Special Needs Students & Technology

1. Special Needs Students & Technology By Kristen Lebeda, Jacquie O’Neill & Angie Moss

2. Who are Special Needs Students? • Behavioral and Emotional Disorders • Communication Disorders • Intellectual (Gifted and slow learners) • Physical Disabilities and Health Impairments (Blind and Deaf) • Learning Disabilities (Mental Retardation)

3. What does Assistive Technology Do for Special needs Students? • It is any device or piece of equipment that will increase independence for special needs students

4. Technology for Special Needs Students • Computers • Assistive Technology • The Law

5. Computers Help Special Needs Students • Cooperative learning • Social Development • Skills Development • Motivation and Self Confidence • Integrated Disciplines

6. Cooperative Learning • Students learn from each other • Individual explanations help to absorb the acquired information

7. Social Development How Cooperative Learning enhances Social Development: • Positive Interactions • Develop a sense of interdependence • Heightens self-esteem

8. Skills Development • Cause and effect relationships • Recognition and recall • Learn about the computer (typing, mouse use and keyboarding skills)

9. Motivation and Self Confidence • Programs build confidence to talk • Provides a mean for discussion

10. Integrated Disciplines • Reading • Science • Social Studies • Math

11. Types of Assistive Technology • No hands mouse • Eye tech digital system • Braille notetaker • Intellitools

12. No hands mouse • Allows use of standard desktop mouse at the same time. • One pedal controls cursor movement, the other is for mouse clicks.

13. Eye tech digital system • What is Quick Glance? • How does Quick Glance work? • Who can benefit?

14. Braille notetaker • What is it? • What does it do? • What does the user need to be able to do?

15. Intellitools • http://www.intellitools.com/ • http://www.utoronto.ca/atrc/service.html

16. The ATRC Types of Assistive technology • Screen Magnifiers • Screen Readers • Alternative Keyboards • Alternative Mouse Systems

17. SCREEN MAGNIFIER • Screen magnification software helps visually impaired persons to use computers by enlarging the picture on the screen by any factor they choose.

18. Alternative Keyboards • Alternative keyboard layouts and other enhancements allow people who experience difficulty with conventional keyboard designs to use computers.

19. Screen Readers • Screen reader is the commonly used name for the Voice Output Technology.

20. Alternative Mouse Systems • Alternative mouse systems allow people who experience difficulty with conventional mouse designs to use computers.

21. IT’S THE LAW! • Technology Act PL100-407 • IDEA 97 • Assistive Technology Act 1998 • Rule 51

22. IDEA 97 • Major emphasis placed on integrating special education materials and techniques into regular classes. • Adaptive and assistive technologies must be considered for every special education student. • School systems must conduct a transition plan.

23. Assistive Technology Act of 1998 • Passed by Congress - Waiting for President Clinton’s Signature • Three main purposes of the Act • Title I, II, and III authorizations

24. RULE 51 • Nebraska’s Regulations and Standards for Special Education Programs • 001 - Declaration of Responsibility • 003.04 - Assistive Technology

25. Requirements for Schools • LEA must obtain and provide a full continuum of services • Determine need of student • Determine appropriate device and/or service • Obtain device • Train student and all involved • Maintenance and repair of device

26. Assistive Technology Teams • General education teacher • Parent • Speech/language pathologist • Physical and occupational therapists • School’s computer coordinator

27. TEAM TOGETHER EVERYONE ACHIEVES MORE!!

28. THE END Thank you!