a specific group of learning challenges. These conditions affect a child’s ability to read, write, listen, speak, reason, or do math." (Understood, n.d)

As a perfect example of this I will focus my attention on describing Interventions, accommodations and assistive technology of dyslexia.

“Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurobiological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction. Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.”

Interventions:

Open communications between parent and teacher.

Creation of an inclusive classroom that accommodates dyslexia as a learning style.

Use of visual aids (for example, multimedia)

Target and aim to remove the stigma attached to dyslexia and the ill conceived idea that it should be associated with intelligence.

Make use of a student's interests as a format for learning.

Accommodation:

Give additional time to complete tasks

give clear instructions

Instead of having students take notes, provide students with pre-made handouts, that allows the student to listen more attentively.

Be careful not to target or put those with dyslexia on the spot.

Assistive technology:

Technology that reads text aloud.

Speech software

Lesson - multimedia

videos

apps

games

Record lessons for review and context.

References:
International Dyslexia Association. (2002, November 12). Definition of Dyslexia. https://dyslexiaida.org/definition-of-dyslexia/

Understood. (n.d.). The 13 disability categories under IDEA. Understood. https://www.understood.org/en/articles/conditions-covered-under-idea

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Indian River and Osceola School District Audio Enhancement Testimonial

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Deafness and Severe Hearing Impairment by Tarra Scott

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Deafness and Severe Hearing Impairment by Tarra Scott

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"The handicap of deafness is not in the ear; it is in the mind."
- Marlee Matlin

When we fail to find ways to give rich educational experiences to deaf children, we rob them of that chance to build their minds.

While deafness is not a visible disability, it can have a strong effect on a child's ability to integrate into a conventional classroom setting without an IEP in place to help that child.

To paraphrase the definition given by IDEA, deafness is the level of hearing impairment so profound that the child is unable to comprehend language even with the use of amplification or traditional hearing devices.

In general, hearing impairment creates many challenges for students with this disability where noise can make it hard for them to hear clearly without devices. This is even more difficult for students who have profound deafness, as without an IEP in place, they will find it especially difficult to learn in a classroom where...

- the instructor holds live lectures or teaches through speaking
- whole class discussions happen often
- exams where speaking, presentation, and/or listening skills are being assessed

Historically, those who were classified as deaf were put into boarding schools specifically for students with this learning challenge, but in 1990s, families of deaf children pushed to have them included in mainstream classrooms. With this, IDEA formulated provisions to ensure children with severe hearing impairment could be included with non-disabled children.

In order to make that happen, the IDEA set IEPs in place for these learners with the following considerations:
- The preference of the child's and their family's preferred form of communication (lip-reading, sign language, speech-to-text, etc.)
- The child's language needs
- The level of the child's hearing disability and possible residual hearing (the ability to hear sounds, even unclearly) and ability to use cochlear implants to bypass damaged or malformed ear structures
- The psychological and social needs of the child

Some IEPs may allow the student to sit in the front of a class so they are better able to lip-read. Others may provide students with a sign language interpreter to help translate spoken language into a form of communication they can comprehend. Students may use text-to-speech devices to help them take part in discussions or to present to their class. With online learning, many apps such as Google Meet includes a closed captioning option which can help deaf students follow online classes.

In my experiences over the years working with several profoundly deaf students who were able to communicate verbally, they were able to benefit from using cochlear implants and I wore a portable microphone to help stand out from regular classroom noises by projecting my voice directly to their devices.

Two of my deaf students also took part in my drama classes and competed with non-disabled students in city-wide drama and speech contests. It was amazing to see how IEPs could help them not only maintain learning standards with their peers, but to also excel to a level of competing against hearing students.

In Taiwan, the number of children reported as having significant hearing loss was only 7.91 in 10,000. In the US, this number is 5 in 1,000.

One possible factor for such low numbers in these reports for Taiwan may be related to the cultural shame of having a disabled child. Sometimes this can cause the child to not be tested or receive what could help them thrive in mainstream learning environments. Parents may even be in denial of their child's disability even after diagnosis which can have detrimental effects on their child - both cognitively and psychologically.

