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.

Geometry Techmatrix

There is a website called Techmatrix that allows you to compare products by categories and disabilities.  It informs you of the grade levels that the products are useful for and it also shows you what operating systems the product will be accessible.

www.techmatrix.org

I compared GeoGebra, Crystal Rain Forest, Geometer's Sketchpad, and Poly

GeoGebra was the only free one and it is used on computers.  While Geometer's Sketchpad was the most expensive.

All of the products work with autism, emotional disturbance, specific learning disability, and speech and language impairment.

Geometer's Sketchpad can be used across more age levels than the other products.

All of them except for Ploy worked with many different math components such as: expressions and equations, functions, geometry, operations and algebraic thinking.  Poly only worked with geometry.

Pattern Blocks Online Manipulative

One of the interactive manipulatives that I found on http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/vlibrary.html that was in each category for grade levels wast called Pattern Blocks.

I love using Pattern Blocks with students.  They are a great way to show fractions for older students and the younger students can build items with them while getting familiar with different shapes.

The directions for the K-2 section:

Pattern blocks are great for making and describing patterns. To complete this activity:

1. Create a pattern by combining trapezoid and triangle blocks.

We could describe this pattern as "a square block followed by a triangular block". We often shorten descriptions in math so it takes less space to write. One common way to shorten a description is to use single letters in place of words. 
For example we can describe the "a square block followed by a triangular block" pattern as an AB pattern. We call the square block "A" and the second block "B".
If you connect 3 "A" blocks together, you would have an AAA pattern. Likewise, if you combined three "B" blocks together you would have a BBB pattern.
2. Make a wall using an ABAB pattern.
3. Make a star using an AAAAAA pattern.

The directions for the 3-5 section:

1. Add 5 squares to the workspace.
2. Color 3 squares blue.
You describe the result as: "3 of the 5 squares are blue".
A mathematical description would be "3/5".

Distinguishing and describing parts of a group is an important introduction to rational numbers.

The directions for the 6-8 section:

1. Consider how each pattern block can be a whole unit, or part of a larger whole unit.
If you call the blue diamond pattern block 1 unit, which pattern block would be 1/2 a unit?
If you call the yellow hexagon 1 unit, which pattern block would be 1/2 unit?
If the blue diamond is 1/2 unit, make a shape that is 1 unit.
If the blue diamond is 1/4 unit, make a shape that is 1 unit.
If the green triangle is one unit, which pattern block is equivalent to three units?
If the green triangle is one unit, which pattern block is equivalent to six units? 
2. Make a shape that is 2 1/2 times the size of a green triangle.
3. Make a shape that is 3 1/2 the size of a blue diamond.

Any shape can be a whole unit, or a part of a larger unit. Whole numbers describe when a shape is a whole unit, or a multiple of a whole unit. Rational numbers can describe when a shape is part of a larger whole.

The directions for the 9-12 section:

1. Consider how each pattern block can be a whole unit, or part of a larger whole unit.
If you call the blue diamond pattern block 1 unit, which pattern block would be 1/2 a unit?
If you call the yellow hexagon 1 unit, which pattern block would be 1/2 unit?
If the blue diamond is 1/2 unit, make a shape that is 1 unit.
If the blue diamond is 1/4 unit, make a shape that is 1 unit.
If the green triangle is one unit, which pattern block is equivalent to three units?
If the green triangle is one unit, which pattern block is equivalent to six units? 
2. Make a shape that is 2 1/2 times the size of a green triangle.
3. Make a shape that is 3 1/2 the size of a blue diamond.

Any shape can be a whole unit, or a part of a larger unit. Whole numbers describe when a shape is a whole unit, or a multiple of a whole unit. Rational numbers can describe when a shape is part of a larger whole.

So as you can see, you can vary levels when playing with pattern blocks.  I have only used them with the younger students and they absolutely love building things with them.