3.4 Adaptive and Assistive Technology
Candidates facilitate the use of adaptive and assistive technologies to support individual student learning needs. (PSC 3.4/ISTE 3d)
Artifact: Assistive Technology Implementation Plan / SWD Field Experience Log
Reflection:
Standard 3.4: Assistive Technology Implementation Plan & SWD Field Experience Log
The Assistive Technology Implementation Plan artifact was created for the Multimedia and Web Design course. The purpose of the assignment was to extend an enhanced understanding to ITEC candidates of what classroom teachers can do to help students with disabilities. The course required the completion of an Assistive Technology Implementation Plan with a student with a disability. The WATI Assistive Technology Consideration Guide was used to determine an appropriate assistive technology for the targeted student. Through collaboration with one of my school’s SPED team members, we were able to pilot the Kurzeil 3000-firefly iPad app with a third grade student during the 2014 summer school session at Buford Elementary.
The artifact demonstrates mastery of the Adaptive and Assistive Technology element. Through research and collaboration with the partnering special education teacher, I was able to zero in on the Kurzweil 3000-firefly iPad app. Both the partnering teacher and I agreed that this would be the appropriate tool for the student to make text-to-self connections and also help with the child’s reading through read aloud of selected texts. The artifact demonstrates my knowledge, skills, and dispositions in effectively facilitating the use of adaptive and assistive technologies to support individual student learning needs for a number of reasons. I was able to pilot a new app with a six-week trial basis over the course of the summer school session. Further, the Kurzweil 3000-firefly iPad app utilized the usage of Reading A-Z text files which is a product already in use at BES. By loading the partnering teacher’s selected Reading A-Z texts into the app, this afforded the student text-to-speech capabilities in addition to highlighted text as the story was read aloud. By using the principles of app-smashing, which is the co-mingling of one or more apps, I was able to effectively meet the learner’s needs with an engaging assistive technology consideration.
The implementation of the Assistive Technology Implementation Plan occurred during the 2014 summer school session. Ideally, implementation of the Kurzweil 3000-firefly iPad app would occur in the fall or spring, thus extending more time and a greater range of students to assess the effectiveness of the AT. In retrospect, for comparison of effectiveness it would have been nice to implement the Kurzweil 3000-firefly iPad app with at least one other student. By targeting only one student, I feel that I have a limited scope of the effectiveness of the AT. If I were to revisit implementing the AT Implementation Plan, I would pilot the Kurzweil 3000-firefly iPad app with at least two to three students.
Implementation of the Assistive Technology Implementation Plan was successful and positively affected school improvement. Student data and the impact of the AT was assessed by the partnering special education teacher and I. Student progress was assessed through the use of teacher generated worksheets designed to monitor and evaluate the student’s overall progress throughout the summer school session. The project’s implementation was successful and was demonstrated through the positive learning outcomes. However, due to financial constraints of the Special Education budget, the use of the Kurzweil 3000-firefly iPad app ceased after the trial ended.
Standard 3.4: Assistive Technology Implementation Plan & SWD Field Experience Log
The Assistive Technology Implementation Plan artifact was created for the Multimedia and Web Design course. The purpose of the assignment was to extend an enhanced understanding to ITEC candidates of what classroom teachers can do to help students with disabilities. The course required the completion of an Assistive Technology Implementation Plan with a student with a disability. The WATI Assistive Technology Consideration Guide was used to determine an appropriate assistive technology for the targeted student. Through collaboration with one of my school’s SPED team members, we were able to pilot the Kurzeil 3000-firefly iPad app with a third grade student during the 2014 summer school session at Buford Elementary.
The artifact demonstrates mastery of the Adaptive and Assistive Technology element. Through research and collaboration with the partnering special education teacher, I was able to zero in on the Kurzweil 3000-firefly iPad app. Both the partnering teacher and I agreed that this would be the appropriate tool for the student to make text-to-self connections and also help with the child’s reading through read aloud of selected texts. The artifact demonstrates my knowledge, skills, and dispositions in effectively facilitating the use of adaptive and assistive technologies to support individual student learning needs for a number of reasons. I was able to pilot a new app with a six-week trial basis over the course of the summer school session. Further, the Kurzweil 3000-firefly iPad app utilized the usage of Reading A-Z text files which is a product already in use at BES. By loading the partnering teacher’s selected Reading A-Z texts into the app, this afforded the student text-to-speech capabilities in addition to highlighted text as the story was read aloud. By using the principles of app-smashing, which is the co-mingling of one or more apps, I was able to effectively meet the learner’s needs with an engaging assistive technology consideration.
The implementation of the Assistive Technology Implementation Plan occurred during the 2014 summer school session. Ideally, implementation of the Kurzweil 3000-firefly iPad app would occur in the fall or spring, thus extending more time and a greater range of students to assess the effectiveness of the AT. In retrospect, for comparison of effectiveness it would have been nice to implement the Kurzweil 3000-firefly iPad app with at least one other student. By targeting only one student, I feel that I have a limited scope of the effectiveness of the AT. If I were to revisit implementing the AT Implementation Plan, I would pilot the Kurzweil 3000-firefly iPad app with at least two to three students.
Implementation of the Assistive Technology Implementation Plan was successful and positively affected school improvement. Student data and the impact of the AT was assessed by the partnering special education teacher and I. Student progress was assessed through the use of teacher generated worksheets designed to monitor and evaluate the student’s overall progress throughout the summer school session. The project’s implementation was successful and was demonstrated through the positive learning outcomes. However, due to financial constraints of the Special Education budget, the use of the Kurzweil 3000-firefly iPad app ceased after the trial ended.