What If The Iep Team Does Not Approve The Request For Assistive Technology
If the IEP team determines that assistive technology is not necessary, the students parent or teacher may request a reevaluation of the student. Other members of the team also may determine that a reevaluation is necessary before making a determination, and may request a reevaluation.
Students, parents, and school officials may disagree about a students assistive technology needs. If there is still disagreement about assistive technology needs after a reevaluation and the students parents believe that the schools evaluation was inadequate or failed to address the students assistive technology needs, the parents have the right to request an independent evaluation of the student. Parents also can submit a citizen complaint with OSPI or request a due process hearing to challenge the denial.
Tips To Incorporate Assistive Technology In The Classroom
Assistive technology represents one set of tools that teachers can use to lower the achievement gap for students with disabilities. Here are a couple of tips for those considering approaching assistive technology integration in their own classrooms:
– Teachers need to teach their students how to use the technology, and they may need to troubleshoot in the classroom when the assistive technology stops working. Therefore, the first step for many teachers is learning how to use the assistive tools themselves and then creating a lesson plan to teach students how to use it.
– There are many assistive technology options available. The positive aspect of having many different tools to choose from is that you can find something that fits each students exact needs. The challenge is clearly defining those needs and selecting assistive technologies that meet the specific needs rather than general needs.
– Students need regular access to assistive technology. Teachers need to choose tools that students can use in the classroom and, if needed, at home. If students do not have access to the tools regularly, then they may not produce the desired results. Tablets and smartphones, even for younger students, can provide easy access to applications that provide assistive technology.
Assistive Technology Implementation Challenges
The benefits of assistive technology for students with learning disabilities are manifest, but implementing such tools in classrooms can cause challenges:
- Staff training. Teachers and staff may require special training to help students set up and utilize more sophisticated assistive technology aids.
- Lesson planning. Integrating the use of assistive technology with established lessons and classroom dynamics can require additional planning.
- Technical difficulties. Technology failures can disrupt learning and teaching.
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Types Of Assistive Technology
Since assistive technology is useful for students with a wide spectrum of disabilities – from a learning disability to severe physical impairments – there are many different types. Assistive technology is used to help students do the following:
Communicating: For students who are nonverbal or who have a hard time talking, there are ways to help them communicate with their teachers and their peers. Communication boards, communication enhancement software and voiced word processing are all different tools that can be used.
Listening: Some students have hearing impairments or are not able to process information by listening. Some types of assistive technology used for students who have auditory disabilities include close captioning, hearing aids and personal FM units in which the teacher wears a transmitter and the student wears a receiver.
Visual Aids: Some students may have impaired vision and may need to use large-type books, high contrast materials, screen readers and screen enlargers.
Working on a computer: even the youngest of school children use computers to help them learn. For students with disabilities, the computer is a great tool as well. Different software gives students the ability to write, spell and read.
Oftentimes, the textbooks that are being used in the classroom can get downloaded onto the computer for the student with special needs. There are also mounting systems so that a computer can be mounted on a wheelchair for easier accessibility.
Assistive Technology For Students With Disabilities
Traditionally, students with disabilities have been expected to stand outand not necessarily in a way that is conducive to their education. These days, however, thanks in large part to technology, students with disabilities can enjoy a customized, comfortable, and cool learning experience.
An estimated 6.5 million children in the U.S. have disabilities. Meeting the needs of these students poses special challenges and requires innovative efforts to overcome.
In 2015, 22 percent of non-institutionalized adults with disabilities had less than a high school education. If this statistic was applied to the general population, my suspicion is that there would be an outcry to reform K-12 education to have better graduation results. But for students with disabilities, there is no shock or outrage.
Considering that the American educational system is about the democratization of knowledge for all studentsthe current state of education for students with disabilities is something that has to change.
Granted, this is no easy problem to solve. After all, there are many factors to consider, including making sure that special education programs are well-tailored to these students, and ensuring that they fit in at school so that they can feel more comfortable in their learning environment.
There is something that will serve as a saving grace for the education quality of students with disabilities: technology.
A Customized, Tailored Learning Experience Empowered by Technology
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How Do We Know We Are Doing It Right
The IEP team:
__ Considers what they want the student to be able to do within the educational program, what he or she isnt able to do because of his or her disability.
__ Documents on the IEP what has been tried, how long it was tried, and the results.
__ Documents on the IEP what will be tried?
__ Considers whether necessary knowledge and resources have been obtained.
__ Seeks additional assistance if needed.
__ Considers the students ongoing assistive technology needs.
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Text To Speech & Literacy Support Tools
Distance learning is often guided by an increase in the volume of reading a student is responsible for, from additional printed or digital readings, postings on Canvas, and associated online resources and websites that classes may tie together to round out the experience. Assistive Technology can provide support with reading, enhanced comprehension, and built in tools, such as dictionaries, built in highlighting and note-taking features, and visual tracking support, that can make you more efficient while reading. Students with learning disabilities, ADHD, mental health diagnoses, traumatic brain injuries, chronic health conditions, and visual impairments may benefit from these types of tools.
