Accessibility Post

Assistive Technology

Assistive technology is super important and can help all students and students with disabilities learn better. Assistive technology can include many things. To explore more examples of types of assistive technology and accessibility in the classroom, I explored the Accessibility Presentation by Nicole Zumpano. In this presentation, I learned about different types of assistive technology and websites, apps, and programs that can help people who have either a visual or hearing impairment or a physical or cognitive disability. The following image from the presentation really spoke to me and is a good reminder when planning lessons. The image can help you as a teacher think about different ways to include various accommodations within your own lessons for any students who may have a visual or hearing impairment or a physical or cognitive disability.  

Image source: Accessibility Presentation by Nicole Zumpano

Accessibility in Education

It is super important for all students to be successful in education. Accessibility to proper resources in the classroom and school is of the outmost importance and can help students be successful in their education! 

In my personal experience as a teacher, I have had a few students in my classroom who needed assistive technology throughout the years. For example, last year I had a student who needed to use a Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) board because they were non-verbal. While this doesn't need lots of  technology, it is still considered assistive technology because it is a resource that helps this student communicate and be successful in their education. Please see the photo below as an example of what one PECS board might look like. For this student, we were practicing foods and telling us what they wanted for breakfast, lunch and snack each day. Please note that each PECS board will vary depending on the individual student and their personal needs and goals.

Image source: Personal photo

Artifact: 5 Chromebook Accessibility Features

I choose a Chromebook as my artifact because that is what my students have access to at school and at home. I wanted to create something that would help all my students learn while also incorporating technology into the lessons and keeping in mind my English Language Learners (ELLs). Please see the image below explaining 5 accessibility features that a Chromebook can offer to students. 

Image source: Personal photo made by author using Google Drawings

In the image above, I choose to highlight the following accommodations for students with visual and/or hearing impairments. For example, offering an option to listen to the text instead of read it, set up a braille device to the Chromebook for added assistance, and enlarge the screen size all are accommodations to help students who are visually impaired. Additionally, there is a way to change the language of the Chromebook and add captions to help our ELL students and our hearing impaired students. 

Reflection

Overall, I feel that my strength with assistive technology lies with the various accommodations I have given my students in the past. With each new year, my assistive technology tool belt is strengthened and there are new tools added each year. This helps me find better accommodations that work best for my student, because not all technology tools will fit everyone. The more options and strategies I have, the better able I am to share them with my students and provide them choices. These choices can help them learn and can accommodate learning to best fit what they need as learners. 

I'd like to grow and learn about new technology websites that can help my students. Programs change over time and as new programs and technology resources come out, I'd like to learn about them and implement any that will benefit my students.