Assistive Technology
Welcome to our OER on Assistive Technology.
Assistive technology comes in a lot of forms, and hopefully by now everyone has seen, interacted with or knows someone who has utilized these low, medium and high-tech tools. The focus of this Open Education Resource (OER) is to focus on the technologies available and used in the K-12 classroom, and then look to the future about what might be on it’s way as we continue to reshape not only the way we teach, but the tools we implement to facilitate better learning outcomes. The goal of this OER is to introduce you to, facilitate use and reflect on the assistive technologies and how they can impact the K-12 classroom.
As you progress through the OER you will be encouraged to engage, reflect or provide insightful responses to prompts. These are marked within the OER with this image:
In response to Prompt 1, I think a few factors are at play with the implementation of new AT into mainstream public schools. For example, it depends on the amount of money allocated to each school district which usually depends on the amount of students requiring this assistance and then, how much of that budget can be used to purchase and train teachers in using that particular AT. Another factor at play is the resistance to change as we’ve seen in many discussions so far in this course, it seems that although there is a desire for change, too much may be overwhelming money-wise and training-wise, hence leading to a resistance within schools to implement new technologies and tools including AT. Finally, it takes a lot of convincing including research and advocates for particular technologies to get these technologies to be taken seriously and to highlight their benefits over the cost and comparison to traditional methods used within schools.
There does always seem to be a pinching point around money doesn’t there? What we have seen with other ventures within this course is that over time, as the idea becomes more popular, or is the recipient of more attention, companies are able to find more capital and start the R&D process with a real focus which then leads into lowered prices (over time of course) transferred to the end user. Do you see this as a similar trend with AT or is it going to require more of an external force to push more funding directly into schools to create a meaningful impact?
Hey Kyle, that’s very true that over time and with more custumers land therefore ower costs may persuade school boards and other educational organizations to buy into AT products. I suppose it’s a matter of time, proven research and results, advocates and marketing that could lead to the implementation of these products in the modern classroom. Perhaps with more research and advocates and open educatinal resources such as your teams’s, this can push the process along faster!
The problem with research is that it can take such a long time, and that’s time the technology hasn’t been used, or is being used ineffectively and is generally not in circulation. I often think about how we increase the collaboration between industries to expedite these types of processes, especially when it comes to something as important as providing equitable access to education. There is also the bureaucracy of school boards that slows things down in this regard, and I wonder if a body is formed that would provide enough Ethos to expedite this as well?
That’s a great idea about collaborating between industries to fire-up the process of research in development in these fields especially as they can be used across different sectors such as in workplaces, care homes, etc.
I think the main obstacle is a mix of social and pedagogical reasons. As mentioned in the video “Using Technologies to Support Diverse Learning Needs” one concern parents voiced is the fear that if their child uses the technology then they will not be taught how to read and write. However, what was found, is that students do still learn to read and write and are also able to become more independent learners. Rather than being dependent on another student or teacher, learners are more confident, and that confidence gained from using the technology spills over into reading and writing without the technology. Students do still need to learn to read, and AT doesn’t replace reading instruction, instead, it provides students with the tools they need to be successful. How can this message be disseminated to the stakeholders and how can acceptance of AT best be promoted to teachers, parents, and students?
This is a great perspective. With the right social force a lot can absolutely happen. The movement has started with a few boards of education attempting to supply devices for all students at a certain age for the rest of their elementary and secondary career, but this doesn’t necessarily address the specific AT that students need outside of what is based on a computer. There may be a bit of a follow the leader with other boards following suit, which will only, hopefully, make the costs to the end users drop, is this enough to create enough awareness that the rest of the devices and tools are also supplied in such a way? What about partnerships with tech companies and boards of education to improve timelines, create a collaboration effect and perhaps costs that create more of a symbiotic relationship?
I also noted the comment about how children do learn to read and write with these technologies as they are not designed to replace reading instruction. In many cases, this message was really inspirational, but nevertheless I think I may be one of your “concerned parents”. Interestingly I recently had this exact discussion with a friend: her child has dyslexia and for years she fought for him to get extra help as he fell further and further behind. Finally he was diagnosed, which meant he was given a computer in order to help him, but as per the concerns mentioned above, it seemed like he was able to use it to do ALL his reading and writing work for him, because it was just easier that way. There didn’t seem to be a way for the computer to help him, but not do it FOR him. My friend discovered that his diagnosis seemed to mean that her child no longer was expected to reach the reading levels for his age. It appeared he was ‘written off’ as a kid who would always be behind, and therefore he might as well just let the computer do all his work. Long story short, I think her concern was that these technologies work well if teachers are there to ensure that technology isn’t replacing learning, and are making sure that kids are being challenged and continue to work both on the computer and off, but in many very full classrooms, teachers are much too busy to focus on one student this way, and it seems easier to just let the computer help him coast. My friend is now paying for out-of-school tutoring, which she can fortunately afford, but it leaves me with doubts about how well these technologies are helping or hindering other kids. I’m not saying that these technologies are a bad thing, but I worry about how they are used: in the case of my friend it seems like it was a way to take him off the hands of the busy teacher, so in this case it WAS replacing reading instruction.
Fair point made here and it definitely highlights the backside of almost all technology that is being brought into the classroom; are teachers being adequately trained for its use? The technology is one thing, and is definitely supportive in many functions, however the technology doesn’t exist in a vacuum and is only truly effective, per your example Hayley, when there is sufficient training on use for students, teachers and families.
Hi Hayley, this hits close to home as my son struggles to read and write. He is fortunate to be part of a literacy (LLI) program provided by a trained teacher and is pulled out daily for small group reading instruction and practice. I would worry if technology was used in place of this personal support. I think rather AT should be used together with other measures, but again, not as a replacement!
Hey there, team Assistive Technology! Great job on the OER! In regard to prompt #1: What do you think is the main obstacle to having AT available in all public institutions? Social, Economic, or Pedagogical? The main obstacle is economical (budget!). I also think about lack of technical skills. However, you can hire people to train teachers on how to use technology. Even the most reluctant can be persuaded with excellent, gentle and patient one-on-one tutors but this requires time, skill and the money to implement!
Hi Cindy. I agree that it usually all comes down to money, or lack thereof. I think that in some instances, leadership may not always be making budget decisions that are best for the students. I know some districts that put large portions of their budgets into management staff that rarely step foot into schools. How can we convince system leaders to reconsider their priorities?
I also agree that in some cases people don’t have the technical skills needed and do need guidance. On the other hand, some of those reluctant ones are just opposed to any kind of change because they have always done things a certain way. How can we convince these reluctant ones that AT is valuable?
