Prizmo
Although several groups viewed the webinar, "Exciting New Apps for iPads", each group shared their perspectives in different ways. The high level of interest, I believe, shows the need for supports for these students in our classrooms. Teachers want to know what they can do to better support students who are LD, and how we can help them to be successful and truly 'show what they know'. One app this group highlighted was Prizmo. This app assists the user in reading and accessing information. It allows the user to scan any text and then voice over enables the user to listen to their selection. It is accurate, and it also allows you to scan and read multiple pages of a document. This app has great possibility in the classroom, and has the potential to open up a whole new world to a brand-new user - I am amazed at how much independence this app can provide, and given our mantra to develop life-long learners - it seems like it's our students' right to have access to it. I appreciated this groups efforts to share with us examples of 'real students' and the impact this technology (the iPad) has had on their lives!
Matching AT to the User
This week we began to discuss the importance of matching the AT to the user. When choosing what AT will best support a student, it is necessary to consider several things. First, you must consider the skill set and needs of the student him/herself. For example, if a student is capable of walking, you would not suggest they use a wheelchair to move around. You must also consider the environment in which the student will use the AT, and the degree to which there is knowledgeable support in that milieu. For example, you would not want to provide a Perkins Brailler for a visually impaired student in a school with no one to support the integration of that technology for the student. You must also consider the task the student is asked to perform. The Paperport Notes app will not support a student who has been asked to read a novel. Finally, you must consider the characteristics of the tech itself. In consideration of each of these factors, we must also remain cognizant that all of these factors are constantly changing; in order to utilize AT to best support our students, we need to continually be aware of these changes and move forward with the student and with the technology.
If we are to fully embrace what technology can do for our students, then we must be willing to move forward, to embrace change, and to (perhaps most importantly) let go of the past. We cannot let fear hold us back!
Dawn, your blog is excellent. It is contains great reflections and insights. I agree, change can be fearful but we need to embrace change. Our world is evolving and is not static, so we must expand and change our methods of teaching. When change involves inclusiveness for ALL, how can we fear it?????
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