CLU Credit
• In order to receive a certificate of
participation for today’s webinar (1 CLU credit
contingent upon the approval of your
employing school system) you will need to
type the following information into the chat
pod at this time:
– First and last name (if you did not specify
this when you logged into the webinar)
– Parish you are representing
– Your complete email address
• Your certificate will be emailed to you within
1 week; if you do not receive it, please email
Wendy Allen wallen@lsu.edu
New Special Education Teacher
Webinar Series
• Series of 3 webinars
– November 19, 2014: Overview of Assistive Technologyview at http://www.laspdg.org/content.cfm?id=313
– December 9, 2014: Assistive Technology Tools for ELA
– January 14, 2015: Assistive Technology Tools for Math
• 1 hour of CLU credit for each webinar attended live
Considerations
• This webinar is being recorded and will be available for
viewing at www.laspdg.org under
Inclusive Practices
Webinars
2014-2015
• If you need to ask a question, please use the Chat Pod on
your screen (NOTE: everyone can see your question)
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Assistive Technology
Tools for ELA
Created by South River AT Center Facilitators
Sharon Edwards & Kristie Stapler
Hosted by
People First
Language
“People First Language puts the person before the disability and describes
what a person has, not who a person is.”
Kathie Snow. (n.d.) A few words about People First Language. Disability is Natural. Retrieved
August 1, 2012 from http://www.disabilityisnatural.com/images/PDF/pfl-sh09.pdf
Assistive Technology Device
• An assistive technology device is any item, piece of
equipment, or product system, acquired commercially off the
shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to increase,
maintain or improve functional capabilities of individuals with
disabilities.
• Assistive Technology encompasses a broad range of devices
from very simple (low tech) to very sophisticated (high tech).
(IDEA, 20 U.S.C. Chapter 33, Sect. 1401)
Consideration
The IEP team shall…….
• Consider whether the child requires assistive technology
devices and services…..
IDEA ’97 300.346 (a)(2)(v)
• Consideration should be given for every student with a
disability who is eligible for an IEP…..
Bulletin 1508
SETT Framework
• A complex task of gathering information can be
simplified using the SETT framework (Zabala, 1994)
• SETT stands for:
Student
Environment
Task
Tools (Recommendations)
Identifying Difficulties
• To provide appropriate supports, we must
determine the types of difficulties the student
is experiencing.
• Many students require special education
support, accommodations, modifications,
and/or assistive technology to be able to make
progress in a common core curriculum.
Types of Reading Difficulties
• Struggling readers often have difficulty in one or more
of the following areas:
o Phonemic awareness - ability to focus on and manipulate
phonemes in spoken words.
o Phonics - ability to associate sounds with letters and use these
sounds to form words.
o Vocabulary - identifying the meanings of words
and using those words appropriately within
context.
o Comprehension - complex cognitive process
involving the intentional interaction between
reader and text to convey meaning.
o Fluency - Fluency is the effortless, automatic
ability to read words in connected text.
Types of Reading Difficulties
• Dyslexia - is characterized by difficulty with
learning the components of words and sentences ,
writing and spelling, spatial directional
orientation, differentiating letters that look
similar, representation of letters and numbers
(reversals), accurate visual and/or auditory
feedback, word-by-word oral reading, reading
known words, and recognizing words in isolation
but not in context.
Types of Writing Difficulties
• Writing involves the physical ability to produce
written language (motor) and the cognitive ability
to put the words together to create written
expression (composing).
• Struggling writers often have difficulty in one or
more of the following areas:
o Handwriting - Dysgraphia
o Writing Process – a process that requires planning,
organization, drafting, editing and revising skills.
o Conventions Of Writing – Spelling, punctuation, grammar
Types of Writing Difficulties
• Dysgraphia - a difficulty in acquiring adequate
handwriting skills characterized by:
o Inability to execute effectively the motor movements
required to write or to copy written letters or forms
o Inability to transfer the input of visual information to the
output of fine motor movement
o Limitations in other visual-motor functions and activities
requiring motor or spatial judgments
o Difficulty writing numbers, aligning them properly, and
understanding concepts related to space, distance, and
time
Assistive Technology Tools
• Assistive technology devices for reading &
writing includes a range of tools ranging from
easy to complex and inexpensive to expensive
that are used to support all aspects of reading
and writing strategies.
• Assistive technology can be used to:
o Remediate deficits
o Compensate for deficits
Remediation of Deficit Areas
• Strategies and skill based instruction are needed to
improve deficits areas. Assistive technology can play
a role in remediating skills.
o For example, for a deficit in handwriting, use of an adapted
writing utensil may be beneficial for students who have
difficulty securing and maintaining a steady grasp on a
standard pen or pencil, can assist the student with
improving his handwriting.
o AT use can help remediate deficits while skills are
improving.