Hi Terri-Lynn,
Thank you for the questions and opportunity to keep this dialogue going! I think most “effective” leaders in education know how to deconstruct and present the need and advantages of educational technologies and assistive technologies to their districts. I think they also know, that they could sign off on budget and the “green light” to implement such technologies but at the district/school levels, implementing these technologies among staff is another story. How can the reluctant ones to convinced? Based on the premise that another human being, ultimately, cannot control another or make decisions for them, you can’t convince someone who chooses their own way to do things. I have found that I could not force a curriculum writer to learn how to use an application UNLESS I completed the task for them. This is sad but a reality when discerning how to progress in a project when you’re reading the project. This is why “leaders” need to vet not just the process of curriculum development but also the final product and make necessary changes.
Just a general comment about one of the assistive technologies you included in your OER: I loved the fact that you included equatIO to support numeracy. I came to know equatIO when project managing an online Physics 11 and 12 course. Instead of using a Word Doc and hand written formulas, embedded in a Google Doc, we wanted writers to use equatIO. The ending of the story is…it didn’t work! The zone of proximal development was too great and we ended up not using it. This issue isn’t one related to students using it, but teachers who are trying to us it to make writing their lessons easier. It turns out – it wasn’t easier. Technical skills in using this technology was needed before it could even be implemented and used in the course.
Thanks for sharing your experience with EquatIO. As a teacher, I love it for creating material for students, but I could see how some teachers might struggle putting it to good use. I haven’t had a lot of success with students using it. The majority of my students still prefer to use pencil and paper when doing math problems (as do I). I have shown students how to access EquatIO and how to use it, but let them make the decision as to whether they want to use it or not, and usually they choose not to use it.
Thanks, Terri-Lynn,
Providing them a choice is good! I see the benefit of pencil-to-paper solutions in math. I find it helpful to have a full visual of my work that I have actual hand written. It’s different via a digital way of solving an equations. For writing curriculum though, I think using an app like EquatIO can be so much more efficient especially when it comes to making and reviewing story boards that involve equations and charts. It’s not fun to read what sometimes, are “chicken scratches”.
In regards to prompt one, What do you think is the main obstacle to having AT available in all public institutions? Social, economic, pedagogical? The main reason I believe would be pedagogical. It seems to me that many ATs are relatively inexpensive and easy to access, as this OER has demonstrated, which would lead me to believe that the resistance is either coming from parents or teachers or both. I can see how parents may think that using ATs may hinder their child’s ability to learn to read and write, and how teachers may lack the training on how to integrate ATs into the classroom effectively. Both of the aforementioned issues from parents and teachers may take time to remedy as more research and education around the matter become available. I also wonder if there is some apprehension from students that may be afraid to use these ATs in front of their peers for fear of being picked on for needing to use an AT? I have never been an in classroom teacher so that is something that I could foresee as a barrier to widespread adoption of AT use within the classroom.
Hi Seth, thanks for your reply.
I think you’ve made a great point about the apprehension of some students to use AI. It is true that many students don’t want to be treated differently from their peers. In my school, all students have access to applications like Read&Write on their Chromebooks, so it is not always obvious who is even using it. I hope that as we move toward the classroom of the future, that last week’s group described, and changing the environment in which students learn the use of AT will become more commonplace for everyone, whether or not they have diagnosed learning disabilities.
Hi Seth, I too agree that you’ve made a great point. Students generally do not want to be seen as being behind, or “needing” assistance. So much so, that often students will not ask a question due to self-consciousness. Using Microsoft Teams as a messaging app has helped with that in my class – all students are on computers most of the time so if they have a question they can just message me in Teams and I can respond. Another example I’ve seen in the younger years is in regard to reading. Students will pretend to read a chapter book (or book that is too advanced) rather than a good fit book to avoid being seen as “lower level.” I hope that students too will become more accepting and less stigmatizing of AT.
This is interesting and I’ve been thinking about it awhile. As technology becomes more and more ubiquitous in the classroom I think this level of self-consciousness and isolation will dwindle as the embedding of AT becomes more blended into the “norm”. As boards of education, hopefully, move to 1:1 devices for students, and the cost of technology lessens to an extent that all students has one, it will be harder to notice who is using AT on their device and who isn’t. I also find that as more teachers become aware of, and make use of AT in the classroom students are more at ease in using it, regardless if they were originally thought of to use it, enter UDL! It will be interesting in the new few years to see if this trend continues, and how we ensure equitable access to devices is managed.
In response to prompt 2, I would imagine that students may have trouble visualizing the graph or knowing where to start. Therefore AT could help with breaking down the process in a step-by-step manner to help with this. Looking at part B, it seems Desmos would offer that instant visualization to help with seeing the equations in graph form instantaneously and comparing the 2 graphs visually. Being a primary teacher I didn’t know how to use it to be honest, so I suppose the AT would need to be explained/taught first before the students went to use it which could take more time initially leading to a disadvantage but lead to reduced instruction in the future which could be seen as an advantage.
Hi Alexis.
You make a great point about needing to be taught how to use the AT. Your uncertainty of not knowing how to use it is not unlike the feeling that many of my students have when first being introduced to the same topic. It is important that time is taken for explanation and instruction in the use of the AT. It pays off when students know how and when to use it, and can use it independently.
In response to prompt 2, if a student is using a text-to-speech AT I can see how there might be some confusion as the speech-to-text AT says “x two” instead of “x squared”, which would need to be clarified. I would imagine a teacher would need to go through each lesson using the speech-to-text AT or any other AT that may be used in order to clarify things such as not saying “x squared” and to help the students to use the various ATs that may be utilized for math in order to be able to adequately assist the students when problems or confusing scenarios may arise. This might be a bit of a learning curve and time intensive for the teachers if there is a number of different math ATs being utilized. Using desmos for part B provides a nice visual of the different equations being graphed and is easy to use and doesn’t require the student to purchase a graphing calculator.
You have touched on really key component here to the success of any technology; training. Much of the problem with technology isn’t that the technology isn’t good, it’s that there aren’t enough people that are ready to accept and that have the knowledge to use it effectively, and in your example above it’s very true. Even as technology evolves, so too does the workforce meaning new staff that need to be trained, and the remaining staff need to re-train to make best use of the technologies. Do you think there is a simple solution to this problem that we are missing?
