4. Provide Options for Physical Action

4.1 Vary the methods for response and navigation

Students differ widely in their capacity to navigate the physical environment and assistive technology provides an option to help reduce the barriers involved with the motor demands of a task (CAST, 2018). 

For example:

  • People who are visually impared or blind have a physical barrier that prevents them from learning to read and write. Braille is a system of raised dots that people who are visually impared or blind learn to use to become literate.  “Braille is for the blind, what print is for the sighted” (Braille literacy Canada, 2021). Braille has been incorporated into assistive technology, such as BrailleNote Touch Plus from HumanWare. 
  • For students who are hard of hearing FM systems and Soundfield Systems can be beneficial. An FM system involves a teacher wearing a microphone and the sound being directly transmitted to a students hearing aids or cochlear implants (Edtech admin, 2021). A soundfield system is similar, except the sound from the teachers microphone is transmitted to speakers around the classroom. This can be beneficial to all students in the classroom (Edtech, 2021), and it saves the teacher’s voice (as they do not need to raise their voice). 

 

4.2 Optimise access to tools and assistive technologies

 

  • SET BC loans assistive technology to schools in BC based on student needs. 

 

5. Provide Options for Expression & Communication

5.1 Use multiple media for communication

It is important to provide alternative media for expression to reduce media specific barriers. As well, unless the specific media and materials are part of the criteria (ex. Learning to hand write with calligraphy), providing alternative media for expression increases “the opportunities for all learners to develop a wider range of expression in a media-rich world” (CAST, 2018). 

For example:

  • Give students the tools and opportunities to compose text, speech, comics, video, visual art, dance, drawing, design, sculpture ect.
  • For students who cannot speak because of certain disabilities, specialized technology is the media that allows them to communicate. Predictable is an apple ipad text-to-speech app designed for people with these disabilities such as MND (Motor neuron disease), a condition that affects the brain and its nerves (NHS, 2021). 
  • This Augmentation and Alternative Communication app is another great option. 

 

5.2 Use multiple tools for construction and composition

“There is a tendency in schooling to focus on traditional tools rather than contemporary ones (CAST, 2021). Using contemporary tools will help students prepare for the future and allow more students to be successful. 

Some contemporary tools teachers can implement include:

  • Providing spell checkers, word prediction software, calculators, concept mapping tools (Miro is an example of an online version), and maybe even computer aided design (CAD), music notation (writing) software, or mathematical notation software (CAST, 2018). 
  • Clicker connect on ipad or any computer (scaffolds independent writing skills by connecting sentence work with pictures)
  • Co-Writer “Grammar-smart and vocabulary smart word prediction, translation support and speech recognition to help unstick ideas and get students into the flow of writing”
  • Ghotit (specifically to aid students with dyslexia in the writing process)
  • Type on the computer to see grammatical mistakes, ect. Microsoft editor and text suggestions

 

6. Provide Options for Executive Functions

6.1 Guide appropriate goal-setting

Tasks and assignments should be available and appropriately accessible to students. Goals, schedules and objectives should be posted in an obvious place. One great way of making these more accessible from home and for parents is through a teacher website. Websites can be password protected and also link to resources that might be helpful for certain activities. Though they should not replace the traditional agenda, they are extremely beneficial as support. Many tablets come with a built in program for reminders and to do lists that also allow the user to set an alarm. Teachers should scaffold students through goal setting rather than constantly providing the answer and these tools can help the student become more independent.

 

6.2 Support planning and strategy development

One great way to start scaffolding cognitive speed bumps for students to stop and think about what they are learning is by first embedding them in the lesson. Plickers is a free classroom friendly alternative to the traditional iclicker. Teachers can create multiple choice or word questions for students to respond to. Each card has a QR code for the teacher to scan to track class progress over time. 

 

6.3 Facilitate managing information and resources

As mentioned in the section “maximize transfer and generalization” there are many note taking programs (ex. OneNote) that allow students to access previous information by looking up key phrases or attaching tags to recurring ideas or content. These notebooks are a great way for teachers to scaffold students organization by subject, unit, and lesson.

 

6.4 Enhance capacity for monitoring progress

Apps Like Stride allow students to visualise their progress in multiple ways over time as well as set daily goals. Users can use charts, meters, progress bars, or graphs to measure progress. The app is aimed for older students to use and can be for personal or educational goals. It is also important to provide different methods to reflect on their progress such as video or audio. Another way to be more inclusive is with apps like Boardmaker (mentioned in alternatives for auditory information). Using this app teachers can assign activities to students on a platform that will accommodate for accessibility as well as send a performance tracker for the teacher.

 

References 

NHS (2021). Motor Neuron Disease. Retrieved from https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/motor-neurone-disease/.Â