Blog Assignment #12

What assistive technologies are available to you as a teacher? How are they useful?

According to the Assistive Technology Industry Association's website, assistive technology is any item or software that is used to "increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities." I believe that every educator should have some knowledge about assistive technologies, because you never know when you may encounter a student who needs this kind of assistance. There are many different types of assistive technologies. In the following paragraphs, I will describe a few of the types of assistive technology.

The Mountbatten - Assistive Technology for the Blind is a video that explains and shows how a Mountbatten works. The Mountbatten is a braille writer that allows visually impaired students to be involved in the curriculum. As the student "brailles" the Mountbatten will produce the braille while announcing what is being "brailled." This way students can confirm that they are using the correct buttons on the machine. The Mountbatten can not only save files, but it can also send files to a computer and receive files from a computer. I think that this is a great invention. I had no idea that something like this existed. I believe that this would be a great tool to have in the classroom because it allows better communication between the student and teacher.

Both the videos iPad Usage for the Blind and Having a Great Time
show the ways that an iPad can be beneficial for visually impaired students. iPads come equipped with VoiceOver which makes using an iPad incredibly easy for visually impaired individuals. VoiceOver is gesture-based, so it requires the individual to touch the screen in order for it to work. By simply dragging your finger across the screen, VoiceOver will inform you of what is there. If you hear something that you want to access, all you have to do is double tap anywhere on the screen. Both of the videos listed above show not only the functions that VoiceOver is capable of, but they also show how easy it is for anyone to operate the iPad using the VoiceOver program. Since many schools already have iPads in the classroom, this would be a very beneficial tool for visually impaired students. It would not require any additional money to be spent, since all iPads come equipped with this program. It is also very easy to learn how to use VoiceOver, so there is no reason that this program would be a problem to use.

One invention that is a great tool for the hearing impaired is FaceTime. FaceTime is a video call program that is available on Apple products such as Macs, iPads, and iPhones. FaceTime enables the deaf to communicate non-verbally with others. Other video call systems, such as Skype, can work this way also. Another tool used for communicating with deaf individuals is text. Texting is a feature that is available on all cellphones. Almost everyone in the world owns a cell phone of some sort, so texting is a great tool that allows the deaf to easily communicate with others. I believe that FaceTime or Skype would be an effective way to communicate with a deaf student in the classroom. If the teacher did not know sign language, an interpreter could be called via Skype and relay the information to the deaf individual.