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What Is A Learning Disability
Specific learning disabilities are disorders in the basic human psychological processes. These mechanisms should help people understand or use language in writing and speaking. But due to atypical functioning, some of us have difficulty thinking, hearing, speaking, reading, writing, spelling, or undertaking mathematical calculations.
Learning disabilities can affect all facets of life, not just studies or intellectual activities.
Learning difficulties can impede the ability to focus, be attentive, organize oneself, plan ones time, or abstractly reason. Personal and workplace relationships can be affected too.
People are often diagnosed with learning disabilities during their school years, as problems with writing, math, or focusing can show up in a group of same-age children. However, some people enter adulthood, never realizing that they may have learning difficulties. Parents and teachers may think the student is lazy, impatient, or lacks the motivation to study. People may have problems at the workplace and in families because they are unaware they have a learning disability.
Dyslexia is the most common learning disability. In America, 5 to 15% of the population , or every 10th US citizen, has dyslexia.
What If The Students Assistive Technology Device Is In Need Of Repair
Maintenance and repair of assistive technology devices are included in the definition of assistive technology service.
What can a student or parent do if they are having trouble obtaining assistive technology at school?
DRWs publication Special Education Resources lists many organizations that may assist parents and students with special education issues. Along with contacting DRW for technical assistance about assistive technology issues, a few particularly relevant resources are:
Northwest Access Fund1437 S Jackson St, Ste 302Seattle, WA 98144www.washingtonaccessfund.org
Northwest Access Fund, formerly known as Washington Access Fund, provides loans for assistive technology and home and vehicle accessibility modifications. It also provides tips on what to think about when purchasing assistive technology to make sure the assistive technology is appropriate. Northwest Access Fund helps callers identify other sources of funding and resources to help with money management issues.
Washington Assistive Technology Act Program 214-8731 / TTY 866-0162www.watap.org
Washington State Governors Office of the Education Ombuds155 NE 100th St, #210Seattle, WA 98125
The following federal funding partner shared in the cost of producing this material: the Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, AIDD . These contents are the sole responsibility of Disability Rights Washington and do not necessarily represent the official views of AIDD.
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What Has Been Tried To Meet The Students Special Education Needs
Once the area of educational need has been identified, the team needs to review what has been tried in the past to address the need of the student. This may include a variety of interventions achieved through strategies or modifications not typically considered assistive technology. These may be low-tech in nature or there may be high-tech assistive technology devices in place.
Example: A student with a learning disability, unable to memorize multiplication facts, may use a multiplication table. The multiplication table could be identified as a supplementary aid in the regular education environment. An assistive technology device, such as a calculator could also be used to meet the students needs.
Proceed to Step # 3.
Assistive Technology For Young Children In Special Education: It Makes A Difference
Technology can level the playing field for students with mobility, hearing, or vision impairments.
Technology has opened many educational doors to children, particularly to children with disabilities. Alternative solutions from the world of technology are accommodating physical, sensory, or cognitive impairments in many ways.
Much of the technology we see daily was developed initially to assist persons with disabilities. Curb cuts at streetcorners and curb slopes, originally designed to accommodate people with orthopedic disabilities, are used more frequently by families with strollers or individuals with grocery carts than by persons with wheelchairs or walkers. The optical character reader, developed to assist individuals unable to read written text, has been adapted in the workplace to scan printed documents into computer-based editable material, saving enormous amounts of data entry labor.
Children with disabilities often feel better about themselves as a result of using technology.
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Audio Players And Recorders
It may help your child to be able to listen to the words while reading them on the page. Many e-books have audio files, and smartphones and tablet computers come with text-to-speech software that can read aloud anything on your childs screen. If kids struggle with writing or taking notes, an audio recorder can capture what the teacher says in class so they can listen to it again at home.
Assistive Technology For Learning Disabilities
Assistive technology refers to the devices and services used to enhance the educational abilities of students with learning disabilities. Assistive technology encompasses a wide range of interventions, from very low tech to extremely high tech. Assistive technology for learning disabilities can benefit students through helping bypass educational challenges and supporting more effective ways of learning.
