This week we will be thinking about the future of assistive technology. What will assistive technology look like in the future? Who will use it? How will it relate to other education trends such as UDL? What are the opportunities and what are the challenges? Our main thesis is that assistive technology is moving away from being thought of as “only for those with accessibility needs” to a range of broad tools that everyone can benefit from.
Please take a look at our OER here: https://sites.google.com/view/opportforecast-assistivetech/home
There are four sections to focus on
- “The Past, Present, and Future of Assistive Technology”
- ACTIVITY: Try using the Read & Write Chrome extension to listen to the content
- INTERACT: Fill in the Padlet question at the bottom
- “AT in Eduction”
- “Case Studies”
- INTERACT: Read the available case studies and post your own personal experience with AT in the Padlet at the bottom
- “Venture Opportunities and Challenges”
Once you have gone through the OER, please comment below with your own thoughts.
- Do you see assistive technology tools being widely used in education in the future, and not necessarily associated with “accessibility” or “disability”?
- If and when this does happen, how do you think this will impact the overall accessibility of education?
Thanks everyone,
Trista, Lowell, and Danielle
Hello Assistive Technology Team,
Thank you for your website. For me, it was a lot of reminders from the MET class ETEC 565C : https://met.ubc.ca/courses/etec-565c/ that I took a year ago. There were some big takeaways from that course and here are two:
– Most of us are TABs (Temporarily Able Bodied people) and we eventually will not be as we will age and will be affected by illnesses and old age in general. It is important to be mindful that TABs often have a problematic approach to wanting to create a world that suits their needs wherein people with disabilities need to conform.
– TABs should not be making all of the decision about accessibility without consulting the people who need these tools. Educators need to connect with students about how they can help without simply prescribing the tools and letting that be it!
– Here is a video introduction of Dr. Heidi Janz, one of the course’s co-teachers. Dr. Janz has cerebral palsy and is an advocate for all students and is motivated to have educators question their assumptions about ability and disability : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6wHbMGddiU
Thank you!
Maurice
Thank you for sharing the wonderful resources! I think that the awareness of recognizing that eventually everyone would need AT to some extent is impactful. Like you said, understanding the needs of people with disabilities is another important piece in providing better AT support instead of asking them to conform. However, I do wonder in the case of early childhood education, when students haven’t fully developed the skills to express their needs and wants, what are some ways that we can better connect with them.
Hello AT team,
I cannot believe I am not more familiar with read and write! What a great tool. I will be using it myself for readings in the future and sharing it with all of my students.
I read an interesting quote that said all technology is assistive or it would not exist. I like this in general as a guideline for AT. I think a calculator is a good (but old) example of an assisted technology that is now second nature in society.
I appreciated the view of William Nolan around UDL and the ground up design model not requiring individual accommodations. I think that as technology advances some of our formal educational requirements around writing proficiency and/or reading proficiency may change. These standards were designed for a print heavy society that was dominated by the printing press. We need to be fluid to change and accept new models that are more efficient and useful for all individuals.
Thank you for your site, I found it very informative and also very focused which was helpful. Not sure that it matters, but for the SETT framework the ‘S’ seems to stand for 3 different things in your examples. They are “strengths” in the image, “Student-centered” in the text, and “student” in the link. It may be best to keep these consistent to one of the three?
Thanks again,
Mike
HI Mike,
Thank you so much for your feedback and suggestion! I agree with you that all technology is assistive to some extent, but echoing Maurice’s comment, some technology is designed from TABs’ perspective and can be troublesome for people with disabilities. Therefore, even when applying AT with the UDL guideline, it is imperative to be mindful what kind of environment we’re creating with AT and is it assisting the vulnerable learners in that place. I found your thought on reading/writing proficiency change interesting. I believe that technology cannot replace basic reading and writing skills, but I do think that students who can do well with AT that addresses their unique needs should be given the option to use them during formal testings. It makes me wonder what standards would be use that are universal that can be accessed by all students.
Great job on Assistive Technology, I was surprised that the future AT market could reach to 1.3 billion. While there is a clear demand for AT, several barriers hinder access for those who need it the most. Cost and the lack of involvement of individuals with disabilities in the design and development process are major obstacles. What innovative approaches or strategies can be implemented to address the cost barrier and increase affordability of assistive technology, ensuring equitable access for individuals who need it the most?
Hi Terrence,
Thank you for your questions. I think one way is to incorporate low-tech tools that do not require too much financial investment. These low-tech tools might have limited functions, but this is a great starting point when fundings are not available. Another way is to encourage students to bring their own devices that allow them to customize the applications that they need. However, this would probably only work for secondary or post-secondary institutions. I would also love to see other strategies and examples that help bring down the cost barrier and allows AT to be more accessible to everyone who needs it.
Hi Terrence,
I wanted to build on Trista’s comment and emphasize the importance of including individuals who require AT the most in the design and development process. It is crucial to have their perspective alongside the voice of educators. Our presentation aims to highlight that appropriate AT is essential for those who need it while also showcasing how these technologies benefit other learners as well.
