By Marshall Raskind, Ph.D. Kristin Stanberry
Assistive technology (AT) is available to help people with different types of disabilities - from cognitive problems to physical deterioration. This article will focus specifically on AT for people with learning disabilities (LD).
The use of technology to enhance learning is an effective approach for many children. In addition, students with learning difficulties often experience greater success when they are allowed to use their abilities (strengths) to work around their disabilities (challenges). AT tools combine the best of both practices.
This article will introduce parents to the role of AT in helping their children with learning difficulties. The better informed you are about AT, the greater the chances that your child will experience success in school, in recreation, and finally at work. You also want to know how to choose AT tools that are reliable and to select the technology that adapts to the individual needs, abilities and experience of your child.
What is assistive technology for LD?
AT for children with learning difficulties are defined as any device, equipment or system that helps bypass, work around or compensate for specific learning deficits of an individual. During the last decade, several studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of AT for people with learning difficulties. 1 AT does not cure or eliminate learning difficulties, but you can help your child reach their full potential, allowing you to capitalize on your strengths and bypass areas of difficulty. For example, a student who struggles with reading but has good listening skills might benefit from listening to audio books.
In general, AT compensates skill deficits of a student or area (s) of disability. However, the use of AT does not mean that a child can not also receive remedial instruction to remedy the deficit (as a software designed to improve the lack of phonic skills). A student could use recovery software reading and listening to audio books. In fact, research has shown that BP can improve certain skill deficits (eg, reading and spelling) .2,3
AT can increase the sense of autonomy and independence of a child. Children who have difficulties in school are often too dependent on parents, siblings, friends and teachers to help with homework. By using AT, children can experience success with working independently.
What kinds of learning problems does assistive technology address?
AT can treat many types of learning disabilities. A student who has difficulty writing can compose a school report by dictating it and have it converted to text by special software. A child struggling with math you can use a hand calculator to keep score while playing a game with a friend. And a teenager with dyslexia may benefit from AT that will read aloud manual online training from your employer. There are AT tools to help students struggling with:
Play
mathematics
Organization and memory
reading
writing
What type of assistive technology tools are available?
The term "assistive technology" is generally applied to hardware and software and electronic devices. However, many tools are now available online. AT tools that support children with learning difficulties include:
abbreviation expanders
alternative keyboards
Audio Books and publications
Electronic Worksheets Math
Software database freely
Graphic organizers and outlining
Information management / data
Optical Character Recognition
Personal FM Listening Systems
Processors portable text
proofreading programs
Voice Recognition Programs
Speech synthesizers / screen readers
talking calculators
Talking spell checkers and electronic dictionaries
Tape recorders variable speed
Word prediction programs
The profile of his son
Here are several factors to consider when evaluating AT products for your child:
What are your specific needs and challenges? In the academic skill areas do not fight?
What are your strengths? AT must use the skills of your child to help offset their disability.
What is your interest, skill and experience in the use of technology? What scenarios and situations that the AT tool is used? AT can help a child with LD function better in school and in other areas such as home, work, social gatherings and recreational events.
Other technology tools for learning
There are other forms of technology designed to help all students, including those with learning difficulties, improve their academic performance. These technologies differ somewhat from AT, but worth mentioning.
Instructional software is used to teach specific academic skills (such as reading and writing) or subject content (such as history and science). It differs from AT in providing instruction instead of going through the areas of difficulty.
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a philosophy that embraces learning models, methods and products to enhance the educational experience of students with diverse needs (whether or not have learning difficulties). In this approach, AT is often built into educational materials and can be customized to help students with disabilities succeed in the general curriculum. © 2008 GreatSchools Inc. All rights reserved. Originally created by Schwab Learning, formerly a program of the Charles and Helen Schwab Foundation.
references
Multiple studies: Collins, 1990; Elkind, 1993; Elkind, Black and Murray, 1996; Higgins and Raskind, 1995; Higgins and Raskind, 1997; MacArthur, 1993, 1998; MacArthur, Schwartz, & Graham, 1991; McNaughton, Hughes & Clark, 1997; Priumus, 1990; Raskind and Higgins, 1995; Raskind, Higgins and Herman, 1997.
Higgins, E. L. & Raskind, M. H. (2000). Speaking to read: The effects of continuous vs. discrete speech recognition systems on the reading and spelling of children with learning disabilities. Journal of Special Education Technology, 15 (1), 19-30.
Raskind, M. H. & Higgins, E. L. (1999). Speaking to read: The effects of speech recognition technology on the reading and spelling performance of children with learning difficulties. Annals of Dyslexia, 49, 251-281.
Reviewed February 2010
12Single Page
Marshall H. Raskind, Ph.D., is a researcher learning disability. He is a frequent speaker at international conferences and LD is the author of numerous professional publications on learning disabilities. He is well known for his research on assistive technology and lifelong LD longitudinal studies tracking.
Kristin Stanberry is a writer and expert on issues of parenting, education, and consumer health / beauty editor. His areas of expertise include learning disabilities and AD / HD, which she wrote about extensively for Schwab Learning and GreatSchools.
related links
Recordings for the Blind and Dyslexic
Alliance for Technology Access
Network of Community Technology Centers (CTCNet)
Family Center on Technology and Disability
Rehabilitation Engineering and Technology Assistance Society of North America (RESNA)
NATTAP State Contact List
Comments (8)
Comments (7)
ADVERTISING
More in Assistive Technology
Assistive Technology Tools: Listening
-E Ssential tips: Parent's Guide to Assistive Technology
Assistive Technology Tools: Reading
Making the most standard technology to enhance learning
Software Programs proofreading
Assistive technology (AT) is available to help people with different types of disabilities - from cognitive problems to physical deterioration. This article will focus specifically on AT for people with learning disabilities (LD).