IN RESPONSE TO PROMPT 1: What do you think is the main obstacle to having AT available in all public institutions? Social, Economic, or Pedagogical? ———– I have no teaching experience in a K-12 environment, and from my own perspective as a student, it seems like the main obstacle would have been the added time for teachers to learn the tech and deliver differentiated instruction to students. I don’t believe either would be an obstacle with the way students are taught now in K-12. If I had to hazard (an inexperienced and unfounded) guess, I would think that the main obstacle is pedagogical. Sullivan’s article within the OER hits the nail on the head for many AT concerns, but namely: are we enabling students who would learn to read/write otherwise with “extra” instruction, and moreso, are we hindering students as they progress into environments without AT? The ERLC video addresses this by stating that the AT is not meant as a replacement to “the rest” of literacy learning, but I imagine that this would need to be SHOWN not said to change the minds of skeptics. The value of AT is easier to convey when a student cannot progress otherwise, but it’s clear that AT could benefit every classroom and every student in SOME way, but to what extent (AKA the value thereof) is not clear… yet! Without this clarity, I can see why the adoption of AT everywhere could be slow. Curious to know if this preconception has been debunked in a large-scale research study?
This is a really interesting perspective in regards to addressing the value of AT. You are quite right that the technology definitely fits and serves the Universal Design of Learning model very well, and that all students could use it but we have to be careful about quick adoption without appropriate support for the teacher. Can AT be effective as a support, until enough research is published to show whether or not these interventions improve learning outcomes?
Kyle, I think there is certainly enough of an argument to “get going” – I’d actually be unimpressed if a K-12 environment had NO assistive technologies, since they are not hard to come by. And if you don’t “get going” then you cannot conduct the research to see if it works. For interests sake I did a bit of perusing on AT adoption research, and came across this article from the year 2000! So apparently, people have been “getting going” for over two decades… —– https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/cc71/c3af7b578118f7323cf4699142d7b3947745.pdf ——- Interestingly (and perhaps unfortunately?) it has many of the same arguments that are occurring on this discussion board. Something to think about when claiming that we can’t prove AT is “worth it.” What is especially interesting is Joy Zabala’s “SETT Framework” on page 5 which asks some Who & What questions about adopting AT in the classroom. Questions like: “What resources are available to the people supporting the student?” and “How might these tools be tried with the student in the customary environments in which they will be used?” are, I imagine, very similar to questions nowadays when adopting AT!
Isn’t that interesting! Thanks for sharing the article. I appreciated the questions on page 5 as well, especially the ones about all the various AT that could be implemented not just high-tech as I think this is important. But having read that article it is a bit dismaying to see the same themes drawn up 20 years ago that are still happening today! Though; as I mentioned in a comment above I do think that the more ubiquitous digital technology becomes in the classroom the easier it is to embed AT (higher tech versions) into students learning, and removing some of those social barriers students face. Perhaps it is a UX issue; that the user experience hasn’t been thought of all that well when designing the technology such that students do not feel it as easy to use or the social cues of being “cool”. In either stance, I do hope that as UDL becomes a more well known term across all types of educators, that AT is picked up and made readily available to all, so that those that do need it don’t feel isolated in choosing to use it.
IN RESPONSE TO PROMPT 2: Looking at the lesson, what difficulties could you anticipate students having with the task in Part A? Could these difficulties be overcome by the use of AT? How would the students’ experience be different in Part B? What are the benefits of using AT? Are there any disadvantages of using AT? ———– Well, I haven’t had to do any math like this for over a decade so it took me quite a while to piece together HOW to even answer this question to start with…! When I used to do math like this more often, I always struggled with second guessing my answers. I was not confident that I had gotten the right response, since the process was gibberish to me (meaning, I didn’t actually grasp the concepts!) I expect that many students have the same issue: getting an answer but having no idea if it’s right. AT can definitely help with this, and indeed Desmos did help me with this – once I watched a tutorial to figure out how to use it. As I inputted information into Desmos, I could see right away what impact they had graphically, and very easily (and quickly) compare them to one another. In this way, AT helped me quickly grasp the concepts the question was asking me to learn, and allowed for direct connection from the tabulations to the result. This could help other students who, like me, struggled to understand how the parts made the whole.
Similar to Ally, I had dropped quadratic functions as soon as I finished high school. “Back in my day” we only had access to graphing calculators, but even then, I remembered being encouraged to plotting these functions out by hand. From a constructivist/constructionist perspective, I think there could possibly be more educational value in physically creating these graphs, at least at the beginning.
I had the same experience! I haven’t studied math since high school and I have vague memories (nightmares?) of this kind of work. I worked with a student in my school who had issues with writing due to a motor skills issue. He could not fill out a table as required or sketch out a graph properly. We actually use Desmos in our school and this was a great solution for him. He was able to complete the task using the software quite quickly and was also able to engage with the graph, changing values and watching the transformations. As some people have mentioned, there would certainly be challenges for students (and teachers) who have never used Desmos before, however, I think this particular piece of AT is pretty easy to pick up. I am a big fan of Desmos!
Nathan, Aaron, I think we all had the same nightmares, haha. Aaron, I agree that in using Desmos I had a bit of a ‘chicken and egg’ situation where I could “see” the results and extrapolate the concept, instead of tabulating the results and seeing the pattern afterwards. Desmos was definitely helpful, but it’s perhaps not the exact same skill as drafting a graph by hand? I think with all assistive technologies it is important to consider what the ‘required’ learning concepts are, to make sure that you don’t let the tech do all the heavy lifting. Nathan, as you mention, if the AT can help students overcome an issue holding them back with the ‘traditional’ instruction, then it is a great place to begin and build more knowledge from. Desmos dizzied me at first, but after about a minute of tutorial I was able to piece it together – not bad for being so rusty with math!
Prompt #2: I use Desmos all the time for my math courses and never actually thought of it as an AT! Over the years, I’ve had students who started using the old TI-83 graphing calculator and then switched over to using Desmos, and the response was usually something like, “Oh, that’s it!” “That’s so easy!”
I’d argue that teaching students to properly use the graphing calculator (and adjust the windows settings etc.) is much more arduous than teaching students to use Desmos.
100% those TI calculators are harder to learn to use than Desmos! I remember those being an absolute mystery back in the day. I think there is something to be said though about using the technology that emulates that which you would use in the field. If you end up going into a career that involves using the TI calculators, then this is a definite skill that should be picked up in high school. If, however, your job would require some modelling software (which is probably does), then Desmos is a solid step in that direction. This kind of links back to Ally’s comment about not letting the technology do all the heavy lifting. I think there is certainly a fine line there and I could definitely see a valid argument being made that some AT might assist just a tad too much.
