School’s out for the summer, but INDATA is hosting a full-day training session this week for those interested in making classrooms more accessible come future semesters.
This Thursday, June 26, INDATA will present “Assistive Technology for K-12.” Here is a preview of the training and the AT it will highlight.
Enhancing Education in Indiana
The first part of the training will focus on the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) and the implementation of an Individualized Education Program (IEP) for students with disabilities.
An IEP is “a written document developed by a case conference committee that describes accommodations, modifications, special education and related services that will be provided to the student” based on observations of their performance in the classroom.
Pictured below are examples of what an IEP might include:
To extend IDOE’s reach in helping Indiana students with disabilities, Easterseals Crossroads is partnering with IDOE to provide AT solutions for the state’s K-12 public schools.
For this collaboration, known as the ATLAS Project, Easterseals Crossroads is building a no-cost Lending Library, which loans assistive technology devices, software and resource materials to school personnel at Indiana’s Local Education Agencies (LEAs). ATLAS loans out these items for a six-week trial/evaluation period. Borrowers may request equipment demonstrations and technical assistance to accompany the loans.
“Educators still don’t realize how broad assistive technology is in scope. It could be something as simple as a schedule chart or something as high-tech as an AI notetaking device,” said Raine Sims, an AT specialist for the ATLAS Project and one of the presenters for this week’s training session.
Various AT Across Many Classrooms
During the training, Sims will explore the wide variety of AT available for students ranging from kindergarten kids to high-school seniors.
An example of an AT device you might find in a kindergarten or grade school classroom is the Special Tomato Soft-Touch Sitter. With a foam core, safety harnesses and attachment straps, this seat provides comfortable positioning support and easy transfer to different areas of a classroom for students with mobility needs or a musculoskeletal system disorder.
The Special Tomato Soft-Touch Sitter is currently available in the ATLAS Project library.
Another library item that’s beneficial for a broad range of students is the TD I-16, an eye-tracking, speech-generating device that uses infrared cameras and sensors to track the movement of the user’s eyes and interpret those movements as computer commands. From reading classroom material to communicating through digital speech with built-in speakers, this device opens up more learning opportunities for students with disabilities.
In terms of computer access, buttons and joysticks can serve as “switches” or alternatives to a traditional keyboard and mouse. They can also be beneficial in adaptive gaming.
Recreational AT devices, like the singing stuffed animal Alphabet Jodey or the X-Box Adaptive Controller, facilitate social engagement and help classrooms feel more inviting.
AT can be even simpler than a stuffed animal though. Take Math Window® kits, for example. Each kit includes a simple wooden board with magnetic tiles that combine Braille and large print so the student and teacher can work together. Students can store the tiles along the perimeter of the board — or on the optional attachable tile pallet. The work surface of the board is conveniently sized to fit the student’s desk and can be easily carried to and from class. A handy carrying tote bag comes with each kit.
As Sims will discuss further in the training session, some AT is even designed for teachers. Take the Oticon EduMic. Teachers can wear this small microphone, which easily attaches to a lapel or collar. (It comes with an adjustable lanyard as well.) The device cuts through classroom clatter to wirelessly transmit a teacher’s voice to a student’s headphones or hearing aids.
AT not only helps in the classroom — it changes families’ lives. INDATA’s upcoming training includes a parent testimonial that provides clear evidence of this. When addressing the ATLAS Project’s AT specialists, the parent wrote: “Thank you so much for all your help this year with borrowing the TD I-16 and for showing us all the switch toys. I appreciate your willingness to help. It has made C’s day to have access to these the last several weeks. His face lights up when he uses them and already in this short time his communication has grown leaps and bounds! Thanks for giving him that access and for giving us the opportunity to get to hear HIS voice! It is so exciting!”
For more information about the ATLAS Project, visit this page.