How Assistive Technology Can Help Students With Learning Disabilities, Sensory Disabilities and Communication Issues

In my last blog post, I talked about five different students who were struggling in school. Using the student's present level of academic achievement and functional performance, the student's IEP teams were able to come up with an annual goal that involved assistive technology (AT) that would help the student succeed in the classroom.

 In this blog post, I am going to talk about three specific types of students that you may find in your classroom, students with learning disabilities, students with sensory disabilities and students with communication issues. The purpose of this post is so parents and educators are able to recognize the characteristics of each type of student and be aware of some assistive technology devices that are available to help each type of student succeed in the classroom. This blog post relates to the classroom knowing the characteristics of each of the above students and becoming familiar with the AT devices that could help them succeed is very important when it comes to being an IEP team member. Since educators and parents are both members of an IEP team, it is important for them to be aware of the AT out there to help the child and be able to discuss how the AT would or would not be appropriate for the child to use.

Students With Learning Disabilities:

1. Characteristics:
1. Reading Learning Disability:
1. • "Confusion of similar words, difficulty using phonics, problems reading multi-syllable words.
   • Slow reading rate and/or difficulty adjusting speed to the nature of the reading task.
   • Difficulty with comprehension and retention of material that is read, but not with material presented orally" (Pepperdine University).
2. Writing Learning Disability:
1. • "Difficulty with sentence structure, poor grammar, omitted words.
   • Frequent spelling errors, inconsistent spelling, letter reversals.
   • Difficulty copying from board or overhead.
   • Poorly formed letters, difficulty with spacing, capitals, and punctuation" (Pepperdine University).
3. Oral Language Learning Disability:
1. • "Difficulty memorizing basic facts.
   • Difficulty expressing ideas orally which the student seems to understand.
   • Problems describing events or stories in proper sequence.
   • Residual problems with grammar, difficulty with inflectional or derivational endings" (Pepperdine University).
4. Math Learning Disability: 
1. • "Difficulty memorizing basic facts.
   • Confusion or reversal of numbers, number sequence, or operational symbols.
   • Difficulty reading or comprehending word problems.

   

   Voice Recognition Software

   • Problems with reasoning and abstract concepts" (Pepperdine University).

• High-tech AT to support students with learning disabilities:
• Word Prediction Software for spelling and reading difficulties.
• Voice Recognition Software for writing difficulties. 

• Low-Tech AT to support students with learning disabilities:
• Calculator for math difficulties.
• Dictionary for spelling difficulties.

Students With Sensory Disabilities:

Characteristics: 

1. Vision Impairment:
1. "Problems relating to visual cues found in the environment, and Body Language and facial cues are often missed" (Sensory Disabilities) .
2. Hearing Impaired/ Deaf:
1. "These students often have difficulty with idiom, sarcasm and multi-meanings of words. As tone of voice conveys so much meaning in the English language picking up social cues is often more difficult" (Sensory Disabilities) . 
3. Deaf-Blind:
1. The characteristics are a combination of both hearing impaired and visually impaired (Sensory Disabilities).

Screen Magnifiers 

• High- Tech AT to support students with sensory disabilities:
• Screen magnifiers
• Screen reader
• Low-Tech AT to support students with sensory disabilities:
• Magnifying glass
• Highlighter

Students With Communication Issues:

Characteristics: 

1.     "Anyone who is not able to communicate effectively with speech (nonverbal)" (Ahmad,R.).

2.     "Anyone who is partially able to communicate with speech (has speech but is not understood by most listeners or speech is not functional)" (Ahmad, R.).

3.     "Anyone who has adequate speech but requires an augmentative device for purposes of writing or carrying on long conversation" (Ahmad, R.).

                                                     

Eye Gaze Board

• High Tech AT to support students with communication issues:
• Text-To-Speech Software
• Picture-To-Speech Software
• Low-Tech AT to support students with communication issues:
• Communication Board
• Eye Gaze Board

Knowing whether or not a child has a disability is crucial in deciding what assistive technology device to use. There are specific devices out there to help a child who has a specific disability. As educators, it is important to know the students in your room so that you are able to decipher what AT would be best for them!

Ahmad, R. (2013, 7 10). AT and Disabilities. EDG 519. Cabrini College.

Pepperdine University. (2013).  Characteristics Of Students With Learning Disabilities. Retrieved from: http://www.pepperdine.edu/disabilityservices/students/ldcharacter.htm.

Sensory Disabilities. Retrieved from: http://www2.washk12.org/sped/sped_html/SpEdRes/links/SpecialTopics/Sensory%20Disabilities.htm.