According to the BC policy and Procedure Manual, Inclusive educational systems are ones in which students with special needs are fully participating members of a community of learners. All students are entitled to equitable access to learning, achievement and the pursuit of excellence in all aspects of the educational programs. This does not always equate to full integration in general classrooms and goes beyond placement to include meaningful participation and the promotion of interaction with others. Technology can serve as a bridge between individuals and their particular learning goals. By offering students a range of tools and technology that assist in their learning, we can level the playing field without lowering our expectations of the greatness that each child is capable of achieving. TOOLBELT THEORY The toolbelt theory as described by Ira Socol states that the ‘Toolbelt Theory’ is based around the idea that as human we are tool users, and that we choose tool most effectively when that choice begins with the task at hand, and then considers the environment in which that task must be performed, the skill set of the individual (the tool chooser) and the tools which are available”. Students need to be able to work through TEST t- Task, what needs to be done? E-Environment, where must this be done, will there be time constraints, what is the standard method of task completion, how does the person with the disability interact with this environment and who is the task being done for? S-Skills, what specific strengths does the person with the disability bring to this task? What specific weaknesses interfere with that person’s ability to complete the task? And what is that person’s “tool acquisition aptitude” and what tools are the currently comfortable with? T-Tools, what tool best “bridges the gap” between the current skill set and what is needed for this task completion? If the tool is not already “in the toolbox”, how does the environmental timeline match with the needed learning curve? WHO IS IT FOR While assistive technology is able to facilitate many different individuals for many diverse learning needs, I have chosen to ‘create’ a student who I have chosen 5 assistive technology tools that they can implement into their daily routines. My student is one that is dyslexic and has difficulty retaining concepts in their mind. They greatly benefit from someone both dictating their ideas as well as reading aloud assignments and reading materials that the student comes across throughout the day. The student also greatly benefits from technology that helps them to stay organized and a central place to keep everything is crucial as they often misplace physical papers and books. TOOLS 1. Speechify, Available at https://speechify.com/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=search-alpha&utm_content=dyslexia&utm_term=assistive%20technology&gclid=CjwKCAjw_b6WBhAQEiwAp4HyINg3Ovi5JIGOoSRO0Wg_ry_ebKq3Dx3wAl4z7ArYUZG1AZ4pY7GKLRoCu50QAvD_BwE Speechify is a program available online which reads out documents for students that have difficulties reading. Students can adjust the speed at which documents are read, listen on both desktop and mobile devices, and change the voice to one that is clear and concise to them. The voices used are engineered to feel natural and be as human as possible to avoid having a clinical experience such as with typical AI or Siri readaloud eservices. Students can also scan a book or any physical text and the extension is able to detect the text and will seamlessly continue reading aloud the text. Finally, any messages documents, emails or articles a student comes by across their devices, Speechify is able to navigate and read out the text. Speechify is available for a free trial but afterwards is available at the cost of $139 annually. 2. Mindmup, Available at https://www.mindmup.com and app stores video on how to use Mindmup available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtDtAWPJUhA&t=29s This tool is available as an app and assists students with creating mindmaps, brainstorms and charts in a clear concise way all online. The ‘mups’ are easily convertible into pdfs and word documents and are intuitive to use. The mindmups app automatically sorts ideas and colour coordinates as students either use a speech to text extension or type the ideas themselves and best of all has automatic sorting and organizing features that allow a student to focus on getting their ideas down instead of worrying about how the final map appears. The map will continue to expand in any direction the student wishes and is available for free with a premium version available for $9.99. 3. Agenda, Available at https://agenda.com and app stores video on how to use Agenda available at: https://www.youtube.com/c/AgendaApp The agenda app is an app which works similarly to the Notes app already available on phones but different in that it can be linked to other apps and dates and priorities can be created within the app that seamlessly flow into other apps. The app was designed for individuals that need additional reminders of upcoming events and due dates and helps those requiring extra assistance to stay organized remain on top of their to-do list without feeling rushed or overwhelmed. What works so well when using this app is that it is based on an app that students are already familiar with but extends that apps usability by creating additional features that built-in notes apps cannot accommodate. The app is available for free and also comes with premium features that users may choose to purchase within the app. The toolkit items that I choose are reflective of my students needs but also to the technology that is readily available to them. All the listed tools are easily used with a cellphone or mobile device and there is no new third piece of technology that needs to be purchased or learned in order for the student to begin using them. With some quick personal exploration time of each app as well as a few practice runs, my student should be able to use each app whenever and wherever they need. Also important to note is that these apps do not require data or WIFI in order to operate and are able to assist the student both in school and out. |