Assistive

Technology
Kali and Aurora
 Use of Assistive Technology in
Inclusive Education
● Bridge between barriers that disabilities place on students, and the student’s learning outcomes
● Suitability to Users and their Environment
○ The devices should be compatible with the users’ aspirations, emotional needs, and ways of life,
and with their culture and local customs; unobtrusive by local standards, and physically
comfortable from users’ perspectives.
● Inexpensive and Easy to Purchase
○ The devices should be low in purchase price. The devices should be easy and affordable to
assemble or produce and maintain, so that keeping the devices in working order would require
minimal resources and can be repaired with the use of locally available materials and technical
skills.
● Easy-to-Use
○ The devices should be easily understandable by users with limited exposure to technology,
portable (easy to move from one place to another), and easy to operate without prolonged
training or complex skills.
 Levels of Assistive Technology

Low Tech Advanced High Tech

Pencil grips Hearing Aids Braille outputting device

and Glasses (Text-to-Braille)
 Digital Tools
● Engagement: Engagement enhanced when students have
opportunities for choice, autonomy, and multiple paths of completions
○ Technology applications that incorporate various learning styles
in a web-based curriculum
● Action and Expression: How students receive information from
lessons (how they engage with communication and comprehension
○ Using technology to improve students’ communication and
composition
○ Pen and paper note recording system; Voice recognition (speech
to text, text to speech)
● Representation: Wider use of AT beneficial to students because they
tailor the curriculum to meet the students current learning needs
○ Not intended to act as new instruction, rather strengthen fluency
and stamina
○ Teachers are able to incorporate AT in the curriculum (inputting
specific readings
 Technology Aids with ELLs
● AT meant to act as a bridge for understanding
○ 9.9 million students are ELLs, and 70% are Spanish speaking
● Computer apps engage students and capture attention more than
traditional classrooms
○ Programs include: Reading programs, word processing apps, presentation
tools, basic internet
○ Social online communication provides greater opportunity for expression and
meaningful discourse
● Authentic connection with real life audience
○ Immersion Literacy activities
○ Allows students to focus on the text while engaging
● Concerns with Tech Aids: Little access, resources, training, flexibility [of
teachers].
○ Can’t support true acquisition - based in Second Language Acquisition and
ELL research
○ Hard to apply what they’re learning about reading and writing to oral
communication at a later date
 ACTIVITY: Paper Bag Interviews

● Page 134 in the Joyful Learning book

DIRECTIONS:

1. Get into small groups (other than your table groups!)

2. Take turns pulling a question from the bag, and
discussing it with your table. (5-7 minutes)
a. At any point you can pass on a question,
and/or draw a new one.
3. When the groups are done, we’ll discuss as a class
(3-5 minutes).
 References:

Ahmad, F. K. (2015). Use of Assistive Technology in Inclusive Education: Making Room for Diverse Learning
Needs. Transcience, Vol. 6, Issue 2. Retrieved from
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FaWVMc_aHgFscSQiYl6lBG5nwQHzVJLJ/view

Fisher, D. & Frey, N. (2008). Show & Tell: A Video Column / Digital Tools to Broaden Learning.
Retrieved from
http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/apr17/vol74/num07/Digital-Tools-to-Broaden-Learning.aspx

Smart, M. P. (2017). Show & Tell: A Video Column / Digital Tools to Broaden Learning. Retrieved from
http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/apr17/vol74/num07/Digital-Tools-to-Broaden-Learning.aspx