Treating AT as an afterthought, separate from the technologies we use in our daily lives, creates additional barriers for those who rely on such technology. This, in itself, becomes a cost barrier. I strongly believe that in order to drive innovation, we need a paradigm shift in how we approach these technologies. We should not marginalize or sideline AT as “other” in the development process. Educators can contribute to this transformation from the ground up, but it is crucial to have the support of developers.
Thank you for your comment!
Great work AT team!
I appreciated all of the information on your site. Your emphasis on the shift towards UDL I found impactful, I think this will have a great influence on how teachers view the use of AT in classrooms going forward (hopefully at least). As you mentioned, stigma is a big part of encouraging students to use AT available to them to showcase learning to the best of the abilities. As early as grade 4, from my experience, students start to become more socially aware and cognizant of what their peers find acceptable. As my board has begun to shift away from pull out support from Educational Assistants, and moved towards a more inclusive model supporting within the classroom. I imagine over time the same will happen with availability of AT in the classroom, moving away from only coded students having consistent access to any student who feels they could benefit from this support being able to utilize it.
In terms of teachers utilizing At in the classroom, this may be one of the bigger hurdles to overcome. How do we make AT common place in the classroom, under public funding models? Also shifting teachers’ perspectives that AT is only for those students coded with a requirement to use them. I’m sure the depth of this challenge will vary greatly from school to school and the culture each school has towards change and implementing more technology. I am hopeful about the direction education is moving in terms of access and usage of AT for students and have enjoyed learning more about what is available this week through your project.
Hi Kelby,
Thank you so much for your thoughtful comment. It is really exciting to see the current shift happening in our classrooms and schools, and like you said, one day AT would be provided to students with or with not a designation/IEP.
In order to make AT commonplace in the classroom, the key is to make sure AT support is available to all students. Students might need to share the tool or take turns, but the tool has to be made available to all students. From my experience (and unfortunately I’ve done that before), the tool is only assigned to a specific student, and when other students ask for it, their request gets rejected because “they don’t need it”. Funding plays a big part in increasing the availability of AT in classes, but even with the limited tools available in class, the awareness that everyone can use that tool is critical.
Great job on making such a concise and informative OER! You have really broadened my understanding of assistive technologies to incorporate so many different tools and strategies. With this new definition in mind, I would say that assitive technology tools are or should already be widely used in education.
The current and future generations of learners will grow up in a world filled with technology to grab and maintaing the valuable commodity that is their attention. As a result, younger generations are skilled in multi-tasking and filtering out noise from useful information. Assistive technologies can help students multi-task by engaging different senses so different tasks can be completed in the same amount of time, or the same information can be presented in different ways to aid in processing.
There are also many tools available to teachers such as voice-to-text to help us with providing feedback faster, subtitles in videos to improve understanding, and colour-coding to emphasize and capture attention, and playback speed to ensure clarity during demo videos or experiments. I have found that most strategies for accessibility are just good teaching strategies for all learners.
Hi Roger,
I appreciate your comment. You brought up something that our group could have looked at further, but you made an excellent point about how AT tools can enhance our personal pedagogy. It’s definitely worth considering, and I’m curious to know if anyone else has utilized AT tools for their own planning or in their teaching practice, either directly or indirectly.
Thank you!
Hi Team,
Excellent OER! I really enjoyed digging through the content.
In response to your final questions, I do think there is opportunities for assistive technology to play a larger role than simply addressing accessibility and disability challenges. That said, we have touched on this a few times in the course, but education is notoriously stubborn when it comes to change. Even with stacks of research supporting the use of assistive technologies for all learners, I think most educational institutions still regard them as tools for addressing learning disabilities. For example, in my current school, students take an adaptive assessment 3 times a year. Students with identified learning disabilities are given text-to-speech options, noise cancelling headphones, and audio functionality for reading the questions. I made the argument to allow all students to wear noise cancelling headphones even if no audio was playing to assist with concentration, but my request was denied as my school’s view is that assistive technology is only for those that “need” assistance.
I believe what worries educators about assistive technology for everyone is the idea of it becoming a crutch and stifling the development of certain skills (overuse of text-to-speech diminishes the development of writing and typing skills). My argument against that is: if these new tools are emerging to make us more productive, then why are we hanging so strongly to skills whose value is fading?
Hi Benjamin,
I’ve had similar experiences when advocating for tools for students who don’t have those specific tools included in their learner support plan or when it doesn’t align with their LD. I actually appreciate a bit of pushback, and my argument is always “what is best for kids.” In response, I challenge the concerns of educators who worry that assistive technology (AT) could become a crutch. If we are teaching foundational literacy skills while incorporating 21st-century competencies, wouldn’t that be what is best for the students?
For instance, I once worked with a teacher who strongly opposed allowing a student with a diagnosed written output LD to use Google Read and Write for ELA assessments. The teacher insisted that the student write by hand on paper. I challenged this teacher by asking them about the purpose of the assessment. Was it to evaluate the student’s fine motor skills or their ability to formulate a response to a text?
