1. One Size Does Not Fit All
Elizabeth F. Comella
ITEC-7530 Instr Tech FoundationS
Instructor: Kelly Paynter
March 2, 2014

2. One Size Does Not Fit All:
Fostering 21st Century Learning
With Assistive Technology

3. One Size Doesn’t Fit All.
• Not all students have the
same abilities therefore
teachers need to use other
means in order to teach all
children in their classroom.

4. Today all students are
expected to “learn to their
full potential and that all
teachers will find a way to
enable each individual to be
successful” (Gregory &
Chapman, 2007)

5. No Child Left Behind
• No Child Left Behind mandated by
the federal government set high
standards and goals in order to hold
teachers accountable in the
classroom for all students (No Child
Left Behind Act of 2001).

6. Special Education
• Children who lack abilities might
require assistive technology (AT) in
order to increase, maintain or
improve functions due to his/her
disabilities.
Cennamo, Ross, Ertmer, 2010

7. The Need for Assistive Technology
K-12 Education
• In order to implement AT in a
student’s IEP
• In order to give the student with a
disability a level learning environment
as their peers
• To all a student to succeed in a task
that they might not be able to achieve
without assistive technology.

8. What is Assistive Technology (AT)?
• Assistive Technology is any piece of
equipment that can be used to
improve functions due to disabilities
of an individual.

9. Types of Assistive Technology
Assistive Technology is
classified as:
– no technology
– low technology
– high technology
LD Online, 2001

10. No-Technology
No-Technology is any device
that is not electronic.
–Picture cards to communicate
–Specialized paper
–ABC stickers to spell words on paper
–Magnifiers
–Pencil grips

11. Low Technology
Low Technology is any device
that is electronic but does not
have computer components.
–Closed Caption TVs
–Alternative mouse and keyboard
–Amplifiers
–Calculator

12. High Technology
High Technology is any device
that is electronic and is
computerized.
–Powered Wheelchair
–Computer with specialized software
–Voice software to dictate student
work

13. Digital Pens can Assist in
Learning
Students with Specific learning disabilities often have trouble
in the classroom when they have to take notes. In this article it
shows how high school students can now use digital pens in order to
improve and enhance note-taking. These pens allow for students
with language-based learning disabilities to keep notes while using
their “working memory, visuals, and auditory learning capacities”
(Belson, Hartmann, & Sherman, 2013) in order to increase learning.
This technology allows students to be able to take notes without
having to worry about handwriting and spelling while still being able
to follow along in class.
Belson, S., Hartmann, D., and Sherman, J. (2013). Digital Note
Taking: The Use of Electronic Pens with Students with Specific
Learning Disabilities. Retrieved on March 1, 2014 from
http://ehis.ebscohost.com/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=5&sid
=55cb0af6-7e8e-4bb7-9733695d3ba9bc02%40sessionmgr4001&hid=4108.

14. Student Work on an iPad
This is an example
of a student who
is not able to
write but
completed a
worksheet on the
iPad.

15. Student Work continued…
The iPad allows
the student to
still work on the
same class work
as her peers.

16. One Size Doesn’t fit all
Assistive Technology should be
chosen to meet the needs of the
student. Not every child needs an
iPad or computer as their assistive
technology needs. Children should be
evaluated in their IEP meetings to
find the AT device to help the child
succeed.

17. References
Belson, S., Hartmann, D., and Sherman, J. (2013). Digital Note Taking: The Use of
Electronic Pens with Students with Specific Learning Disabilities. Retrieved on
March 1, 2014 from
http://ehis.ebscohost.com/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=5&sid=55cb0af6-7e8e4bb7-9733-695d3ba9bc02%40sessionmgr4001&hid=4108.
Gregory, G. H., & Chapman, C. (2007). Differentiated instructional strategies: One size
doesn’t fit all (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
LD Online (2001). Retrieved March 2, 2014 from www.ldonline.org
No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, 20 U.S.C. § 6319 (2008).