Compensation of Deficit Areas
• Generally, assistive technology serves to compensate for deficit
areas by enhancing access to and success in completing
instructional tasks which require students to read, write and
comprehend instructional materials.
• Compensation provides supports always because the student would
not be able to perform the task without the support.
o For example, using a text to speech program to compensate for deficits
in decoding, word recognition, and vocabulary. It will not directly
remediate difficulties.
The AT Continuum
Low-tech
Mid-tech
High-tech
Pencil grips
Word processor
Adapted Computer
Adapted paper
Talking electronic
dictionary
Text-to-speech
Adapted utensils
Slant boards
Tracking aids
Contrast aids
Digital recorder
Magnification aids
Voice Recognition
Word Prediction
LOW TECH TOOLS
Positioning
Aids
Allows for optimal positioning of
text
o Clipboards and binder clips
o Page-Up
(Onion Mountain Technology)
Clipboards
Page Ups
o Teacher-made slant boards
with 3-ring binders
o Port-a-Book Stand
(Onion Mountain Technology)
o Slant Boards
(Pocketful of Therapy)
PortaBook
Slant Board
LOW TECH TOOLS
Tracking Aids
Enables students with visual
tracking difficulties to maintain
their place in the text
o Bar magnifier
(Independent Living Aids)
o Colored reading filters
(Onion Mountain Technology)
Contrast Aids
Reading Filters
Bar Magnifier
Alters the foreground-background
contrast to promote visual access to
text
o Highlighters
o Highlighting Tape
(Onion Mountain Technology)
o Acetate Report Covers
Report Covers
Highlighter Tape
o Colored Reading Filters
(Onion Mountain Technology)
LOW TECH TOOLS
Adapted Utensils
Adapted writing utensils are used
to promote an appropriate grip for
writing.
These may be beneficial for
students who have difficulty
securing and maintaining a steady
grasp on a standard pen or pencil.
Clipboards
Page Ups
o Adapted Pens/Pencils
(Onion Mountain, Sammons Preston)
o Pencil Grips
(Onion Mountain, Sammons Preston)
PortaBook
Slant Board
LOW TECH TOOLS
Adapted Paper
Adapted writing paper help
students improve their legibility,
writing size and keep their writing
on the baseline.
o Raised Lined Paper
o Bold Lined Paper
Clipboards
Page Ups
o Bright Lined Paper
o Smart Start Story Paper
(Onion Mountain, Sammons Preston)
PortaBook
Slant Board
Create Your Own Adapted Paper
• Handwriting Worksheets
http://www.handwritingworksheets.com
• Do2Learn
http://www.do2learn.com/disabilities/FASDtoolbox/education_resources/
resource_center/classroom_tools.htm
• Printable Paper
http://www.printablepaper.net/category/specialty
LOW - HIGH TECH TOOLS
Magnification
Aids
Allows for controlled
enlargement of text to
magnification level needed
o Bar, page, pocket and stand
magnifiers
(Maxi-Aids, Independent Living Aids)
Pocket Magnifiers
Handheld Magnifiers
o Handheld Magnifiers
(Enhanced Vision)
o Closed Circuit Television
Systems
(Enhanced Vision)
Handheld Magnifier
Closed Circuit TV
MID – HIGH TECH TOOLS
Recorders
Recorders may be used to record
lectures and notes, to dictate
written compositions or test
answers. Students may use this
type of technology solution in
several ways to support writing and
note-taking skills.
o Digital Recorders
Pocket Magnifiers
Handheld Magnifiers
(Office supply stores)
o Handi-Cassette II
(American Printing House for the
Blind)
o Pulse SmartPen
(LiveScribe)
o iPod/iPhone/iPad
Handheld Magnifier
Closed Circuit TV
(Apple/iTunes)
MID – HIGH TECH TOOLS
Pocket Magnifiers
Handheld Magnifiers
Portable Word
Processors
Stand alone word
processors that are
small in size, easy to
use, portable and
durable. Can have textto-speech and word
prediction.
o Forte
(Writer Learning)
o Fusion
(Writer Learning)
Handheld Magnifier
Closed Circuit TV
o iPad
(Evernote, Notability, etc.)
HIGH TECH TOOLS
Talking Word
Processors
Speaks selected text by letter,
word, sentence, or paragraph
with optional simultaneous
highlighting.
