Blog Post #12

According to the U.S. Department of Education, assistive technology is any item, piece of equipment, or product system, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of a child with a disability. It is so important to give students with disabilities a chance to climb over any obstacles they may face and truly be able to interact. After watching the YouTube video, Assistive Technologies for for Vision and Hearing Impaired Children, it really put a lot of things into perspective. The video talks about how assistive technologies give these children the ability to enhance their learning, remove barriers, push boundaries, and challenge the way we think. Using assistive technology in the classroom with students with disabilities has only proven to be beneficial. All teachers should want to learn more about such things and get on board.

Another video that I watched was called, The Mountbatten- Assistive Technology for the Blind. I had never heard of this type of technological tool before. The Mountbatten Braille Writer is wonderful in so many ways. An important feature of this assistive technology device is it's ability to provide immediate audio and tactile feedback. As a student types the Braille text, the device announces what letter is being typed. Another cool feature is that it can save, transfer, and receive files. In the video, it mentions how this device is good for teachers and other students that don't know much about Braille. I for one would be considered one of those teachers because I know nothing about Braille. With that being said, the device actually converts the Braille into print. This is great because it allows the blind students to be included in so many ways. They are able to keep up with the curriculum, receive valuable feedback from their teacher, and even participate in group activities. I think that using this tool for blind students is a brilliant way to create a normal classroom atmosphere for him/her.

After doing a little bit of my own research, I found two websites that had extensive lists of other assistive technology tools. One of the things I found was an article titled, Assistive Technology for Kids with Learning Disabilities: An Overview. In this article, it tells you a little bit about assistive technologies and the different types of learning problems that they can help address. It then goes on to give you a list of 17 different learning tools that are available to use as a teacher if needed. One tool that I found very interesting was the Proofreading Program. I think that this could be of great help in the classroom. If you want to learn more about the list of tools, check out the website. Finally, the other website I found was an article titled, Assistive Technology for Children with Learning Disabilities. This article is much like the other one but I feel as though it goes into greater detail and provides a better list of tools. I think it's so neat how students with disabilities are now able to use such advanced technology, including things like iPads. It's so important to have the tools deemed appropriate for students with disabilities so that they are able to have an optimal learning experience, just like everyone else.