The Journey's End (A Final Reflection)

As my Assistive Technology course is coming to an end, I wanted to take some time to reflect on my educational journey. Throughout the course of these past few months I have learned and experienced so many new things in the realm of special education, Universal Design for Learning, and Assistive technology. Through my research, readings, posts, and reflections, I have grown so much as both a student and a teacher. I have gained a greater perspective on the importance of designing interactive lessons that meet all of the diverse needs of today’s students and how to use the three principles of Universal Design for Learning to provide my students with options for engagement, action and expression, and representation. I have been exposed to so many amazing options for assistive technology that I had no idea existed before this course. I now have a library of low-tech to high-tech options that I can incorporate into my future classroom. I will continue to use this blog as hub for my special education resources! I plan to add additional, relevant information here as I continue to work towards my Special Education Certification!

Thank you for taking this journey with me! I cannot wait to explore again with you all soon!

Apps that Provide Visual Supports

Although my previous post highlighted the different assistive technologies that can be used for students with disabilities that attend college, assistive technology can also be used to support students with disabilities who are not attending college. There are applications that are designed for mobile devices that can be used to provide visual supports, including picture schedules, activity schedules, and social stories. These are great for students with cognitive disabilities, multiple disabilities, or autism, because they often have issues with self-management and personal organization.

Below are some examples of apps that can be used:

• iPrompt

• iCommunicate

• First-Then

• Visual Schedule Planner

AT Accommodations for Students with Disabilities in College

There are no IEPs in college. Although the IEPs do not follow the students into higher education, there are still accommodations and assistive technologies that are available for students to use during classes, testing situations and when completing assignments. Under Section 504 and the ADA, colleges must provide reasonable accommodations to make their program accessible to students with disabilities and no cost to the student.

Some examples of accommodations available to college students with disabilities include:

• Computers
• Portable note taker
• Sign language interpreters
• Assistive listening system
• Extended time
• Alternate forms of text
• Use of a calculator
• Text-to-speech software 
• Audio books
• Screen magnification applications
• Graphic organizer applications
• Providing a telecommunication device for the deaf (TTY) 

Making It Work: Implementing Assistive Technology

Guide to Effective Implementation of AT 
Just like the resource that I provided in my previous post, the resource above is a great aid in making the process of implementing assistive technology easier. The guide highlights 7 sections, each correlating with important aspects of the implementation process. These sections include Gather Relevant Information, Establish IEP Goals, Conduct Assistive Technology Trials, Identify Assistive Technology Solutions, and Develop AT Implementation Plan, Adapt Lessons for Technology Integration, and Follow Up and Plan Transition. Each step is explained, has additional resources, and provides examples. I really found this resource to be helpful and I suggest that you check out this resource and keep it as part of your assistive technology tool kit!

Assistive Technology Consideration Resource

Implementation Form Example

The form from University of Kentucky provided in the link above is an amazing resource for educators or IEP teams. This form provides a guideline for assistive technology considerations and can really help with them implementation processes. The form provides options of consideration, frequency of use, and action steps. Another great feature is that the form also lists functional areas with an area to comment on demands that the student is unable to successfully perform without assistance. I suggest you take a look at the document and explore some of its great features!

Here is an example of what the form provides: