eBooks and Audiobooks as Assistive Technology Tools

I am extremely excited that I once again will be co-moderating this week's #ATchat on Twitter with two of the leading experts in assistive technology, Mike Marotta (@mmatp) and Karen Janowski (@karenJan). 

The focus of our discussion will be about considerations for eBooks and Audiobooks as Assistive Technology Tools when screening for and implementing assistive technology. If you're new to the field of AT, this is the perfect forum to ask questions and learn about available resources from many seasoned AT specialists who are always eager to share! A preview of the questions will be posted here tomorrow! Whether you want to lurk, follow along or actively participate, be sure to join us tomorrow night at 8-9pm EST on Twitter using the hashtag #ATchat! Have questions about how to join, click on the email button in the right column or comment below! 

Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month - The Neuroscience of Learning

March is National Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month

According to the United Cerebral Palsy website:

Cerebral Palsy (CP) is a broad diagnostic term used to describe a problem with movement and posture, due to damage or abnormalities in the brain that makes certain activities difficult. It is the most common motor disorder and the second-most common disability found in children.

Although many children with cerebral palsy face wide-ranging challenges, with the help of assistive technology, CP patients not only have the ability to overcome difficulty with mobility, but they also address difficulties with hearing and speech. As stated on the Cerebral Palsy Group website, assistive technology holds the potential to inspire:

Confidence – Physical and neurological impairment frustrates development for CP patients. Assistive and adaptive devices boost function, allowing for increased confidence and acceptance in their newfound abilities.
Self Sufficiency – The more a child contributes to his or her care and well-being, the less it falls upon parents and caregivers to cover every need.
Independence – Emotional and physical independence develop at their own pace. Assistive aids ensure the road to independence is not blocked by CP challenges.
Quality of Life – Equipped with assistive devices, CP patients experience life to its fullest. Custom adaptive equipment speaks to the needs of children of all ages, and evolves with them as they develop.

The Cerebral Palsy Foundation's goal is to provide education through interactive resources with regard to the profound impact proper interventions and support can have on those with Cerebral Palsy. As part of the site, the video library gives viewers access to the insight of experts. Today's blog post highlights one of the videos focusing on the effective ways to support a developing brain. To learn more about the neuroscience of learning, visit the CPF website and watch the brief video of assistive technology consultant and expert, Karen Janowski.

Source: Cerebral Palsy Foundation; Cerebral Palsy Group; United Cerebral Palsy

The Impact of Assistive Technology

The article featured here on Where It's AT, written by Karen Janowski (@karenjan) , touches upon the important role assistive technology plays within the educational setting. Although assistive technology must be considered for all students based on the unique needs of the student, often times, IEP teams focus on the assistive technology needs of students with severe physical, intellectual, communication, and sensory impairments. With many advances in technology over recent years, the assistive technology has become far reaching and becoming more commonplace within the general education and special education classroom settings.


Through this article you can see the profound positive impact that assistive technology can have on all learners. Read the article below or click here to access the original article.

Does assistive technology make a difference? 

Don't take my word for it.

Ask the fifth-grade student who typically took four months to read one book and was finally able to read four books in one month because of her use of technology (VoiceDream Reader with Bookshare membership). She recommended books to her friends. How do you think she felt being able to do that for the first time ever?


Ask the high school student with written expression challenges who received support through the Insert Comments feature in Google Docs. He stated, "I'm getting help when I'm writing instead of after I'm done."


Ask the high school autistic student who up until that time was dependent on others for being his voice since he wasn't provided with the technology he needed. For the first time, he could use his device and finally tell someone, "Leave me alone!"

Ask the elementary age student who had a meltdown any time he was asked to write. He used recording technology and was able to independently record his thoughts instead of needing to dictate to an adult (which promoted dependence).


Ask the student who is now able to use vocabulary which reflects his superior language skills when composing text instead of using words that he was able to spell independently. (Word prediction or spellcheck built-in Google Docs)

Ask the student who is now recording his thoughts for the first time instead of having to be dependent on someone else who scribes for him.


Ask the 18-year-old student who struggled with significant reading issues (reading at a second grade level) but felt successful when he read grade level text by adjust the visual presentation and reading rate to what worked for him. (Very large font size and focused reading screen with only two words on a line).


Ask the ninth grade student who saw the font size in the print copy of To Kill a Mockingbird and dreaded trying to read through the text on his own and then was introduced to a reading app. He listened to the book while he followed the text and described it as the best book he ever read.


Ask the senior in high school who attends a very prestigious school for students with learning disabilities who was introduced to assistive technology the summer before his senior year and asked, "Why didn't anyone show me these things earlier?"


Ask the middle school student who doesn't want to be seen as different but realizes the use of technology makes learning possible. Why is he in an environment where he is "different"? Why don't we make technology available to everyone, embedded, proactive, universal, adjusting to variability within our classrooms? This is Universal Design for Learning.