Really interesting dialogue here, and one that is really pertinent to the use of AT and perhaps the future development of it. What if we framed the question around whether or not the student understands that mechanics of what is happening; i.e. what happens when we manipulate the “k” value in the quadratic formula and that the only reason they weren’t able to demonstrate that previously was because of an invisible barrier (or less invisible in this example that the TI calculators were/are an absolute nightmare!)? Would that change our perception of AT enough to move it into the fore?
I could certainly get on board with AT that is worked into the assessment or learning objects as you mentioned. If we frame the question so that the student is still fully understanding what is happening, I would say it’s win-win!
Hi again,
Some further responses to your prompts: In regard to the math lesson – I immediately wanted to grab a piece of paper and pencil to solve the math. I think there is a huge benefit to have learners fiddle around on a practice run to get used to responding to math on a computer screen. In other words, provide a tutorial to students so that everyone has the same confidence level when using the program. Additionally, providing a “pad” beside the question so students can show their work would be beneficial (and needed if they are to show their mathematical thinking). To respond to the prompt about how far have assistive technologies come- I think they have come an amazing long way but having instructors use them effectively is another story. I also wrestle with the issue of using a computerized method to show one’s work in math. There is research out there that shows that learners retain/learn “deeper” when using pencil and paper. On the other hand, when learners are required to respond to longer response questions on tests, they perform better via computer. I think there is a difference between math literacy and “word” literacy here. I think the hindrance in math, in particular, is getting used to doing your math on a computer screen VS pencil/paper. The act of drawing a curve e.g. graphing quadratic equations also has its learning curve when using a digital math application.
Very good point about the motor skill requirement for drawing curves/shapes versus using a mouse. I think we are in an interesting intermediary period of time where some are still using pencil and paper, and others have transitioned to technology, and soon we will move almost entirely away from paper as technology becomes more widely available and ergonomic. Many students are already entirely digital based and find ways to “make it work”, and I look forward to the day when the tech can support them so that pencil and paper and technology become synonymous. I have seen some research about the pencil and paper but I have also seen alternative research that suggests that the method students use to learn the content is the best way for them to be assessed; meaning if they are taught through technology than if the assessment is technology based they will have better outcomes. Do you think as technology becomes more ubiquitous in the classroom and used meaningfully by teachers, that these studies may start having different outcomes?
Cindy, Kyle, it’s interesting to see & hear about how people tackle problems! Like Cindy, my inkling was to reach for pen and paper to solve the math problem, but once I used Desmos that inkling sort of disappeared, since the tech worked. I’ve also seen the studies you both mention – the whys & whynots of computer use. The most common thread seems to be as Kyle mentions, that students ‘demonstrate their knowledge’ best in an application they are familiar with. I am reminded of the ETEC500 study (which I cannot locate – ugh!) which showed that students who were more comfortable with computers, performed their tasks better on computers. I assume AT is similar. Jumping in on Kyle’s question, I assume as more assistive technologies enter the classroom, along with other differentiated learning methodologies, that it will become harder to actually “study” the results, since the “apples to apples” comparisons that researchers love will be harder to come by. I wonder if we’ll conduct studies on education in the same way, in the future, or if we’ll be more selective with research questions to respond to this dynamic environment?
Thanks, Kyle. I’m not sure what my hypothesis would be at this moment in regard to different outcomes. I think there are variables related to a learner’s environment in which they grew up and their access to learning supports that influence their outcomes and these are deep seated factors. I remember during my very first year of full time teaching, I have a third grader draw a poster that had a “wifi” signal. This was over 20 years ago and the “internet” was not at the speed or as affordable as it is today. I realized that this boy had a special network system at home and after meeting his Dad, found out his Dad was a computer/networking support professional! So, due to this boy’s experience growing up in a home where Dad had a sophisticated network and special skill set, my student was “ahead” of others. Another note I want to make about having technical support to help students use digital math apps – I think technical support individuals who will help students engage in this apps need to have both a skill set in technology as well as understand how people (or kids) learn. I find it very helpful for “tech help” to have an understanding of “teaching” so that people can learn from a learner’s point of view, not a perspective of a purely technical standpoint. It can be very frustrating from a novice learner’s point of view, when first tackling a digital way of learning.
Cindy; you have proposed a very interesting blend of roles here, the IT support who also has pedagogical understanding. To have such a role would alleviate a lot of a teachers time so that they can get to the teaching portion while students are supported. Or perhaps students are assigned a PD session every few weeks/months where a knowledgeable professional walks a cohort of students through an app or tool. The students, who as you suggest have background on certain topics or who are more technologically inclined than others would be able to support their classmates as well in this process.
Prompt – What do you think is the main obstacle to having AT available in all public institutions? Social, Economic, or Pedagogical? ——— Given that a lot of AT tools are free, and most students already have access to a phone/tablet/computer at home, I think the barrier is more social/pedagogical. Perhaps the educational benefits of using speech to text/text to speech programs, for example, are not clear? How can these programs be effectively incorporated into the classroom or homework?
These are good questions Aaron. I think perhaps it is rather difficult to use speech to text in the classroom given all of the ambient noise so it may lose it’s effectiveness. Though word prediction and other tools within some of these suites of AT would still be quite usable. The other aspect is school boards pay for access for a lot of the added tools, so students don’t realize that even if they can’t access the full suite at home they still have some access. Lastly; perhaps they aren’t popular and don’t have enough marketing budget (AT companies) to get into social media feeds and other places that the end users might see it. Grammerly for example is all over YouTube with ad placements and is becoming widely known, even for those that don’t use it.
Great work, Kyle and Terri Lynn (AT-Team). OER is engaging and informative. Prompt one- Interesting question. I think it is a combination of economic and social since funding can be difficult in public institutions to acquire AT. Social because of the inclusive aspect, the learner needs to feel part of the classroom. This is challenging depending on the disability; they may feel isolated by their peers. Public institutions have made significant strides in recent years to support students with disabilities, but this is often contingent on the neighborhood. If the institution is in a low SES area, funding is scarce compared to higher-income communities; therefore, disparity exists in AT support.
Prompt two- Part A is challenging for students with dyslexia as italics are difficult to decipher. Also, students with other visual impairments would have difficulty viewing the exercise. These challenges can be overcome with AT; however, the task would require more work for the student than their peers. As for Part B, I think the learner would have the same challenges based on my knowledge. Students with visual impairments rely on AT. Specific fonts and graphics make it very challenging for them to complete tasks. Hence the advantage of using AT for bother exercises.
