Process Task #1: Meet Some People with Disabilities
Question
Your Answer
1. Do you know anyone with a disability? What is their disability and what technologies (from "low tech" to "high tech") do they use to aid themselves in overcoming their disability?
A student that was in one of my classes was in a wheel chair. He had a computer and his wheel chair could be maneuvered with a push of a button.
2. List 5 assistive technologies that you are introduced to.
1.For people who are blind – voice input/output, scanner to scan pages into computer which will read them, Braille reader. 2. Large print and brightness control. 3. For those who have a hard time typing – speech to text, which will type the words when you talk. 4.Mouth piece to type with, or mouth “straw” to blow into to type. 5. For mobility – turning or placing computers in ways that people can use them, ball for a mouse, sticky keys.
Process Task #2: Defining Terms
Question
Your Answer
3. Define assistive technology—
Technology (computers) that are adapted and modified for people with a disability.
4. Define learning disability--
A disability where one has difficulty with some type of learning. Example: reading
5. Define universal design for learning--
Making a computer lab equally assessable/useable to all people.
6. Define web accessibility--
Making the web more easily assessable for those who may have a disability. Website would have document services and provide electronic resources. Example: Text alternative to graphic images.
7. Briefly summarize what is necessary to design a computer lab following principles of "universal design." Are the computer labs you use designed this way? Explain.
Everyone should feel welcome. It should be assessable to all: ramps, wide isles and doors, low desks, large work space, elevators with Braille, assessable rest rooms. In the lab it should have adaptive technology: Large keyboards, large monitor print, speech output, Braille, track ball, wrist/arm rests, grammar and spell check.
Process Task #3: Web Accessibility
Question
Your Answer
8. What do teachers and web designers need to keep in mind as they steer students (particularly students with various disabilities) onto the web?
1.For hearing impaired students, make sure there are captions so that the students can understand what is being said. 2. For sight impaired students make the graphics bigger. Make sure websites are user friendly so that students can navigate them their selves. 3. Have descriptive text with pictures. 4. Have clear links and what they are about. 5. Keep design simple/clean.
9. What is a web accessibility checker?
Similar to a browser checker, it checks the computer to see how assessable it is for people with disabilities.
Process Task #4: Disability Simulations
Question
Your Answer
10. Simulation #1 (specify which one you chose)--Describe what this simulation was like. Is this simulation valuable? Why or why not?
Dyslexia – A paragraph was shown that simulated what it would be like for someone with dyslexia. It was difficult to read. I could read some words but while I was trying to figure out what the word was I was not concentrating on what the sentence was saying. So, I can see where it would be almost two steps 1. Reading the words and 2 making sense of the words. The simulation was very valuable because it lets you see what a person goes through and makes you aware of how much help they may need.
11. Simulation #2 (specify which one you chose)--Describe what this simulation was like. Is this simulation valuable? Why or why not?
Distractibility – This was a simulation where I was to do a couple of tasks while I was also suppose to play a game at the same time. I could not do my tasks. I could not do both at the same time. Yes I think this simulation was valuable for again showing what it is like for a person to go through this and it makes you aware of how you can help them.
Process Task #5: Explore Tools of Assistive Technology: What Comes Bundled in the Computer's OS?
Question
Your Answer
12. Which operating system will you explore--Apple or Windows?
Windows
13. List 1 operating system tool that could help Joshua learn better.
Reading Tool – Makes text based material more assessable (scanning, reformatting, navigating, or speaking text out loud).
14. List 1 operating system tool that could help CeCe learn better.
TTY/TDD conversion modem – This is connected between the computer and telephone to allow a person to type a message on the computer and send through the telephone.
15. List 1 operating system tool that could help Beth learn better.
Speech Recognition or Voice Recognition – Allows people to give commands using their voice to create text documents.
Process Task #6: Assistive Technologies that are NOT bundled inside the computer operating system
Question
Your Answer
16. List 1 tool that could help Joshua learn better. Briefly explain what type of learning task you see this tool helping with.
Paper based computer Pen – records and links audio to a special pen and paper.
2. Audio Books.
3. Optical character recognition.
17. List 1 tool that might help CeCe learn better. Briefly explain what type of learning task you see this tool helping with.
1. Hip Talker – connects to the waist and has recordings of words, sentences with push of button. 2. Put – em – Arounds – can be put in different rooms. With a push of a button can communicate with words, phrases etc.
18. List 1 tool that might help Beth learn better. Briefly explain what type of learning task you see this tool helping with.
Dragon dictate – creates text through dictation. Others – abbreviation Expanders, alternative keyboards, graphic organizers or outliners, portable word processors.
Process Task #7: Special Education Legislation
Question
Answer
19. Locate 1 website you can use to help yourself in the future for making decisions and/or learning about ways you can help your special needs students. Briefly explain how the site can help you.
20. What is IDEA, and what is its purpose? (briefly explain in your own words.)
Individuals With Disabilities Act – is a law that governs how States and agencies provide early intervention and, special education, to infants ( birth – age 2) and children and youth ( 3 – age 21) with disabilities.
Reflection
I never knew what assisstive technology was until I read about the topic. The readings were very informative and made me more aware of what kinds of technology is out there for disabled people. We also had to make a GLOG which to me is like a technology poster. On the Glog we had to describe what assisstive technology is , add a picture of a person using assisstive technology and provide several websites, plus a movie on someone using it in the classroom. I think using a Glog in the upper elementary grades would be a great assessment tool. Now that I know about assisstive technology, if I get a disabled student in my class I will be better prepared to help them. I expecially like that a computer can be made more assisstive technology friendly so, I would use this in my classroom.
Artifact
Assisstive Technology GlogAssistive TechQuest
Name: Cindy Watson
Process Task #1: Meet Some People with Disabilities
2. Large print and brightness control.
3. For those who have a hard time typing – speech to text, which will type the words when you talk.
4.Mouth piece to type with, or mouth “straw” to blow into to type.
5. For mobility – turning or placing computers in ways that people can use them, ball for a mouse, sticky keys.
Process Task #2: Defining Terms
Process Task #3: Web Accessibility
2. For sight impaired students make the graphics bigger. Make sure websites are user friendly so that students can navigate them their selves.
3. Have descriptive text with pictures.
4. Have clear links and what they are about.
5. Keep design simple/clean.
Process Task #4: Disability Simulations
Process Task #5: Explore Tools of Assistive Technology: What Comes Bundled in the Computer's OS?
Process Task #6: Assistive Technologies that are NOT bundled inside the computer operating system
2. Put – em – Arounds – can be put in different rooms. With a push of a button can communicate with words, phrases etc.
Process Task #7: Special Education Legislation
Gives examples of technology that is available for students with disabilities.
( 3 – age 21) with disabilities.
Reflection
I never knew what assisstive technology was until I read about the topic. The readings were very informative and made me more aware of what kinds of technology is out there for disabled people. We also had to make a GLOG which to me is like a technology poster. On the Glog we had to describe what assisstive technology is , add a picture of a person using assisstive technology and provide several websites, plus a movie on someone using it in the classroom. I think using a Glog in the upper elementary grades would be a great assessment tool. Now that I know about assisstive technology, if I get a disabled student in my class I will be better prepared to help them. I expecially like that a computer can be made more assisstive technology friendly so, I would use this in my classroom.