Assistive Technology Woordle

Looking back over the past couple months I cannot believe how much I have learned since the beginning of this course.  I came into the course hoping to get general overview of assistive technologies used in education; what technologies are available, how the technology match is made and how this can benefit both the student and the teacher.

I leave the course with mixed emotions. After seeing videos of AT in use, read about making the AT match, learned about various low and high tech assistive technologies (pencil grips, switches, inspiration/kidspiration, Kurzweil) I am struck with the impact it can have in a students personal and academic life.  I find myself also extremely frustrated by the lack of AT in many schools.  I realize that technology (of all kinds) costs money, requires ongoing support and training and takes time to implement but I can’t help feeling angry at the fact that students who would benefit from the use of some assistive technology aren’t always able to get the assistance they need.  As an educator it feels like we let these students down when we allow the politics of education to get in the way of students needs.  Sadly I don’t see an end in sight, with a provincial government looking to cut 22% from education over the next 3 years there might not be money in the budget for teachers in the classroom let alone more assistive technology.

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The Writing Process Version 2

Posted below is the second version of my writing process assignment.  As you will see the second document is very different from the first.  This version shows the processes that are happening at each step of the writing process as well as the executive functions that are going on at the same time. On the left hand side of the image are various assistive technologies that can be used at each step of the writing process.

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Inspiration

Inspiration is a powerful piece of software that is used to help with brainstorming, organizing ideas and information and with sequencing. 

In class we discussed how this software could be used with students who have difficulty with various aspects of the writing process.  After using this software for a little while I think the majority of students would benefit from using this software. 

As I reflected on my experience working with students and my attempts to get them to use graphic organizers I wished that I had had this software available as an option.  I found my students very resistant to using paper graphic organizers for any aspect of brainstorming or organizing their written work.  If I had had this software available I think that I would have been able to get more students to use organizers as part of the writing process.

The software itself is very easy to use.  With a simple click on the screen you can enter a thought or idea then add a graphic representation, link to another idea or continue adding new ideas.  There are a number of different templates that can be used to meet different writing styles and needs.  When you are finished the document can be printed or saved as a PDF or graphic file so that it can be used later.

As I “played” around with the software I began thinking about my own needs as a writer.  I am someone who brainstorms and ideas on paper before writing but I would find it easier to be able to manipulate and move things around using a piece of software.  I have decided that I am going to use it as part of my next paper to see if it helps me feel more organized.

Inspiration software is installed on most school computers in Nova Scotia.  Depending what school board you work in you might also have take home rights to this, and other pieces of software.  Check with your school IT expert to see what you might be able to use at home!

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The Writing Process

In class this week we learned about the writing process.  What an amazingly complicated process!  I don't think most of us consider all the different processes that are involved in writing.  As a non neuro person I am blown away by how the brain coordinates all the processes so that they all work together.   The fact that all these processes occur at the same time and, for the most part, without any conscious  input from the writer blows me away.  Any delay in development of, or deficit in, any of the processes can impair if not prevent a person's ability to communicate effectively in a written format.

Our second assignment was to create a diagram of the writing process based on a short piece of writing that we did.  Mine is based on the question how do you bbq the perfect steak?  As you will see from the diagram below whether you realize it or not, all of the writing process comes into play whenever you are writing.

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My Writing Process

Here's what I think about how during the writing process. 

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Misunderstood Minds Website

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/misunderstoodminds/writing.html

All things considered I found this to be a very interesting and informative site.  One of the first things I noticed was the way it was written.  The site authors chose to write this in plain English which makes it accessible to people who do not have a lot of experience with the subject area. 

I found the try it yourself exercises powerful, while it can never duplicate the frustrations that a person with a writing disability experiences it does help you develop a better appreciation for their struggles and empathy for them.

My only real complaint is in the length of the pages.    I found that the pages were too long.  This can be a deterrent to website visitors. Most people don’t want to visit a page and have to read screen after screen of information.  If I were designing this site I would break the pages up into several smaller pages.  This would help with the over all flow of the site and make the reader feel more comfortable. For example under the Basics of Writing I would have an introduction then create pages for the sections that followed; The developing Writer, Stages of Writing, and Neurodevelopmental Functions.

