Assisted Technology With Special Needs Students

1. Assisted TechnologyWith Special Needs Students • Created by: Erica Centurioni • ITEC 7530 - Spring 2012

2. Overview: • It takes a patient individual to work with students that have special needs. These students tend to require more individualized planning and assistance in the classroom. The teacher needs to be extra patient and encouraging to these students and always carry a positive attitude. All teachers at times feel that they do not have enough resources for their students, especially if their students have certain limitations. The main problem is sometimes teachers do not have enough time to look through all the available resources out there to help. Here is a list of resources that can be used in the classroom to help enhance students learning capabilities.

3. Key Terms:Here are some key terms that might be used within these resources. The definitions are included to help refresh your memory. • Inclusion: “A regular education classroom that is made up of typically developing students and those with special needs.” • Self Contained: “a separate room dedicated solely to the education of students with special needs within a larger school that also provides general education.” • Mainstreaming: “the practice of educating students with special needs in regular classes during specific time periods based on their skills.” • Least Restrictive Environment: “is identified as one of the six principles that govern the education of students with disabilities and other special needs.” • EIP: “The Early Intervention Program (EIP) is designed to serve students in grades K – 5 who are at risk of not reaching or maintaining academic grade level, as defined in the state Early Intervention Program Guidelines.  The purpose of EIP is to help students reach grade level performance in the shortest possible time.” • Assistive Technology: Technology used for communication (such as a communication board) or to manage a disability (such as an electronic speller used to manage a learning disability).

4. Resources:There are many resources to help aid in the educational process of our students. Some of these resources offer instructional strategies (or practices) to meet our students’ individual needs. • Assistive Technology for Mild Disabilities : http://www.ericdigests.org/2003-1/assistive.htm • Examples of Products: http://www.synapseadaptive.com/edmark/prod/tw/default.htm • Assistive Listening Devices: http://www.asha.org/public/hearing/treatment/assist_tech.htm • Georgia Project for Assistive Technology (links on left for various types of devices): http://www.gpat.org/resources.aspx?PageReq=GPATImp • Assistive Technology for Students with Disabilities: http://www.familyvillage.wisc.edu/education/at.html • Assistive Technology for Students with Mild Disabilities:http://www.teachervision.fen.com/assistive-technology/teaching-methods/3791.html • Considering Assistive Technology for Students with Disabilities: http://www.gadoe.org/Curriculum-Instruction-and-Assessment/Special-Education-Services/Georgia-Project-for-Assistive-Technology/Pages/Considering-Assistive-Technology-for-Students-with-Disabilities.aspx

5. References: • http://www.netplaces.com/parenting-kids-with-special-needs/glossary/ • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-contained_classroom#Special_schools • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mainstreaming_in_education • http://portal.fultonschools.org/departments/Instruction/Curriculum/Special_Programs/Pages/EarlyInterventionProgram(EIP).aspx • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Least_Restrictive_Environment