June 6

Overall this has been a very interesting and informative course.  I had zero previous experience with blogging and had never even really looked at others' blogs.  I think that the blog itself as an educational tool could prove to be quite valuable.  I do not have a website and any other type of online sharing has always seemed time consuming to me.  I think that running a blog would be an easy way to continuously provide my students with extra resources for the courses I teach.  It would also be a good way to provide students with copies of notes from class.  Those students who miss class would be able to quickly access notes from classes they missed.

Next year I will have a student who is visually impaired in one of my grade ten classes.  In the past, teachers and EA’s have had to make enlarged copies of handouts as well as tests and quizzes.  It would be great if he were able to have access to an iPad in order to make use of magnification apps to save on paper and allow him to receive the same material as his classmates (lessen the divide a bit).

In working with my students who make use of assistive technology another thing I will remember is the importance of regularly reviewing the technology and assessing its’ effectiveness.  This can also be extended to other types of interventions such as adaptations I make for individual students.  All too often something will be put in place and then never reviewed.  Even something that is very effective to begin with needs to be assessed over time to make sure it is still appropriate and effective for the given student.

Something that really stood out to me from an earlier class was the point made about assistive technology being more than a toy.  I would compare this to the use of manipulatives during math class.  Often times when I get them out students will play with the blocks and try to build things with that are unrelated to the course material.  In a similar way, it is important to ensure that students who make use of assistive technology do so in a way that aides them in their learning.

The importance of assistive technology was emphasized when we saw the videos featuring some students who struggled with learning disabilities.  We saw students who because disengaged with school and who eventually gave up after years of doing poorly in school.  This lead to all sorts of other problems as the students often got involved in drugs and other harmful activities. 

As a whole I enjoyed reading others’ blogs and hearing in class about how successful students are able to be through the use of assistive technology.  In general, I believe that more students are getting the chance to have success and build confidence than in the past.  Hopefully this will only continue as time goes by. 

May 30

This week’s class began with a presentation about traditional assistive technologies.  I was really interested to learn about Earobics.  I was unaware of this program, but after class I had a discussion about it with Sonya, who was more familiar with it.  An interesting program for sure.

Near the end of class we were given time to work on our next assignment.  In doing so I had an opportunity to research ADHD.  In doing so I found the following website featuring some assistive technologies for students with ADHD:  

http://www.adhd-brain.com/assistive-technology-for-adhd.html 

Interesting Video: SMART Board as Assistive Tech

May 23

The main focus of this week’s class was group work centered on the Misunderstood Minds video series.  My group (Sherry, Farnoush and I) were tasked with reviewing chapter 1, 6 and 7.  The videos brought to mind the importance of early detection of learning disabilities and appropriate/effective interventions.

We saw how learning disabilities can be difficult to detect/diagnose, especially in younger children.  At times children suffer from a learning disability, but can excel and be exceptional in most areas of learning.  Nathan from the first video was a very bright young man who was very successful and bright, but had a lot of trouble learning to read (even recognising the alphabet).  This speaks to the stigma associated with learning disabilities and the fact most people see those with learning disabilities as “stupid”.  Here was a very smart young man who could not read.

In the later videos we saw how students with learning disabilities were likely to struggle and disengage with school.  This often leads to problems with truancy as well as alcohol and drug problems.  Trying for many years and being continually unsuccessful naturally leads students to want to give up and quit school.  It is sad how long it can take to diagnose learning disabilities and get students the supports they need.   

May 16 Inspiration

Sonya's M.Ed. Graduation

This week was a pretty exciting one for our household.  My fiancee Sonya graduated from her M.Ed. program at a university from the Bedford area that will remain nameless (I’ll just say that it rhymes with Blount Blaint Blincent J).  She completed a cohort offered through CCRSB in Supporting Learners with Diverse Needs and Exceptionalities.      

Karen Morrison Article

One of the first things that stood out to me when reading the Morrison article were the barriers for the effective implementation of assistive technology.  As with any initiative, teachers' attitudes play an important role.  Even when the attitudes are good however, a lack of comfort and training can stand in the way of effective implementation.  All too often we will be given a new tool or program without the necessary amount of instruction.  For instance, this year I was provided with a Mimio, but was not given any professional development or even any instructional strategies.  This has definitely slowed my progress. 

Morrison goes on to talk about the importance of selecting the proper technology for a given student.  A circular saw is a great tool, but not for cutting your lawn.  Throughout the past couple of classes we have spoken at length about the importance of proper planning and assessment when it comes to matching technology with a student. 

She also speaks to the importance of leadership within the school when it comes to assistive technology.  Ass with any type of programming, it is important to have various levels of leadership from the administration to special education teachers to classroom teachers and educational assistants.

Finally Morrison addresses the importance of proper funding and commitment on the part of the school and teachers.  Money must be available to purchase appropriate forms of technology once they have been identified.  Once the technology has been purchased it is important to keep making use of it and finding ways to integrate its use into the classroom (as well as the students' lives outside the classroom when appropriate).