Wrap Up

As this class comes to an end, I have reflected on all of the assistive technology that I have learned about and will perhaps use one day.  Some of it I was already familiar with due to having a daughter that is non-verbal but most of it I have never even heard of.

I am thankful to have a class that has taught me about assistive technology that may enter my classroom as some point and I will be ready to provide assistance with it.  They will also be in my mind when I come across a student that would benefit from them.

College Transition

One thing that I never really thought about before is how do college students get the services they need.  I guess I originally thought they did not go to college.  Some of the students just need a little assistance.

We recently had a visitor in our class that showed us the assistive technology that she uses on campus.  One of them was a pen that can record notes and it comes with a special notebook that it can read back the notes that you have already written.  The school provides them as a loan as a trial to see if it is something that the student would want to purchase.  She also used a software that Cabrini provided that helps her with writing papers.  It has grammar and spell check just like Word but it can do more than just that.  It can read highlighted section to her.  There's also a section that allowed her to create vocabulary words that she can refer back to.

It was nice to see how my university provides assistance to students that need assistive technology.  It has definitely opened my eyes to older students getting the support they need to pass their classes.

University of Kentucky Assistive Technology Project

After visiting the http://edsrc.coe.uky.edu/www/ukatii/toolkit/index.html website, I learned that they have a toolkit.

The toolkit consists of:

consideration

pre-assessment profile

assessment data collection

assessment report outline

trial implementation

AT implementation

knowledge and skill survey

These tools can be used an IEP meetings.  

Douglas Education Service District

After checking out the website http://www.douglasesd.k12.or.us/otap/, I learned that they provide training, information, technical assistance, and resources regarding the uses of technology for children with disabilities.

They have a lending library which is great for children to try out equipment before purchasing it.

AC Device Designed to Meet Needs at Home

The student's augmentative communication system is designed to meet the communication demands of home and the community by the teacher and parents setting up the device to meet the needs of the student.  The words that the teacher needs in the classroom are set for daily use in school.  The same goes for home and the community.  The parents or teacher just program the device to use words that would be appropriate for home and out in the community.

My daughter is using PECS which is a picture exchange system.  We don't use it much at home yet because she is still learning how to use it.  We do have some pictures that she can use to give us to meet her needs and wants but she usually does not want to use them at home.  Since she is choosing not to use it, I do not push her using it because I do not want to discourage her from using it at all.

Augmentative Communication in the Home and Community

It is important to use augmentative communication devices at home and in the community because the student should be able to have a voice everywhere and not just at school.

Continuity is important for students using augmentative communication.  It will help them to progress at a faster rate or at least keep them maintaining their ability with the augmentative communication device if it is used everywhere.

Integrating Augmentative Communication into an IEP

Augmentative Communication can be integrated into an IEP buy placing it in either the goal or SDI sections of the IEP.  When placing any assistive technology into an IEP, it is important to remember that you should never use brand names.  This would mean that only that specific kind of device would be allowed to be used.  Not all districts use the same devices and you have to prepare the IEP as if anyone district could follow it in case the student moves.  

It is very important that goals are written for students that use augmentative communication as their only means of communicating.  The device should be used on a daily basis to give these students a voice.