Assistive Technology and Learning Supplemental Guide
Assistive Technology and Learning
Supplementary Teaching Guide
Learning Sciences and Technology Basis
The theoretical framework of Learning Sciences and Technology (LST) drives the use of
assistive technology to help individuals with learning disabilities construct authentic and
meaningful educational experiences.
The supplementary guide serves as a complement to the primary instructional guide produced via
PowerPoint and viewed in QuickTime.
It is an exciting time to be involved with the many potential benefits that assistive technology
offers students with learning differences. Middle school students will greatly benefit from
exploration and use of technology at a young age to determine if any will help them become
more independent and engaged learners.
Academic Areas
The main intent of the supplementary guide is to provide more detail into some of the academic
software applications discussed in the video presentation.
Writing and Assistive Technology
Word Prediction
Several word predictions program are available. WordQ is one that is gaining more popularity by
many individuals, particularly high school and college students. A great advantage to this
program is that it works within any application. That is, you can use it within PowerPoint and
MS Word without much help. The program also recalls previous words that you have used and
will build upon past writing experiences. (www.wordq.com)
Other Word Prediction Programs
Kurzweil 3000 (kurzweiledu.com)
Don Johnston Software- CoWriter (www.donjohnston.com)com)
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Assistive Technology and Learning Supplemental Guide
Speech Recognition Software
Dragon Naturally Speaking Preferred edition has a strong recognition rate. It takes patience and
strong support to learn this product. It is best to get the better edition than to save money and buy
the less expensive version because its accuracy conversion rate is much lower. There are digital
recorders that offer the ability to convert digital recording to MS Word and other text
applications. The recorders, like Dragon Naturally Speaking Preferred, need to be trained
accurately the first time. If not, many users feel frustrated and never use the product.
Graphic Organizers
Graphic organizers are great ways for students with learning disabilities to organize information.
It also offers a sequenced and structured approach to writing. Many students that could not write
a five paragraph essay are able to do so with strong templates either created by a teacher, student
or through programs like Inspiration. Draftbuilder from Don Johnston Software is another
program. Their link is http://www.donjohnston.com
Inspiration is a relatively inexpensive program to use. You can view their Website to view an
online demo at www.inspiration.com. For middle school students, the preferred software is
Inspiration not Kidspiration. The program also offers a free full version trial.
Figure 1
Download to try Inspiration (hold down the control key and hit enter to get to the link)
Figure 1 exemplifies a comparison and contrast essay used via Inspiration. The student can use
this template to create a beginning outline for their draft. This is a fabulous prewriting program.
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Assistive Technology and Learning Supplemental Guide
Electronic Notes and Word Processing
Use a word processor program to setup tables. You should have a column for key points
and one with class notes next to it. A section for a summary to rewrite your notes could
help. The key to using electronic notes is setting up a table that works best for you.
View an example below:
Class Notes
Type your notes in here
Type a summary of your notes in
your own words.
Key Ideas
Write ideas
Summary
Grammar
Many word processing programs have comments that can be made to documents to help revise
papers. Microsoft Word has a feature under Tools-options-grammar settings to change the
specific type of punctuation that is checked. For example, students may just check for sentence
fragments and no other grammar rule.
The grammar settings are adjusted in this figure.
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Assistive Technology and Learning Supplemental Guide
Spell Check and Thesaurus
The word spell check is a great feature for students to use.
The thesaurus is also another good and simple tool to use.
Tables in Word Processors
The use of tables in word processors helps many students with learning differences to
stay on task and to complete academic activities.
Danas –Small less expensive portable word processors
R.E.A.D. O.N.
Reading and Assistive Technology
R eading from the Web (textaloud.com and readplease.com)
E nable Text to Speech: (Kurzweil, TextAloud)
Text aloud converts to a MP3 player
Reading, dictionary definitions, highlighted words
A udio--digital tapes/auditoapes
D ifferentiated reading to improve comprehension
O bservation- less risk- Unitedstreaming
N ew information, PowerPoint for comprehension
The primary guide discusses the benefits to using programs that offer text to speech capabilities.
It is encouraging that there are competing software companies that are driving the price down for
these types of programs. In fact, one is free of charge.
Still, some essential features are needed to use the program long-term and spending around $50
is worth the cost. The free version’s pitfall is that if you stop anywhere in the program, it will
not let you read where you left off. Can you imagine the frustration of a 13-year-old student who
listened and read ten out of twenty pages and that had to start over again? That being said, it still
is a good feature for listening to your own writing and reading short one-page papers.
ReadPlease Plus’ version is not free and has stronger capabilities. TextAloud has a free trial and
is far more affordable to purchase than Kurzweil, the premier text to speech program. Kurzweil’s
market lead comes from their superior scanning capabilities. The scanning recognition software
in Kurzweil is able to scan virtually any text in with great accuracy.
