When tackling the idea of assistive technology in the classroom I have a bit of a different approach because of my own experience. Growing up in school I never had the access to technology, due to my age demographic and the development of technology at the time. Aside from that, I never received the technology I needed to succeed until grade eleven, and that is because I went undiagnosed. Since I wasn’t a student of concern, my administrators and counsellors couldn’t provide the funding needed, but encouraged my parents to have me undergo a psychoeducational assessment report. A psychoeducational assessment report is a test used to diagnose a student’s learning or behavioural challenges, and identify if a learning disability is present. These evaluations cost between $2,500-$5,000, and for a majority of the population that price is unattainable without funding from the school district. It is also needed in order to create and individual education plan (IEP), or qualify for funding to get tools and the assistance in the classroom. When I was in grade eleven I finally got the results from my psychoeducational assessment report and then my own IEP became a reality, which I needed so desperately my whole life. I was diagnosed with dyslexia, and below is a screenshot from my own psychoeducational assessment report breaking down the types of dyslexia.

Once I got the administrative stuff out of the way, I could look at different devices and programs to assist my learning. When it comes to technology and different devices I had the opportunity to use and iPad, and a laptop which aided me with note taking and  helped my success today. There is also this text/talk program called Kurzweil 3000, and I found it beneficial to help with reading, even though it is a robotic voice. The downfall to these options are funding and how imperative it is to have the money to support not only the student, but the classroom as a whole. Assistive technology will greatly influence how learners with disabilities, among their peers develop in the future. With the strides taken in the last ten years in regards to technology, it will be the best tool to help each student succeed.

Alyssa Lloyd

There are many ways that technology can aid a student in their learning. Things like apps or technology based products that help a student achieve their greatest learning potential.

Communication is very important in learning and in everyday life. There are apps that can help people communicate through text- speech apps. like Proloquo2Go. This is an app that provides an alternative way of communication where there are symbols to speech. This app is available for all ages (beginning to advanced communicators). An app like this can help a student who has more difficulty communicating. The app not only has symbols to speak, but also helps users learn how to communicate due to the app having a variety of levels for different learners. technology is everywhere so something as simple as an app can help many people due to it being accessible on a popular platform like IOS. Although you still have to pay for the app, it still amazes me how AT is everywhere and can be something as small as a text to speech app to help many users communicate.

https://www.assistiveware.com/products/proloquo2go

On Youtube, there is a video called “Assistive Technology in Action,” this video introduces a boy that uses a Livescribe Smartpen. This is another resource that can help students with note taking in class. The smart pen records the teacher while the student takes notes during the class. With this pen, the words written correlate with what the pen is recording so When a previous word is clicked on, the pen would repeat back to what was recorded at the time the note was taken. A product like this can be very beneficial to many students because everyone processes information at a different pace so an object like this allows for a student to not only take their own notes and process the information, but give them the ability to go back to see if they missed any information. A smartpen still allows for a student to use their own abilities and feel in control with what they are learning where they are working a long side the class when the teacher is talking but are able to work at their own pace too because the student does not have to worry about not getting everything because they have the pen to help them.

These are just two examples of Assistive Technology products that aide students in their learning. These products are two simple things that help students communicate/learn information makes a big difference to their learning.

Tori Chen

Special Education Technology-BC

While I was researching about Assistive technology, I found this site called SET-BC. SET-BC works in partnership with BC school districts where both groups work collaboratively provides services surrounding assistive technology and students who need the aid of assistive technology. The website not only gives more information about assistive technology but provides resources and information about sevices that are accessible and stories about how assistive technology is used in a classroom.

SET-BC provides a lot of sources to learn more about assistive technology. On this website they have Self Directed online courses that allow for you to learn from online through videos and modules through a self-pace system. I went through a course about the basics of assistive technology. The course introduces types of technology and how they are used in a classroom and how they support students. There are modules that contained videos and worksheets that asked questions that allowed for reflection about the technology. The modules walked you through how to look for signs of students who might need more aid and how assistive tech can be used in a classroom. One module that stood out to me was the second one where they linked a variety of youtube videos called “Assistive Technology in Action” These were short videos where students talked about the technology they use and how it had helped them. Some things used was Pulse Live Pen, computers that were speech to text, and communication boards/ computers.

The course also provides a general plan to implement assistive technology if needed. Each module has an activity and extra resources to further your learning. This self-guided course only introduces AT but this website is a good source where you can learn more and read stories about how AT has aided so many students in a classroom and see new technology emerging to help students.

https://www.setbc.org/

Tori Chen