I served as the ESL/Reading Intervention Specialist for an English-immersion kindergarten in 2001 and had some background in hearing and speech science when I came across my first case of a hearing-impaired child.
A teacher had flagged one of her students as having trouble with phonics, only recognizing initial sounds and then putting random letters for all other sounds. Unless the child was looking directly at the teacher, she could not recognize her name being called amongst a class of active 4- and 5-year-olds until you touched her shoulder.
We recommended for her to be tested for hearing loss and her parents begrudgingly agreed. There was impairment, but it was not severe at testing. However, the doctor implied that it would worsen over time. She made amazing improvements after she was fitted with a hearing aid and her teachers given a microphone to make it easier to hear during center time. She began reading for the first time and gained confidence in being able to interact with her peers more easily.
Sadly, after just one peripheral staff member casually commented to the parents that the girl heard her perfectly fine and didn't need that "contraption", the parents took away the device and the child slowly lost her progress in phonics and decoding and eventually her parents pulled her from the school because of the face loss of their daughter's disability.

When a family with a deaf child immigrates to a country where their home language may differ from the lingua franca or where a child is in a language immersion program taught by native speakers of that language, a unique issue may also arise. As deafness appears in many cultures, people of those cultures have developed their own sign or hand languages. This presents an extra challenge if a child has grown up using a sign language endemic to their own as they will now have to navigate with a new spoken language as well as a new sign language to communicate with other members of this new deaf community. Even in the US there are multiple sign languages such as ASL (which has its own linguistic rules about grammar, inflections, and syntax) and SEE (which mimics standard spoken American English grammar, inflections, and syntax).

Other issues can arise when a school not equipped to provide a deaf student with an IEP that fits their needs. The families of these children often have to provide their own equipment or interpreters to help their child take part in learning. The burden can be overwhelming for families who may find it hard to give their children the same freedom of choice in learning experiences as hearing children.

There is a Oscar-winning short film called The Silent Child starring the young deaf actress Maisie Sly (video at the top) that shows the difficulties of a deaf child not having her needs met through both a lack of appropriate IEP and from denial of her disability on the part of her parents.

At 10:25, you can see the IEP seating chart her tutor has planned to help the girl be able to lip-read more easily and how, because the parents disregard the advice given and don't push for this at her school (17:25), the child is not able to take part in her hearing-focused classroom. This film brings to light these issues for pushing for IEPs in hopes of bringing awareness to the public and advocating for children with profound hearing loss.

In summary, with the right IEP accommodations in place to address communication issues and ensure learning needs are met in ways that mitigate hearing impairment, deaf children can not only meet learning standards, but more often than not are able exceed expectations set for academic success. We can reach these children by guiding their hearts and their minds when we make space to meet their educational needs.

Sources:
Definition of "deafness" under IDEA: Resources for parents & teachers. Special Education Guide. (2021, November 29). Retrieved June 6, 2022, from https://www.specialeducationguide.com/disability-profiles/deafness/

EHDI Annual Data. (2021, June 10). Data and statistics about hearing loss in children. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved June 6, 2022, from https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/hearingloss/data.html

Lin C, Tseng Y, Guo H, et al. Prevalence of childhood hearing impairment of different severities in urban and rural areas: a nationwide population-based study in Taiwan. BMJ Open 2018;8:e020955. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2017-020955

Seaver, L. (n.d.). DEAF IS DIFFERENT: Educational Impacts and Cultural Perspectives. Hands and Voices. Retrieved June 6, 2022, from https://www.handsandvoices.org/articles/education/law/different.html

Story: The Oscar-Winning Short Film : The Silent Child. Story | The OSCAR Winning Short Film : The Silent Child. (n.d.). Retrieved June 6, 2022, from https://www.thesilentchildmovie.com/story

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Cochlear implants. National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. Retrieved June 6, 2022, from https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/cochlear-implants#:~:text=over%20the%20telephone.-,Who%20gets%20cochlear%20implants%3F,adults%20and%2065%2C000%20in%20children.

Using hearing assistive technologies in the classroom: Why, when and how? boystownhospital.org. (n.d.). Retrieved June 6, 2022, from https://www.boystownhospital.org/knowledge-center/using-hearing-assistive-technologies-classroom

Victory, J. (2020, May 25). What is residual hearing? learn what it is and why you want to protect it. Healthy Hearing. Retrieved June 6, 2022, from https://www.healthyhearing.com/report/51492-Protecting-your-residual-hearing

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The Silent Child | Oscar® Winning Short Film

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Some possible accommodations for hearing impaired students are:

Turn off unnecessary electronics to limit white noise.