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Assistive Technology For Students With Intellectual Disabilities
Intellectual disabilities grapple about 8% of the US population, according to an NCBI finding. Lack of intellectual curiosity, or of power to question or reason or take interest in exploring is a big elephant that needs addressing. Usually, people are judged on the basis of their academic performance, communication skills, etc. It cuts off a major chunk of creative and highly imaginative individuals who may have a different set of skills other than those set as benchmarks.
Thanks to the inclusive model of education that accommodations are made available to students with intellectual disabilities. Using these resources, such students can also learn and absorb things like their peers! This significant change is attributed to assistive technology for students with intellectual disabilities.
Lets explore in this post:
- Examples of assistive technology in the classroom to accommodate intellectual disabilities
- How assistive technology helps intellectually deficient students
- Types of assistive technology and their applications
- Challenges of implementing assistive technology
Here we go!
How Do Assistive Devices Help People
For example, assistive technology enables students with disabilities to compensate for certain impairments. This specialized technology promotes independence and decreases the need for other support. Rehabilitative and assistive technology can enable individuals to: Care for themselves and their families.
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Assistive Technology For Special Education Students
This publication provides a definition of assistive technology, a brief overview of basic special education requirements related to assistive technology and answers commonly asked questions regarding assistive technology for students in special education programs. Assistive technology is also known as AT.
Coding Procedures And Data Analysis
To analyse the 31 selected studies, a data extraction table was developed to facilitate the review, which included identification of authors and year of publication, participants information, methodological design of the study, results and AT included in the study, number of citations of article, and country, resulting in a database that has subsequently been presented descriptively .
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Assistive Technology For Memorizing & Note
AT for memorizing and note-taking is especially helpful for people with ADHD or dyslexia. These assistive technologies can be subdivided into recording devices and mind mapping tools.
- Recording devices can eliminate the need to take written notes during lectures. Record the professors voice and listen to the class at your convenience as many times as necessary. In addition to lessons, you can record your thoughts before preparing an essay or term paper.
- Mind mapping tools visualize and structure your thoughts. It is the most popular brainstorming method, but you can also use it to take brief lecture notes. There is no need to write long sentences that you will probably never read again. Draw a diagram with words in circles or rectangles schematically related with arrows or lines. Later you will recall the message of the lecture and even its structure. This is the perfect way to prepare for exams and memorize essential material.
Best Memorizing & Note-taking Tools
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If the student is unable to push the button, there are also switches that operate by eye blinks, muscle twitches and puffing air.
According to IDEA, if assistive technology benefits the student and their education, then they should be entitled to have the tools they need to learn and to grow in the public education system.
Assistive technology is expensive but there are ways to receive funding.
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The Great American Bike Race is a stationary bike event to raise money for kids with cerebral palsy and related disabilities.
Cari Bousfield
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The Benefits Of Assistive Technology In The Classroom
Students often learn best by doing. Assistive technology uses this concept, supplying students with hands-on learning aids to make learning fun and less stressful. Each assistive technology tool strengthens a students skill set through the act of playing, and many of these devices are outfitted with vibrant colors and engaging designs that fuel a students empowerment for learning.
Using assistive technology in your classroom can help students in ways like:
Students With Speech Disabilities
Nearly one in 12 children have some sort of speech disability. Students with speech disabilities find it hard to communicate due to articulation, voice, or fluency troubles. Common examples of speech difficulties include stuttering and lisping, which may cause stress and frustration when talking in class, as well as medical conditions like autism spectrum disorder or a swallowing disorder.
Speech-to-text software and word prediction tools are great assistive technologies that make it easier for students to communicate with their peers and teachers.
Students with speech disabilities benefit from communicators, as well. Communicators can be high- or low-tech, depending on the use of electricity and batteries. Low-tech communicators can be as simple as a pen and paper, while high-tech models use electronic communication boards and keyboards to help learners communicate with others via digitized speech.
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Assistive Technology In The Classroom
Imagine the broadest category of assistive technology in the classroom you can, and it will not comprise the diversity of modern facilities.
Assistive technologies range from special-form pencils and tactile rulers to artificial intelligence.
Because of the growing number of people diagnosed with learning disabilities, these technologies are rapidly developing.
Researchers from Southern California have designed a robot to help children with autism spectrum disorder with math and social skills. The device can tell if the child listens in class or is lost in their thoughts. Such inclusive technologies allow children with learning disabilities to attend regular schools without a tutor.
Many modern schools use to engage students and visually represent the material. The technologies can also assist students with disabilities by creating simulated environments. The best feature of AR and VR is the opportunity to study free from the constraints of their learning disorders.
The positive features of assistive technology in the classroom are multiple. Some of the AT advantages are listed below.
The key benefits of AT in the classroom:
- AT improves visual tracking
- It allows group instructions for people with social disabilities
- It trains fine motor skills
- It improves time-management skills