Integrating AT in Classroom Use By: Laura Moss
Using and implementing assistive technology in the classroom can be a
difficult task to accomplish; however, the difference assistive technology makes in the
life of a child with a disability is incredible. With the amount of free resources
available, from the Internet to webinar trainings, every teacher can enhance their daily
classroom activities with technology that best fits the individual needs of each child in
his or her class. As a teacher, I have become successful at using many different types
of technology from low tech to high tech in my classroom, that have made an impact
on the lives of the children in my class.
The use of a SmartBoard or interactive whiteboard in my classroom opened
many doors for my students to access the curriculum, the Internet, and other learning
activities on the computer. After exploring the resources available via the
SmartBoard software, I began creating a digital morning routine for my students.
Every day we reviewed the calendar, discussed the weather, and outlined the schedule
for the day. My students were asked to participate and use the SmartBoard to the best
of their ability. Each student had his or her own picture exchange binder for the
activity. This use of low-tech support in the form of the picture exchange to support
communication with the high-tech of the SmartBoard allowed my students to
blossom. By the end of the school year, my students were able to manipulate the
SmartBoard independently with minimal prompts to select correct answers during a
math, science, or language arts lesson.
The SmartBoard was a great way to help all of my students to access
curriculum, but some of my students required more intensive supports. One of my
students in particular, Marcus, needed assistive technology to help with his
communication needs and hopefully decrease his aggressive behaviors.
Since the time Marcus was very young, he has had a difficult time controlling
his emotions and behavior. At a young age, Marcus was diagnosed with Bipolar
Disorder as well as Autism. His behavior is complicated by being a non-verbal
individual, so physical behavior is his only mode to communicate when agitated or
confused. As part of his IEP, Marcus receives speech therapy services. Throughout
the years, speech therapists and teachers spent an immense amount of time with
Marcus to teach him how to use pictures to communicate. Using a Picture Exchange
Communication Systems (also known as PECS), Marcus became a communicator;
using this system to create full sentences and make basic requests. With the mastery
of this low-tech system and the continued need for a more dynamic communication
system to hopefully decrease his aggression when agitated, the assistive technology
team determined Marcus was definitely ready for a high tech device and began a trial
with him using an old Dynavox voice output decive that had been in storage.
Initially, the use of the Dynavox was an experiment to see how well Marcus could do
with a high tech device. After the device was programmed with vocabulary to meet
his needs, Marcus began to practice using it to request which snack he wanted and if
he needed more snack. Data was collected on Marcus’ use of the Dynavox. Based on
the data collected and the outdated nature of the trial Dynavox, it was determined that
Marcus was ready for a new device with more features. The school based team
decided to ask the district assistive technology team to conduct an assessment on
Marcus at the end of the school year. The assistive technology team brought a new
device for Marcus to try called the SpringBoard Lite. The SpringBoard Lite has an
assessment tool built into the device, which was used with Marcus. He did an
excellent job on the assessment tool and was given a SpringBoard Lite the following
school year.
The SpringBoard Lite became Marcus’ voice. He was taught how to ask for
every day materials such as scissors, glue, and paper. By the end of the school year,
Marcus was using the SpringBoard Lite to create simple sentences and respond
correctly when working on a SmartBoard activity. Marcus’s independence level,
accuracy of phrases, and understanding of symbols on the device increased
drastically. His communication became far more appropriate when responding to
novel questions and his frequency of aggressions and self-injurious behaviors
decreased tremendously. The SpringBoard Lite has helped Marcus achieve many of
his IEP goals and objectives. Without the SpringBoard Lite, Marcus would not be
able to express his wants and needs and communicate appropriately with the people
around him. He now has a greater sense of routine and a better understanding of what
is expected of him academically in the classroom.
Integration of devices, such as the SpringBoard Lite, within the classroom can
be successful as long as the entire team works together to make sure an appropriate
device is first selected, and that the student is supported in his or her use of the
device. Without teamwork, Marcus would not have been as successful with his use of
the SpringBoard Lite. Additionally, technology, such as the Smartboard used as a
general classroom support, allowed many students, including Marcus, greater access
to the curriculum and classroom activities Technology helps my students learn, and
also helps me to better meet their needs. Proactive educators have the power to
introduce technology that improves the student’s access to the curriculum and to
enhance the students’ strengths and improve their weaknesses, and to give them
opportunities to succeed in school and life.