Go outside for loud activities (sound bounces off walls.)

Don't amplify your voice through shouting as this change in tone can cause anxiety and trauma in some learners.

Some assistive technology:

Outfit classroom with sound-absorbing acoustic panels and carpets.

Use professional, classroom-specific microphones, speakers, and headphones (as seen in video below.)

Students can have a microphone they share.

When reading allowed, utilize software that highlights words visually as your read and allows for independent volume control.

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According to IDEA, a hearing impairment "adversely affects a child’s educational performance but is not included under the definition of 'deafness."

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Emotional Disturbance is one of the 14 Disability Categories Under IDEA. It can be difficult to diagnose and difficult to spot because it covers a lot of different disorders. According to IDEA it is “A condition exhibiting one or more of the following characteristics over a long period of time and to a marked degree that adversely affects a child’s educational performance: (a) An inability to learn that cannot be explained by intellectual, sensory, or health factors. (b) An inability to build or maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships with peers and teachers.(c) Inappropriate types of behavior or feelings under normal circumstances. (d) A general pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression.(e) A tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal or school problems.The term includes schizophrenia. The term does not apply to children who are socially maladjusted,unless it is determined that they have an emotional disturbance.” ED covers a wide range of behaviors and because there is no health or physical factors associated with it,it can easily be ignored as simply bad behavior.

Do2learn’s definition agrees  and also points out the difficulties in diagnosing a student.  “A student with an emotional disturbance has the inability to learn in school which cannot be explained by other factors, as well as the inability to build or maintain good relationships at school. These students display difficulties with behavior or feelings, and may be generally unhappy or sad.” They go on to say thatm “Many children who do not have emotional disturbance may display some of these same behaviors at various times during their development.” This shows the difficulty in properly assessing a students emotional disturbance because some might assume that it is just children acting out or having a bad day.

Students with ED my exhibit the following learning difficulties, “Academically performing below grade level, may not have strategies to be successful in school, such as memorization skills and attention, which may lead to academic difficulties, and may display inability to sustain attention.”

Their socialization and behavior might include “difficulty interacting socially with others due to excessive fear or anxiety,may withdraw from others and appear isolated, may exhibit symptoms of depression” among others.

Do2learn offers these strategies to help with a student exhibiting emotional disturbance signs.

·  Post a general class schedule that indicates what students should be expected to do as they enter your classroom, when homework is collected, etc.

·  Before your students enter class, write on the board what will happen during that specific class period and how long each activity will take.

·  Develop and maintain an active schedule with evenly intermixed direction instruction, individual seat work, and cooperative learning activities.

·  Break assignments into “chunks” to avoid overwhelming the student.

·  Seat student in close proximity to teacher, towards front of the room.

Review and discuss with the student all of the steps involved in activity.
It can be difficult to provide assistive technology that can help with emotional disturbance. Parette, Crowley and Wojcik write about diagnosing the behavior triggers. These triggers can be from falling behind in reading or writing. They suggest text to speech programs that can offer a more relaxing environment for the student. These programs also take some of the pressure and frustration away from the student.

They also suggest using a stopwatch. This can help the student recognize time constraints and “a stop-watch can relieve the burden of having to deal with time-management, thus allowing him/her to focus more directly on the academic task at hand.”

Emotional disturbance can be difficult to diagnose in the classroom, but it is important to offer any help available to a student that is suffering from any of the forms of emotional disturbance.

References

14 disability categories under IDEA#2 - uom. (n.d.). Retrieved June 8, 2022, from http://sinche.uom.gr/sites/default/files/14_disability_categories_under_idea.pdf

Assistive technology for students with learning disabilities. LD@school. (2018, May 4). Retrieved June 8, 2022, from https://www.ldatschool.ca/assistive-technology/

Educational Resources for Special Needs. Do2Learn. (n.d.). Retrieved June 8, 2022, from https://do2learn.com/disabilities/CharacteristicsAndStrategies/EmotionalDisturbance_Strategies.html

Reducing overload in students with learning and behavioral ... - eric. (n.d.). Retrieved June 8, 2022, from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ967467.pdf

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The IDEA's Special Education Categories: Emotional Disturbance

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Sources:
Audio Enhancement, Inc. (2021). Indian River and Osceola School District Audio Enhancement Testimonial. YouTube. Retrieved June 10, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyQqGQt9EwY.

