Adaptive technology

Identify technology-enhanced strategies that will assist a student with that special need in understanding and "being successful" with your content area and/or grade level. Describe the strategy (include links where appropriate) and HOW it will increase the chances that a student with that special need will be successful with the topic/s covered in grade level and/or content area. Students with

Students with Cognitive Difficulties Students with Physical Difficulties Students with Sensory Difficulties At-Risk Students Gifted and Talented Students

Students with Cognitive Difficulties

In our school district students with cognitive difficulties are coded ES1 and ES2, this designation is arrived at after extensive testing, and teacher and parent input using a systematic process. Most ES1 and 2 students are diagnosed as having below 70 IQ, or having Down syndrome, or are Autistic. These students need special help and adaptions to ensure they are successful in school, there are several useful tools to assist in this process. They include both: Mindmodo and NaturalReader

Mindmdo is a mind mapping application that allows students to help organize their thoughts and ideas in a visually identifiable manner that then allows the student to have clarity of thought and expression of ideas. As lessons are modified for their students to ensure success, having the tools necessary to understand cause and effect, or timeline of events in social studies is a crucial skill, having Mindmoto as tool will assist these learners.

Many students in the ES1 or 2 program have difficulty expressing themselves due to their impairments, having the speech to text software, NaturalReader will allow students to be able to express the ideas they have formulated on their own or through the use of programs such as Mindmoto. We expect students to be able to demonstrate understanding of material and having the speech to text software will allow these students to participate and show their social studies understanding.

Students with Physical Disabilities

Students with physical disabilities can vary in their lack of mobility. Given the wide range of impairments that a teacher can encounter in the classroom I have chosen 2 different programs that will assist the students and teacher in the social studies classroom to assist in their success. They are Dynaox EyeMax and IntelliKeys

Social studies requires students to be able to read, discuss and formulate responses to challenging questions and problems. Students with physical disabilities will be able to use DynaMax as a tool where students use their yes to manipulate the keyboard. The software tracks the users eye movement and allows the physically impaired user to easily communicate using this sophisticated technology. IntelliKeys is an alternative to a traditional keyboard, it allows for multi configurable options depending upon a users disability. The goal with both of these alternative keyboards is to allow students to communicate, having a physical disability does not hinder a persons cognitive ability and with these tools, students can actively participate in social studies assignment, group work or complete activities in a more independent manner. Here is a video on a user being trained on a DynaMax system

Students with Sensory Disabilities

Students with sensory disabilities could include visually and auditory challenges, this could include partial to complete loss of these senses. The ability to communicate in school and social studies is crucial skill needed for students success, lacking auditory abilities while a challenge, the student can be assisted with several software and hardware products, for example: JAWS Screen Reading Software and the FM Sound System

The JAWS screen reading software by Freedom Scientific allows students that are visually impaired to use this App to allow them to write using a speech to text application. Social studies students have to communicate through creating essays, the creation of Blogs and responses to students discussions and other forms of project creation. This program will allow those visually impaired to be as creative as a non-impaired student. The JAWS FM sound System is a in class broadcast system. The teacher wears a local FM broadcasting device connected to a headphone microphone system. As the teacher talks in class the FM system broadcasts it to an in class speaker system that makes speech very clear for the classroom. The sound system improves the quality of sound without increasing the volume of

sound in the classroom, the FM system improves the quality of teachers speech for all students, even non auditory challenged students will benefit from clarity of discussions and teacher spoken words. While this system wont help the deaf it will help those with limited or restricted hearing.

At Risk Students
At risk students are students at risk to dropping out of school. This may be caused by a number of factors, poor academic success, poverty, lack of role models, lack of motivation, or just academic struggles due to an un diagnosed learning impairment. The two applications that will assist these students n Social Studies are:

Blbberize and PowToon

These Web based programs are designed to increase at rish students engagement in the learning process. Many at risk students often fail because they do not hand in assignments, and theu resulting in poor report card marks, generating a negative view of themselves. The program Blbberize allows students to take an image and add their voice to the image. This tool can be used to make presenting easier and engaging at the same time. At risk students can have some laughs and learn at the same time. Many social studies assignments are reports of some sort, Blabberize allows users to present their knowledge and understanding in a way that helps to engage these learners. PowToon is an online presentation tool that is much more interactive and user friendly because the site has preset drag and drop images, animations and sounds. The PowToon site allows for the presentation to be shared through social media thus further enticing these students to share their work outside of school. This presentation tool helps students create projects that will not only engage the creator but the viewer as well. We all have been bored with MS PowerPoint presentations that are boring and static, PowToon offers a free alternative to increase student engagement.

Talented and Gifted Students

Gifted and talented students can often struggle in school as well, they find the pace too slow, the material too simple or boring. Many times we see gifted and talented students becoming at risk students because they are not challenged by the school system. Teachers need to treat these students differently in the sense that they need to be challenged, to work hard and to find what motivates them. The resources now available on the Web have improved dramatically; students can explore concepts and ideas in depth and in the areas of interest to the individual student. The resources I found include Webquest and Coursera. Webquest allows students to explore, in a controlled manner many different areas of study and interest. Webquests follow a predesigned formula with clear goals and supporting material, this makes it easier for the classroom social studies teacher to have the gifted student to complete a Webquest after they have completed the regular class material or as an alternative. The other resource I have linked is Cousera, this Web based recourse is a clearing house for free on line University classes. There are several programs like this, iTunes U, and Open Culture is another, these sights allow the gifted student to participate in University classes from the comfort of their classroom or home, they are free and allow a student to explore and advance their learning on a host of topics and material. He courses completed do not count for credits towards a degree but are a free resource to assist or support gifted and talented students enhance their learning experience. Webquest and Coursera

In conclusion, the wide range of resources available to assist students with a special need or adaption to assist their learning is classroom has grown exponentially since the advent of the

internet. And now with Web 2.0 as a platform there are many free or low cost assistive technologies. As a society we are encouraged to embrace and support all learners in the classroom, it is ion the end the benefit to us, it allo9ws for and equitable response to a need. We assist people in society outside of school and providing access to an education that can dramatically change a persons life, allow them to reach for their greatest potential, technology is a great equalizer with regards to students with disabilities.