Module 4 – Independent living and assistive tech centers

I was unable to visit a local center, however I did have a chance to look online and see what services are offered in my area. The “Disability Resource Center” is in the Fredericksburg, VA area and offers a wide variety of services that I had no idea were available. They offer many workshops and classes, help with Medicaid issues, offer children and youth services, support groups, nursing home transition help, and many other services. The four core services that they offer fall under the categories of: independent living skills training, information and referral, advocacy, and peer counseling. I am so excited to know that we have a place that offers services like these to whoever needs them.

Module 4 – The quiz

I must say that I feel that I am pretty savvy about etiquette dealing with all members of society, even those with a disability. I always try to use “people first” language and accommodate needs when necessary. But there were a few questions on the quiz that made me think twice before answering. I tend to be very accommodating to all people, and I will now think twice before automatically accommodating a disability (such as shaking someone’s other hand with a prosthetic arm). I will treat people with disabilities the same way I treat others and allow them to accept a request for accommodations or help instead of automatically doing something first. The quiz offered some real world insight into questions that people are often afraid to discuss.

Module 4 –Classroom visit

I, unfortunately, do not have my own classroom right now- I substitute teach.  But I do feel that bringing those with disabilities into the classroom environment is an important aspect of the social classroom experience and learning how to deal with those who have disabilities. It would give students a chance to see life through another’s eyes just for a moment.  We tend to get caught up in our own world as adults, and students are even more caught up in their own lives and they tend to think everyone sees the world as they do.Giving them the opportunity to meet someone who not only sees the world differently, but navigates through it in a different way as well, would be a tremendous opportunity to teach students to accept all and understand the obstacles that some people must face everyday, as well as the way they overcome those obstacles.

Module 3- use of assistive technology

In a school or library setting, accommodations of many different learning needs should be met, including all types of disabilities.  Assistive technology that could be implemented in a school setting should include alternative input and output devices such as screen reading and enlargement software, Braille translation tools, and access to TDD.  Those with learning disabilities could gain much use from word prediction software, reading and writing comprehension programs, and grammar and spell checkers.  Reading machines and software, as well as note taking devices, and mouse and keyboard options could also be useful additions to the school setting and would also accommodate different needs of the learner.

Module 3- Software evaluation

Four types of assistive technology software packages were evaluated.  The evaluation follows as well as a brief review of each.

Software name: Inspiration®,

Company: Inspiration

Price: $39.95-$895.00

Purpose of program: To promote visual learning and thinking and encourage multiple modes of learning.

Special needs addressed in the program: All learning needs especially those of visual learners

Features: Inspiration is used to plan class projects, activities, lessons and units- offers visual tools, graphic organizers to aid teachers in planning and teaching.  Gives students many ways to investigate, analyze, and represent data and information, applies visual learning methodologies

Positive aspects: Easy to use and navigate

Negative aspects: Pictures are a little difficult to search through and small

Ease of use, directions clear: Help screen is clearly organized

Overall review: I think that this could be a useful tool, though cost should be weighed with need in the school environment and other tools available

Software name: Kurzweil 3000^TM

Company: Kurzweil Educational Systems

Price: $395.00-$2695.00

Purpose of program: To improve students' ability to read.  Comprehensive reading, writing and learning software.

Special needs addressed in the program: Any struggling reader, including individuals with learning difficulties, such as dyslexia, attention deficit disorder or those who are English Language Learners.

Features: Curriculum access, highlighting, text circle tools, annotations, Bookmarks, Voice Notes and Extract in order to create outlines, study guides, or word lists.  Reads the words aloud to the student in clear, humanlike, synthetic speech.

Positive aspects: Research seems to be on their side, increases reading fluency, decoding support, and has writing and self editing tools

Negative aspects: Download did not work, so I am not sure

Ease of use, directions clear: Not sure- download was not successful

Overall review: This software seems like a great tool for many types of struggling readers and the research seems to support the fact that it works. 

Software name: infoeyes

Company: ivocalize

Price: $30 to $3,000 a month

Purpose of program: The goal of this project is to create a model for a collaborative, multi-state, accessible information community to the visually impaired.

Special needs addressed in the program: Visual impairment

Features: Question and answer service for people with a visual impairment or other print limitation.

Positive aspects: Seems like a great tool for the visually impaired and it gives them access to information that they may not have normally been able to access.

Negative aspects: Have to schedule an appointment, not too many libraries involved

Ease of use, directions clear: With some searching, they are clear and it seems easy to use

Overall review: This company has fabulous tools, though they may not be as useful as the other tools in a school environment

Software name: Windows Vista

Company: Microsoft

Price: Free

Purpose of program: Operating system that offers accessibility options

Special needs addressed in the program: All needs seem to be addressed in one way o another

Features: Narrator, Audio description, Keyboard shortcuts and tools, Text Magnifier, Mouse options, Speech to text

Positive aspects: Free- already built into the system

Negative aspects: Narrator wasn’t always right on, features may not address specific learning needs

Ease of use, directions clear: Windows offers a huge amount of support and help

Overall review: These tools are fabulous and free and can be used to accommodate a variety of learners.  I honestly never knew some of the tools were available.  A great resource.

Module 2- helpful sites and hardware thoughts

Transaccess is a great site that matches assistive technology according to individual need.  It is also an excellent resource for businesses and those involved in education because it lists many of the services available to those with disabilities as well as the best ways to accomodate them. 

EnableMart offers many solutions for the disabled and sorts them by category so that it is easy to locate the best assistive technology for the need.

The availability and amount of hardware available for any kind of disability you can imagine astounds me.  if you need a type of accomadation, you can find it!

Module 2- Accomodations

In the workplace or in school there are many ways to accommodate the needs of coworkers and students. If a student has a hearing disability, captioning all that is said is important. Also their placement in the room should be considered and the teacher can offer typed notes for any lecture material. if a student has visual impairment, braille notes or large print would be an obvious choice as well as using pod casting or recordings to offer them instead of notes. Cognitive impairments can cover many disabilities, but one easy choice would be to offer pencil grips so they can handle their pencils more easily. Also word prediction software would be another way to accommodate their needs.