Last Day Class Case Study and Reflections!

Thanks to Barbara Welsford for a great class!  This has to be one of my favorite.  As a teacher, I struggle to understand why teachers are not trained to implement assistive technology for our students.  We lack the resources and knowledge to fully accommodate the needs in our classroom.  After taking both EDUC 5173 and EDUC 5163, I feel very prepared and ready to meet the needs of my students.  The apps available for learning are far and wide.  The first purchase I plan to make for myself is an iPad.  I plan to continue to explore the apps and assistive technology available.  I am going to push for PD for myself and teachers I work with in order to explore the continuingly changing technology.  All schools are in need of iPads, and I am going to try and convince my administration to buy one for teachers (or a few for students).  What a great learning experience I've had and I won't forget it's all about: ACCESS TO A TASK!  My new best friend below:)

Wow, what an interesting experience for a last day!  I learned about so many different types of abilities and assistive technology to accommodate diversity.  My experience implementing Dragon Dictation with one of my students was definitely a learning experience.  It left me struggling with how to handle students who need asssistive technology but refuse to use it in front of their peers.  Knowledge is power, and I believe eventually she will come to realize she can easily achieve a task if using the assistive technology available to her.  Were entering a world where technology is the future and all students will benefit from having access to it.



The following case studies sum up some of the different technologies utilized and the positive experiences observed.

Michelle

Grade 2 boy has major anxiety and struggles with learning outcomes.  Michelle introduced him to Pocket Pond and Pic Collage (apps) to help.  Pocket Pond was able to calm him during anxiety.  Pic Collage was used for him to express himself or his learning.  Adaptations need to be revisited next year to include technology.  Possible diagnosis of Autism.

Adele

Introduced iPad with boys interests, than moved to educational apps.  The behaviorial psychologists has been involved.  He has anger challenges and trouble focusing in class.  The apps introduced are Unblock Me, Rush Hour, and Busy Harbour.  It caught the boy’s attention and introduced educational apps.  Some other apps tried:

            -Pic Collage

            -Camera and Video

            -Book Creator

            -Puzzles

            -Photo Booth

            -Frog Dissection

            -Google Earth

Kari

J is in grade 3 and having problems in school.  He spent part of the year at the IWK in a behaviour program.  Kari introduced a white board app and he was able to spell his name correctly on it.  She also used Play, used to word on sight words.  He learned a lot of new words!

Heather

He is insecure and very disorganized.  On his psych-ed test he was borderline in most areas, but superior in listening comprehension and math reasoning.  He is struggling in writing, so Heather decided to introduce the iPad.  Dragon Dictation and Typ-o was introduced and worked amazing!  He had high output of writing.

Amy

5 year old boy who has no known disability.  He is very busy and social.  Used the iPhone/iPod to engage and increase his learning.  She tried three apps: ABC Tracing, Sound Sorting Beginning Sounds, and ABC Magic.  He did really well and stayed motivated to learn.

Jeff

Worked with Grade 12 student.  He was very disengaged, provided little work output, and didn’t complete most tasks throughout high school.  Introduced inspiration app on the iPad, which engaged him and allowed him to demonstrate his knowledge on a topic.  The amount of output interested significantly. 

Becky

Worked with grade 2 boy on the autism spectrum.  Used the iPad, along with the following apps: Abc Pocket Phonics, Word Bingo, Book Creator.  He began identifying more consonant sounds and letters.  He was very engaged and can continue next year with it.

Anne

17 year old non-verbal teenage with austism.  He was using board maker, they had an iPad, but little knowledge of how to use it.  Used Book Creator or make a social story about his move to NS, which he had major anxiety about.  Recommended other apps to use at home with him.

Alana

Grade 4 boy in French immersion.  He frustrates easily on anything that takes a long time to do.  He doesn’t like to sit most of the time – he has ADD.  He started taking medication for his focus.  Alana put the following in place: organizational charts, sit cushion, fidget toys, and portable laptop.  These help with organization, focus and frustration.  On the computer he used: CoWriter, Open Office, Comic Life, and Kidspiration.  He has produced more work output. 

Jennifer

Grade 8 boy with difficulties in executive functioning.  Not completing tasks or getting assignments in on time.  Jennifer tried Google Calendar on the computer to stay organized.  Another option tried is Soshiku for event organization.  More organization and accountability were noticed.

