Initial thoughts are in red. Post project reflection is in blue.

1. What should teachers know about assistive technology and how it is used by students with
disabilities?

Classroom teachers should know the technology available to help all the students in their
classrooms succeed. Generally, assistive technology ensures that learning is equitable for
students with disabilities. For example, I’ve noticed in all the online modules I’ve done so far
that there are options to read transcripts, alternate viewing links, or closed captioning for
videos. This is an example of assistive technology that ensures equitable access for deaf and
hear-impaired students.

Teachers need to know the child—his needs, strengths, and weaknesses. In my field
experience, I was surprised that the child I met with, who has dyslexia, dysgraphia, and
ADHD, did not need text-to-speech assistance. While most of the AT—software, apps,
devices—I had researched for reading disabilities involved some type of text-to-speech
function, this kid preferred interacting with print rather than auditory text, although he uses
speech-to-text frequently when he writes. What’s important for teachers to know is that
each child is an individual, and it’s important to find the right tech that’s the right fit for that
individual, academically and socially. It takes a team of people to monitor and evaluate AT
including, the student, teachers, technology specialists, media specialists, special education
teachers, and academic tutors (in my child’s case).

Additionally, I was surprised to read in the IRIS Center module that students with learning
disabilities are often underserved by AT, while students with physical disabilities are more
likely to have an AT plan as part of their IEP (“Considering Assistive Technology”, 2019, p. 4).
I certainly had that misconception in my initial thoughts about assistive tech (the only
student I have taught with an obvious AT was hearing-impaired). It’s important for
classroom teachers to know that students with learning disabilities can also benefit from a
host of different technologies to help them meet the standards outlined in their IEP’s.
Although it is not required for classroom teachers to know everything there is to know about
AT, it is important that they know the school resources available to them. Classroom
teachers should seek support when they have questions about how best to assist a child with
technology (“Tips for Teachers,” 2019, p. 7)

Another misconception I had is that all assistive technologies must be essential to a child’s
functioning. By this, I mean that I erroneously thought that AT was only AT if a student could
not meet their IEP goals without that technology. However, now I see that there is a range of
assistive technologies from no-tech to high-tech and everything in between that may help a
student function in essential and less-essential tasks (Roblyer & Hughes, 2019, p.315). For
example, in my field experience, I observed that while Sam could write by hand—given more
time and much more effort than the average kid—dictation software allowed him to focus on
content or higher-level thinking helping him get more out from the learning experience.
While Sam can write by hand and dictation tools are not essential to his functioning, they
help him get the most out of his classroom environment, which I now see as the goal of AT.

2. What are the school's responsibilities regarding assistive technology?

While I’ve noticed, in ITEC courses specifically, special attention paid to technology for
students with disabilities, I don’t think I can say the same for my school. I feel that it is a
school’s and a technology coach’s responsibility to educate teachers and staff about their
options and requirements for assistive technology that supports the needs of all learners. I
also feel that schools and technology coaches should be asking for feedback from students
periodically to see how they can better support teachers and students.

This was the question I was least confident in answering initially, before this project. In order
to make sure that students who need AT get the services they require, schools should
provide on-going training for IEP teams, so that they can avoid the “Consideration Paradox,”
where teams chose technology without a sufficient knowledge of available resources
(“Considering Assistive Technology,” 2019, p. 4). It seems very important the teachers in
special education are part of a school’s technology team, and can redeliver available options
to colleagues.

Additionally, schools should know the state guidelines for AT selection, acquisition,
evaluation, and training (“Legal Mandates”, 2019). Schools aren’t just required to select the
appropriate technology to help a child succeed, which is a common misconception. They are
also required to buy or borrow this technology and fit or adapt it to meet the specific use of
the individual who needs it (“Legal Mandates,” 2019). According to the IRIS Center, schools
that understand their legal obligations go beyond simply selecting a technology are more
likely have successful use of AT in their school environment (“Implementing Assistive
Technology,” 2019, p.5). Schools are also required to evaluate the effectiveness of this
technology— Is it working? Does it need to be adjusted? Or would a different technology lead
to better classroom performance? Next, as mentioned before, schools are required to
provide the training necessary for the successful implementation of an AT device.

My field experience was enlightening concerning this question as well because the student I
interviewed goes to a private school. Therefore, his parents were the ones paying for
evaluation services and assistive technologies, and they are largely the ones responsible for
seeking out training on existing technology to support their son. They work with a team of
people to support the needs of their son, but the initiative is parent-led. I can understand
why the IDEA 2004 requires the school to perform all these functions for special education
and AT. From talking to the parents, it sounds like supporting the learning needs of a child
with his disability profile is in itself a full-time job.

3. What can classroom teachers do to help their students fully succeed in their use of
assistive technology?
Classroom teachers can assess the initial technology needs of students through a learning
inventory survey. It appears that classroom teachers should meet certain minimum basic
requirements and also adjust their use of classroom technology based on the learners in
their classrooms. Classroom teachers can give surveys or ask for formative feedback to
reflection on how they are doing and make any needed changes to their use of classroom
technology.

While my initial thoughts were somewhat correct—teachers should evaluate a student’s need
and follow up with that student for continuing support—I tended to think of helping students
in their use of assistive technology as a full class activity, rather than a one-on-one
conversation. While I might involve the whole class in training on a new technology, it might
be best to assess and follow up with each student with a disability individually so that I can
get information face-to-face that I might not get from a survey or “learning inventory.”

I like the recommendations from the IRIS Center on the “Tips for Teachers” (2019) page and
their 3 categories: understanding a student’s needs, encouraging AT use, and collaborating
and communicating (p. 7). As I found in my field experience, understanding a student’s
needs is a complex undertaking, one that will probably require input from parents, teachers,
the students and the IEP team. Teachers will also have to be patient with the student as she
learns the technology. I like the suggestion of the teacher learning the assistive technology
along with the student so that both can have more insight to how it work to support student
learning (“Tips for Teachers,” 2019, p.7).

I also think that it’s important to make sure that the AT isn’t socially isolating or
stigmatizing the student in the classroom environment. Sam is in 3 rd grade. His mom tells
me that when he’s pulled from the general education class for extra practice reading with his
tutor, he feels special and struts from his desk to the door. I can see if Sam felt ashamed by
the extra attention he received that it might be a factor keeping him from success. The same
goes for a student with an AT, especially one that isn’t an inclusive technology. Teachers
should take care to check in with the student regularly to make sure that they feel special,
not stigmatized.

Lastly, while I didn’t mention it in my initial thoughts whatsoever, teachers should reach out
to parents, expert websites, and the student’s IEP and AT teams whenever they need
support. Additionally, they should share what is and what is not working with these groups.
There is only so much any one person can do and clear and communication seems like an
important factor in successful integration.
 References

Considering Assistive Technology. (2019). Retrieved July 16, 2019, from

iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/module/at/cresource/q2/p04/#content

Implementing Assistive Technology. (2019). Retrieved from

iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/module/at/cresource/q2/p05/#content

Legal Mandates for Assistive Technology. (2019). Retrieved July 16, 2019, from

www.gpat.org/Georgia-Project-for-Assistive-Technology/Pages/Legal-Mandates-

for-Assistive-Technology.aspx

Roblyer, M. D., & Hughes, J. E. (2018). Integrating educational technology into

teaching. New York: Pearson.

Tips for Teachers. (2019). Retrieved July 16, 2019, from

iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/module/at/cresource/q3/p07/#content