Thanks for your response and insight. You have highlighted an important component to the use of AT and that is the preparation of use, and the knowledge base the educators need while designing their lessons so as to not make more work for those using AT’s comparatively to their classmates. Without this those that need the AT will become continually detracted from lessons and perhaps be less motivated to engage going forward. Perhaps tech companies who are putting out AT for use in the classroom need to also include a deluge of video tutorials of teachers using it, common errors in such a way that new users/teachers have ready access to and are enticed to review before using to avoid some of these errors.
Looking at the reflection question: We have also learned from previous OER’s of students in ETEC522 about the abilities of chatbots, wearable technology and AI, how do you think each of these will interact with one another in the future? I could see AT’s interacting with these other technologies in order to really improve how they are helping. I could picture AI listening to a child reading something, figuring out where they are having problems and personalizing the lesson towards their personal reading issues in the future. Chatbots could also help with continuity of work: if a student was stuck, there would always be a virtual assistant there to ask questions. Wearable technology made me think a bit though… I wonder if it could be used to help kids with ADD or similar focus, by tracking when they are getting fidgety and prompting some method to keep their attention (or prompting a teacher to take a break!). Maybe this is a bit farfetched though…
Hi Hayley,
I don’t think your idea is farfetched. For example, chatbots can be engaging, and students with ADD may quicker relate to that type of interaction. Or, as you mentioned, wearable technology would prompt them to keep their attention. The blending of AT with other technology will enhance students’ learning, and perhaps the sense of inclusivity would increase. At the end of this article, she points out interesting approaches to how AI and AT would blend, such as AR/VR environments for blind students: https://builtin.com/edtech/assistive-technology-in-the-classroom. Great point!!!
Hi Hayley. I must agree with Anna that your ideas are not far-fetched. I love your idea for the use of wearables in helping students with ADD maintain focus. As for AI and Chatbots, I think it is only a matter of time before we see these become widely accessible for students. It leaves me to wonder, though, who is going to be responsible for programming these. I doubt that teachers would have the knowledge or the time to be able to program Chatbots to provide assistance to their students.
Hi Terri-Lynn and Kyle
I really enjoyed reviewing your OER; the website was easy to navigate and visually appealing.
In response to Prompt # 1, I would say that it’s a mix of (sub)cultural and economic factors that negatively influence the implementation OR use of Assistive Technology at public schools. Cultural in a sense that the school or classroom culture might be preventing students from freely using such technology. If the school/classroom culture is not positive nor welcoming towards AT, I, as a student, would certainly avoid using such technology so I can blend in with the rest of the kids. Additionally, I also see a budget issue with AT. Not necessarily from lack of funding, but more from the proper allocation/disbursement of funding. In other words, the funds might be there, but not properly spent on initiatives such as AT, that play a crucial role in supporting students enhance their functional capacity.
In answer to prompt #2, I would have to say that is exactly why I like AT, because it can help all students (not just students with disabilities) to
overcome math difficulties. The first thing that crossed my mind while looking at both Part A & B was the lack of clarity on presentation. Each table of
values could have been dedicated to a single equation by having the equation right above it. Instead, the equations are all lumped into a single
line/sentence; creating unnecessary confusion. I also don’t like the italics. Reading something like this would be difficult for students who have low
vision or visual dyslexia. The first AT that came to my mind was an audible graphic calculator capable of displaying sets of y-versus-x data both
visually and audibly as a tone graph. Again, I’m not a teacher, so I do not know if calculators are allowed or not, and if they would be more used
in a practice environment (vs test).
Thanks for your response. As you pointed out, there are lots of different ways that AT could be used in this activity, besides just the use of a graphing tool. In my experience, for this type of activity, calculators are generally allowed on tests. I like the idea of using an audible graphing calculator, although I have never had the opportunity to use such a tool. Thanks for pointing out the layout and font. By using technology these could easily be changed to suit the needs of the student.
In response to prompt 1, I would have to say that money is probably the main obstacle, although the others certainly factor in. As others have already mentioned, public schools have fixed budgets and simply cannot allocate money they don’t have. I would imagine that when a school or board is trying to figure out how to allocate budget, they would take into account the number of students that need it. For example, a school with a lot of students in need of high-tech special computers is going to need to allocate more funds than one that mainly just needs text-to-speech software. Of course, the situations are never this simple and schools often need a variety of items. I don’t know how funding works in the public system, but I would hope that the more students one has with the need for AT, the more funding would be sent their way. This would certainly help.
Hi Nathan. I agree with you when you say that all of the factors are obstacles in the implementation of AT. I certainly see this in my school. Money is definitely an issue in my school. I also see social obstacles, where students don’t want to be seen as different for using AT. The pedagogical obstacles are improving as teachers learn more and are more comfortable with technologies in their classrooms.
Hi Terryi-Lynn! Those are great points. AT can definitely come along with a certain stigma. I suppose it depends what it is. Students wouldn’t really notice someone running AT software on their laptop, but would obviously notice if they were using a specialized keyboard or pointing device. My hope is that AT becomes less obvious and thus the stigma fades away. Regarding pedagogical obstacles, you are definitely spot on with this. I think this would be a different story even 10 years ago, but teachers are getting so good at integrating technology into their practice that learning how to use a little more AT software won’t seem all that daunting to them. When I was in my Bachelor of Education program, which was just over 10 years ago, the program boasted that this was a “laptop learning program” which basically meant you had to own your own Macbook and bring it to every class. They talked about it like it was the first of its kind. Every person in a university program with their own laptop? How unheard of! Things sure do change fast.
There’s a funny clip from a Comedian Ali Wong about the graphing calculator, here’s the transcript. “The last time I was at home in San Francisco, I was trying to help her get rid of s***. Don’t ever do that with your mom. It was like the worst experience of my life. It was so emotional. We were screaming and fighting and yelling and it all came to a climax when she refused to let go of a Texas Instruments TI-82… manual. The manual. She don’t even know… where the calculator is. Those of you under 25 probably don’t know what that calculator is. It was this calculator that bamboozled my generation. We were all required to buy it when we were in eight grade. It cost like $200. And everybody thought it was like this Judy Jetson’s laptop from the future. All because what? It could graph. It was like the Tesla of my time. And my mom got so emotional about the manual and she was like, “You never know when you might need this.””