That said this is an excellent site and I would recommend it to teachers and parents who want to get some basic information about the writing process and some of the challenges and difficulties students can face with it.

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Blio: Kurzweil for all?

I came across this video on Youtube.   Being interviewed is Ray Kurzweil (of Kurzweil 3000 fame).  He is talking about a new piece of software called Biblio.  It is essentially a free e-book reader that will be compatible with all computers and portable devices.  In the video you see two demonstrations.  The first is of a children's book being read with a pre-recorded track while highlighting words.  The second is an anatomy textbook which also has text to speech, quizes and embedded video.

The software is also able to do text to speech from scanned documents.  According to the Blio website (http://www.blio.com/) users can add take notes, highlight text, add links and export for use as study materials. At this time the software is available as a free download and is available for the Windows platform only.

Though not intended to replace Kurzweil 3000 this may be of interest to people who want to have a text read out loud to them or who don't qualify for Kurzweil but would benefit from some of its features.

I haven't had a chance to really explore the software yet but I have downloaded it and figured out how to import your own document into the program.  You need to have a file in the .xps format which can be created in Word 2007.  I'll explore it some more and post a better review later.

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Interesting Article on the use of the iPad as Assistive Technology

I came across an article in the  http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/31/nyregion/31owen.html?_r=1 that tells the story of a 7 year old with a motor neuron disorder who recently began using an iPad.  It also discussed a number of other people who are using the iPad as assistive technology.  While the article does not go into great detail about the use of the technology it did serve to remind me that assistive technology is not one size fits all.  The choice of what technology to recommend and use must be based on the user and their goals.

As the article showed, for all the good that the iPad can do it is no use to you if you can't touch the screen.

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Mac OS Kurzweil

In class this week we took an indepth look at Kurzweil.    We learned about many of the software features including notes, and highlighting.  We also learned how to export notes, highlights to a word document.

I was following in class using my Macbook pro, a machine that I have really come to like since getting it back in the summer.  Most of the time I don’t even notice that I am not on a Windows PC.    This week though I experienced t a major difference between applications. 

First of all, from what I can see both the Windows and Mac versions of Kurzweil 3000 have the same features.  That’s the good news.  The bad news is the Mac version is not as user friendly as the Windows version.

I found the GUI of the Mac version to be very minimalist and not user friendly.  You can create toolbars but they are not as easily accessible as the windows version.  You also need to dig around the menus to find what you are looking for.  I was surprised that the out of the box experience just wasn’t there, I felt frustrated and defeated.  I am not sure that if I didn’t have access to a PC that I would stick with it.   This has taught me more patience for those struggling to use new software. 

I also found a solution and after a MAC OSX reinstall, the loss of 1 weeks worth of word documents, email, and photos I have successfully installed parallels and a copy of windows so when I just have to run a windows app I can. 

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Kurzweil Experiment

Last week we started looking at a powerful piece of software called Kurweil 3000.  Kurzweil can be used with students who have difficulty interacting with a book in the conventional way.  Texts can be scanned in to the software and then read back to the student or converted in to an MP3 and put on a portable media device.  Students can also use the software to take tests, they can highlight text, get definitions, and create notes.

I decided to put the software to the test with our reading for the week.  I converted David Edyburn's Technology-nhanced reading performance : Defining a research agenda using the software and put in on my ipod.  It took me a few minutes to get used to the voice that I chose but after that I found that I was able to understand the text with ease.  Since I am new with the software I may be missing some features but I missed the inflection of a humans voice.  I found the voice somewhat stunted and it had difficulty pronouncing some words that I would have thought were high frequency words.

Even after my first experience with the software I can see the benefit to students.  I am sure that as I explore the setting more and customize it to meet my needs I will benefit from it more and more!

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Class 4

In this class we explored a variety of tech tools that can be used to assist students in their learning.  We completed a treasure hunt which had us explore several websites.

I started with www.starfall.com/ This website has a wide variety of literacy activities for young children.  I spent some time exploring the I'm Reading section.  In this selection children can select an web based e-book from across a number of genres.  The e-books are written in age appropriate language and have colourful illustrations.  Children can choose to either read the book on the website themselves or they can click on a word that they difficulty with to hear it pronounced out loud for them.   The books are easy to use and would be engaging for many students.