Behrmann, M. (1998, May 1). Assistive technology for young children in special education: It makes a Difference. Edutopia. Retrieved June 10, 2022, from https://www.edutopia.org/assistive-technology-young-children-special-education

Edwards, O. (2005, June 2). Turn it up: Don't let them tune out. Edutopia. Retrieved June 10, 2022, from https://www.edutopia.org/turn-it

Johnson, B. (2014, August 22). Auditory awareness: Are students hearing the lesson? Edutopia. Retrieved June 10, 2022, from https://www.edutopia.org/blog/auditory-awareness-are-students-hearing-lesson-ben-johnson

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Developmental Delay is listed as one of the 14 Disability categories under IDEA. This passage will discuss the Interventions, Accommodations, and Assistive Technologies associated with and available for students who suffer from a Developmental Delay.

Developmental Delays can be broken down into 5 main categories: Physical (fine and gross motor skills); Cognitive: Socioemotional; Communicative; and Adaptive. As a result of the wide range of causes and effects of these different delays there are also a wide range of Accommodations and Assistive Technologies, not to mention Interventions.

Interventions should support a child’s learning through interactions with others, in particular care givers, whilst targeting the skills critical to learning. They should create learning opportunities and form the basis for building an IEP (should that be appropriate for the country in which the child lives). Earlier intervention and diagnosis (from age 0 to 3 years) is often key to having the greatest possible impact on the child. Initial Intervention could take the form of: Medical screenings or neurological tests, such as MRI’s, CT scans, or blood tests; physical therapy for those with a delay in gross motor skills; occupational therapy to assist with fine motor skills or sensory issues; speech and language therapy; or behavioral therapy. This is not an exhaustive list, there are a vast number of possible interventions, partly because of the complex range of different developmental delays but also because strategies vary from country to country so as to be consistent with cultural beliefs and practices in any given region.

Accommodations for children with developmental delays follow a similar pattern to the Interventions, being incredibly varied according to the nature of the developmental delay, the country the child lives in, and the socioeconomic position of the child’s family. Over 50 million children in the world suffer from developmental delays, and for many accessing the necessary support is an issue. The WHO and UNICEF have developed training programs for caregivers and health workers in how they can best assist children with developmental delays, both of which are available on their websites. In a classroom setting UDL can provide a valuable tool in accommodating a learner with a developmental delay. A child being able to gather information, practice skills, and demonstrate their knowledge in a way that is comfortable to them is much more likely to experience academic growth. A specific example of this would be a child with dyslexia being given a written test verbally.

Assistive technologies provide an access method for skills that children are yet to acquire. They fall into 3 main categories: Low tech (or no tech); medium tech; and high tech. Low tech items are usually not electronic, low cost, and are very easy to use, for example: Pencil grips; magnifying glasses; echo microphones; social stories; visual timers; and non-slip mats. Medium tech items are often electronic but are usually easy to introduce and use without training, such as: Switch activated toys; battery operated communication devices; and noise reduction headphones. High tech items sometimes require training to effectively implement and can be high cost, some examples include: Various computer programs and APPs that can be used on desktops, tablets, and phones, such as ‘Look to Learn’ software; and other Dynamic Display Devices. To be impactful when using Assistive technologies it is important that they are used on a consistent basis as a part of daily routines within the child’s various environments.