As a group, we argued that companies should shift the paradigm and create AT technologies that are inclusive of all learners. However, you raise a valid point that there may still be resistance from educators.
Thank you!
Great stuff, Assisted Technology group!
It is true that when I think of assisted tech, I immediately go to supporting the various disabilities in the classroom or workplace. That being said, I love the quote that Mike referenced concerning all tech being assisted tech.
Sorry, I pressed the wrong button and I wasn’t finished responding!
Concerning the question of when we will see assisted tech pervasively in the classroom, the speed will depend on various factors, including technological advancements, accessibility, cost, and educational policies. While some schools and districts are already incorporating these technologies into their classrooms, it may take time for them to become widespread and standardized across all educational institutions. I know my school district has a lot of resources and, in turn, we have a robust LAC and diverse learners set-up, with dedicated teachers and the latest tech. Predicting the exact timing is a bit of a fool’s errand as it will take place at different times for different circumstances.
Hi Assistive Technology Team,
Your differentiation of AT into three distinct stages – past, current, and future – was a brilliant approach. I truly appreciate the effort you put into providing a comprehensive overview of how AT has evolved over time and how it will continue to shape the future. Your analysis has given me a new perspective on what the future of AT looks like.
I am still stuck with AT in its current state, which is primarily focused on learners with disabilities or special needs, it was inspiring to see your recognition of the broader potential that AT holds.
Pleasant Surprise
Your statement that “AT and UDL should be combined to create an inclusive learning environment that serves a broad spectrum of learners” was a pleasant surprise. It dawned on me that intersectionality between AT and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is indeed the way forward. The idea of leveraging the strengths of both approaches to create a truly inclusive environment is both exciting and necessary.
Hunger for More
I am eager to explore how AT and UDL can collaborate with each other to create practical and effective solutions. It would be beneficial to understand the specific ways in which these two approaches can intersect and complement each other. Are there existing examples or case studies that demonstrate successful collaborations between AT and UDL? What are the practical steps that educators, institutions, and policymakers can take to ensure that this collaboration becomes a reality?
I believe diving deeper into these questions will enable us to better grasp the potential impact of this collaboration and its practical implementation in educational settings.
Thank you for shedding light on the future of AT and the importance of combining it with UDL!
Hi Vera!
Thank you for your questions. Although there is existing research on UDL and AT, my main challenge and, admittedly, limitation in further incorporating those findings is the language used to describe the learners, which often further isolates them from their peers. Moving forward, it is crucial to have a broader scope of research that explores the benefits of AT beyond simply categorizing students with disabilities. As educators, we face classrooms with over 30 students who have diverse levels of abilities, various physical and learning disabilities, social-emotional concerns, and English language learners (ELLs) or refugees. Therefore, the research needs to accurately reflect this complex reality as opposed to narrowing it to one specific student.
Thank you!
Hey Assistive Technology team,
I do think that we are seeing assistive technology be used by a lot of people beyond the folk the tool would immediately support. Good examples are extensions like the ones mentioned in this OER, where folks can use text-to-speech and speech-to-text. These kinds of tools can be really helpful for people who might not have a disability or are dependent on these kinds of technologies. I personally am a big fan of Speechify and with the number of readings that we need to do in the MET program, I find that I feel less drained when I can disconnect from my laptop and listen to a reading instead of actually staring at a text for hours. Similarily, I personally like to “draft” my essays on Google docs by turning on the speech to text function and sharing out loud my ideas. So people like me, who may not identify with a disability, are already taking advantage of these functions to improve their process and work method.
In reponse to your question “Do you see assistive technology tools being widely used in education in the future, and not necessarily associated with “accessibility” or “disability”?”
There are some really great benefits of having a wide variety of folks using assistive technology, one of the biggest ones being that more money and investment is put towards developing these tools, which can ultimately improve the efficiency and performance of these tools, which can help all users. And I think we are already seeing the impacts of wide user demographic for a lot of these supportive devices and technologies. A report by WIPO (https://www.wipo.int/pressroom/en/articles/2021/article_0003.html) notes that the usage of assistive technology is growing because of the integrations that are more frequently being introduced in consumer goods. I think we will continue to see this trend grow as assistive technology continues to become more acessible and expected, and I think abled and disabled people will continue adapt the assititve technology to their own needs.
Great job AT team! Thank you first and foremost for defining and highlighting the AT field. I’m afraid that in Health Professions Education, AT is not as well-discussed/considered, outside of closed captioning or transcripts. I do a lot of online image-based teaching and in my lectures, I always dedicate time to teach my trainees about alt-text on images that they post (which, within the scope of clinical teaching is actually an important exercise to be able to describe what is being conveyed in an image). I find this current state very sad considering that even the World Health Organization has published on Assistive Technologies and the 5Ps of AT (https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/assistive-technology), highlighting that importance of this topic on world health!
Many thanks as well for introducing UDL as an overarching framework to guide instructional design. This is a new topic for me and so I m still starting to think about how this applies to post-graduate teaching (the examples on the padlet are great starting points).