Smith and Tyler (2010), in their Introduction to Special Education, mentions how IDEA 04' supports the inclusion of AAT in day-to-day lesson plans (pages 28-29). Assistive/ Adaptive technology permits students with disabilities to overcome their physical/mental limitations and achieve the same academic goals as the rest of their peers. According to a PBS article for parents, "IDEA states that school districts must consider assistive technology for any child in special education. That means that for any child receiving special education services, the educational team must ask if there is a device that will “increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities” of that child."
From the video, "How Assistive Technology Enables Dreams", I saw the various possibilities for our students here in Guam. Assistive / Adaptive Technology (AAT) can do more than just assist a student with a disability, it can changes one's life and enable them to dream big. The video made me realize how some of the lesson plans we carry out does not always meet the learning needs of individuals with disability. It is important that we revise our lesson plans to address any disability. A revised lesson plan may include giving more time for completing activities as well access to various assistive/adaptive technologies. A student may have a difficult time listening or writing due to a learning disability.
A great deal of my lesson plans include lecture and discussion. I can revise all my lessons that have a lecture and discussion component by allowing the student to use portable devices such as an I-pad to take pictures of the lecture notes or record the lecture through the recording capabilities of an I-pad. This would allow the student to successfully have the opportunity to finish his or her notes while being able to re-play the lecture at a later time. This would give the student the opportunity to comprehend what was being discussed in class. Right now, I do not have this revision implemented, but I do believe that this would helped student who for instance have a difficult time comprehending the material being discussed. Students that have difficulty reading can use use word-to-speech software such as the case in Microsoft Word or even the standard VoiceOver software for Mac users. The video below gave me some great ideas to implement in teaching Science:
In Chemistry and Physics, where I implement a lot of group work, I can revise the lesson that will allow students with a disability to work with his or her group mates with the use of an AAT such as an I-Pad to communicate more effectively. Without AAT devices, student with a learning disability for example, may feel bored or easily discouraged during group collaboration.
An idea I can add to activities that includes the use of AAT, would be for the student with a disability to teach the class from their own perspective. The student instructs the class on a particular lesson by the use of AAT devices. Therefore, those without a disability would be able to see a different perspective. Our students need to be informed about the various disabilities that others may have. This will create an atmosphere of respect and awareness.
It is vital that lesson plans be revised to include students with disabilities, as it would be a form of discrimination to exclude them. However, the students with disabilities must feel comfortable with their role throughout the lesson. This will take teachers to take a closer look at their lessons and see how they can involve ALL students. Assistive / Adaptive technology allows students with disabilities to overcome their physical/mental limitations and achieve the same academic goals as the rest of their peers.
REFERENCES
K-12 Using Assistive Technology for Math and Science. (2011, August 11). [Video File]. Retrieved on June 13, 2012 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ik1BuiLyMkYhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ik1BuiLyMkY
PBS Parents. (2013). Assistive Technology. Retrieved on June 12, 2013 from http://www.pbs.org/parents/education/learning-disabilities/strategies-for-learning-disabilities/assistive-technology/
Smith, D. D., & Tyler, N. C. (2010). Introduction to special education: Making a difference. Upper Saddle River, N.J: Merrill.
The George Lucas Educational Foundation. (2005). Assistive-Technology: Enabling Dreams [video file]. Retrieved on June 12, 2013 from http://www.edutopia.org/assistive-technology-enabling-dreams-video
Hi:
ReplyDeleteIt was a pleasure to read your essay. Good job.
-j-