Next I visited www.earobics.com/gamegoo/gooey.html  in all honesty I didn't like this site.  I found the interface noisy and it didn't feel intuitive to me.  I addition I use a Mac and many of the activities would not work on my computer.

My next stop on our treasure hunt was www.naturalreaders.com/index.htm.  This company offers a piece of software called natural readers which can be used to convert text to speech.  It has a variety of speaking voices that are quite natural and easy to follow.  The free version of the software has limited options while the paid version has more options including save the text as an audio file as well as scanning.

I think lots of students could benefit from using this software.  I often tell my students that reading their work out loud would help them in the editing process.  They could just as easily have their work read to them.  This software might also be an alternative for students who don't require the full features of Kurzwell but who would benefit from some text to speech technology.

My final stop of the treasure hunt was http://udltechtoolkit.wikispaces.com/  This website is a treasure trove of resources that will be useful to all teachers.  It includes links to math and literacy tools, research, text to speech tools, study skills and Multimedia and Digital Storytelling.  If you are looking for something to support or engage your students chances are there is at least one link on the site that will be of interest to you. I will be recommending this site to everyone I know.

 

 

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Dragon Dictation

Dragon Dictation is an iPod/iPhone app that was mentioned in class one night.  I was curious about it so I decided to check it out.

  My experience has been that free apps are limited in ability and usefulness so I wasn't expecting much from this one.  

I have tried other dictation programs in the past including Dagon Naturally speaking.  Most required extensive training of both the computer and the user so I was surprised there was no calibration or training required.  Even with that they were frustrating and more trouble than they were worth for me.

I recorded a short selection of text just to try it out.  What I found was that the app was about 90% accurate.  It missed a few words and guessed on a couple others but you can edit the text on the screen before sending as an email or to facebook/twitter.

I found that if I slowed my speech the accuracy increased. It still had difficulty with some words but it was more accurate than I expected.

The user guide says that you can insert some punctuation / formatting as you speak.  I had some success with this and am sure that it just takes time to master it.  Again, you can edit it manually or send it as an email and edit it in your regular document editor.

All in all this is a good app. I would recommend it for anyone who has to a lot of dictation / student who has difficulty with writing tasks.  

For more information about this and other Dragon products visit: http://www.dragonmobileapps.com/applications.html 

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Reading Is…

I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about the reading process in the past week.    I think that the ability to read it something that in general people take for granted. I know that until last week I hadn’t put a lot of thought into it, it was just something that I am able to do.  I hadn’t stopped to think about how complex a task it is.

Last week I learned that humans have only been reading for the past 5000 years, and literacy has only been widespread among all classes and cultures for approximately the past two centuries.  In evolutionary terms it’s not even the blink of an eye. 

Reading is not automatic.  Reading is not innate.  People must learn to do it for themselves. It takes time for the reading process to become automatic in each new reader.  Readers develop at different paces.

Reading is complicated.  It involves numerous brain functions that must all be working properly or in sync in order for “reading” to take place.

Reading begins with the oral / aural systems.  First we learn to talk.  As babies we hear language all around us.  We begin to imitate and copy, eventually attaching meaning to the sounds and words until we can use them independently to voice our thoughts, wants and needs.

From oral/aural we move to a visual representation of language, we learn to sound out words and match them to the oral equivalent that we already have in our vocabulary.  We work on recognizing the individual letters of the alphabet and eventually we start putting it all together into words that we recognize. We work on individual sounds, blends, vowels, consonants. 

Being able to speak and read words is only half the battle.  We have to be able to process the words and make meaning from them and we must be able to understand it in context. For example, I know that when I get to a stop sign on the road I know that I must stop my car and wait until either, the intersection is clear or it is safe to proceed.  If I didn’t understand the context in which the word stop is used I might stay there all day not knowing that eventually I could go, I would have simply followed the literal meaning of the word.

Finally I was reminded that reading is something that must be taught.  It must receive direct implicit instruction and be provided with the opportunity to practice.  Every teacher, regardless of subject area, should teach reading skills to their students. 

To learn more about reading and the brain visit : http://thereadingprocess569.blogspot.com/ to what ch some excellent videos that explain whats going on when we read.

