Assistive Technology for Dyslexia: One Mother’s Story
This short video provides a mother's perspective on Assistive Technology from www.Understood.org. Her message is powerful and practical. Assistive Technology can open doors for people with disabilities and provide many access to school, work, home, and play that they deserve. Watch below!
Learning more about AT
Finding assistive technology that works for a child is essential to their success. Parents (as well as unknowing professionals) can benefit from learning more about AT and Universal Design for Learning. Often AT is built into computers, software (e.g. Microsoft Office and Google Suite of tools like Docs), and mobile devices (e.g. tablets and smartphones). Many options exist and should be linked to functional and curricular goals. In short, evaluating how will the technology provide greater access and participation (e.g., socializing, mobility, learning and expressing knowledge, communicating etc.)? Parents can advocate for AT by learning about:
Understood is a website for families caring for and people working with children who have learning and attention issues. Understood is the collaboration of 15 non-profit organizations including: Benetech, CAST, inc, Learning Disabilities Association of America, Reading Rockets, National Center on Learning Disabilities, and Common Sense media. The website is mostly geared to a parent audience with dedicated areas:
Learning and Attention Issues - Provides an overview of issues, signs, symptoms, challenges, approaches to learning and treatment options, and personal stories.
School and Learning - Shares information about how to partner with school professionals, evaluations, special services, the law and children's rights, choosing schools or home schooling, tutors, and assistive technology.
Friends and Feelings - Describes common challenges like bullying, self control, and social norms, empowerment, managing feelings and social situations, and advice for teens and tweens.
You and Your Family - Talks about managing everyday challenges like chores, when grandparents are the parents, and babysitters, outings, fighting and behavior management, siblings, and parents' relationships and self care.
Expert Chats and Webinars - Lists webinars, facebook chats and more that support understanding learning and attention issues, like ADHD.
By: Teresa Loos , EC-SEAT Scholar Part of teaching children with special needs includes providing them with a least restrictive environment in which they have access to the curriculum, opportunities to participate, and can be supported and accommodated in their education. As an educator, I live by Universal Design for Learning and the National Association of Education for Young Children and the Division for Early Childhood’s Position Statement on Inclusion , which ensures that children with special needs have access, participation, and support. When people think of assistive technology, the assumption is some sort of device they can use. However, according the Assistive Technology: principles and practices, assistive technology is a broad range of devices, services, strategies, or practices that can be implemented to eliminate or alleviate problems of an individual with special needs (Cook & Hussey, 2002). Assistive technology can also be low-tech and does n...
By: Katie McKay , EC-SEAT Project Scholar In early education, literacy is one of the main goals with significant school instruction time spent on reading skills. Within reading instruction there are five domains: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. All areas work together to create a strong reader according to a study done by the National Reading Panel, which means all of these areas need to be practiced (Armbruster, Lehr, & Osborne, 2006). Below you will find an explanation of each area. Using PBS Kids online games to support early literacy Parents and teachers alike who are looking for an easy way to engage their students in learning about reading often look to apps and websites. Not all literacy and reading apps or online games are created equally however. One source that is renowned for quality children's programming and resources is PBS Kids. The University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg School for Communication releas...
By: Sue Stubbs , EC-SEAT Scholar Jacob is a preschool-aged child who has severe physical abilities and benefits from modifications within a school setting. During this case study, many different tools were used to help assist in fine motor skills such as cutting. The cutting tools were used to determine which one worked best to fit the specific needs of this child. “Jacob” is a five-year-old boy who attends an inclusionary preschool program. He has very limited use of his hands and his inability to complete fine motor tasks because of low muscle tone. Jacob’s Impairment affects his ability to grasp writing tools and small objects to complete fine motor tasks. Jacob will be able to use fine motor tools to help succeed in the preschool setting academically. The adaptive scissor device that is selected will help improve Jacob’s ability to perform fine motor tasks such as cutting in the preschool setting. Task of Difficulty The task that Jacob needs assistance with is u...
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