Enable Dream

In general education there are many types of learners. One of the biggest challenges of a teacher is the ability to reach as many students as possible. Classroom teachers should find out the needs of students and how he/she might be able to better assist them. As shown on the video, through the use of assistive technology, students were able to accomplish more than their normal approach would allow.

For the student with special needs to become a successful participant in the classroom, the teacher needs to know their specific needs. What are the student’s capabilities? What are the student’s limitations? What are the goals and objectives mentioned on the IEP? What are the student’s strengths and weaknesses? Information that the teacher has acquired should help to tailor the lesson plan to the needs of the individual student.

Assistive Technology should be appropriate to the student’s abilities and needs. For example, in the video, the girl and the younger boy depended on AT for school use to do school work and homework and they both depended on wheel chairs to get around. If I had a student with learning disabilities such as dyslexia, ADD or simply difficulty focusing when reading, I would implement the use of the place holder, which is a low AT device that when used would only show one line at time for reading. A computer with a speech program implemented would be another AT device that I would use for students with learning disabilities. For a student with Autism I would use social stories to help them when transitioning. These are just a few of the methods that I might include in my lessons when teaching students with special needs.

To assess the appropriateness of the activities for the special needs student, you may want to observe the student and ask yourself if the activity is appropriate for the student. Is the student able to do the activity or would he/she be frustrated in trying? If the student is not able to complete the activity well, you may want to modify the activity by requiring less overall in giving more time or having them use an assistive technology to help with the activity.
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Assistive Technology is part of our daily lives and would continue to be. It has helped students and adults with special needs find a better way to communicate with the world.