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

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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

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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

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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

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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!

Update

So I have been busy finding Technology and useful toys for children of different disabilities. I'm aiming to find products that would suit an Elementary level as that is my only interest in teaching.

Here is a link of ADHD Apps that I found!

Low Cost dollar store UDL and AT items

I went to the Dollar Store to see if I could find items/products that could be used in my classroom as UDL or AT. Here are the 10 that I found I would most likely use in my own classroom.

___________________________________________________

The first item I found was: Bubbles!

These can used for calming. Autistic students could enjoy a break from their school work and focus on the many bubbles. An opportunity to refocus their attention and help with stressful moments.

_____________________________________________________

The second item I found was: 

Garden gloves can be used by students who have motor difficulties. For holding items and even assisting in their mobility of grabbing on to things while they walk. They would also work for students who may have difficulty being a part of activities that involve digging in to soil.

_______________________________________________________

The third item I found was: Garden Signs

Garden signs are very useful for non-verbal's. Autistic students as well as students with speech difficulties would find these signs useful. They could have words on them written "I need help" or they could raise one for answering a question. It would depend on the student in the classroom.

____________________________________________________

The fourth item I found was: Streamer

Streamers could be use for an Autistic student, to allow for a touch and feel opportunity. The student can jump and jog with this to help refocus and calm from whatever maybe bugging them. Streamers allow for students to burn off access energy and have something soft near them

__________________________________________________

The fifth item I found was: Stress Ball

Stress Balls are very useful for trying to help ADHD/ADD students refocus their attention on the task at hand and listen. They can also help students with behaviour issues focus their emotions on an inanimate object.

______________________________________________

The sixth item I found was: LED Push Light

The LED light could help with students who are non-verbal. This would allow them a way to communicate without raising their hands or just answering simple answers like yes or no.

______________________________________________

The seventh item I found was: Clay/Play-dough

Clay/Play-dough can help stick items down, help students with ADHD/ADD  to focus on the teachers task. Can also be used as something to stick items in to, such as a pencil or pen if they are frequently lost due to difficulty paying attention to their property.  

____________________________________________

The eight item I found was: Eye Mask

Eye Masks can be used for calming Autistic students who may have a quite room to escape whatever is upsetting them.   

_____________________________________________

The ninth item I found was: Magnifying LED 

Can be used for students who have minor visual impairments or students who find small font difficult to read.

_________________________________________

The tenth item I found was: Mirror

Mirrors can help with Autistic students for calming. Can be used as speech recognition (pronunciation) in resource rooms. Maybe even opportunities for the student to look at themselves in the mirror and say something nice about themselves. 

Assistive Technology: 5173 - Day One

Saturday was the first day of 5173. As an Android user it was a learning opportunity when I was given iPads to work with. Although the concepts are the same, the operating systems and names are fairly different. All the apps we worked with are new to me as I have only had two iPads in my school at one time. My board is very limited in funding and often I find myself relying on my own laptop to present information digitally.

I enjoyed reading the case study, I seen myself in learning about a student who does not do well with just reading pages but better by hands on learning as well as hearing and speaking. I guess that is what I will be looking forward to is the many in-class opportunities to work with iPads since I do not own one. I found the information we discussed similar to many classes I have already taken, such as why do some teachers see assistive technology as allowing students to cheat and the fear associated with it. Let alone lack of training ever offered to a teacher when this technology is put in schools. Working with the iPads were interesting, using different programs including making our own books. This was interesting to see the many options a student would have to create a story, 3D animations, pictures, comics and audio. Allowing for all students and all learning styles to be apart of telling a story they find interesting.

Assistive Technology is something that I'm very interested in, my board has a limited budget with purchasing technology but I would look forward to many opportunities to have it in my own future classroom. Assistive Technology offers many students an opportunity to express themselves and without there are certainly many students who are not receiving a fair education in our current system.