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Assistive Technology and Learning Supplemental Guide
Software Links
Kurzweil 3000 www.kurzweiledu.com Go to the site map and view their online demonstration.
It is a terrific site and will give you a better understanding of text to speech software.
ReadPlease www.readplease.com This program offers a free, limited version and a much
stronger fee based purchase, entitled ReadPlease Plus (Figure 3).
TextAloud www.textaloud.com This program allows text conversion to an audio file that can be
played in an MP3 player. This is a fantastic feature for a relatively inexpensive piece of software
(Figure 3).
NextUp www.nextup.com There are great voices within this program.
ReadPlease Free Version (Figure 3)
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Assistive Technology and Learning Supplemental Guide
TextAloud (Figure 4)
Digital Text- Bookshare.org and RFBD.org
Bookshare.org is a non-profiit organization that continues to share and disseminate texts from its
members. The program is legal because only those with a documented learning disability are
allowed to use the site. The cost for an annual subscription is nominal. Go to their Website and
view the many available books.
Many digital books are available and free to view. These include classics, such as Moby Dick
and works by Shakespeare.
Recordings for the Blind and Dyslexic (RFBD) are converting their documents to digital format.
They have specialized players or less expensive software that play these books.
Kurzweil 3000
Study Skills
These are examples of how Kurzweil can be used for study skills in all academic areas. The
program is a network version and is available in any classroom throughout the school.
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Activate the study skills toolbar
Highlight main idea- Yellow
Supporting details- Green
Vocabulary- Magenta
Use sticky notes for summaries
Use text notes for vocabulary definitions
Extract vocabulary words only
Read from the Web
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Assistive Technology and Learning Supplemental Guide
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Click on Tools and Read from the Web
Find a document of interest on the Internet and read it in Kurzweil
You will be able to read it online. The toolbar will be on the bottom of the page.
Kurzweil can also read any web page and highlights the text that is read.
Scanning Basics
• If you put the book or paper in backwards, the Kurzweil scanner will correctly flip it for you.
• Any document you scan to Kurzweil becomes a Kesi Document
• This program can eventually take the place of books and tapes.
• The zone editor is a function used to change words not scanned in properly.
Test Taking
• Open up word document and a test example.
• Use the file print to Kesi virtual printer.
• Please use tools and fill in the blanks option (Figure 5). The student can now type in the text
box created with the fill in the blanks action.
• Complete the quiz by highlighting the correct multiple choice answer and filling in the blank.
• Print you test from Word to Kurzweil
Figure 5
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Assistive Technology and Learning Supplemental Guide
Unitedstreaming
Unitedstreaming is a fantastic tool for students to find videos and embed them within PowerPoint
Presentations. This program builds real-life and authentic learning. Students have their own
accounts and can create playlists. Streaming video in educational content is available for
viewing. The clips range from two to 7 minutes long, which easily adapts into lesson plans.
Math and Assistive Technology
M ath- electronic worksheets to line up problems
Intellitools.com
Aaamath.com, onlineconverisons.com
T ables, graphs paper, talking calculators
H ope for new software and Internet resources
Virtual Library of Math Manipulatives (cntrl + enter)
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Assistive Technology and Learning Supplemental Guide
PowerPoint Tricks
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Visual strengths
Written output issues
Can improve reading comprehension
Memory difficulties when presenting
Can improve structure and organization of ideas
General presenting rules:
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Use a slide template
Develop a consistent layout
Use same color backgrounds
Slides should convey information
Text should only change for effect
Colors should be reasonable to see
At least 24 point text with good contrast
Keep the text to 8 or less words per bullet
Graphics--are they the focus of the slide or the background
An example of an interactive PowerPoint game is shown below.
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References
Cates, W.M. (2005). Learning Sciences and Technology. Personal communication through
lecture and dialogue.
Driscoll, M. P. (2004). Psychology of learning for instruction (3rd ed.). Needham Heights, MA:
Allyn and Bacon.
Huntington, P. The Issues: Learning Modalities. PBS TeacherSource. Retrieved October 24,
2005, from http://www.pbs.org/teachersource/prek2/issues/1101issue.shtm
Levine, M. (2002). A Mind at a Time. Simon & Schuster, New York, NY.
Technology Tips for Differentiated Instructional. Regional Technology in Education Consortium
(RTEC). Retrieved October 15, 2005, from http://www.westedrtec.org/techtips
Tomlinson, C. (1997). The Differentiated Classroom. Association for Supervision and
Curriculum Development, Alexandria, VA, 1999.
Zabala, J. Setting The Stage for Success: Building Success through Effective Selection and Use of
Assistive Technology Systems. Retrieved October 24, 2005 from
www.ldonline.org/ld_indepth/technology/zabalaSETT2.html.
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