Jackie

Tiny Eye, Tumblebooks/Tumblereadables, Pointer (wand) smartboard.  Grade 7 boy who spends a lot of time in the learning center with the EPA.  They were used for reading comprehension and high interest books, with students reading independently.  The pointer was mainly for a student in a wheelchair in access the smartboard. 

Amy Strong

Grade 7 boy with CP.  Set up the use of Raz-Kids.com to help him read.  He uses the pointer wand to keep engaged when reading.  You can record their reading for the teacher to assess and assign reading to the student.

Janna

Grade 10 student at private school.  She is diagnosed with a Verbal Learning Disability and ADHD.  She had access to technology so Janna downloaded the following apps:  Tools4Students and gFlash, and Flashcards & Tests.  These helped her prepare for studying and exams - improvement was seen.

Jill

Grade 1 girl in rural elementary school.  Challenging home life which consists of dad in prison and mom with supervised contact.  She is borderline in overall cognitive abilities.  Jill selected the Toca Boca app for expressive/receptive language skills.  She also used Book Creator for writing prompts, attention and focus.  She has developed fine motor skills, vocabulary and the use of technology skills.

Group AT Research for Blind Students

Laptops, Braille Displays, Screen Readers & Screen Enlargement - Assistive Technology for the Blind

1)  The youtube clip below shows a variety of assistive technology used for the blind at the School for Deaf and Blind in Florida.  Each student in grades 9-12 has a laptop and a page enlarger if needed.  Students can access wireless internet and a printer anywhere on campus.  Below are two of the devices widely used at the school.

The Daisy book players (Digital Accessible Information System) is used for textbooks and leisure books.  It is a talking book which allows an individual to navigate through text, skipping to the next sentence (or page) and back again.  Daisy books can be heard on standalone DAISY players, computers with DAISY software, mobile phones, MP3 players, CD and DVD.  The cost is between $200-500 dollars, depending on the product purchased, but well worth the money!

The USB CCTVs are for both near and far sighted (low vision) individuals.  You can resize an image on the computer to adjust magnification of text or graphics.  You can purchase a small, portable one shaped like a computer mouse, which plays off windows.  It is about $300, but gives individuals with vision problems the independence they need to be literate and read anything on the internet or computer.

Becky's Find:

2) The Braille Notetaker has allowed for complete integration. The advanced notetaker acts like a PDA. These units have QWERTY keyboards and refreshable displays and a variety of communication ports. It utilizes a pocket PC program which and has a Daisy book player built-in. Electronic braille notetakers are small, portable devices with braille keyboards for entering information. These units allow for complete integration and use a speech synthesizer or braille display for output. These advanced notetakers act like a PDA with QWERTY keyboards and refreshable displays. They have a variety of communication ports to link to various other technologies and devices. Many devices come with 128 MB flash memory; two USB host ports and a USB client port; stereo sound when listening through headphones; support for listening to Internet radio; an audio recorder with either an external microphone or a built-in microphone with fully adjustable recording levels; built-in Bluetooth for connections with cell phones, keyboards and other computers; and a fast Intel X-scale processor.


The user then enters the information on the braille keyboard and can then transfer it to a larger computer (more memory), reviewing it using the built in speech synthesizer or braille display, or printing it on a braille or inkprint printer. The cost of a basic electronic braille notetaker is between $1000 and $3,000 with the option of products containing more sophisticated features that can cost up to $15,000.

Jeff's Find:

3)  The Eyenote app for Ipad and Iphone is what Jeff found to help those with visual impairments. The app takes a picture of a bill and determines what denomination it is. The app is free. For comparison purposes, I chose a video which compared the Eyenote reader to an app, Money Reader, which is two dollars. The video is informative because the demonstration of the two apps is performed by two visually impaired individuals giving the viewer an accurate idea of the practical application of both apps. The major difference between the two is that the user must take a picture of the bill with the Eyenote reader, whereas with the Money reader it scans and automatically indicates what denomination the bill is. It is readily apparent that the Moneyreader app is much more user friendly even though it cost two dollars.

Day 5 - AT Inventions!

AT Inventions – Class Presentations

For class, each student/group was asked to create an assistive technology invention.  There were some very creative inventions that could be utilized with almost anyone.

Amy Sergant – Turkey Baster Pencil Holder

Good for grasping for individuals with fine motor challenges.  It has an eraser which is a bonus and can be used as a fidgety toy for students with ADHD.

Adele, Kari, Michelle – Sticky Plate

Plate with double-sided suction cups for children who have trouble with movements or knocking things over.