Nathan
As AT becomes less obvious, my hope is that means that it has also become so prevalent that factors such as cost are diminished so that that tools students need in order to be successful are accessible to all. The prevalence also limits the social barriers as mentioned in a few of these conversations as the social acceptance increases. Like – all students from a certain age forward having their own laptop! At what point does this become part of the standard funding of public schools, to provide a device for every student at a particular grade to use for their rest of their careers? As the needs of students become more diverse, there are more tools being created/optimized for support and I think as a result students start to recognize that what is good for them might not be good for another which also contributes to limiting the social barriers.
IN RESPONSE TO PROMPT 3: We talk a great deal about technological advances; how far do you think we’ve come in terms of Assistive Technology? ———– I think we’ve come incredible leaps and bounds in terms of assistive technology! Moving from devices to help someone hold a pencil to one that can read (or write) for you has blown the doors wide open for individuals who would have otherwise been unable to learn. It is amazing what these AT can do for people, and it will continue to be amazing as we move more into ‘fully’ virtual environments!
IN RESPONSE TO PROMPT 4: Choose one (or more) of the case studies and discuss which Assistive Technologies could be used to help the students and how they could be used both inside and outside of the classroom. ———– In response to Julie’s issues seeing, I feel like the easiest solution would be to simply print larger scale text out for her. Assistive technology here being, a printer? Alternatively, if mobile tech was available, then Julie could be given access to a device where she can zoom in on text so that it is more legible for her. It’s that easy!
Hi. It really does seem so easy – increase the size of the font. I like the idea of using the digital technology for this. The student could increase the font as much as she needed and it wouldn’t be obvious to everyone.
I have a small anecdote related to this topic: A teacher was telling me not so long ago about the time they ordered the large-font version of one of our provincial exams. Rather than just enlarging the font and having more pages in the test booklet, the government sent a giant-sized test – something like 2 feet by 3 feet. A student using this exam would need their own table just for the test booklet. Talk about drawing attention to a student who needed AT!
Oh my god, I wonder if that was embarrassing for the student! One of the main things is trying to overtly “signal out” a student that is different, seems like a bit of a loss here in that case.
Good grief, Terry-Lynn, I couldn’t imagine who would have thought a giant test was the solution to the problem! This conversation is close to home at the moment because my son is having vision problems due to a health issue. He’s a huge reader and we were feeling sad that he could no longer enjoy books… until we remembered we could increase the font size on our kindle! It was so simple that we didn’t even think of it.
Firstly – Kyle & Terri-Lynn, what a great job on the OER! I love that you integrated some more “venture talk” in this, a great angle to consider as we move through the course! Well done!
IN RESPONSE TO PROMPT 5: Reflection on technology integration ———– I think that Meagan and John hit the nail on the head with their OER speaking about why students may want to use a Chatbot to help them learn: the inundating questions! The one that comes to my mind right away is the fully on-demand, no judgement, ask me anything anytime approach that is appealing as a student. Whether it’s your typical customer service chatbot, or a more educational twist (i.e. virtual math tutor), not having to worry about the optics of your learning experience, I think, would be a major feature for some students who do not want to feel disconnected from, or different than their peers.
Hi Ally. Thanks for the kind words about our OER. I agree with your take on using Chatbots. I always have some students in class who are hesitant to speak out, especially to ask questions. I understand the hesitation, as I was one of those students when I was in school. I would have gladly used a Chatbot if that meant I didn’t have to speak out in class. I have never used a Chatbot as a teacher, but I can see the value. It would give me more time to work with students. Being able to see a log of questions being asked of the Chatbot would also help me know if there is a specific concept that needs to be reviewed with the whole class.
Terri-Lynn, exactly my thoughts. Of course, we have the “fun” complications that John and Meagan already touched on: who MAKES the chatbot, and who MANAGES the chatbot? In a perfect world it would stand alone, but education on its own is quite fluid, so if an assignment was tweaked it could necessitate chatbot revisions. Probably, something that warrants practice, and something that does not change (looking at you math!) would be a great AT advantage for students.
Hi Ally and Terri, just jumping in because I saw the term Chatbots haha. I agree that Chatbots are a good example of AT as they’re flexible enough to provide easily accessible text, voice and visual solutions. On drawback which I have about relying on AT such as Chatbots is they’ll diminish the social aspect of learning, effective communication itself is a form of AT in my opinion!
John, totally agree – have to find the appropriate niche for the AT to work it’s magic. Supplemental, not replacing… I feel like that is the mantra of many educational technologies we learn about!
I think the idea of chatbots is great, and like almost everything in life, great in moderation. Having the chatbot available to students, so that when they access the assignment and perhaps the teacher isn’t in front of them they can get answers, or they can ask the chatbot for a variation of the assignment with font designed for dyslexia, or perhaps wants a suggestion on a tool to help them understand the math problem, the chatbot could easily handle this. I am not so worried about students becoming dependent on it, but it is also nice to see students asking each other for advice or help when they need it, so a few trials would be great on this. As for who creates the chatbot; I do see in the future that the frameworks for particular lines of use will be created in such a way that we no longer need coding to create a website. The creating of the chatbot or other devices that require a specific knowledge base will become more decentralized, and standardized to fit the need.
What do you think is the main obstacle to having AT available in all public institutions? Social, Economic, or Pedagogical?
I think all three can be an obstacle. Organizations like https://www.setbc.org/ luckily help with the economic side. However, not everyone has access to organizations like this and their funding isn’t limitless. From the social side, I will include the relationship with the teacher in this section. I think this is quite complex as the needs for AT are unique to an individual, it’s impossible for the educator to have all the information needed about every AT. The educator must take the time to get to know how the device works to allow them to communicate with the student. Also, the other students must learn how to communicate with the student. I remember two students in the MET program where their son uses AT – they are awesome and take the time to teach the educator and are very involved in advocating for their child. I feel like they are the exception since the main driver for doing the MET program was to focus on advocating for their son. One positive element from the pedagogical side is that some AT tools can be helpful to everyone in the classroom. I personally watch all TV with closed captioning and, as mentioned by Saeid above, see the benefit in the classroom to the more accessible AT you introduced us to. (I do say this not working in the K-12 system myself although I work with kids. Therefore, my perception is limited.)
Hi, I too watch all TV, and show all videos in my classes, with the closed captioning on. I don’t want to miss any of the dialogue, and I find it’s helpful for everyone.
Agree with both of you considering each student/individual interprets dialogue, accents and tone differently, having a transcribed script on screen is helpful. There are times when students say I’m talking too fast or ask me to repeat, in those situations having floating subtitles on screen or AT capable of instantly recording down what I say could be useful. Same here, when I’m watching movies or playing games I always turn on subtitles for some reason
Prompt 3: We talk a great deal about technological advances; how far do you think we’ve come in terms of Assistive Technology?
