Assistive Technology is being considered at all Individual Education Plan (IEP) for a student with special needs. This class will look at the definition of assistive technology and what examples could be used in the classroom to reach the students academic goals.
Assistive technology is technology used by individuals with disabilities in order to perform functions that might otherwise be difficult or impossible. Assistive technology can include mobility devices such as walkers and wheelchairs, as well as hardware, software, and peripherals that assist people with disabilities in accessing computers or other information technologies. For example, people with limited hand function may use a keyboard with large keys or a special mouse to operate a computer, people who are blind may use software that reads text on the screen in a computer-generated voice, people with low vision may use software that enlarges screen content, people who are deaf may use a TTY (text telephone), or people with speech impairments may use a device that speaks out loud as they enter text via a keyboard.
http://www.washington.edu/accessit/articles?109
Assistive Technology Device
The term "assistive technology device" means any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of a child with a disability.
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/20/usc_sec_20_00001401----000-.html
SETT - Decision Making Process
A few years ago it was announced to our high school that the Special Education Department had received a grant to implement Assistive Technology consultations for our students. This announcement was soon followed by comments from well intended staff members including "Hey, I understand there is software that will take your voice and convert it to text. What students can we give this software to?" It just sounded so easy to them. In order to have a successful match between a tool and a student a sound decision making process needs to exist. Joy Zabala developed a system to assist in decision making for identifying a possible tool for any given student.
The Student Environment Task Tool (SETT) process is a student centered decision making broad based process that involves all the stake holders involved with the decision on which tools will best benefit a student. The process begins with the student. Gathering information on the student from all people involved with the student during the school day including teachers, speech pathologist, parents, student, and others. This team approach will give a strong picture of who this child is.
It is easy to feel the need to start with the tools but the following the SETT process means finishing with consideration of the tools. In order for a successful match between student and tool it is important to start with the student, the environment, and then tasks the student needs to achieve before deciding on a tool. Please read the Joy Zabala articles to explore the SETT framework.
Assignment:
Please take time to read the articles below on the SETT process. Also, download the SETT fillable and decide on one of the vignettes provided in order to complete the handout. The SETT rubric will show what is needed to fill out the form.
READING
Students can have text readers on the computer. All that is needed is software on the computer that is able to read the text. It is important to understand the format of the text. Many different types of text readers will only read certain formats. These readers will use the voices on the computer. Windows has microsoft voices Mike, Mary, Sam and Anna. Easy Reader by Dolphin has been purchased by MITS and distributed to school districts for free. This software will read DAISY formatted books (Bookshare, NIMAC). Each school district's Technology director has copies of Easy Reader. This program is similar to Read:Outloud (see below), but each has unique features. When you use Bookshare and are a member or sponsor, Reading tools (under Getting Started Tab at bookshare.org) can be downloaded. These include Read:Outloud and the Acapela voices.The cost of the voices ranges from free to $45.00 for each site license. Go to http://www.nextup.com and check out the different voices and pricing.
Balabolka is a free text and PDF e-reader that can be saved on a jump drive. It is run from the jump drive so it doesn't need to be installed on a computer; however, the computer must have a "voice" already installed. Balabolka also can create a mp3 file from the computer reading. Take a look at the PDF how to guide below.
Adobe Reader is software used to open up PDF documents. Adobe reader has a free reader, but is very basic. It doesn't highlight the text it is reading or give an option to select the text a person would like to have read. The reader will only read the page or the entire docuement. Most all PC computers have Adobe Reader on the computer. Feel free to download version 9.3 Adobe Reader a PDF file viewer for free. Adobe Reader will read a PDF file. Take a look at the PDF how to guide below.
Natural Reader A text to speech software program with a free version along with Personal($49.50) and Professional version($99.50). Natural Reader can read text files, MS Word files, Internet Explorer webpages, E-mails. Adjustments can be made on speed, voice,quality, and volume. This software also has a floating mini-bar. Take a look at the PDF how to guide below.
Read Please has a free reader and Read Please Plus with features like control reading from a system tray, adjustable voice speed, and low vision color option. Take a look at the PDF how to guide below.
WordTalk is a free text to speech plug-in for Microsoft Word. It will highlight and speak text aloud. There are settings to adjust the highlight color, voice and speed. This software will convert the text into wav or mp3 files.