SymWriter
Write:Outloud
Text may be created in the
application, imported from
another source, or scanned.
o Write:OutLoud
(Don Johnston)
o Write Online
(Crick Software)
o Word Talk
(CALL Scotland)
WriteOnline
The Talking Word Processor
o iPad
(WritingBuddy, iReadWrite)
HIGH TECH TOOLS
Talking Graphic
Word Processors
Supplements printed text with
picture symbols for beginning
readers
o SymWriter
(Widgit)
o Clicker
SymWriter
Clicker
(Crick Software)
o PixWriter
(Slater Software)
o Boardmaker
(Mayer Johnson)
o iPad
(Symbol Support)
PixWriter
Boardmaker
HIGH TECH TOOLS
SymWriter
Clicker
Word Prediction
A word prediction program
provides assistance to students
who have difficulty writing by
predicting the target word as the
student types in the first letter or
letters of the word. Word
prediction programs provide rate
enhancement for students who are
slow typists due to physical
disabilities or due to inexperience
with typing as it reduces the
number of keystrokes needed for
each word.
o Word Q
(Quill)
o Co:Writer
(Don Johnston)
PixWriter
Boardmaker
o iPad
(Co:Writer; Predictable; Abilipad)
HIGH TECH TOOLS
Advanced
Reading Aids
Provides auditory reading
support as well as visual
enhancement features.
May offer OCR, study aids and
writing supports.
Solo
Kurzweil
o SOLO
(Don Johnston)
o Read & Write Gold
(Text Help)
o Kurzweil 3000
(Cambium Learning)
o WYNN
(Freedom Scientific)
Wynn
Read & Write Gold
HIGH TECH TOOLS
Voice
Recognition
Voice recognition software
converts spoken words into
written text.
o Built in speech recognition
(Mac / PC)
Solo
Kurzweil
o SpeakQ
(Quill)
o
Dragon Naturally Speaking
(Nuance)
o iPad
(Dragon)
Wynn
Read & Write Gold
HIGH TECH TOOLS
E-Readers
Digital files can be read with:
o ReadPlease
(ReadPlease - Free)
o Natural Reader
(NaturalSoft – Free)
Natural Reader
ReadPlease
o Read and Write for Google
(Text Help - Free)
o iPad
(Voice Dream, Read2Go,
ClaroPDF/Speak)
WordTalk
Universal Reader
Video
Determining The Optimal Tool(s)
• Student abilities and needs
• Required tasks / job
• Available supports
Benefits of AT
• Productivity
• Independence
• Achievement
Things to Remember
• Technology is no substitute for good
instruction
• Technology should be used in conjunction with
other available supports
• Technology used should be monitored and
changes made as needed
Louisiana Assistive Technology
Initiative (LATI)
Louisiana Assistive Technology Initiative Regional Centers provide the following FREE services.
•
Professional Development - LATI provides in-depth training on specific areas of AT are designed for
newcomers as well as experienced professionals looking to expand their perspective of AT.
•
AT Assessment Assistance - LATI assists the school systems’ staff in conducting AT assessments through
job-embedded coaching and training.
•
Consultations - LATI provides consultative services to address AT issues on individual students or address
general classroom AT needs.
•
Technical Assistance - LATI provides technical assistance to school systems to address difficulties with AT
devices, hardware, and software.
•
Short-Term Equipment Loans - LATI provides a FREE short-term loan program to assist school systems in
conducting AT assessments and/or recommending assistive technology for students.
South River AT Center
Sharon Edwards
sharon.edwards@apsb.org
Kristie Stapler
kristie.stapler@apsb.org
611 North Burnside Avenue
Gonzales, LA 70737
(225) 391-7278 or 7279
www.lati3.com
Hours of Operation: 7:30 – 3:00 M-F
Building Capacity
• When you leave today, what will you do
with this information?
• How will you share it with others in your
district?
• When will you share it? (Timeline)
To learn more about the Louisiana State
Personnel Development Grant, visit
www.laspdg.org
Access to
free
resources,
webinars,
and other
valuable
information
REMINDER: CLU Credit
• If you have not already done so…..
• In order to receive a certificate of
participation for today’s webinar (1 CLU credit
contingent upon the approval of your
employing school system) you will need to
type the following information into the chat
pod at this time:
– First and last name (if you did not specify
this when you logged into the webinar)
– Parish you are representing
– Your complete email address
• Your certificate will be emailed to you within
1 week; if you do not receive it, please email
Wendy Allen wallen@lsu.edu
Join us for the last webinar
of the series!
– January 14, 2015: Assistive Technology Tools for Math
• 1 hour of CLU credit for each webinar attended live
Questions & Answers
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