I think we have come quite far over the past 20+ years as when I was in school I couldn’t imagine a computer speaking to me via AI powered chatbots or have my oral stories being converted to text on a computer screen. I think especially from what I’ve seen in the software programs I’ve used as AT for dyslexia in my teaching over the past couple of years, these have truly helped to engage my students who once hated reading and writing because they found it more challenging than most, to really enjoy reading . They have shown a lot of improvements I believe in part to having software programs available to them to practice outside of school via their computers and tablets in addition to help received in the classroom. I think the biggest hurtle now is just gaining that acceptance from schools, getting the right tools for the right students and getting the training to help get the students using them as soon as possible.
Hi. You make some great points here. I think the fact that students can access technology and software outside of the classroom is really important. If a student needs assistance reading, for example, it isn’t just necessary when they are at school. I haven’t been part of new teacher training programs for a long time, but I hope that these programs are educating new teachers in the use and integration of AT. Along with the teachers, I think it is also important for parents to receive education about the use of AT so they can help their children use it at home as well.
I couldn’t agree more Terri-Lynn. The more that parents and teachers work together as a team to support the student in need of AT to benefit from it, the better. Perhaps with more training modules and OERs like yours can help to educate parents, teachers and students on how to use these beneficial aids both within and outside of the classroom for ultimate support.
Reflection Prompt: We have also learned from previous OER’s of students in ETEC522 about the abilities of chatbots, wearable technology and AI, how do you think each of these will interact with one another in the future?
Perhaps wearables will provide feedback via the chatbots based on whatever it is they are measuring and questions that may arise from the person based on the results of these levels being measured such as ‘what does a lower heart rate after exercise indicate’ etc. AI can provide more tailored chatbots to adapt to the person they are reporting results to and their personality, read their tone of voice to make adjustments and provide graphs and statistics based on weekly/monthly reporting again for whatever it is the wearables are measuring (sweat, heart rate, REM sleep, etc.).
In response to prompt 3, I think things have come incredibly far in the last 10 plus years as far as developing technology to assist students. As with any new technologies that come up, it takes time for them to be widely adopted and most likely growing pains along the way as to how best to utilize them in the classroom.
Hi. I agree that things have come so far so fast with AT. With technologies changing so fast and with the time it takes to evaluate and widely adopt them, I can’t help but wonder if maybe we are missing out on some very valuable assistive technologies.
In regards to prompt 1, I believe that social barriers are the strongest I have come across. I think that the school district I work in is most often willing to fund adoptive technologies, but for many of the reasons stated above, parents are frustrated with the way adaptations are used and how it ‘labels’ their child. They feel a low bar will be set and that nothing will be done to assist their child in pushing beyond their current limits. I also know there are cultural barriers that will not allow their child to be ‘stigmatized’ with a learning disability, which can be hugely detrimental when we know their learning would be better assisted with supports.
Hi Marie. I have had some similar experiences with parents who refuse to let their child have those particular adaptations that would actually help them achieve beyond their current level. They didn’t want their child to be “different” than others in their class. I think that with the increasing use of individual technologies, it is becoming less obvious which students are using AT and it is easier for all students to have access to AT. Hopefully this will help to get parents on board with the supports teachers would like to use.
Prompt 2: I know I am confused 🙂 When it comes to math I am a visual person. I like to see the steps broken down; I like to see examples of what is being asked. I think references to look at would be helpful. This lesson has very little direction and I think everyone in the class would benefit from AT. The goal is as teachers simply stated is that we want them to understand concepts and be able to apply them. Included in this goal is not to do this with as little information given as possible that really only challenges a small population with the rest left feeling ‘dumb’ cause they don’t get it. In the real world you can google or grab a calculator when you need it.
Prompt 3: because of this course I have learned of so much more then I had previously. I have used voice to text and read to me programs but other that, then my experience has been limited. I looks like we have come along way and there are so many more options to try even with regards to the two I have experience with. It’s great that people continue to keep pressing and advancing access to eduction for all.
Final prompt: I think that many of them do already. Our phones (even though for me they are a source of frustration in the classroom) have this capability to context all of these concepts. Diabetics have devices (monitors and pumps) attached to their body which allows their phones to give real time updates. We can ask Siri questions on watches, computers and phones. We can use Google translate on a device to scan text to read or translate to a different language. Because phones are the one device everyone seems to have, they will be the technology that will connect all of the AT needs of our students. The problem (in the world of education) then becomes, how do you function as a teacher, relying on a device that is not school owned and therefore a guaranteed resource.
You are so right, phones have so much potential, but are such a frustration in the classroom. I am fortunate that I do not need to rely on all students owning a phone, although most of them do. At my school we have 1-1 Chromebooks for our students. These devices are administered by the division, so we do have some control over the apps students have access to. Hopefully many of the apps are similar to ones they would have access to on their phones, that way when they don’t have the Chromebook they will still have access to what they need.
Hi! Great OER. It was so interesting to learn about how these modifications can help students in the classroom. In regards to the prompt: We talk a great deal about technological advances; how far do you think we’ve come in terms of Assistive Technology? I think it is pretty incredible to think how far we have come with AT even in the last 10 years. For example, I graduated from my undergrad about 10 years ago and every semester they had a program where volunteers would take notes on carbon paper for students that were not able to take their own notes. Even 10 years ago this felt a bit outdates, but I based on some of the resources you shared today, there are clearly so many other more efficient technology focused options that would allow students to have easier access to notes!
For the next prompt: For the student Julie (with vision impairment) I think an immersive reader tool that would allow her to access textbooks and worksheets online and still participate actively in class. Some of the tools that looked like they could work include speechify or ReadSpeaker.
Prompt 2: Looking at the lesson, what difficulties could you anticipate students having with the task in Part A? Could these difficulties be overcome by the use of AT?
The biggest challenge I would expect students to have with Part A, is how to correctly graph each equation. Some might also have difficulty with understanding the equations themselves, or accurately calculating the parameters of the equation. Due to the variety of potential difficulties, teachers can implement AT for numeracy that are specific to individual student needs, rather than having to design lessons to meet the different individual learning tendencies of a classroom. One example of an AT tool for numeracy is GeoGebra, which is designed to help students visualize abstract concepts and help make them more meaningful. The accessibility of AT for teaching and understanding the fundamental concepts of Math problems is a massive benefit for students of all capabilities.
