2. Students With Special Needs Young children with disabilities need an enriched environment to promote their social and cognitive participation and growth. Technologies, from low to high-tech, can play a role in promoting their participation, but are often underutilized.
3. Students With Special Needs Kids with delayed skills or other disabilities might be eligible for special services that provide individualized education programs in public schools, free of charge to families. Understanding how to access these services can help parents be effective advocates for their kids. Parents can now work with educators to develop a plan — the individualized education program (IEP) — to help kids succeed in school. The IEP describes the goals the team sets for a child during the school year, as well as any special support needed to help achieve them.
4. Students with ADhd Research indicates that children with ADHD are at considerable risk for academic underachievement and that these difficulties are also associated with factors other than the behavioral symptoms of ADHD. Students with ADHD often benefit from instructional approaches that are explicit in their specific objectives, actions, and goals. For example, in teaching writing strategies, students with ADHD benefit from instruction that is highly explicit and incorporates think-aloud procedures with guided practice in applying the strategies.
5. Students with auditory disabilities Hearing impaired students often learn to "feign" comprehension with the end result being that the student does have optimal learning opportunities. Therefore, facilitative strategies for hearing impaired students are primarily concerned with various aspects of communication. If available, use Assistive Learning Devices. These devices consist of a transmitter that sends electronically enhanced sound to receivers worn by individuals who are hard-of-hearing.
6. Students with mild learning disabilities One of the most common learning characteristics of children with mild general learning disabilities is that they have difficulty mastering academic content. In addition, these students frequently have difficulty with social behaviors and in finding appropriate work once their formal education is completed. Often individuals with MLD will display one or more of the following characteristics: Delayed conceptual development Difficulties with memory Slow speech and language development Limited social skills Limited attention span and poor retention ability Decreased motivation Lack of coordination and of gross and fine motor skills A minority may also have varying degrees of hearing or visual impairment
7. Assistive technology Assistive technology or adaptive technology (AT) is an umbrella term that includes assistive, adaptive, and rehabilitative devices for people with disabilities and also includes the process used in selecting, locating, and using them. AT promotes greater independence by enabling people to perform tasks that they were formerly unable to accomplish, or had great difficulty accomplishing. The use of Assistive Technology (AT) for students with disabilities can increase their capabilities and independence in both in and out of school settings. These items can be used for communication and productive or to provide an individual with an opportunity to experience recreational opportunities. Individuals with serious sensory disabilities such as physical disabilities, visual impairments or deafness have benefited more than any other group of individuals from advances in assistive technologies.
8. Assistive technology tools FM Listening Systems -Personal FM listening systems bring a speaker’s voice directly into a listener’s ear through a small transmitter unit (with a microphone), and an equally small receiver unit (with a head- or earphone). These wireless systems make the speaker’s voice sound stronger, which benefits those who have difficulty focusing on what a speaker is saying. A dial on the receiver unit controls the volume.
9. Assistive technology tools Some children with communication disabilities, such as slowed speech or inability to put their thoughts into words or onto a computer screen may benefit from technology such as voice-to-text software, which recognizes speech and converts it to text on the computer screen. Other devices allow students to type out their words and thoughts, after which the computer will play them back in audio, helping the student to know the sounds of specific words and phrases. Word prediction, abbreviation and expansion programs help students who struggle with typing by reducing the number of keystrokes children need in order to type out words and sentences.
10. References Assistive Technology and Learning Disabilities (2011). Retrieved June 19, 2011 from http://www.sc.edu/scatp/ld.htm Assistive Technology Devices for Children (2011). Retrieved June 19, 2011 from http://www.livestrong.com/article/116195- assistive-technology-devices-children/ Rettig, M.A. (2006). Assistive Technology for Students with Disabilities. Retrieved June 19, 2011 from http://www.washburn.edu/cas/education/special- education/web.Assistive%20Technology.htm