Sources:

Dr Syed Kazmi

Causes of Developmental Delay in Children and Approach to its Management

Causes of Developmental Delay in Children and Approach to its Management - YouTube

Training for caregivers of children with developmental delays and disabilities

Training for caregivers of children with developmental delays and disabilities - YouTube

Developmental Delays Treated With Multi-Sensory Program at Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital - YouTube

Developmental Delays Treated With Multi-Sensory Program at Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital

Treating Developmental Delays | Wow Vision Therapy

Treating Developmental Delays | Wow Vision Therapy - YouTube

"Early Childhood Developmental Delay and Disability" by Vibha Krishnamurthy for OPENPediatrics - YouTube

"Early Childhood Developmental Delay and Disability" by Vibha Krishnamurthy for OPENPediatrics

Introduction to Assistive Technology for Early Childhood - YouTube

Introduction to Assistive Technology for Early Childhood

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Speech and Language Impairment by Sarah 

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Speech and Language Impairment by Sarah 

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Speech or Language Impairment (SLI) is a communication disorder that negatively affects a child’s educational performance. SLI falls into two categories where the child in question could exhibit signs from both. SLI becomes cause for concern when the child is noticeably behind their peers in speech and language skills.

Although in many cases there are no specific causes for a child having SLI, some causes do include the following: Hearing loss, brain injury, intellectual disability, drug abuse, physical impairment (such as a cleft lip), and vocal issues.

Speech: When a child is exhibiting problems in this area they will often have difficulty producing speech sounds and have a problem with the quality of their voice. For example, they could be speaking in monotone, too loudly, too quietly, or even sound congested.

Language: A language impairment would include problems with their receptive language and their expressive language. Specifically, a child will have difficulty understanding and/or using words as well as a difficulty using words to express their thoughts.

What to look for in their academic behavior:

When a child is showing signs of SLI, their overall academic achievement will be lower than their peers. When a child is reading aloud from a book, they may actively substitute words in place for the ones on the page. The child will also have the tendency to act impulsively and respond before instructions are given out. They may also feel embarrassed for their lack of language/speech understanding regardless of their age. Finally, the child will avoid situations where they must speak in front of peers and they will avoid eye contact.

How can we help by using Assistive Technology?

There are many low-tech and high-tech ways to assist students struggling with SLI. Here is a list of a few ideas in regards to those students.

Pentop Computers: Pentop Computers will help students receive text to speech interaction and engagement. This will help students who are struggling with their language ability to hear the words that they are writing. A great platform for the pentop computer is Leapfrog’s FLY pentop computer, here.

Tablets: Tablets are also a great resource to help aid in speech impairments. Specifically, the Lingraphica which offers an easy-to-use platform for all ages struggling with a speech impairment. The tablet device includes interactive games to help practice speaking skills as well as built-in exercises for more focussed help.

Electronic Fluency Devices: This AT is geared towards students that have a stutter. The device works by playing the user’s voice back to them at a slightly different pitch.

Picture Boards: Picture boards are a great low-tech option to utilize in the classroom if a student exhibits SLI. When using picture boards, the student can point to images, words, or pictures on the board to help relay their message.

Video:

I have attached a video that explains an activity that a speech therapist does with all of her young learners. In the video, she goes over 5 separate ways that she uses Play Doh to help with speech and cognitive development. I personally enjoyed the final way she uses the Play Doh to help strengthen the child’s imagination. She does this through letting the child use the Play Doh to create whatever they’d like. While they are creating their figure, the speech therapist is asking questions and allowing them to talk through what they’re doing. Then, she’ll begin to give ideas, such as: “I wonder if the dragon has purple wings…” By collaborating with the art and letting the child negotiate how it looks, the speech therapist and the child have created something together.

Sources:
Assistive technology for students with learning disabilities. LD@school. (2018, May 4). Retrieved June 8, 2022, from https://www.ldatschool.ca/assistive-technology/

Libguides: Speech disorders: Common assistive technologies. Common Assistive Technologies - Speech Disorders - LibGuides at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. (n.d.). Retrieved June 8, 2022, from https://guides.library.illinois.edu/c.php?g=613892&p=4265891

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Using PLAYDOUGH for Speech and Language Therapy

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Lawrence - Visual Impairments

This video shows the challenging journey of one teacher getting her student Zelda to be able to read contracted braille. She used auditory from videos to get Zelda interested and then moved on to visual objects such as a feather to represent an animal in a book. She then started incorporating braille little by little and by the time Zelda was in middle school she was finally able to read contracted braille. I was really impressed by this teachers dedication and creativity throughout all those years of teaching Zelda and it encouraged me to look into other methods that can be used to help visually impaired students.

