USING COLOR IN THE CLASSROOM

By: Amanda Tull and Jessica WingardRegion VIII Center for Assistive Technology

WHY SHOULD YOU USE COLOR?THE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES

It affects people everyday Color is an “adjuster” to our emotions Color affects us physiologically Color and Disability Color as Assistive Technology Color and Computer Technology Color in Our Schools

Judith Sweeny, Colorful Teaching

COLOR AND EMOTIONS

Jealousy – the green monsterSadness and Distress – having the blues or black moodAnger – seeing red

Our mood is affected everyday by colors that are used on signs, labels, packaging, room colors, lighting, and clothing colors.

Advertisers use color to evoke emotional responses in people.

Judith Sweeny, Colorful Teaching

COLOR AND PHYSIOLOGICAL CHANGES

heart rate blood pressure

respiration

Certain colors have been known to change body function

Judith Sweeny, Colorful Teaching

COLOR AND PHYSIOLOGICAL CHANGES

Red Yellow

Magenta Lime Green

Stimulating

Colors

Calming ColorsGreenBlue

BrownGreyBlack

Judith Sweeny, Colorful Teaching

COLOR AND PHYSIOLOGICAL CHANGES

Antonio F. Torrice suggests that certain colors influence certain body systems:

Red: motor skill activities

Orange: circulatory system

Yellow: cardiopulmonary

Green: speech activity

Blue: eyes, ears, nose

Violet: non-verbal activity

COLOR AND DISABILITIES

Preference Tendencies for Students with Disabilities

IMPROVING ATTENTION Problem: Lack of attention Suggestion : Most vivid colors to aid stimulation

Problem: Confuse similar words Suggestion: Try various colors

Problem: Uneven arousal state ( tend to drift) Suggestion: Stimulate with bright colors to focus

attention

Don Johnston –Using Colors to Meet Special Needs

LACK OF SUSTAINED ATTENTION

In most cases white is seen as a neutral background color and other colors, even when used in smaller proportion, are the colors that convey the most meaning in a design. Use white to signify cleanliness or purity or softness.

In most cases white is seen as a neutral background color and other colors, even when used in smaller proportion, are the colors that convey the most meaning in a design. Use white to signify cleanliness or purity or softness.

BEHAVIORAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL PROBLEMSAutism/PPD

Suggestion: Try various colors

Recommended: Light Blue or green background

Behavior problems Suggestion: various, try dark backgrounds

Developmental Delays Suggestion: Red background. Usually prefer red on screen ( either text or background)

Don Johnston –Using Colors to Meet Special Needs

LEARNING DISABLEDDyslexia

Suggestions: Dark Colors

Try Black text on dark blue background

Learning DisabilitySuggestions: Often blues and greens

Don Johnston –Using Colors to Meet Special Needs

COLOR PERCEPTIONRetina based visual impairments

Suggestions: Sharp contrast with vibrant colors.

Can depend on type of retinal damage

Try yellow text on red background with bright blue cursor.

OR yellow text on blue background with red cursor

Don Johnston –Using Colors to Meet Special Needs

COLOR AS ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGYLOW TECH IDEAS

•Colored notebook papers•Colored inks,•Highlighters•Highlighting tape•Colored copy paper•Colored light bulbs•Reading Helpers•Report covers•Colored index dividers

COLOR AS ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGYHIGH TECH IDEAS

Change color contrast (background and text)

-Control Panel (PC) and Universal Access Mac

Software to change text /background color & cursor

- Word, WriteOutloud, Adobe Acrobat, Inspiration, Kurzweil, Zoom text, CueLine reader and many more.

COLOR CODING AND AAC Language/Grammar based Color Coding

Parts of Speech Color Examples

Verbs Pink Drink, open, get

Descriptors (adj. and adverbs)

Blue Pretty, slowly

Prepositions Green In, On, Under

Nouns Yellow Girl, car, truck

Miscellaneous WH wordsExclamationsNegationsPronouns

Orange Who, What, WhenOh, WowNo, Don’t I, he, they, you

Caroline Musselwhite (1999) and the Irlen Institute

COLOR CODING AND AACColor Coding Communication Symbols: Try printing symbols on different colored paper. Make different background colors It is recommended that the symbol and word have a

white background and remaining have color Use parts of speech color coding for lessons

Printing on colored paper: In a study, students with autism had more accurate

scanning and symbol recognition when their symbols were printed on yellow paper rather than the standard white.

Caroline Musselwhite (1999) and the Irlen Institute

DO YOU HAVE A COLOR

PREFERENCE?

WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT COLOR

We are going to take a quiz to see what you have learned about color in this presentation!!!

WEBSITES Color Meaning-

-http://desktoppub.about.com/cs/color/a/symbolism.htm

Color Psychology - http://www.infoplease.com/spot/colors1.html

Irlen Institute - http://irlen.com/index.php Dyslexia article -http://www.dyslexiacure.com/ Info on See it Right - http://www.seeitright.com/ Don Johnston handout on color -

http://www.donjohnston.com/research/articles/using_colors.html