The use of technology to enhance learning is an effective approach for many children. In addition, students with learning difficulties often experience greater success when they are allowed to use their abilities (strengths) to work around their disabilities (challenges). AT tools combine the best of both practices.
This article will introduce parents to the role of AT in helping their children with learning difficulties. The better informed you are about AT, the greater the chances that your child will experience success in school, in recreation, and finally at work. You also want to know how to choose AT tools that are reliable and to select the technology that adapts to the individual needs, abilities and experience of your child.
What is assistive technology for LD?
AT for children with learning difficulties are defined as any device, equipment or system that helps bypass, work around or compensate for specific learning deficits of an individual. During the last decade, several studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of AT for people with learning difficulties. 1 AT does not cure or eliminate learning difficulties, but you can help your child reach their full potential, allowing you to capitalize on your strengths and bypass areas of difficulty. For example, a student who struggles with reading but has good listening skills might benefit from listening to audio books.
In general, AT compensates skill deficits of a student or area (s) of disability. However, the use of AT does not mean that a child can not also receive remedial instruction to remedy the deficit (as a software designed to improve the lack of phonic skills). A student could use recovery software reading and listening to audio books. In fact, research has shown that BP can improve certain skill deficits (eg, reading and spelling) .2,3
AT can increase the sense of autonomy and independence of a child. Children who have difficulties in school are often too dependent on parents, siblings, friends and teachers to help with homework. By using AT, children can experience success with working independently.
What kinds of learning problems does assistive technology address?
AT can treat many types of learning disabilities. A student who has difficulty writing can compose a school report by dictating it and have it converted to text by special software. A child struggling with math you can use a hand calculator to keep score while playing a game with a friend. And a teenager with dyslexia may benefit from AT that will read aloud manual online training from your employer. There are AT tools to help students struggling with:
Play
mathematics
Organization and memory
reading
writing
What type of assistive technology tools are available?
The term "assistive technology" is generally applied to hardware and software and electronic devices. However, many tools are now available online. AT tools that support children with learning difficulties include:
abbreviation expanders
alternative keyboards
Audio Books and publications
Electronic Worksheets Math
Software database freely
Graphic organizers and outlining
Information management / data
Optical Character Recognition
Personal FM Listening Systems
Processors portable text
proofreading programs
Voice Recognition Programs
Speech synthesizers / screen readers
talking calculators
Talking spell checkers and electronic dictionaries
Tape recorders variable speed
Word prediction programs
The profile of his son
Here are several factors to consider when evaluating AT products for your child:
What are your specific needs and challenges? In the academic skill areas do not fight?
What are your strengths? AT must use the skills of your child to help offset their disability.
What is your interest, skill and experience in the use of technology? What scenarios and situations that the AT tool is used? AT can help a child with LD function better in school and in other areas such as home, work, social gatherings and recreational events.
Other technology tools for learning
There are other forms of technology designed to help all students, including those with learning difficulties, improve their academic performance. These technologies differ somewhat from AT, but worth mentioning.
Instructional software is used to teach specific academic skills (such as reading and writing) or subject content (such as history and science). It differs from AT in providing instruction instead of going through the areas of difficulty.
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a philosophy that embraces learning models, methods and products to enhance the educational experience of students with diverse needs (whether or not have learning difficulties). In this approach, AT is often built into educational materials and can be customized to help students with disabilities succeed in the general curriculum. © 2008 GreatSchools Inc. All rights reserved. Originally created by Schwab Learning, formerly a program of the Charles and Helen Schwab Foundation.
references
Multiple studies: Collins, 1990; Elkind, 1993; Elkind, Black and Murray, 1996; Higgins and Raskind, 1995; Higgins and Raskind, 1997; MacArthur, 1993, 1998; MacArthur, Schwartz, & Graham, 1991; McNaughton, Hughes & Clark, 1997; Priumus, 1990; Raskind and Higgins, 1995; Raskind, Higgins and Herman, 1997.
Higgins, E. L. & Raskind, M. H. (2000). Speaking to read: The effects of continuous vs. discrete speech recognition systems on the reading and spelling of children with learning disabilities. Journal of Special Education Technology, 15 (1), 19-30.
Raskind, M. H. & Higgins, E. L. (1999). Speaking to read: The effects of speech recognition technology on the reading and spelling performance of children with learning difficulties. Annals of Dyslexia, 49, 251-281.
Reviewed February 2010
12Single Page
Marshall H. Raskind, Ph.D., is a researcher learning disability. He is a frequent speaker at international conferences and LD is the author of numerous professional publications on learning disabilities. He is well known for his research on assistive technology and lifelong LD longitudinal studies tracking.
Kristin Stanberry is a writer and expert on issues of parenting, education, and consumer health / beauty editor. His areas of expertise include learning disabilities and AD / HD, which she wrote about extensively for Schwab Learning and GreatSchools.
related links
Recordings for the Blind and Dyslexic
Alliance for Technology Access
Network of Community Technology Centers (CTCNet)
Family Center on Technology and Disability
Rehabilitation Engineering and Technology Assistance Society of North America (RESNA)
NATTAP State Contact List
Comments (8)
Comments (7)
ADVERTISING
More in Assistive Technology
Assistive Technology Tools: Listening
-E Ssential tips: Parent's Guide to Assistive Technology
Assistive Technology Tools: Reading
Making the most standard technology to enhance learning
Software Programs proofreading
No comments:
Post a Comment