Easy Reader by Dolphin has been purchased by MITS and distributed to school districts for free. This software will read DAISY formatted books (Bookshare, NIMAC). Each school district's Technology director in Ingham county has copies of Dolphine Easy Reader v.5. This program is similar to Read:Outloud (see below), but each has unique features. Take a look at the PDF how to guide below.
Voices: Picking up differnt voices is costly. The more you pay for the voices the more the voices sound more human. One of the best speech voices is the Neo Speech voice. Take a look at its website and see for yourself. http://www.neospeech.com/default.aspx
Students have a free national depository of e-books for the print disabled. Bookshare was created to stop redundancies of books being scanned and distributed to students. In 2007 special funding for the e-books from the U.S. Office of Special Education Programs made it possible for eligible students to have access to novels and textbooks. Students with visual impairments, physical disabilities, or print-based disabilities (Learning Disability in the 3 reading areas) are eligible to obtain digital books through Bookshare. Bookshare books gives the student access to the curriculum books, magazines, or newspapers. This site has a wide range of materials and many levels of reading. The e-books are in either DAISY or embossed Braille formats. In order for the books to be read on the computer's text reader software would need to be installed on the computer. Bookshare offers a couple options. Free software for reading DAISY digital books from Humanwares Victor Reader Soft Bookshare Edition or Don Johnstons Read: Outloud Bookshare Edition.
RFB&D are audio books allow a level playing field for students to struggle to access regular textbooks and novels. These books are human-narrated audio books with descriptions of images, tables, and graphs. The audio books are created in DAISY and WMA formats. RFB&D Window Media Audio (WMA) can be played on a MP3 player. The DAISY formatted books will need a separate player that reads DAISY Audio downloads or CDs.
WATI is the Wisconsin Assistive Technology Initiative. WATI has adopted many different innovative practices like the Joy Zabalas SETT decision process. The Chapter 7 Reading PDF below presents the decisions being made for students to level the playing field in the classroom in the area of reading. The chapter also shows the continuum of tools to be considered. It is important to know where the tools needed for students can be found. In this chapter WATI provides information as to who the possible vendors are for a variety of tools.
Topic Assignment:
Take a look at all the different readers above. Pick one reader to download and take it to a "spin" and give us a review (the PDFs above to show how to download and use the reader). Tell us what you think. First tell us what reader you picked. Explain what features the software gives you. Try using the reader on different ways you use the computer. One example would be read your favorite newspaper, magazine, or blog. Use the reader you picked tell us about the positive or negatives experiences. You could also use the program when composing a document either on-line of on Microsoft word. Tell us how easy the reader is to use. What are the limitations and how are the voices. Also tell us what other uses for this computer software. Share all this information you have learned on this Google Docs link and take a look at what others think.
Writing
Students who struggle in writing are able to have many supports. The supports can range from low tech to high tech solutions including pre-writing to speech to text software. It is important to identify which particular writing task needs support. Supports can start with positioning and adapted writing utensils. Pens and pencils can be different sizes and shapes or even contoured to fit the correct figure form. Paper could be raised line or bold. The use of dry erase boards is beneficial for concepts or writing paragraphs. Pre-writing software like Inspiration is used for concept mapping and brainstorming. Inspiration can also convert information into outline form with text to speak features. Many students with written language concerns have decoding or spelling deficits. There are many different hand-held spelling dictionaries or spellcheckers. It is important to have many different functions on this type of tool as a number of students with written language problems have additional educational concerns. Talking Word Processors (TWP) have several different functions to assist struggling writers. TWP provide speech feedback as the student writes as well as incorporate tools for reading. Reading aloud improves their editing, comprehension and organization. Frequently users will find TWPs have dictionaries built into the software. If this software needs to be portable looking at the portable word processor could be beneficial. The Alpha Smart NEO and the Fusion are examples of portable word processors to take in the classroom for notes, working on assignments or writing papers. Both examples have the features of word predictors, organization and file saving. Please read the articles below including WATI Chapter 5 - A.T. for writing, including motor.
At this point, we have taken a look at the definition of assistive technology and what an assistive technology device may look like. Consideration has been given to exploring the areas of written language or any reading area by providing examples of tools and the decision making process on choosing the most appropriate tool to use for a student. Below there are 3 vignettes of possible students that could be in your classroom. Download the fillable SETT form and fill out forms for two of the vignettes provided. Remember collaboration is very important with everyone who is involved with your student. Post your completed SETT forms on the Google Doc page and respond with your comments on the questions provided. Keep in mind the rubic below and you can add information on each student. Have fun! We are interested in what tools you decide incorporate for the vignettes.