There are many different visual aids used for visually impaired students and I will break them up into several categories:

Learning/Studying: , special software, picture/print schedules, highlighted text; highlighters, voice output reminder, electronic organizer, and timers.

Mobility: ​​Walkers, white canes, grab rails, manual or powered wheelchairs, powered recreational vehicles, building modifications and adaptations, electronic image sensors, and telescopic aids.

Reading: Change in text size, magnification, spacing, color, background color, use of pictures with text, adapted page turning, book stands, talking electronic dictionary, scanner with talking word processor; electronic text books, highlighted text, recorded material; multimedia presentation formats, books on tape, CD, or MP3, optical character reader, braille books, electronic magnifier (CCTV), and screen reader/text reader.

While being visually impaired in a seeing world is massively difficult, it is great to know that there are lots of technologies available and are being utilized in the classroom. Unfortunately, like in many other areas of education, funding is often an issue and sometimes students with special needs are unable to get the technologies they need.

Source: Williams, C. (2015, November 22). Overview of Assistive Technology. https://www.teachingvisuallyimpaired.com/overview-of-assistive-technology.html

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Visual Impairment Strategies: Moving From Object Activities to Contracted Braille

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Students with Deaf-Blindness
by : Max Johnson

It may seem that deaf-blindness refers to a total inability to see or hear. However, in reality deaf-blindness is a condition in which the combination of hearing and visual losses in children and youth cause such severe communication and educational needs that they cannot be accommodated in special education programs that are solely meant for children with deafness or children with blindness.

A person who is deaf-blind has a unique experience of the world. For people who can see and hear, the world extends outward as far as his or her eyes and ears can reach. For the young child who is deaf-blind, the world is initially much narrower. If the child is profoundly deaf and totally blind, his or her experience of the world extends only as far as the fingertips can reach. Such children are effectively alone if no one is touching them.

Accommodations

Because of the degree of vision and hearing loss varies from person to person, the possible accommodations needed for  students who are deaf-blind are diverse, distinct and yet often easy to accomplish.

There are several possible physical accommodations that may need to be addressed  regarding the classroom itself. The classroom should have adequate lighting. Are there sources of glare such as fluorescent lighting? Do white walls create glare? Is there enough space in the classroom to allow for an interpreter? Allow for preferential seating, either to facilitate better listening or to be closer to an electrical outlet. Arrangements should be made to provide or allow notetakers, tutors, or readers.

Teaching styles should be considered.  If the instructor speaks while writing on the blackboard, the student may not be able to hear or speechread the person clearly. For teachers that use handouts or other visual material,  it is critical to meet with the student early to allow time to convert materials into the student’s preferred mode such as Braille or enlarged text.

Accommodations used in the classroom may also be needed when students have small group activities or complete group projects. Some of these support services may include use of an interpreter or Assisted Listening Device.  If the student uses an interpreter in class, the interpreter may need to voice to the class what the student signs.

Assistive Technology (AT)

AT for visual disabilities

Screen readers: A program that analyzes the content of a website and provides a text to speech translation. Commands allow them to skip from heading to heading, click links, and do other important tasks.

Braille displays: A device that translates digital text into braille dots that can be read with the fingers.

Dictation: Speech recognition software allows a user to navigate, type, and interact with websites using their voice.

AT for hearing disabilities

Alerting devices: A device that converts an audio alert (e.g., doorbell, alarm clock) into a visual or physical alert that the person can perceive.

Telecommunications: Many different options are available for those who are deaf or hard of hearing, including amplified telephones, teletype devices, and video chat.

Enhanced listening: Systems can be used to connect an audio feed directly to someone’s hearing aid or cochlear implant.

Visual communication: Captions and transcripts provide audio information in a visual format. Visual aids should allow for zooming in and out.

Plans should also be made for training the student, staff, and family on how the devices work.

Sources:

Hatlen, P. (1996). The core curriculum for blind and visually impaired students, including those with additional disabilities. RE:view, 28(1), 25-32.

American Council on Education (2000). Students who are deaf or hard of hearing in postsecondary education (revised). (HEATH Resource Center publication). Washington, DC.

