Using Learning Styles to Increase Effectiveness of AT

How do your students learn? Have you taken the time to analyze whether a student you are evaluating for AT is kinesthetic, auditory, tactile, visual, etc?
I was observing a student this week that has a cleft palette. He is a primary student learning phonics and sounding out words. As I watched the class drill sight words flashing on a screen, all reading out loud, this student had delayed response, listening to the class then trying to say the word. It didn't take long before he gave up and was looking around the room completely off task. Now I had sat with him all afternoon and saw that he was a hard worker and was able to focus and do good work - so he didn't have attention deficits. What I did see was a style of expressing mastery of a skill that was actually not his forte. In fact it was his main disability - pronunciation and expressive language. No wonder he gave up!
This prompted me to think about how I watched him learn skills and look at his learning style. After class I asked the teacher how he learns best, what his style of learning is. We discussed it and I challenged her to think of multiple modalities to express mastery and drill and practice. How will this student be able to be successful? If he can't say the word, is he missing a step in finalizing the process neurologically to build those neural pathways and connections? How can he " finalize the learning" in another modality so it seals the deal?
I would challenge you to look at learning styles, differentiated instruction, strategies for multiple intelligences, multi-sensory learning and apply AT that supports finalizing the learning so the concept becomes second nature.
Some resources can be explored at the CAST website where you can explore several self-paced modules that will help you think in this way.

All the best to you!
Lon

Bookmark this on Delicious

Read More

There's An App for That Series: Apps for Students with Learning Disabilities

I have been digging into apps for TBI and for our assistive technology equipment center. We have 3 iTouches and 1 iPad to check out for trials. I came across a terrific series:
There's an App for That - has 5 parts, here is a link to Part One on Organizational Skills for Students with Learning Disabilities. Check out this and the other 4 articles in the series. Excellent work.
All the best,
Lon

Bookmark this on Delicious

Read More

Tools, Apps and Resources for TBI

There are so many tools and places to go online for help with traumatic brain injury. Below is a collection of websites, tools and apps to help support the TBI student.

Check out Papershow, which puts what you write on the screen AS you write. Very cool and according to Brian Friedlander's blog post about it was a BIG hit at MACWorld 2011 in SanFransisco.

Here is a website that has some great tools for families. There are some great videos on how to work through issues in IEP's and school meetings.
Brain Injury Partners: Navigating the School System

Print Disability Tools:

I have found a lot of great helps at CAST and through the AIM/NIMAS links below:
CAST has a new video UDL at a Glance, that explains Universal Design for Learning.

AIM Navigator will help you determine need, what electronic formats are needed, identify textbooks that are needed. There are great summary topics about accessible insttructional tools, what quesations to ask, etc. This is a good tool to use with a staff to line out what is needed, develop a materials list and a to do list for what comes next.

CAST UDL Book Builder is a free book designer program that utilizes Text Help and UDL elements. You can read books that have been built by others or create your own. It allows students to go in and read, take notes online and then save notes to the computer at the end.

CAST Strategy Tutor is a free download that goes on your internet browser toolbar. It gives tips and strategies on how to study at your fingertips when you are studying, doing research, etc.

The CAST Learning Tools area has other teacher support tools.

iPad/iTouch Apps:

I found a YouTube video from Michigan Engineering on a texting tool for the iPad that does auto scanning for texting and email using the on-screen keyboard. It is not available anywhere at this time but keep your eye out for it!


Shapewriter is a touch keyboard that allows you to slide your finger dot-to-dot style without having to lift your finger. I tried to download it and it said it was not available in the U.S. It didn't show up on the app store search either. Two friends have it so if you know how to get it let us know.

App list: You can google these or type them into the app search on iPad/Pod and find them most are free (F)=free - a few I paid for.

Speech/AAC:
Talking Tom (F)
Speak it!
Proloquo2go
Tap to Talk (F)

Study/organization/scheduling:
Dictate, by Dragon Naturally Speaking (F)
Search, by Dragon Naturally Speaking (F)
Dictionary! Auto fills words in list as you type to help spell. (F)
WordWeb Dictionary and Thesaurus, speaks words to help with spelling
iPlanin - visual scheduler (F)
Time Timer -
Class Organizer - has recording tool that syncs with notes and drawing pad, etextbook access and class scheduler homework to-do, etc. (under $10)
Text Expander - create abbreviations to auto fill with keyboard.
Mind Mapping - iThoughtsHD (9.99 and 7.99 versions)

Math:
Talkulator (talking calculator) (F)
Arithmetick (F)
Hot Potato: Algebra (F)
Balance - money tracker accounting app (F)
Dot to Dot Number Whiz lite (F)
Flash to Pass Math

AIM/ Talking Books:
Storykit (F)
Treasure Island by Flying Word
Speak it! - copy in text to read - great voices
iReader - copy in notes to read (F)

Brain/speed drills:
BrainReactor (F)
Buzzwire (F)
3D Brain (F) lights up, describes and shows sections of brain and turns 3D style

Writing:
Dropbox, free account for file space and storage (F)
Elements, for word processing documents - linked to Dropbox
Zen Tap, word predict tool (F)
Plain Text, free word processing tool (F)

Hope these give you some ideas!
Lon

Bookmark this on Delicious

Read More

Are Textbook Publishers Bringing iPad Apps and E Textbooks to the Classroom?

an Inkling iPad Textbook

Are iPad textbooks and apps by publishers around the corner? Actually they are already here and being developed. Publishers are discovering that there are new ways to represent and explore concepts and information through the app. Read the recent article link here in the Boston Globe about a pilot study in the State of Virginia, using iPads in a fourth grade classroom for curriculum access rather than textbooks. The article also shares the publishers viewpoint about the future of using the iPad and other tablets coming out as a new format platform for marketing their curriculum.
What are the implications for Accessible Instructional Materials? Incredible!