Becky – Easy Grip Magnetic Letters

A magnetic strip, plastic cutting boards cut into strips, ice cube tray holder cut out to grip and sticker letters, with magnetic tape on the back.  Used for fine motor difficulties with forming letters and gripping small things.

Jeff – Spongy White Board

Two car sponges with a white board attached.  The sponge elevates it for an individual with difficulty writing on paper or with a pencil.

Janna – Spatula Scissors

Replaced the handles of regular scissors with spatula ends.  The scissors were attached to the desk with a clamp.  This is good for kids who have trouble gripping, an amputee could use it with one hand, individuals with visual motor integration challenges.

           

Jillian – Dice Buddy

Can be used for students with ADHD so they don’t lose the dice.  Good for individuals with fine motor difficulties who have trouble picking the dice up.  The numbers are written on them which helps assist with counting.

Swim Buddy

Good for students who have anxiety around swimming.  She used a pop bottle with a printed off page from word maker stuffed inside.  It can be taken into the water so they can have symbols and familiar directions on them.

Amy Strong - One Handed Marker Holder

She mixed water and powder clay (plaster) and stuck the marker in so when a child pulls, a marker comes out and the cap stays inside.  The marker can be easily replaced.  Excellent for students with fine motor challenges.

Jennifer and Jackie – Popsicle Painter

They used a popsicle holder and popsicle sticks with sponges glued on the ends.  The ends were made of foam cut into shapes and the top had big fruit attached which were easy to grasp.  This would allow a student with fine motor difficulties to participate in art class.

Anne – Measure-assist

Velcro was put on ruler and protractor, along with a stick to assist with picking up the ruler off the table.  This can be difficult for anyone, but helpful for individuals with fine motor difficulties.

Alana – Skater Rex

A dinosaur glued on a toy skate board.  Encourages active play among younger students with special needs.  The mouth opens up and can be used to pick things up.  There is also a baby ring attached as an easy way to pick the toy up.

Heather – Camera Holder attached to anything for easy opening, such as a zipper.

Milk cartoon with clothespins to pick up and sort small balls.

Physical Disabilities

During the second part of class, Barb introduced us to Tyler.  He was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy at an early age when something just didn’t seem right.  He became part of the early intervention program through the school board.  He was put in a wheelchair and uses his head switch to access it.  He is very intelligent, and can speak some, but non-verbal.  He uses botox to relax his face so he can continue to build his face muscles to speak.  At school, he began using a stationary computer and adapted desk.  He has a headrest with a jellybean switch, which is used to control his computer.  He also uses Kurzweil, Clicker 4 and a discover switch to allow him to participate in his education and learn.  He has ongoing team support and training because his world is always changing, with a turnover of teachers, EPAs and technology.

The PowerLink

This is a device designed to be used with a switch.  This is amazing and is a must have for anyone with a physical disability.  You plug it into an electrical outlet and you can plug any electrical device into it with a switch.  You can have more than one switch for different devices.  There are a few options for the type of switch used, and you can have a direct mode which keeps the appliance on when the switch isn’t, and an indirect mode where you can activate it once.  It is only a few hundred dollars and here are some of the great uses:

-Lights

-Popcorn Machine

-Electrical Sharpener

-TV/DVD

-Track and Field timer at meet

-Score keeper at sports game

-Photocopy

-Turns on LCD

-Fan

-Keyboard

-Sewing machine

-Controlled pet feeder

Successful switch operation depends on the following:

-motivation
-practice
-position
-type of switch
-amount of encouragement
-appropriate activities

The benefits of the PowerLink vary from individual to individual, but include some of the following:

-control over environment

-inclusion in activities
-communication
-engagement in curriculum
-leisure activities
-access to employment, internet, education

 

Some important items to note are the individual needs to know what they are doing and the purpose (cause and effect), the timing or cue for doing it, and the user must make a connection between the device and their switch presses.

Day 4 - Affordable Assistive Tech!

TASK A
AT OFF THE SHELF!


Bathtub Mat

-With grip and can be cut to size

-Similar to a move and sit cushion

-You could put a binder or book under it to position it on a slant

-This could be used with an individual who can’t sit still in their seat because of behaviour or attention challenges.

-This AT could be used with a student who is very capable of completing the class work, but needs some movement to stay focused in the classroom.

-It can also be used for students with bad posture to help keep them in balance.

