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
Reflection:
I completed the Assistive Technology Implementation Plan in ITEC 7445 Multimedia Web Design during the summer of 2019. I selected it as the artifact to demonstrate mastery of standard 3.4 Adaptive and Assistive Technology because the Assistive Technology Implementation Plan was written to support a PreK student diagnosed with non-verbal Autism, whose communication disability proved challenging at home and school. Although I completed the plan individually, I utilized input from valuable sources, including from parents, the IEP team, and therapists. The purpose of this plan was to create communication goals for the student, and to provide adaptive and assistive technologies to help her communicate basic words and phrases at home and school.
Standard 3.4, Adaptive and Assistive Technology, challenges candidates to facilitate the use of adaptive and assistive technologies to support individual student learning needs. As outlined in the plan, I researched and identified an AT application that would hopefully increase the student’s ability to communicate. I chose the I CAN Communication app and worked with the family to initiate implementation of the technology. Through this process, I demonstrated my ability to facilitate the use of adaptive and assistive technologies (AT) to support the student’s individual learning needs. I consulted with the family to create a vocabulary list of most common expressions and favorite things that the child may wish to communicate about. Then, I provided the student with a tablet with the I CAN Communicate app pre-loaded with those vocabulary targets and visual images. I worked with the parents to teach them to update and add vocabulary and phrases and we worked together with the student to model and practice using the app for communication. Upon completion of the Implementation plan, the family has continued to use the app to help with communication with the child.
In completing this artifact, I learned that students with disabilities sometimes require special focus to improve their quality of education. It is important for teachers to understand the use of adaptive and assistive technologies and how AT serves students with disabilities to promote learning. The student I worked with was previously extremely limited in her communication and her parents usually “played the guessing game” to determine what she wanted. This AT provided them with an opportunity to help their child become more expressive with her wishes and emotions. I also learned the importance and value in reviewing students’ IEP plans to obtain information about student habits, stakeholders wishes, and assistance already in place. If I could suggest one thing to my Summer 2019 self, that would improve the artifact, it would be to take pictures of the product or create short videos working with the student to document facilitation of the AT use.
While the work that went into creating this artifact had no direct impact on overall school improvement, it did improve faculty development for myself, and improve student learning potential for the student of focus. I now have a deeper understanding about working with a child with special needs, researching and identifying potential assistive technologies and devices, and writing Assistive Technology Implementation Plans. In feedback through the student’s parents, I have been told that the communication app was helpful for communicating feelings and desires in a better way than previously. The app was also used to reinforce sign language learning and practice. The student has continued to grow and now does well in several areas of academics, and she still uses a communication app.
I completed the Assistive Technology Implementation Plan in ITEC 7445 Multimedia Web Design during the summer of 2019. I selected it as the artifact to demonstrate mastery of standard 3.4 Adaptive and Assistive Technology because the Assistive Technology Implementation Plan was written to support a PreK student diagnosed with non-verbal Autism, whose communication disability proved challenging at home and school. Although I completed the plan individually, I utilized input from valuable sources, including from parents, the IEP team, and therapists. The purpose of this plan was to create communication goals for the student, and to provide adaptive and assistive technologies to help her communicate basic words and phrases at home and school.
Standard 3.4, Adaptive and Assistive Technology, challenges candidates to facilitate the use of adaptive and assistive technologies to support individual student learning needs. As outlined in the plan, I researched and identified an AT application that would hopefully increase the student’s ability to communicate. I chose the I CAN Communication app and worked with the family to initiate implementation of the technology. Through this process, I demonstrated my ability to facilitate the use of adaptive and assistive technologies (AT) to support the student’s individual learning needs. I consulted with the family to create a vocabulary list of most common expressions and favorite things that the child may wish to communicate about. Then, I provided the student with a tablet with the I CAN Communicate app pre-loaded with those vocabulary targets and visual images. I worked with the parents to teach them to update and add vocabulary and phrases and we worked together with the student to model and practice using the app for communication. Upon completion of the Implementation plan, the family has continued to use the app to help with communication with the child.
In completing this artifact, I learned that students with disabilities sometimes require special focus to improve their quality of education. It is important for teachers to understand the use of adaptive and assistive technologies and how AT serves students with disabilities to promote learning. The student I worked with was previously extremely limited in her communication and her parents usually “played the guessing game” to determine what she wanted. This AT provided them with an opportunity to help their child become more expressive with her wishes and emotions. I also learned the importance and value in reviewing students’ IEP plans to obtain information about student habits, stakeholders wishes, and assistance already in place. If I could suggest one thing to my Summer 2019 self, that would improve the artifact, it would be to take pictures of the product or create short videos working with the student to document facilitation of the AT use.
While the work that went into creating this artifact had no direct impact on overall school improvement, it did improve faculty development for myself, and improve student learning potential for the student of focus. I now have a deeper understanding about working with a child with special needs, researching and identifying potential assistive technologies and devices, and writing Assistive Technology Implementation Plans. In feedback through the student’s parents, I have been told that the communication app was helpful for communicating feelings and desires in a better way than previously. The app was also used to reinforce sign language learning and practice. The student has continued to grow and now does well in several areas of academics, and she still uses a communication app.