Assistive Technology Specialists

On Friday I had a weekly meeting with Dawn and Heather. My goal for this week is to come up with a full proposal. I need to do some more research on prices to have a budget worked up for them on Friday of this week.

I feel silly because I cannot for the life of me figure out how to allow Dawn to edit my blogs. I hope she reads this and tells me what to do. :)

Today I contacted talked with Dr. Wills, and he has agreed to be my faculty member to work on this project with me. I am very glad, thankful, and excited to have him on my team. He also gave me some great ideas about what products to look up for a price range. Part of the lecture in class today was about AT, so I took notes that I will post on here at another date. The lesson was very interesting and pertained here though.

I called a source and got the number for an expert on Autism and is a school teacher to hear her opinion on AT and learn some of how she has used it in her classroom. I will get in touch with her very soon.

I am super excited because Dr. Wills gave me a special placement to work with Assistive Technology. I am not sure whether he gave me the placement because of the child or the teacher or both. I am very excited to find out. Tomorrow will be my first day in the classroom, and I am super excited about it!

This is another one of Cara Meade's articles that I am reading through to get a better understanding of what AT is, the challenges involved, and other insights.

Assistive Technology Specialists
Bringing Knowledge of Assistive Technology to School Districts
By Elizabeth A. Lahm

Students per computer is now down to 4.9.
Under 20 years ago, it was 125 per computer.
Schools only spend 5% of their growing technology budgets on training.
In the early 90's on the limited budget, 15% was being used on teacher training.
New teachers are not being taught enough about technology in the classrooms before entering the work force.
The teachers are not aware of the range of possible AT for their students to help them.
The Oregon Report listed five problems:
1. lack of skills among many educators to access the AT needs of their children and youth with disabilities
2.lack of skills among educators to employ AT for children and youth with disabilities.
3. lack of understanding regarding the best ways to address AT in IEPs.
4.lack of resources available to help educators learn to use technology as an instructional tools,
5. lack of information available to educators on the best ways to teach technology skills to students.
RESNA, AOTA, ISTE, and the University of Kentucky were used in a study to determine in what skills special education teachers should be proficient.
With respect to the CEC standards, this article connected each standard to AT standards.
AT should match what the child is learning.
Under Development and Characteristics of Learners-the technology can allow a child to do the same work even though he or she has not have as developed motor skills.
Individual Learning Differences-AT needs to take into consideration diversity and how this relates to using technology.
Instructional Strategies-teach teachers how to use AT, allow trial periods before buying and showing demonstrations.
Learning Environments and Social Interactions-creating positive situations for learning by knowing the technology, making the physical space comfortable, make children feel socially accepted,
Language-possible AT for any special needs, communication devices
Instructional Planning-meet national standards for learning, manage and plan lessons, training for student, teacher, and parent.
Assessment-provides more accurate measure of child's ability, used to measure growth,
Professional and Ethical Practice-use technology as instructional supplement,
Collaboration-team members, look into outside resources

(3 hrs 5 min)