mvillaweek5

Notes:2/26/08


assistive technology centers: PHP


how within sp ed component to collaborate to have an indepartment/inschool to take students to use the resouces or use the resources in class.


NO tech/low tech/medium tech/hightech: can have a place like a library


Mac's: software for free: website: thefreemac.com





at is a compensetory tool, helps augment learning, social skills where they might not otherwise be able to. do this early, start





try to remediate so they are as independant as possible. teach what they need to know later in school or life. something that is going to cary them over to the next grade.





Download the no tech/lowtech; reading difficulties: download and read tonight. what kinds of compensetory strategies for students if they are in later grades, and not reading at at least a 3rd grade level. Homepage for download: public to find the lowtech/notech





set framework: march 18





at: onion mountain, wati, gpat: look at these websites tonight. quiet listserve linnie le


closing the gap, otap: look at these websites. fctd.info/resources/fig. http://www.atto.buffalo.edu/





wested.org/tdl





the least intrusive as possible for at.





macs0s10: mouse pose to download, text edit plus, books to burn





examples of AT: pencil grips, graph paper, highlighters, writing guides (adjustable), book holders, reading guides (adjustable), multiplication charts, highlighter tape, post its, software for speech to text-text to speech, textbooks on CD's, different kinds of scissors, graphic organizers,





Next Week: Ennis Cosby





Reflection:


I was always under the impression that Assitive technology was required by law to be used with students with disabilities. After reading "Assistive Technology Laws", it still seems to me that it is required by law if a student needs it, especially according to FAPE. If a student requires an AT device to assist in learning, that device needs to be used. The district I work for tells us that we ALWAYS have to check the AT box on the IEP, so I do always check the box. I use AT in my class a lot becuase almost anything can be considered AT. Today, I used a post-it for a student who was trying a long division problem with a multidigit dividend (he didn't use it though, but I will continue to try it with others as well as him). In my classroom, I am constantly finding new AT, like the post-it, to assist with student learning. It seems to me that all students, even students without disabilities would benefit from AT, because it seems like anything can be AT, even an eraser. Using AT in all classrooms for all students sounds like differentiated teaching, or UDL to me, especially the no tech, low tech AT.

As for AT and the IEP, although I do check the AT box, and write low tech devices that can be found in the classroom, like multiplication charts etc., it is not throughly discussed in the IEP meeting. This is something that I have to work on in my IEP meetings. Also, I need to work on incorporating more people from the IEP team to discuss AT needs.