Adding Assistive Technology to the Writing Toolkit

Christine Tongechristonge@livingstonesa.org

Special Needs Continuum

Agenda

• The assistive technology writing continuum

• A technology supported strategy to assist struggling students

• Implementation at Southeast

Struggling Writer Characteristics

• Struggle with:• Handwriting/mechanics• Adding detail• Word choice• Identifying errors• Correcting errors• Fluency

Low Tech Tools

• Involve no electricity• Simplest and most

often the least expensive tech tools

• Help to write faster, more legibly and accurately on paper

Writing guideSlantboard

Pencils and grips

Mid Tech Tools

• Small, hand held, and portable

• Generally involve battery power

• Used for short answer, longer written work, and spelling support

Portable keyboard

Franklin children’s talking dictionary

Label maker

High Tech Tools• Require access to electricity• Talking word processors• Word prediction software• Mapping software • Text reader software• Voice recognition software• Scanning software

Mini laptop computers

Text reader software

Adding Technology

• Educators have recognized the advantage of using technology

• Neater and more accurate product• Text to speech support• Improved independence• Successful alternative pencil that allows the

student to show knowledge of the curriculum

Special Needs Students and Computers

• Special needs students are often computer savvy

• Computers can present a mixture of visual, auditory and kinesthetic modes of learning

• Computers are impersonal so students can learn without the added distraction of interpersonal relations.

Adobe Acrobat 9 Professional

• Supports scanning of paper curriculum materials into electronic format

• Saves the document as PDF

• Creates interactive forms • Typewriter feature• Text boxes• Read aloud feature

Southeast Elementary Info

• One Acrobat license installed at SE

• Classroom 116

• Created PDF documents can be opened on any computer with Adobe Reader software

• Accessible curriculum materials can be saved to the ‘Shared’ drive (S)

How Do You Learn More?

• Southeast Elementary staff • Karen Helsper• Karen Keaton• Suzanne Manninen• Donna Pompilius• Andi Syrett• Molly Voly

• Schedule a training with Chris Tongechristonge@livingstonesa.org

www.livingstonesa.org

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