 

Transparent Ruler

-Flexible transparent ruler with limited writing on it

-Can be utilized for reading, which allows a student with reading disabilities such as Dyslexia, to isolate a word or sentence, to help with comprehension.

-These flexible rulers are also good as fidget toys, for students with attention difficulties.

Shower Ring

-Shower ring or key loop can be used for students (or anyone) who have difficulty grasping smaller, irregular items.

-These could be hooked to anything, such as a toy, or even a student’s jacket zipper

-Helpful with a person who has fine motor difficulties

Tupperware container with dice

-See through Tupperware container with dice inside can be used for students to participate in games or to practice math skills such as addition

-Helpful for students who have difficulty with fine motor skills, such as grasping smaller objects

-This option allows the individual to participate quickly and easily, to keep up with peers

 

Pipe Cleaners

-Pipe cleaners could be used to wrap around a pencil for grip for students with fine motor challenges 

-The pipe cleaners can layer any writing utensil and can be easily removed

-Can also be used as a fidgety toy for students who have difficulty focusing on a task

-A simple, affordable solution

TASK B


AT INVENTION!

Materials needed:
-Squeeze bottle (dollar store)
-Pencil (or crayon, pen, etc)
-Rubber bands
-Sand and rocks (or sugar, or nuts as weights)

I have invented a low tech AT device which allows individuals with fine motor skill difficulties to be able to easily grasp a pencil, crayon, or other small writing utensil.  The device I created will allow students to squeeze the bottle to a size of their liking, by adjusting the amount of air inside.

To create the AT, I purchased a squeeze bottle at the dollar store and cut the tip off to create a hole large enough to hold a pencil.  The pencil fit in so tightly, one would have to bang on it to pop loose.  It is very easy to switch the pencil with another one, or a crayon.  The only downfall is the hole must stay the same size or the original pencil will not fit in again.  You could also tape these in place.

To add to this, I wrapped rubber bands around the bottle for gripping purposes, so it would not slide out of the individual’s hand.  A rubber band could be used for gripping on any writing utensil or object.   

Fine motor skills can create challenges for students trying to form their fingers around a pencil in the correct way.  This can also be a challenge for students with low muscle tone.  A weighted pencil can be beneficial for a student who writes too light.  This would prevent these individuals from becoming tired easily and increase their handwriting, making it legible.  To create a weight, I put rocks and sand in the container.  This could be adjusted, depending on the student and access to material.

AT INVENTION #2

 

Materials needed:
-Sponge (dollar store)
-Flexible cutting boards (dollar store)

A second AT I decided to create is a page stand.  It isn’t sturdy, but displays paper or cards on it.  This could be used for students with physical disabilities, who are in a wheelchair, or cannot bend over to follow along on a paper.  It could be used for vision challenges as well, allowing individuals to have notes from the board or overhead directly in front of them.

To create this, I bought a car sponge and flexible cutting board at the dollar store.  With a knife, I sliced a hole through the middle, as close to the bottom as possible, without cutting right through the sponge.  I then placed the cutting board into the crack of the sponge.  Paper or cards can be squeezed into the hole.  The size of the crack made would depend on the use of the stand (looseleaf or cardboard). 

TOY ANALYSIS

Shape-O

Evaluator name:  Shauna McNeil (Digout)

Store: Tupperware

Disability Category:              Rating:  **** or * stars

Physical                                    ___****___

Sensory                                    ___**___

Communicative                          ______

Cognitive                                  ___****___

Toy Company:

Price:                                        _$ 35_____

Box Age Range:                       __6 months + _____

# Pieces:                                   __10____

Washability:                              __Easy____

Storability:                                __Easy___

Directions:                                __Easy____

Play Locations:                         __Movable____

Adjustability:                             __----____

Levels of Play:                          __Basic____

Batteries:                                  __No____

Description general:

The Shape-O Toy can be used as a classic rattle, shape-sorter and counting toy.  It can be used with infants and the use can progress as they age.  The toy opens up and is filled with shapes.  It has open spaces for the infant to grab and shake as a rattle.  The shapes come out and can be sorted into groups which are similar to each other, and placed in the correct hole which matches the shape.  This can help develop coordination and dexterity.  The shapes can be used to organize and count.  Each piece has a number on one side and the corresponding number of dots on the other side to teach number recognition and counting.