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Class 3

Last weeks class was at the same time fascinating and inspiring.  We started the class by “meeting” a student with cerebral palsy who is making use of AT in his grade 7 classroom.

We watched a number of videos that highlight the students’ development and use of technology in his life.

Cerebral palsy presents itself differently in every person who has CP.  In the case we viewed last night the students mobility is several restricted.  He has limited use of his hands and relies on the use of a wheelchair for mobility.  He suffers from uncontrollable muscle movements that cause his head to move on a continuous basis.    He can talk but his speech can be difficult to understand.  Cognitively he is at grade level and is a very bright, articulate young man.

To be able to learn and be a full member of his class and school he uses a number of assistive technologies.  One of the most interesting was his switch-controlled computer.  The switch is a piece of hardware that is attaches to his headrest.  The student controls the computer and its software by activating the switch to make his selections with his head.   With this system he is able to use software to complete the reading and writing tasks expected of the students in his class.

As we progressed through the students’ development over the years several important points kept coming to mind.  The first is the student himself.  He is highly motivated and eager to learn as well as make use of new technologies.  He also has a very supportive family and community.  They are involved in his life and work hard to help provide him with everything he needs to be as independent as he can.

The final point that kept coming across was training, training, training.  In order for the technologies this student uses to be effective a great deal of training and support is required.  Everyone who interacts with him needs to receive training on each piece of hardware and software the student uses.  This means that every new teacher, Educational Assistant, Volunteer as well as his regular support circle needs to receive training and that  as his hardware and software needs change they must each receive additional training in order to be kept up to date.  This is a huge commitment on the part of all members of the students support team.

As I viewed the videos I kept thinking about “Chris” (not his real name).  Chris has CP and has been living in our family run group home for 15 years.  Shawn is nearly 40 years old and lived the first part of his life in a nursing home.  He uses a wheelchair but has limited use of his arms so he cannot move under his own power.  When he first moved in with us his speech was very limited but over the years his vocabulary has grown to the point that he is able to engage in conversations as well as express his like, dislikes, wants and needs.  Though his spoken language is challenged he has shown that he has a good memory, a high level of comprehension, and can read and interpret peoples moods.  We don’t know his IQ or developmental age.  If I had to guess I would estimate he has the mental age of a 7-8 year old.   He has a good quality of life.  He participates in family activities, goes to a workshop everyday, goes to a summer camp for people with disabilities and takes part in numerous activities in the community.  Even with all that I can’t help but wonder what his life might have been like if he had access to assistive technology when he was younger. 

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AT Implementation Article

I found this article to be very interesting and I agreed with many of the points it raised.

One of the areas the article looks at is training of teachers in the use of ACT.  I agree that this is a major issue in the adoption of ACT by teachers.  The reasons for it are many, they include training, time, and wiliness.

One of the issues with the introduction of any AT is training.  While every teacher who interacts with the student receiving the AT should receive training it does not always work out that way.  Sometimes schedules can't be arranged so that everyone can attend, sometime teachers (and in my experience, specialist teachers) are left out.

The second thing is time. Teachers are, for the most part, juggling more things in the run of the day than they can really manage.  Unfortunately anything new that is introduced often falls to the bottom of the pile.  They simply don't have the time to take on anything new.

The article discusses the notion of introducing AT training in teacher preservice education.  I don't necessarily disagree with this idea but it is not the solution to training teachers in the use of AT.  If the correct use of AT means matching the technology to the student then the training that teachers require must also be unique to the student.  Teachers can learn the basics in a class or PD session but they can never learn everything they need to know that way.

After reading the article I thought about my experiences with AT and ACT in my schools.

With one particular student who had a cochlea implant and microphone system my experiences was very positive.  The system was easy to use, I could raise or lower the volume on my end whenever I needed to and the student could do the same.  The only issue that I had was that the student was often "forgetful" and it could sometimes be days before he would remember to bring it to my next class.  Truth be told he probably didn't need the system in my class but it was on his IPP so I expected him to have it and for me to use it.

I have also seen issues with the deployment.  In one case that I have seen recently a non verbal student has been given an Ipod to help communicate with classmates and teachers.  Unfortunately the school does not have a wireless network and has been refused one because they don't want students surfing the net.  This has limited the potential for communication and usefulness of this technology with this student... I understand that the search for solutions continues....

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