This article from AppleInsider, although a year ago, taps Scrollmotion as a designer of textbook apps that could incorporate, lecture recording, video, interactive models, etc.
The New York Times article by Nick Bilton, "Replacing a Pile of textbooks with an iPad" says:
"Now there’s an iPad application that could further lighten the load. A new company called Inkling hopes to break the standard textbook model and help textbooks enter the interactive age by letting students share and comment on the texts and interact with fellow students."
Inkling says the iPad is the textbook of the future here.

I am looking forward to what we see develop in the next year or so. It will be amazing.

All the best to you,

Lon

Bookmark this on Delicious

Read More

Adapted Wii Games for Students with Orthopedic Impairments

Wii games can be adapted for exercise and play for those with severe orthopedic impairments. As we have been developing Wii therapy for students, our work has been more limited in the area of severe orthopedic impairment but we have developed the use of a game mat with a game called Outdoor Challenge and we have set the accompanying game pad on a rocker board and have folded it around triple thick cardboard custom cut to fit the width of the mat and support a student. We fold it so the middle row with the right and left arrows (like on a dance pad) are across the cardboard and rocker board. We then carefully set the student on the pad and have one person support from behind while others do the hand over hand assist to steer and press. It involves three people so to release 3 para-pros to work with one student is a luxury many teachers don't have. Because of this it is harder to get class time at school when it can be done as a daily therapy tool. We have also set the cardboard and pad on a laptray on a wheelchair and supported the student to use arms and hands to press the arrows down while arms rest on the tray.
The Outdoor Challenge game has a pipe slider activity that allows the player to sit on a sled and slide down a large tube. By patting with the left or right hand on the pad, the player can steer down the pipe slide to run over target arrows lit up in blue that shoot them down the tube faster.

Pipe Slide:

We have used hand over hand assist to work with students that have poor muscle tone and are stiff. We have found that the activity is exciting for the students and allows their mind to be entertained. The distraction helps relax the hand/wrist/arm during the manipulation/assist. We have seen the rocker board help in creating the leaning motion and assist in balance goals.
The game is getting harder to find but can still be found online if you do a search. It is Active Life Outdoor Challenge for Wii.
I have seen recently a switch controller for Guitar Hero. It would be a fun adaption for those with limited hand movement or with a head array. You can see one at Enabling Devices.
Another game a nurse colleague uses with her son who is in a wheelchair is Let's Tap. See the You tube video below:





There are some great games that help strengthen and work on muscle tone as well as have fun, all at the same time. Check them out, but remember to use care and caution when moving and working with children who have orthopedic impairments. If you have any doubts about what you can do or limitations, consult a doctor, specialist, OT or PT before starting any of these on your own.

All the best to you!
Lon

Bookmark this on Delicious

Read More

The Wii, Kinect and Gaming Technique for Therapy and Disabilities

The Wii has been a great tool for us to use in therapy with students in our school districts. Now we see the new sensor controller-less systems hitting the market and they are all over the TV and their sales are hot this Christmastime. What are the differences in these two kind of systems when looking at therpeutic uses?

An occupational therapist team member and I have been busy at work on building and expanding trials for our therapeutic model for using the Wii with students with disabilities. We have broken it down into 3 domains, physical, cognitive and social/communication. As we have done trials with students, we have found that the game play/strategy that is involved in correcting upper body movements and body/eye coordination, build balance and strengthen cognitive abilities for problem solving and strategizing on even basic levels. We are excited as we further develop our data collection and break down the skills and objectives that the active Wii games can strengthen.

Kinect in the mix - some initial thoughts:

The other day as we were going over some of our notes and findings, we got on the topic of the new Kinect add-on to the X Box for controller-less game play while moving the body like with the Wii. I can see the new sensor systems that bypass hardware you hold as being the new frontier, but the handheld Wii controllers give you the opportunity to still develop the hand and wrist movements in a way that these new systems cannot. It is also more fun than stringing beads and other conventional activities that can get mundane for kids. I am sure that the new Kinect games work areas of upper and lower body awareness, space, coordination, balance and build on cognitive process for problem solving and stragy building. They also require hand movements, but don't have something you hold for grip and movement stregthening. There is also something important about the tangible stepping up on a fit board and balancing that is lost just standing in place on the floor.

Ablegamers has put out a 2 part series on the Kinect and have reviewed the system's strengths and weaknesses for those in the disabled community. It doesn't address the ramifications of the new controller-less sensor systems on therapeutic applications, but is a great review of the system and how Microsoft to them into consideration in the research and development.

We are in our second year of trials at 2 new schools and hopefully we will have a manual, data collection forms and an objective/skill-based grid that spans the three domains sometime next year. This is taking time but we want to do it right. Check back now and then and we will keep you posted and let you know when something is ready. Hopefully our model it will be general enough so that it can apply across multiple game systems - we will keep the Kinect in mind as we press on.

All the best to you!

Lon

image credit

Bookmark this on Delicious

Read More

Windows 7 and Office 2010: Accessibilty Options and Screen Magnification

Windows 7 and Office 2010 have some great accessibility options you should check out. In an article on accessibility options from Microsoft, they explain that with our economy in decline, older employees are choosing to work instead of retire which means that vision and accessibility are a more important issue for accessibility on computers in the workplace. Read about their accessibility checker and screen magnifier as well as a college student taking advantage of them.
All the best!
Lon


Bookmark this on Delicious

Read More