How would the students’ experience be different in Part B? What are the benefits of using AT? Are there any disadvantages of using AT?
I would expect a similar experience to part A, with the same benefits of using AT.
Some people might argue that ongoing use of AT inhibits students from absorbing/learning the material or that it acts as a crutch, which could be seen as a disadvantage, however AT for numeracy tools allow students with disabilities to explore math and numbers in different and more interactive ways. According to Daroni and Legowo (2018) in order to be successful, students need to have problem solving and communication skills and the ability to make connections in math. As such students need access to tools that allow them to showcase their ideas, questions, and connections.
Prompt 3: We talk a great deal about technological advances; how far do you think we’ve come in terms of Assistive Technology?
I feel like AT has made tremendous strides, particularly over the course of the pandemic, as many companies have identified an opportunity created by remote learning within the education sector.
Prompt 4: Choose one (or more) of the case studies and discuss which Assistive Technologies could be used to help the students and how they could be used both inside and outside of the classroom.
For cases studies 1 and 2, they would both benefit from similar AT, just in the reverse. Julie needs assistance with reading worksheets & textbooks, so a text to speech tool such as “Speechify” would likely help her both in and out of the classroom. Daniel on the other hand, struggles with handwriting, so a computer or tablet that offers speech to text technology would allow for more efficient and effective communication in the classroom and anywhere else where his handwriting limits his capabilities.
Hey team AT! Thanks for sharing some great resources in your OER! As a Math teacher, I was particularly interested in your omrpt concerning AT and the demo numeracy assessment:
“Looking at the lesson, what difficulties could you anticipate students having with the task in Part A? Could these difficulties be overcome by the use of AT?
How would the students’ experience be different in Part B? What are the benefits of using AT? Are there any disadvantages of using AT?”
This is indeed a classic graphing exercise, and I’ve had students work on similar exercises with linear functions in middle school. I think the primary barrier is that this one assessment requires students to demonstrate several proficiencies simultaneously: students must be able to use substitution for each algebraic equation, then correctly fill the function input/output table with matching values, and they must be familiar enough with a cartesian grid system to graph each coordinate pair without having either X or Y axes labeled. The benefit of Desmos for part B, as opposed to the blank graphs in part A, is that if the student can demonstrate the first two proficiencies (algebraic substitution and filling the input/output table), then it will create the graph for them. While this might seem trivial, many students can make simple errors while graphing that cause them to question their proficiencies entirely, so having an aide that completes that for them can help them focus on the key problem-solving aspect of the assignment (namely, algebraic substitution) by abstracting away from the technicalities of cartesian graphing. In my experience, the more one can abstract away from less relevant competencies to focus on the core, the more successful the student body can be.
Prompt 1: I would think the main obstacle is mainly related to Economic and Pedagogical aspects. Most classrooms are designed in a very standardized approach and the features included are often built with non assistive students in mind. That being said, if special equipment or arrangements need to be accommodated, some classrooms might find it difficult to effectively integrate it into the physical space while ensuring students who require AT to learn will have the same classroom experiences as their peers. From experience, I had to organize/invigilate students which required the use of AT for exams, finding a suitable room on campus is difficult as in most cases, the exam office wouldn’t look into each case in detail and usually assigns whatever available room is left. If AT Technology were to be included and minimized as an obstacle, it would need to be taken into account during the design phase. Pedagogical is also a factor as most teachers might not be familiar or have training on how to integrate AT tech into their lessons and whether they have free time to attend to the students who require AT. If we’re looking at AT as a standardized form of common technology (eg: ipads, devices), the main obstacle would be economic as ensuring each student receives one could be costly and outside of the projected budget. On a structural level, schools would also need to ensure that proper training classes are provided by the IT Department to educate teachers how to interact/effectively use AT while having the manpower to maintain them.
Hi John. Thanks for your insight into the obstacles of integrating AT. I appreciate your comments about the actual physical classroom being an obstacle. I think that this is rarely considered. The architects designing new schools most likely have had no experience in a classroom to know what is needed for AT. I agree that there are teachers who may not know how to actually integrate AT effectively into lessons. This should definitely be a priority for school districts, to make sure teachers receive appropriate training. IT support for any technology also needs to be a priority. We all know how frustrating it is when things don’t work as they should.
Prompt 3: We talk a great deal about technological advances; how far do you think we’ve come in terms of Assistive Technology? I personally think AT is growing at a fast rate and will continuously be improved/refined in the future. For example, I rely on voice recognition if I need to type/instant message in Chinese as I’m not good at writing the characters. There are also lots of apps developed by third parties which caters to a particular AT sector and from experience, it’s hard to go back to manually inputting/generating content by hand when there are so many AT options available for consumers and students. It’s hard to predict where the next step will go but perhaps somewhere within the realms of holograms, mixed reality or AI powered solutions. (Self driving cars is probably a good example of advancement in this field)
Hi AT team, I really enjoyed going through your OER on assistive technology. It reminded me of my time as an Educational Assistant and as a Skill Development teacher working primarily with category students so there’s a lot to unpack. I find that your research in literacy is especially important as there is a huge difference between students that have Individual Education Plans that calls for the usage of assistive technologies such as Proloquo and TouchChat. It’s especially important for the equality and independence of the student as they sometimes cannot communicate by themselves otherwise. Unfortunately, through my experiences, there are many many issues with the training and the mindset to use them. I was trained by a Speech Language Pathologist to use these tools whereas I would have not been able to if I were to learn the tools myself. In addition to this, it is often a very expensive tool that many families would not want to pay around 300 dollars to use these apps. This is something that is completely worthwhile the usage if consistent and allows for individuals with exceptionalities to function in a more normal way. Moving towards a more recent experience, while working with category students as a skill development teacher, I found that the technology greatly improve over the years in both pricing and functionality. There are even apps that coaches you on to use the original communication app! This leap in development in much needed in the actual successful implementation of these assistive technologies rather than using them to check off a box. I had a student similar to your Case Study A and it’s great to see that technology is being used as a way to create equality in addition to expanding learning opportunities. The student in question was legally blind, and thus a Braillist was able to use assistive technology that allowed them to “translate” the worksheets and use other forms of technology to “read” the textbooks. While fuzzy in my memory, the student was able to use a electronic braille reader that was able to actively give her resources to keep up with her classes. Unfortunately, the device was a few hundred dollars and there was an incident where it was lost/stolen during another class. Overall, I really believe in the usage of assistive technology to help students with exceptionalities and I really enjoyed perusing all the resources that you were able to find!