Dragoo, K.E. Congressional Research Service (Oct. 12, 2020). The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act: A Comparison of State Eligibility Criteria R46566

Understanding Assistive Technology: How Do Deaf-Blind People Use Technology? Level Access (2022). Retrieved from https://www.levelaccess.com/understanding-assistive-technology-how-do-deaf-blind-people-use-technology/

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Intellectual Disability (formerly known as Mental Retardation)

What is it?

Intellectual disability is identified by problems in both intellectual and adaptive functioning, it is a life-long condition, symptoms are easily to be recognized at early age of the childhood as skills development are shown as delay.  In general, a full-scale IQ score of around 70 to 75 indicates a significant limitation in intellectual functioning. One fact is shown that Intellectual disability affects about 1% of the population, and of those about 85% have mild intellectual disability. Males are more likely to be diagnosed with intellectual disability than females.

What impact does it have?

Moreover, it can also bring impact on one’s executive functioning, specifically two areas are shown as Intellectual functioning and Adaptive functioning. Adaptive functioning is likely to be discussed as the one with intellectual disability will have influences on his or her conceptual, social and practical abilities when communicate with family members, teachers, or individuals who are involved in communications.

Causes and Treatment

There are variety of causes contribute to intellectual disability, It can be associated with a genetic syndrome, It may also develop following an illness. Other factors, like brain malformation, maternal disease, labor or delivery-related events, as well as environmental influences can also contribute.

Once a diagnosis is made,  the focus should be on looking at the individual’s strengths and needs, and the supports he or she needs to function at home, in school/work and in the community.

How does my school support with intellectual disability students?

·      Moderate or Severe level

Our school established a department called Life Centered Education, it focuses on guiding kids with moderate to severe level of intellectual disability to learn adaptive life skills associated with relevant academic and social skills. Students receive 1:1 teaching opportunities, interactively participate school wide or grade level activities. There are currently 3 students in LCE, kids receive modified curriculum based on their individual needs, assistive technology tools and accommodations are provided, such as

1.     visualized cue cards to help students learning about their daily routines

2.     audio books help for reading practice

3.     frequent breaks are offered

·      Mild level

Mild level of intellectual disability students are allocated with their grade level, but they do attend Learning Support classes by receiving modified curriculum in some of subject areas. One of my students, a 7th grader female student is on modified ELA and Math, she is diagnosed as mild level intellectual disability, she has weaker working memory and takes longer than other students to process information.

As assistive technologies

1.     we have always provided her with the check list and graphic organizer to achieve her problem-solving goals

2.     as well as the daily IXL exercise to monitor her math progress.

Accommodations are

1.     extended assessment time

2.     separate setting

As we continually tracking data, all interventions and accommodations seem working well so far.

References:

What is Intellectual Disability? (2022)Retrieved 7 June 2022, from https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/intellectual-disability/what-is-intellectual-disability

Assistive Technology for Students with Learning Disabilities - LD@school. (2022). Retrieved 7 June 2022, from https://www.ldatschool.ca/assistive-technology/

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Definition of autism according to IDEA:
A developmental disability significantly affecting verbal and nonverbal communication and social interaction, generally evident before age three, that adversely affects a child’s educational performance. Other characteristics often associated with autism are engaging in repetitive activities and stereotyped movements, resistance to environmental change or change in daily routines, and unusual responses to sensory experiences. The term autism does not apply if the child’s educational performance is adversely affected primarily because the child has an emotional disturbance, as defined in #5 below. A child who shows the characteristics of autism after age 3 could be diagnosed as having autism if the criteria above are satisfied.

Incidence: 1.5% of P-12 children served under IDEA for 2018-2019. (CRS Report, 2020)

Accommodations:
My school does pre-screening as part of the student interview process so the vast majority of enrolled students are high functioning and have high cognitive abilities. For those enrolled that need accommodation, the types of accommodation available are those recommended by the Deans and the school’s psychological counsellors. Typically, students with ASD would be offered breaks and taught coping mechanisms.

Assistive technology:
In regards to assistive technology, at my school, the counselling department feels that offering noise-cancelling headphones for students who need them is currently sufficient. As we are a new school and because of our screening process, we currently only have a handful of students who were officially diagnosed with ASD and, so far, providing these students with noise-cancelling headphones is enough.