The Revolutionary Art of Assistive Technology

The Revolutionary Art of Assistive Technology

While watching the video on Assistive Technology, EnablingDreams, I engaged my full attention because I was never aware of the different types of technological devices available for disabled people.  According to the National Center on Accessible Information Technology in Education, “Assistive technology is technology used by individuals with disabilities in order to perform functions that might otherwise be difficult or impossible. Assistive technology can include mobility devices such as walkers and wheelchairs, as well as hardware, software, and peripherals that assist people with disabilities in accessing computers or other information technologies” (NCAITE, 2002).  In order to successfully integrate all students, even with disabilities, the teacher has to perhaps, use the methods of technology, for example, when I become a teacher, I will utilize the methods of power point to project over a white board so that each student can review at the same pace, and perhaps use devices in my classroom that translate or interpret the lessons for my disabled students. I would also allow my students to submit assignments online, through email, perhaps a “moodle” page, etc. I will not encourage different styles of submitting or participating, but I will integrate such lessons that require everyone to be on the same page. It is crucial to understand just how much needed these devices are to promote learning in research, exploration, and creativity. In the video, we see that early technological lessons begin as young as preschool, in which preparation is ongoing to see which technological devices are best suited for which students. For assistive technology, the video also explains that teachers, lab managers, etc. are not aware of the technology that is out there this is why it makes it difficult for assistive technology to progress in the public elementary school.  I believe that this course, Technology in the Classroom would be the perfect solution to assisting students with disabilities to be included in all lesson plans, with voice activated projects, with all necessary and abundant tools that can be used that are disabled user-friendly. This is what they meant in the video that teachers are not aware of these tools available, even for disabled students. I have a cousin who suffers from dyslexia. According to David Perlstein, MD, “dyslexia is "a disorder in children who, despite conventional classroom experience, fail to attain the language skills of reading, writing, and spelling commensurate with their intellectual abilities” (Perlstein, 1996). Fortunately, for my relative, he did not attend school on Guam but in California. I remember going to visit him one day in his classroom at about 7^th grade, and he was fully equipped with software that read to him instead of him having to read, his problem did not lie in whether he could think critically, but in reading and writing. The other software allowed him to speak into a mic and it translated all his thoughts on to paper where he was then able to submit them through an educational based online classroom. It was amazing at the amount of assistive technology there was in that classroom. We have seen numerous ways in which students with disabilities are able to prosper and be successful in the traditional classroom. I will definitely be using these tools in my classroom when I begin teaching. According to the NETS standards I believe that we as teachers are engaging in “design developmentally appropriate learning opportunities that apply technology-enhanced instructional strategies to support the diverse needs of learners.”

References

1.     Johnson, Kurt.  (2002).  What is Assistive Technology?  In The National Center on Accessible Information Technology in Education.  Oct. 4, 2011.  http://www.washington.edu/accessit/articles?109.

2.     Perlstein, David, MD.  (n.d.) What is Dyslexia?  In Dyslexia.  Oct. 4, 2011.  http://www.medicinenet.com/dyslexia/article.htm .  

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