Assistive Technology to Support Students with Special Needs Doreen Engel, MA Director of Special Education Archdiocese of Washington Distributed by the National Catholic Partnership on Disability www.ncpd.org
Universal Design • Universal Design is a principle that is borrowed from architecture. • The idea is to “build-in” accessibility, so that as many people as possible can have access.
Example of Universal Design • Curb cuts allow people in wheelchairs, people pushing a wheeling walker, consumers pulling a shopping cart, parents pushing a stroller, and children riding tricycles, all to seamlessly leave the sidewalk, cross the street, and return to the sidewalk. Walkers are not bothered by the curb cuts.
In education: • Universal Design means planning ahead in regard to instruction, curriculum, materials, classroom layout, etc. so that children can have seamless or near seamless access. • Technology is a big part of making Universal Design a reality.
Purpose of this PowerPoint: • 1. Let you know about some possibilities. There are many good products and services – these are just a few. However, they give you a basic idea of price range and function.
Purpose of this PowerPoint • Keep some basic principles in mind: • Portability is key. • Low tech is good. • Always try to arrange for the child/family to try out items before any purchases are made. • Try to consider how all students might benefit, even though for some students the technology might be essential, and for others, optional.
Finally, • Parents may be over eager to make purchases for their child. Slow them down – be sure they have read carefully, and let the child try out the item for a length of time before purchasing anything at home. • Ideally, purchases used for school should be part of the school budget, not something you ask the parents to pay for.
Quick overview of several types of supports: Assistive Listening Devices Books on CD (RFB&D) Free on-line software Build-a-book Sparktop TypeIt4ME Google Docs Free Natural Reader Other commercially available products: Boardmaker Plus (communication) WordQ (Word prediction software) Soliloquy Reading (Reading assistant) Solo (All-in-one product with text-to-speech, dictation, graphic organizer, and word prediction)
Books on CD • Available for free from the Library of Congress www.loc.gov/nls • Available for a fee from Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic (www.rfbd.org) • You can visit their local office, to try out various players before recommending them. • Schools or students with financial need can receive free equipment and free books. • If they don’t have a book you need, they will record it. • Books on CD are mailed directly to the school or home.
Books on CD • Excellent no cost or low cost strategy for many learners: ELL, learning disabilities, AD/HD • “Special” CD player is required, but many look like typical CD players. • Parents may worry the child “will never learn to read” using this technique, but the research shows just the opposite. • Also useful for children who are strong auditory learners, or children who have a very long commute to school. • Ideally, let the child try it out at school before asking a parent to order this.
Assistive Listening Devices • For children with hearing loss, or occasionally for children with significant attention problems. (When working with a child with a hearing loss, be certain the audiologist is involved in the selection of the device.) http://www.asha.org/public/hearing/treatment/assist_tech.htm
Assistive Listening Devices • Cost from $600 upwards. • I am trying to get donations of used equipment for children who may benefit from this.
Free On-line Software • Build-a-Book available from CAST. http://bookbuilder.cast.org/ Universal Design approach allows children with different reading/comprehension levels to access the same book. Also check out http://lessonbuilder.cast.org
Sparktop.org • Available from ldonline.org • Game format explains to students that every brain is different, and that we all have strengths and weakness. Good explanations of multiple intelligences, learning differences, and attention for children.
TypeIt4ME • Word prediction software for Macs only. • Single user is only $27.00 • See • More info at http://ettoresoftware.com/About%20TypeIt4Me.html
Google Docs • FREE http://www.google.com/ Two people can look at the same document on-line in real time. They can both edit the document, and the other person can see the changes immediately. • This has caught on as a way for parents who are out of town to be involved in homework.
Free Natural Reader • Natural Reader is a free text to speech reader. The free option comes with only one voice. However, it may be a good way to let a student try out text-to-speech software before making any purchases. • More info http://www.naturalreaders.com/
Boardmaker Plus • Creates communication boards for students with limited communication ability. http://www.mayer-johnson.com/products/default.aspx • Very useful for students with expressive language issues, or limited vocabulary. • I found it a bit complicated to use, but might be worthwhile for a motivated paraprofessional who is working one-on-one with a student.
WordQ • Word prediction software. • Has various levels (k-2) (2-8) and adult. • More info at http://www.wordq.com/ • One computer: $211.00. Unlimited Site License: $1800. Maybe we have schools who would like to share this?
Reading Assistant • Students read aloud, and this software corrects their errors. It provides immediate feedback on pronunciation, and fluency. • $210 for stand alone (home) elementary version. • $510 for stand alone (home) secondary version. • There is a network version – call for pricing. More info at http://www.scilearn.com/products/reading-assistant/
Excellent newsletter • Family Center on Technology and Disability. • FTCD offers information for parents and teachers, free newsletters, funding sources, etc. • More info at www.fctd.info
MathPad and MathPad Plus • Allows students to use the computer to work math problems, including fractions and decimals. Will accommodate problems up to 6th grade level. • Demo available at http://www.infouse.com/mathpad_public/ • Cost: $80 (five pack = $320)
