Module 6 Assistive Technology

1. Working With Students With Special Needs Resources and Instructional Practices

2. The Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) mandates that each state provide free and appropriate education for all children, regardless of abilities and disabilities. It requires that individual education plans (IEPs) be developed for students with disabilities who meet certain criteria. Other students with disabilities may have Section 504 plans. Legal Issues

3. Assistive technology (AT) - Ageneric term that includes assistive, adaptive, and rehabilitative devices for people with disabilities and includes the process used in selecting, locating, and using them. Inclusion – The practice, in which students with special educational needs spend most or all of their time with non-disabled students. Terms

4. Least restrictive environment - A student who has a disability should have the opportunity to be educated with non-disabled peers, to the greatest extent possible. They should have access to the general education curriculum, extracurricular activities, or or any other program that non-disabled peers would be able to access. The student should be provided with supplementary aids and services necessary to achieve educational goals if placed in a setting with non-disabled peers Terms

5. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) - A framework for designing curricula that enable all individuals to gain knowledge, skills, and enthusiasm for learning. UDL provides rich supports for learning and reduces barriers to the curriculum while maintaining high achievement standards for all. UDL calls for multiple means of representation, action and expression, and engagement. Terms

6. Assistive technology can: minimize the extent to which individuals with LD need to ask for help (enabling them to be more independent learners) improve the speed and accuracy of work reinforce effective classroom instruction and strengthen skill development help students to 'fit in' with classroom learning and routines motivate students with LD to set high goals for themselves and to persevere Assistive Technology

7. Assistive technology cannot: compensate for ineffective teaching make a learning disability go away be expected to provide the same benefits to different users automatically promote positive attitudes toward learning Source – National Center for Learning Disorders Assistive Technology

8. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Provide lecture outlines Extended time for assignments Minimize distractions Provide directions in writing Accommodations and Instructional Practicies

9. Communication and Language Disabilities Give students adequate time to express themselves Communicate effectively Learning Disabilities Extended time for assignments Allow use of a laptop Use multimedia teaching techniques Allow alternative formats for assignments Allow tape recordings of lectures Provide lecture outlines Accommodations and InstructionalPracticies

10. Hearing Impairment Use of captioning Use of a note taker Use of an interpreter When teaching, face the class and speak slowly and clearly Mobility Disabilities Preferred class seating Extended time on assignments Use of note taker, tape recorder, and laptop Accessible facilities Accommodations and InstructionalPracticies

11. Visual Impairment Large print materials Text to speech and speech to text software Scanner Closed caption television (CCTV) Optical character recognition Braille embosser Refreshable Braille display Accommodations and InstructionalPracticies

12. http://www.gpat.org/resources.aspx?PageReq=GPATIMP http://www.ncld.org http://www.rcld.uga.edu/accomodations.html http://www.washington.edu/doit/Resources/educators.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assistive_technology References/Additional Resources