Assistive Technology: Writing Tool to Support Students with Learning Disabilities

Author(s):  
Onintra Poobrasert ◽  
Alongkorn Wongteeratana
Author(s):  
Marcie M. Belfi ◽  
Kristen E. Jones

The purpose of this chapter is to provide teacher educators with current research related to assistive technology (AT) in K-12 schools. The first two sections present findings from the literature, first related to providing AT to culturally and linguistically diverse populations within a family context, and secondly to helping students with learning disabilities use AT for writing. Implications for practice are discussed. This chapter concludes with an overview of a curriculum model for training preservice teachers to become familiar with AT across the lifespan, choose appropriate AT for their students, and be able to practically use AT in the classroom.


2022 ◽  
pp. 564-578
Author(s):  
Betsy Orr

The purpose of this chapter is to provide knowledge for classroom teachers on the assistive technology tools that are available for students with learning disabilities. A secondary focus is to identify the best practices commonly used by classroom teachers when teaching students with disabilities. Various technology tools and best practices are discussed. A survey was distributed to elementary and secondary classroom teachers seeking input on the assistive technology tools and best practices used in the classroom. Further discussion of the assistive technology tools and best practices provide content for the practicing teacher to enhance his/her teaching skills when teaching students with learning disabilities.


Author(s):  
Betsy Orr

The purpose of this chapter is to provide knowledge for classroom teachers on the assistive technology tools that are available for students with learning disabilities. A secondary focus is to identify the best practices commonly used by classroom teachers when teaching students with disabilities. Various technology tools and best practices are discussed. A survey was distributed to elementary and secondary classroom teachers seeking input on the assistive technology tools and best practices used in the classroom. Further discussion of the assistive technology tools and best practices provide content for the practicing teacher to enhance his/her teaching skills when teaching students with learning disabilities.


2016 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Robin E. Schock ◽  
Elizabeth A Lee

Rarely are the views of children with learning disabilities elicited. In this study, we used focus groups involving eight students with learning disabilities to explore their self-perceptions as learners and writers using assistive technology (AT). Three groups of two to three Grade 4–8 students and their parents participated in the qualitative study. Both student and parent responses provided data for thematic analysis that resulted in three themes: (a) changes in students’ self-perceptions as learners; (b) student and parental self-reported benefits of using assistive technology; and (c) inconsistencies in approaches to using assistive technology in schools. The implications for education are greater attention to the views of elementary school children; greater focus on the use of AT in the classroom; and greater AT training for teachers in order to better support the use of AT by students with LD.


Author(s):  
Anne M. Hayes ◽  
Eileen Dombrowski ◽  
Allison H. Shefcyk ◽  
Jennae Bult

Learning disabilities are among the most common disabilities experienced in childhood and adulthood. Although identifying learning disabilities in a school setting is a complex process, it is particularly challenging in low- and middle-income countries that lack the appropriate resources, tools, and supports. This guide provides an introduction to learning disabilities and describes the processes and practices that are necessary for the identification process. It also describes a phased approach that countries can use to assess their current screening and evaluation services, as well as determine the steps needed to develop, strengthen, and build systems that support students with learning disabilities. This guide also provides intervention recommendations that teachers and school administrators can implement at each phase of system development. Although this guide primarily addresses learning disabilities, the practices, processes, and systems described may be also used to improve the identification of other disabilities commonly encountered in schools.


2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 236-248
Author(s):  
Comfort Atanga ◽  
Beth A. Jones ◽  
Lacy E. Krueger ◽  
Shulan Lu

Assistive technology (AT) helps bridge the gap between students with learning disabilities (LD) and their peers without LD. However, this implies a need for teachers to become well-trained and proficient in the use of AT. There are established AT competencies for educators, and AT services professionals must be knowledgeable about AT to select and recommend specific technology to individual education program teams. Professionals should also be well-versed with AT to be able to train students in its use. There is a significant need for research on teachers’ knowledge and perceptions of AT (i.e., interest in using it and barriers to incorporating it) as well as the best ways to provide AT training. To investigate these areas, a survey was administered to teachers of students with LD at the elementary and middle school levels. Our results indicated that completing an AT course in college along with self-reported AT proficiency in iPad reading apps were associated with higher ratings of AT knowledge. Additionally, higher AT proficiency ratings and completing AT college course work were associated with perceptions of college preparation of AT, but these factors did not predict perceptions of workplace preparation. Teachers were clearly interested in utilizing AT but felt their college did not adequately prepare them in AT, and funding issues were the most common barriers to implementing AT. Our findings suggest a need for an emphasis on AT training in college courses.


2019 ◽  
Vol 43 (4) ◽  
pp. 227-240
Author(s):  
Alexandra A. Lauterbach ◽  
Mary T. Brownell ◽  
Elizabeth A. Bettini

Secondary content-area teachers seldom use research-based practices for students with learning disabilities (LD), and prior research indicates they often conceptualize instruction in ways that align poorly with research about effective instruction for students with LD. However, prior research has focused on typical secondary content-area teachers, and we know little about how expert secondary content-area teachers think about instruction for students with LD. We used hermeneutic phenomenological methods to explore expert content-area teachers’ pedagogical schemas for teaching literacy to secondary students with LD. We found teachers’ pedagogical schemas were shaped by their goals for students and the role they believed learning difficulties played in achieving those goals. This led them to integrate literacy and disciplinary instruction to support students’ learning. The findings extend and support existing research on teachers’ expertise, and have implications for future efforts to develop secondary content-area teachers’ expertise in teaching students with LD.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document