Assistive Technology

http://www.ladacin.org/content/services/school_programs.asp

Assistive technology helps assist, adapt, or rehabilitate special tools for people who have disabilities. These tools can help people accomplish things they were not able to do formerly, such as a prosthetic leg or a hearing aid. In education, this may look slightly different. IDEA and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 defines assistive technology as any service that directly assists a child with a disability in the selection, acquisition, or use of an assistive technology device.

By IDEA’s standards, this term includes but does not limit to: the evaluation of the needs of a child with a disability, including a functional evaluation of the child in the child’s customary environment. Purchasing, leasing, or otherwise providing for the acquisition of assistive technology devices by children with disabilities. Training or technical assistance for professionals, employers, or other individuals who provide services to, employ, or are otherwise substantially involved in the major life functions of the individual with a disability.

Some examples of assistive technology tools that can be used in the classroom include alternate keyboards that are modified with an overlay to make learning more direct for students with disabilities. All they need to do is press a key with a picture on it to see a word spelled on the computer screen. Another technology that is really awesome is called DynaMyte. This is a portable communications tool that allows students to communicate with others effectively by selecting a sequence of symbols on a touch pad in which the computer then speaks for them.

Being aware of this kind of technology and keeping up to date with it as much as possible is important even if you do not have a child with a disability in your classroom. It is a wonderful resource as a teacher to know about and to have a sound understanding in. I plan on staying aware of a variety of AT’s in order to be a more effective teacher and to help my students be as successful as possible. After all, every child has a special need.


University at Buffalo. (2000). Assistive Technology in the Classroom . In Introduction to AT. Retrieved 6/21/2011, from http://atto.buffalo.edu/registered/ATBasics/Foundation/intro/index.php.

LADACIN Network . (2011). Special Education . In Educational Programs. Retrieved 6/21/2011, from http://www.ladacin.org/content/services/school_programs.asp

NCLD Editorial Staff. (2009). Section 504 and IDEA Comparison Chart. In LD.org. Retrieved 6/21/2011, from http://www.ncld.org/at-school/your-childs-rights/iep-aamp-504-plan/section-504-and-idea-comparison-chart.

The blogs I chose to follow all have a common theme, and that is educational resources. I had a hard time trying tie them together in a way that made sense to anyone that would read my posting. I think the reason I had a hard time coming up with a narrative to connect four blogs being followed is that they are all very different from one another and offer a variety of information. It is hard to find common threads amongst so much information other than a broad and general topic of educational resources. What I find great about this observation is that it shows that there is a large spectrum of educational information out there for educators disposal. It is a wonderful tool to be able to go online and immediately find blogs, youtube videos, wiki pages, you name it! All of these options and my classmates blogs have offered up a new way of thinking about how to teach and find resources for the classroom.

Tux Paint

This is a really great website for kiddos to use at home or even in the classroom. By downloading the software onto your computer, the kids have a free drawing board that they can decorate again and again. It has all sorts of features such as stamps, drawing, painting, and various texts. Even calligraphy! Another fun thing about this software is that with every thing you do, whether it is erasing something you drew, stamping a picture, or even changing the color you are using, a fun noise goes along with it! Who wouldn't love that?? You can also save your art that you have created or print it off and hang it on your fridge. I found it to be a nice relaxation tool when I stressed out from a long day. It was also a fun way of addressing technology homework!

Also, for my new technological toy that I played with this past week it was something I have always had but never used! My webcam! I have never really used my webcam, at least not for recording videos, so for our Glogster assignment I decided to create an audio recording for my poster. The video is below, just don't make fun of my twitchy eyes!!

I also learned through utilizing my webcam that it does all sorts of other fun things!

I can even be Obama!

Teach Parents Tech

I chose to send the link to the www.teachparentstech.org/ page to two of my friends. One of them, Katie, has a one year old son and has been a Language Arts teacher for five years in various middle schools throughout the United States. The other friend I chose is Amber. She has two young daughters, one of which is in the second grade.

In two weeks I plan on touching base with them to see what they thought of the page and if it helped them in any way. Don't forget to come back and see what they thought!

Teach Parents Tech UPDATE! 6/20/2011
Getting back in touch with the two people I chose to send the teachparentstech.org link to has proven to be a challenge. Neither of the two people I chose to send the link to wanted to check it out, so I got my sister involved who also happens to be a teacher. She told me that as a teacher she was intrigued by this resource because 1)she didn't know it existed and 2) it was a fun way to help educate parents and students on technology use. In her opinion, the site was a little too basic and she thought that it may be more beneficial if the site addressed more perplexing questions in the usage of technology. Maybe addressing what blogs are, how to be more technologically advanced, and other unique ways to keep in touch with what parents children are learning in the classroom other than the typical newsletter. 

Vote for Colton by clicking on the link below!  :)  Cutest Hahn baby ever! 

http://photos.parents.com/category/vote/photo/899765

Copyright 101 for Educators

I chose to read  Copyright 101 for Educators by Wesley Fryer. So what does it mean to copyright? Copyright gives legal rights to the originator of a work. This work could be anything from music, to art, books, etc. It also allows the originator the right to give others permission to use their work for whatever they would like as well. Apparently anything can be legally copyrighted immediately after it has been created as long as it has been authenticated by the creators signature.

Since I didn't realize that literally everything is copyrighted this really changes my mindset in how I will be creating things specifically when it comes to technology. I think as an educator it will be challenging putting together presentations for my future students without using anyone's work. This means that I need to be very aware of the copyright laws and make sure that I am complying with them. Not only for legality purposes, but also to be a good role model and to show my students how to do it as well. On the flip side of this is the Fair Use act, this allows minimal use of a copyrighted work for specific purposes. Some of these purposes are commentary, research, and scholarships. There is another thing to be aware of, the TEACH Act. TEACH stands for technology, education, and copyright harmonization. This act refers to the use of multimedia in distance education classes, such as the one we are taking currently.

I learned a lot from reading this article and by searching Google for more information to clarify things for me. I think it is startling how little knowledge I had of the correct use of copyrights. I also found it interesting that there are copyrights on literally everything and that laws have been created in order to protect each and every single one of those creations. It makes me want to create something and stamp my name on it just so I can say I have a copyright!