APPLICATIONS FOR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES

Physical          Rating: ****

Description	This toy is the perfect size to be transported from place to place.  All the pieces fit inside so they can’t be lost.  It could be used on a person’s lap or table, therefore, suited for those individuals in a wheelchair.  The shapes are solid, large shapes which are easy to grasp.
Skills	Fine motor skills and dexterity are built upon as the child grasps the object to rattle, or a shape and tries to place it in the matching hole.  If the child is experiencing difficulty with this, you could use smaller shapes (bought at dollar store) and work your way up to the larger shapes.
Play Ideas	The child could use it for counting and or making patterns.
Adaptation Ideas	You could buy smaller shapes from the dollar store which match (they are basic shapes) the holes and are easier to use with children who have fine motor skill difficulties.

Sensory           Rating: **

Description	The blocks are large and colourful which would be stimulating for some children.  They are also solid and plastic.  A child with visual impairments could easily feel the shape to identify its name.  The sound it makes as a rattle would be stimulating as well, and is also a reward when a shape is successfully placed in the correct hole.
Skills	Colour recognition skills are built upon.  Gross motor skills are strengthened as the child lifts the shape and tries to squeeze in into the correct hole.
Play Ideas	Any child could find a use for this, even if visually or hearing impaired.  A child can feel the shape and the hole to identify a match.  It can be transported anywhere, and used as a ball to move around as well.
Adaptation Ideas	You can add other objects to the ball, such as a bell, to add to the noise when shaken.

Communicative          Rating:

Description	Children could talk and discuss the shapes, count together, or roll the ball back and worth.   Children to describe the shapes to an adult, or practice counting and grouping.
Skills	Children can work on their communication skills, describing and counting the shape together.
Play Ideas	Children can use the ball to practice counting together, communicating about the color and type of shape.  They can also use the toy to roll back and worth along the carpet to each other.
Adaptation Ideas	Children could trace the shapes or create smaller ones together.

Cognitive        Rating: ****

Description	There are a few ways to use this toy or build up to using it multiple ways, therefore, a use can be found for any child: rattling, counting, matching, etc.  Little hand movement is needed to grasp one of the holes and shake it.  Children can make patterns or line them up in any way.  It is attractive and creates noise and will keep the child stimulated for periods of time.
Skills	Problem solving skills are built upon to identify the correct hole to put the shape in.  Precision and motor planning are needed to put the shape in the correct hole.  Colour and shape recognition, counting (number concept), and memory are also skills to build upon.
Play Ideas	Mental processes will be built upon as children group the colours or shapes to make patterns.  Fine motor skills and dexterity are used when the shapes are squeezed into the correct slot, or hand movement when rolling the ball to a partner or two.
Adaptation Ideas	You could label the shapes with a name or number and do the same with the body to help children identify the correct hole.  This can be taken off after the child has recognition of the shape.

FEATURES AND BENEFITS          CHECK IF APPROPRIATE

X	Durable
X	High Contrasting Colours
X	Tactilely Stimulating
X	Visually Stimulating
X	Wide Age Range
X	Inviting Due to Uniqueness
X	Open-ended
X	Innovative
X	High quality
	Detailed
X	Hands on Approach to learning
X	Easy to grasp/hold
	One-piece unit
	Upright position for play
X	Other: Easy to transport

DEVELOPMENTAL PROCESSES PROMOTED

X	Visual attention
X	Visual tracking
X	Visual processing
X	Memory and recall
X	Cause and effect
X	Action concepts: in/out, push/pull, on/off, go/stop
X	Fine motor
X	Eye-hand coordination
X	Problem solving
X	Finger and hand control and dexterity
X	Physical range of motion
X	Deliberate finger movements
X	Precision
X	Directionality
X	Wrist rotation
X	Hand and finger grasp
X	Pointing, one isolated finger
X	Motor planning
X	Self esteem
X	Manual dexterity
X	Sequential thought
X	Reaching
X	Strategic thinking
	Turn taking
X	Patience
	Spatial relationships – over, under, on, off
X	Reaching/arm extension
X	Functional finger movement and exploration
X	Coordinated movement
X	Sorting and classification
X	Early Literacy
	Texture Discrimination
	Object Permanence
	Tactile Discrimination
X	Problem Solving
X	Directionality
X	Cooperative Hand Movement
	Letter Recognition
X	Life Skills
	Pre-Literacy
	Social Interaction
	Foot Placement
	Weight Shifting
	Core Strengthening – Trunk Strengthening
X	Colour Recognition and Identification
	Word Recognition
X	Number concepts
X	Visual Acuity