A Brief Look intoAssistive Technology

AT Tools for Reading, Writing and AT Tools for Reading, Writing and MathMath

Created by South River AT Center Facilitators

Sharon Edwards & Kristie Stapler

Hosted by

Louisiana Assistive Technology Initiative (LATI)

Louisiana Assistive Technology Initiative Regional Centers provide the following FREE services.

•Professional Development - LATI provides in-depth training on specific areas of AT are designed for newcomers as well as experienced professionals looking to expand their perspective of AT.

•AT Assessment Assistance - LATI assists the school systems’ staff in conducting AT assessments through job-embedded coaching and training.

•Consultations - LATI provides consultative services to address AT issues on individual students or address general classroom AT needs.

•Technical Assistance - LATI provides technical assistance to school systems to address difficulties with AT devices, hardware, and software.

•Short-Term Equipment Loans - LATI provides a FREE short-term loan program to assist school systems in conducting AT assessments and/or recommending assistive technology for students.

Assistive Technology Device• An assistive technology device is any item, piece of

equipment, or product system, acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities.

• Assistive Technology encompasses a broad range of devices from very simple (low tech) to very sophisticated (high tech).

(IDEA, 20 U.S.C. Chapter 33, Sect. 1401)

Consideration

The IEP team shall…….• Consider whether the child requires assistive technology

devices and services….. IDEA ’97 300.346 (a)(2)(v)

• Consideration should be given for every student with a disability who is eligible for an IEP….. Bulletin 1508

AT Fosters Inclusion

•AT helps students who have disabilities learn the material in a way that they can understand it

• AT helps eliminate barriers students may face that prevent them from being at the same level as their classmates

•AT must be used everyday so the student can become a proficient user

AT Needs May Change

•As a student’s schoolwork gets more advanced, their technology needs may change or increase

•New technology may become available that will better meet the needs of the student

•As a student’s disability may change so must the technology to meet their needs

Compensatory vs Remedial Approaches

•A compensatory approach might be when a student listens to a digital version of the book for English class to answer questions about it, with the goal of bypassing a reading problem, not of learning how to read.

•A remedial approach would be if the student listens to the book or has a computer reading a scanned or digital version of the book while following along with the text and trying to learn unfamiliar words designed to improve areas of deficiency.

Compensatory vs Remedial Approaches•Using only the remedial approach can lead to

burnout.

•Discouraged students benefit more from immediate solutions to particular problems. o For example, it may be best to give up the goal of learning to spell, in

favor of using a “spell check,” so that a student can focus on getting thoughts on paper and not mechanical details that can become overwhelming barriers to self-expression.

What to do

BEFORE

choosing a Tool?

SETT Framework• The SETT Framework is an organizational tool to help teams

create systems that foster the educational success of students with disabilities.

• In order to develop an appropriate system of assistive technology devices and services, teams must first gather information about the STUDENT, the customary ENVIRONMENT, and TASKS that are required for the students to be successful active participants.

SETT Framework• Student

What is the functional area(s) of concern? What does the student need to be able to do that is difficult or impossible to do independently at this time?

Special needs Current abilities

• Environment Arrangement, Support, Materials and Equipment, Access Issues, Attitudes

and Expectations.

• Tasks What SPECIFIC tasks occur in the student’s natural environments that

enables progress toward mastery of IEP goals and objectives? What SPECIFIC tasks are required for active involvement in identified

environments? (related to communication, instruction, participation, productivity, environmental control)

Types of Reading Difficulties• Struggling readers often have difficulty in one or more

of the following areas:o Phonemic awareness - ability to focus on and manipulate

phonemes in spoken words.

o Phonics - ability to associate sounds with letters and use these sounds to form words.

o Vocabulary - identifying the meanings of words and using those words appropriately within context.

o Comprehension - complex cognitive process involving the intentional interaction between reader and text to convey meaning.

o Fluency - Fluency is the effortless, automatic ability to read words in connected text.

Types of Writing Difficulties

Struggling writers often have difficulty in one or more of the following areas:

o Handwritingo Writing processo Conventions of writing

To provide appropriate supports, we must determine the types of difficulties the student is experiencing

Success in MathStudents need to be able to:o Reado Writeo Drawo Computeo Compareo Measureo Problem solveo Understand time

Types of Math Difficulties

• Persons experiencing difficulty with math may have problems in one or more of the following areas:o Calculation

o Visual-spatial skills

o Organization

o Problem Solving

• To provide appropriate supports, we must determine the types of difficulties the student is experiencing.

Tools include devices, services, and strategies…

•Analyze the information gathered on the Student, Environment, and the Tasks:

o Is it expected that the student will not be able to make reasonable progress towards educational goals with out AT devices and services?

o If yes, describe what a useful system of AT devices and services for the student would be like.

o Brainstorm Tools that could be included in a system that addresses student needs.

o Select the most promising Tools for trials in the natural environments.

o Plan the specifics of the trial (expected changes, when/how tools will be used, cues, etc.)

o Collect data on effectiveness.

Now We Can Look at the Tools

• Page Up

• Page Fluffers

• Reading Filters

• Word Identification Aids

• Bookshare - www.bookshare.org

• Word Talk - www.wordtalk.org.uk

• PowerTalk - www.oatsoft.org

• SymWriter - www.widgit.com

• Kurzweil

AT Tools for Reading

• Slant Board with Dry Erase

• Letter Tiles

• Specialized Pens / Pencils

• Special Paper

• Voice Recorder

• Live Scribe

• Co:Writer

• Speech Recognition

AT Tools for Writing

• Manipulatives

• Reference/Study Guides

• Step Pad

• Calculators

• Adapted Rulers

• Math Processing Software

• National Library of Virtual Manipulatives http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/

AT Tools for Math

• Communication▫ SymbolSupport▫ Sounding Board

• Reading▫ ClaroPDF▫ ClaroSpeak

• Writing▫ CoWriter▫ Dragon Dictation

• Math▫ MyScript Calculator▫ Baseball Math

Apps

SymbolSupport Sounding Board

ClaroPDF

ClaroSpeak

CoWriter

MyScript Calculator Baseball Math

Dragon Dictation

Determining The Optimal Tool(s)

• Student abilities and needs

• Required tasks / job

• Available supports

•Productivity

•Independence

•Achievement

Benefits of AT

Things to Remember

•Technology is no substitute for good instruction

•Technology should be used in conjunction with other available supports

•Technology used should be monitored and changes made as needed

South River AT Center

611 North Burnside Avenue Gonzales, LA 70737

(225) 391-7278 or 7279www.lati3.com

Hours of Operation: 7:30 – 3:00 M-F

Sharon Edwards sharon.edwards@apsb.org

Kristie Staplerkristie.stapler@apsb.org

Questions & Answers