Ask the brilliant high school student with dysgraphia resulting in illegible handwriting which interfered with his ability to demonstrate his learning in AP calculus. He was introduced to technology which bypassed his challenges and excelled (Efofex).


Ask the student who was given packets and packets of worksheets and information that was paper-based and was provided a device (iPad with specific apps) which stored all his materials. He no longer struggled with managing his materials and kept them organized in folders on his device. No more zeroes for failing to hand in completed assignments.


Does (Assistive) Technology make a difference in the lives of students? It's a resounding, "Yes!" So why don't all students who need it have access to it? I will try to answer that question in another post.

It is time to ensure all students have access to the technology they need.

Source: Ed Tech Solutions: Teaching Every Student

My #ECG2016 Experience

The past 24 hours have been nothing short of an incredible learning experience where I have had the opportunity to interact with, listen to, learn from and meet (virtually, of course) other professionals in the same or in similar positions to mine. This was all done via Twitter through edcamp Global.

If you've never participated in one before, you're probably wondering....What is EdCamp? According to the Edcamp website, it's an organic, participant-driven professional learning experience. A community created by educators, for educators. The leading edge of professional development in education.

edcamp Global is unlike the traditional edcamps, which typically take place over a one day or a few hour time span. This particular edcamp, offered sessions for 24 hours to accommodate global schedules. Educators in varying fields were provided the opportunity to collaborate with other professionals from around world. I was able to connect with professionals from Canada and others who were in neighboring towns all within the comfort of my own home.

How it worked...
The same awesome features of an edcamp were provided....

• ​an ad-hoc gathering born from the desire for people to share and learn in an open environment; and
• conversational events featuring discussions, demos and interactions between participants, rather than a group of people listening to a particular speaker

On the day of the event, each attendee selected the sessions of interest from the schedule...

• although many different platforms were used (Google Hangout, Twitter Chats, Periscope, Voxer, etc.), each attendee selected a session that they were comfortable to use which was linked on the schedule **I personally used Twitter Chats**
• at any point you could "jump" to another session that met your needs
• during the session each attendee shared and collaborated with others all over the world based upon the moderators questions based upon the topic

My sessions....
Although I surveyed and popped into several different sessions, via Twitter Chats, spending 24 hours on Twitter, or the many other platforms available, was not probable with two small children at home. However, I prioritized the ones I was able to and most wanted to attend, and fully participate in two sessions.

Session 1: The first was the #atchat moderated by Mike Marotta and Karen Janowski. The focus was on inclusive technology for all, and during this session we discussed the following questions...

• What does inclusive technology mean?
• How do we ensure all students have the technology they need?
• Do you use the built in accessibility features to support your students with variability?
• What are the indispensable AT Tools in your Toolkit?
• What resources do you use to stay current about Inclusive/AT tools / strategies to reach all learners?
• If you were the lead administrator in your district, what changes would you make to ensure Inclusive Tech for all?

My takeaway from this session was the importance of ensuring that all students who could benefit from AT are being provided the opportunities and for me to find ways to get that information out to the teachers I work alongside to ensure equality. Additionally, I was able to learn about some resources I was less familiar with, upcoming PD sessions and meet some other AT professionals who are now a part of my growing PLN.


To see the full transcript from this session click on the Storify link below...

https://storify.com/mmatp/atchat-edcamp-global-2016


Session 2: The second session was the #educoachtools moderated by Knikole Taylor. The focus of this session was on using technology for effective coaching, and during this session we discussed the following questions....

• Who/what is a coach?
• With everything expected of coaches/instructional leaders, what tools do you use to help with organization?
• What tools/tricks can you share to give yourself more time during the instructional day?
• Share innovative ways to give teachers timely feedback. What has worked for you?
• How do you collect teacher's feedback on your performance?
• What is one new tool/strategy you will implement this year as you support others?

What I found most helpful from this session were the tools that the other participants shared they use to help remain organized and maximize their time. Although, by nature, I am an inherently organized person....when working with many students who are housed within several buildings within my school district, organization and time management can pose to be a challenge. I was able to walk away with resources that will be helpful and allow me to be as effective in my role as possible.


To see the full transcript from this session click on the Storify link below...

https://storify.com/knikoletaylor/educoachtools-ecg2016


I thoroughly enjoyed the time spent participating at #ECG2016. Despite the fact that there were many other sessions I would have liked to attend, I felt fortunate to have been a part of the sessions I shared above and to connect with the people I did within those sessions. Participate Learning compiled many transcripts, videos and resources available that were shared throughout ECG. So take a peek and be sure to check out when another edcamp is coming your way.


My next one I will be attending is Edcamp AccessNY in October 2016...and I can't wait!