Reflection on Course

For me the biggest learning opportunity was trying Proloquo2go. I was never given a chance to learn this app and often heard other teachers talk about it. Looking at it, I know some of my students would have benefited from such an app. I would have liked many more opportunities to try out different apps on a device I do not own, but now that I feel comfortable with this app I hope to be able to use it someday soon in a future school. The final presentations were interesting, to see the variety of case studies and what people found as assistive technology. It was certainly a learning opportunity!

Final Class!

Nikki - case study

·         catalogue was broken up to low, mild and hid function

case study

·         Autism Spectrum Disorder

·         ADHD

·         Simple AT technologies used (communication board) - student binder

·         Visual checklist used - increased productivity

____________________________

Shauna

·         Catalogue is website based - very well laid out, colourful, many items I had on my own website.

·          

Case study

·         10 year old boy with autism

·         friendly and caring

·         classroomsuite is very helpful for  her student

o   expensive licence

o   student loves it

o   Universal Design

·         enjoys adult interaction

·         MyTalkToolslite

o   Lack of admin support, using Shaunas iPad

·         used boardmaker - slightly helpful

·         Emotional - cries when things are hard

·         Recommends using iPads for visual schedule

·         Low tech idea, using board games (checkers) used to enhance communication

____________________________

Whitney

·         Small classroom - 5 students

·         BIRT program in valley

·         16 year old boy

·         EA support who focuses on student only

·         Socially awkward

·         ClaroSpeak program used - reader

·         Dragon dictation

·         Dropbox

·         Poor attendance by student

____________________________

Donna

·         class case study

·         strengths

o   good team work

o   love movies

o   computers

o   enjoyed learning new communication skills

·         Weakness

o   social interaction

o   lack of involvement in extracurricular activities

·         Used Evernote (used to take notes and organize them), vision sim (used for visual impairment), notes and texting (with friends)

·         Apps used - Tellagami

o   Austin - does not enjoy social interaction

·         Conclusion

o   AT needs to balanced

o   lead to more meaningful conversations

·         Next Steps

o   Leadership - invite peers in to learning centre

o   further exploration - student is willing to try co-writing

o   Confidence builder - Student wants to use different App

·         Pintrest used as catalogue

____________________________

Sue

·         Has Complex Regional pain syndrome

·         more common in women

·         High pain level

·         Strengths

o   Determined not to be a victim

·         Loss of independence

·         Sense of helplessness

·         Hair Drying Stand is very interesting

____________________________

Eleanor

·         18 year old student

o   literacy disability

·         cognition

·         learned dependency

·         Focused on journaling

·         poplett was used - comfortable with it

·         dragon dictate used

·         Co-Writer Solo used, student found it very useful.

·         Recommendation for student to have iPad

 ____________________________

Student Morgan

·         Has visual impairment

·         EA had lack of transition

·         Student loved iPad

·         EA utilized iPad to make books

·         using apps to express emotions

·         using a visual timer

o   un used by student, as timer went away.

·         Recommendations

o   proloquo

o   transition to iPad

o   Additional EA/teacher training

____________________________

Reagan

·         Using iPads with many Learning Centre students

·         3 unused iPads in the centre

·         One student has ADHD

·         One student with visual Impairment

·         iPad training needed for them to be useful at her school

·         Teachers relied on her to train them to use iPads.

____________________________

Bernadette

·         well.ca items

·         Abbie

·         Grade 3 Student

·         LD in reading and writing

·         Dragon Dictation used - terrible experience

·         Using co writer - loved using it

·         Did not enjoy story jumper

·         Reluctant to use iMovies - enjoyed it

·         Recommended to use CoWriter with student

____________________________

Mackenzie

·         LD with IPPs

·         Challenges

o   focus

o   getting started

o   getting hung up on spelling

o   attendance

o   No EPA support

o   Fine motor difficulties

·         Used CoWriter

o   chosen for writing tool

§  spelling supports

§  grammar supports

§  predictive software

§  topic specific dictionaries

§  built in text to speech

·         What worked

o   became more confident

o   became more comfortable

·         challenges

o   technical difficulties

o   limited amount of iPads

Interesting catalogue it was the  padlocks with movement combination 

Class 4

Today we viewed different Prologuo 2 created set ups, we all had different perspectives on how to create on for the same student.  Reagan and I took a more complex approach compared to Eleanor's group. Their creation is very well done, especially for a beginning introduction to this app for our student.

Apps Talk about apps like Pogo. A free app where you  can create simple communication boards are:

TapSpeak plus

Gotalknow

They have limited usability as the last two are trial versions and will cost at one point.

smart aac

Smartboard

Good for alternate scanning options. Simple image to sound options.

Medium AAC

All Medium tech Apps are for communication with another user. Usually for individuals who have difficulty with verbal communication.

Dragon Natural Speaking (Software)

eye gaze systems

Dragon Dictation (app)

JAWS for Windows (software)

Choiceworks (app)

 Proloquo2go, AssistiveWare

TouchChat 

Look2Learn 

iCommunicate

Response to May 30 Class #1

1) Communication is a way of understand what each other mean through the use of words and physical gesture.

2) 

• Verbal
• ·         Words
• ·         clicks
• ·         Screams
• ·         Text Message
• ·         Emails
• ·         Tone
• ·         Pacing of voice
• ·         Readers
• ·         Sounds
• ·         Twitter
• ·         Facebook

• Physical

·         Hitting
·         touching
·         banging
·         General Body language (facial expression, body position)
·         Sign Language
·         Images
·         Lights (Morse code)
·         Written

3) AAC is  using different communication methods with supplemental material (technology) so that the user can use different forms of speech or writing to communicate their ideals.

4) The typical user is an individual who would benefit and succeed from using assistive technology. To show their abilities and strengths.  

5) Effective communication should be:

·         Understandable

·         Precise

·         Direct

The iPad and Enhancing Performance of Students with Physical Disabilities

Tonight I watched the pre-recorded video: The iPad and Enhancing Performance of Students with Physical Disabilities.

I found the Mobile Device Access Mount System ($223.00) very interesting. Although it seems to be over priced, which concerns me when schools have limited budgets.

Learning about Writepad seems interesting, however I think a student with fine motor skills difficulties may find a stylus pen a bit of a challenge. 

New Video!

I found an interesting video about assistive technology while searching for Hearing Impaired Apps.

It is a very well done video!