4A2 Blogical Discussion Forum
Since I am an Assistive Technology Specialist, I thought that you would find it helpful to explore accessibility issues. The largest growing population...us baby boomers...are increasing in age, the challenges to all of us in terms of visual and hearing acuity are primary. As medical issues challenge many, fine motor mobility may additionally be challenged.Here's a link to the Wikipedia site which provides a general overview on "What is Assistive Technology?" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assistive_technology I've had previous course participants/regular education teachers, post ideas that they have come up with to answer my blog question related to use of technology in the classroom.So get on your thinking caps and delve into a new perspective dealing with access to print, audio tracks, the Internet, and the computer in general. Any ideas are welcomed :)
posted by Dr BJ @ 4:56 PM
5 Comments:
The vision for the future use of technology in my classroom is beginning to develop as I learn more about Web 2.0 tools. In the meanwhile, I generally use PowerPoint and webquests to introduce concepts. In addition, students can access my web page where they find a weekly message, interactive games that I create for review of basic concepts, and links to additional sites offering another voice. The animations available on some of these links make many abstract concepts come to life for my kids. I also have my PowerPoints and copies of handouts, etc. available online so that anyone who misses class can have access from home. The kids feel free to email me with homework questions or to schedule makeup work. When my district opens the portal to the Read/Write web, I see the avenues expanding, enabling my students to become more involved in their own learning. It should be exciting to watch their networks (and mine) grow.
Over the past couple of years, a handful of students used forms of assistive technology in my classroom. I've had autistic students who have difficulty writing and organizing notes use a small keyboard/computer to input their notes and then they print them out at the end of the day. I also had a deaf student that had hearing aides and a microphone for me to wear around my neck so that he would be able to hear me. I find that the world of assistive technology is continually growing and there are a lot of great things out there; however, the hardest part of the process has to be the actually implementation of the devices. Both students I spoke of and several others typically refuse to use the devices because it draws attention to their disability. My deaf student and a different autistic student I had wouldn’t even wear their hearing aides. It wasn’t until I was diagnosed with permanent hearing loss and had to begin wearing hearing aides that these students started taking advantage of some of the technology that is out there for them. It is difficult some days even for me as a 25 year old teacher to walk in to a junior high with hearing aides in my ears; I can only imagine how some of our students feel. We have to embrace it, embrace them, and be happy that we are all very unique
I cannot tell you how many hearing aids I've retrived from the trash can in 30 years :) It's hard and peer pressure is the key to student's accepting their challenges.
All of the technology and experiences I'm reading about from fellow classmates is very enlightening.
I love the way our 2.0 tools allow for instant ability to read and respond to our varied levels of educational involvement.
I appreciate the willingness to share the views of disabilities that both teachers and students deal with and can relate since my last stroke created a mild impairment with speech and thought process.
Many of the Web 2.0 are actually Universally Designed and allow easy access by individuals with multiple types of disabilities.
BJ
Post a Comment
<< Home