An Assistive Technology Toolkit: Type II Applications for Students with Mild Disabilities

Teachers have the responsibility to provide each and every individual student; whether they have a disability or not; with the best quality education. In this article: “An Assistive Technology Toolkit: Type II Applications for Students with Mild Disabilities”, two quotes that “spoke to me” were “This world of possibility for access to learning, however, has not yet been attained in our classrooms. Although continuing advances in technology applications offer the possibility, and legislative intents hold the promise, moving technology use to a world of reality will take concerted efforts among teachers, students, and teacher educators…”(Kathleen Puckett,2009). Assistive Technology has an increasingly important role to play in helping special education students achieve general education outcomes.”(Anderson-Inman, 1999; Behrman & Jerome, 2002; Fisher & Frey, 2001; Male, 2003; Rachow & Rachow, 2004; Rose & Meyer, 2002).
Legislation has made a point that it is important to give each student that has a mild disability, a chance to prove their capability to succeed in the general education classroom. Throughout the other article, “Assistive Technology Inclusion”, Joey was an excellent example of a student that used Assistive Technology which gave him access to actively participate with his peers and in the activities. This assistive technology would significantly change a student’s life and confirm their confidence to participate in the general education curriculum. Joey’s life was significantly changed and because of this change he has improved and has continued to grow and achieve his academic goals.
What can teachers do to help students with disabilities succeed in the general education curriculum? It is important to recognize that in the first quote it voices the problem of gaining access of assistive technology for the classroom. Access to assistive technology can open the doors of opportunities for the students with disabilities to participate and feel a part of the general education classroom. It is important to see what these students are really capable of doing anything if given the chance to use an alternative resource for their success. If technology can make it easier for something to be read, defined, translated, captured, or transformed then it is our duty to make sure that students have access to this organizational software. As a student, I encounter many mental and physical developmental challenges. I had to be taken out of the classroom sometimes to accommodate my needs. I was determined to do whatever it took to be in the classroom like everyone else and succeed academically. In many of my conferences, my parents voiced that I should have immediate attention to my goals. The built in supports that I used help me succeed developmentally and academically. The alternative resources accommodations that I used were software learning programs, small group accommodations for testing, modified assignments, aids to assist me with writing, equipment for developmental strengthening, having a scribe, physically conditioning activities to build up my strength so I could walk normally. Assistive Technology helps teachers discover how they could help me achieve my academic goals.
How teachers eliminate limiting students a quality education? In the second quote, I discover that assistive technology is proven to play the role in helping special education students achieve their academic successes in the general education curriculum. This inspired me and it voices the recognition that any student can succeed so long as they have their alternative resources at hand. Students should not feel in any way that they are limited of gaining the best quality education that they can pursue. It may be challenging but it is worth to observe and show that students with disabilities are capable of anything if provide access to alternative assistive resources. Once teachers recognized what they could do to help me succeed they use several testing skills and provided me with other useful software where I could increase my development and skills where they saw I needed the most improvement. I grew confident that I was capable of doing anything once I set my mind to it. If teachers eliminate from just going by the diagnosis of “Students with disabilities are limited”, they can recognize the student’s true academic capabilities and successes and apply alternative learning and developmental strategies that will help them achieve their academic goals.
How can assistive technology useful for both teachers and students? I discovered that it is important that teachers should integrate the curriculum with assistive technology. It can be a useful resource to make electronic worksheets, assignments, or any given lesson opportunity to seek outstanding results and developmental skills improve. Teachers can give students an open-ended assignment where they can use technology and this can increase the development for students to learn higher critical thinking skills. This suggests that teachers are getting a technology skill education and they can provide students with accessible assignments that can be open-ended and can increase their educational development in any specific academic area. I found it helpful to have open-ended assignments because it gave me the chance to be a part of the classroom and participate and give my individual thoughts of the answer. Working in the classroom with other students on group presentations and technological presentations showed my creative capability of research and creative ideas that I could contribute to the presentation. Having access to Technology assistive support, I began my journey to improve my strengths and weaknesses developmentally and mentally to become the hard-working student I am today.
Assistive Technology played a significant role in Joey’s and my life; it provided us a supportive alternative resource that we could use and achieve academically. It created great opportunities to interact with their peers. Teachers need to research multiple advance assistive technology that will help improve student’s life, academic, and developmental skills. I and Joey both felt a part of the core curriculum and that we could achieve at anything and not feel like we were limited to do something the other students could do. Teachers need to pay close attention to the needs of students with mild disabilities for the sake of the children being successful in the future.














References
Anderson-Inman, L. (1999). Computer-based solutions for secondary students with learning disabilities: Emerging issues. Reading & Writing Quarterly, 15 (3), 239-249.
Behrmann, M., & Jerome, M.K. (2002). Assistive technology for students with mild disabilities: Update 2002. ERIC Digest E623. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 463595).
Fisher, D. , & Frey, N. (2001). Access to the core curriculum: Critical ingredients for success. Remedial and Special Education,22,148-157.
Male, M. (2003). Technology for inclusion: Meeting the special needs of all students (4th ed). Boston: Ally &Bacon.
Puckett, Kathleen (2005). An Assistive Technology Toolkit: Type II Applications for students with Mild Disabilities. The Haworth Press Inc., 22, Retrieved 5/16/09, from www.haworthpress.com/web/CITS
Rachow, R., & Rachow, C. (2004). SKIP-Secondary Kurzweil Implementation Project. Closing the Gap, 22(6), 10-12,23.
Rose, D., & Meyer, A. (2000). Universal design for individual differences. Educational Leadership, 58(3) 39- 43.
Sax, Pumpian, Fisher, C. , I, D (November 1995). Assistive Technology and Inclusion. Interwork Institute, Retrieved 5/16/09, from http://www.newhorizons.org/spneeds/inclusion/teaching/sax.htm