3.4 Adaptive and Assistive Technology
Candidates facilitate the use of adaptive and assistive technologies to support individual student learning needs. (PSC 3.4/ISTE 3d)
Artifact: Assistive Technology Implementation Plan, ITEC7445.
Reflection:
The assistive technology implementation plan was a plan made to assist a student improve upon her reading and writing skills as stated in her IEP goals. The project identified a software application and a technology that would help read and write with little support and be able to complete class exercises on time.
The technologies identified to help the student were the text-to-speech, word prediction and voice recognition technologies. Tools to needed were identified and the personnel involved in implementing the student's IEP goals, together with the language arts and social studies teachers, formed a team to determine how to implement the technology.
In the project, OCR software was installed on the computers to help convert pdf formatted text into editable text that can be read by a text-to-speech software to the student. An iPad app was also identified for the student to help her process printed text from textbooks to speech. The student was guided through the use of voice recognition software on the computer. The voice recognition and word prediction software would help the student type assignments on time and be able to keep up with the activities of the class. The text-to-speech software would help the student grasp the information from printed text quicker.
The technology would be useful for all students and it is appropriate that teachers incorporate it all lessons. However the speech that comes from the LeadTools OCR app does not sound natural. If this technology should be implemented again, other apps with more natural speech should be explored.
The assistive technology implementation plan was a plan made to assist a student improve upon her reading and writing skills as stated in her IEP goals. The project identified a software application and a technology that would help read and write with little support and be able to complete class exercises on time.
The technologies identified to help the student were the text-to-speech, word prediction and voice recognition technologies. Tools to needed were identified and the personnel involved in implementing the student's IEP goals, together with the language arts and social studies teachers, formed a team to determine how to implement the technology.
In the project, OCR software was installed on the computers to help convert pdf formatted text into editable text that can be read by a text-to-speech software to the student. An iPad app was also identified for the student to help her process printed text from textbooks to speech. The student was guided through the use of voice recognition software on the computer. The voice recognition and word prediction software would help the student type assignments on time and be able to keep up with the activities of the class. The text-to-speech software would help the student grasp the information from printed text quicker.
The technology would be useful for all students and it is appropriate that teachers incorporate it all lessons. However the speech that comes from the LeadTools OCR app does not sound natural. If this technology should be implemented again, other apps with more natural speech should be explored.