Well the first class of assistive technology went well and I'm looking forward to learning more about assistive tech in the classroom. Before going to this class I considered myself to be a fairly technologically inclined individual, however I have since changed my opinion. There are so many great advancements being made in the technology field, which is excellent, but it does make it difficult to stay ahead of the changes. I guess my skills are pretty basic and relevant to just a simple computer. I don't own an itouch or "i" anything. This course will very beneficial to me and the students in my class.
So what is AT? In class we discussed that AT is about providing ACCESS to a task and improving performance for a student with a disability. It is a process that will change over time. AT is NOT IT(information technology). Sometimes the two, AT and IT are thought to be the same, but if one knows what the letters stand for you would know they are clearly different.
The videos we watched in class, of different students who use assistive technology devices, were wonderful stories demonstrating how valuable AT can be for students. The journey that Tyler has gone through is truly amazing. The AT that has been available to him has allowed him to accomplish many things that would not have been possible without the AT devices. It would be great if all students with a disablity could have this access to AT.
I have posted a YouTube video I found. The video shows that AT can be used among all grades and across all subject areas. I think the video points out that not all assistive technology has to complicated. For example the calculator on the laptop that speaks. Important to remember there are some basic tools that can be used as assistive technology to help students learn better.
