Assistive Technology: Inclusion for Everyone

Kelly Ahers in "Building an Assistive Technology Toolkit" states that the goal of AT services is to build "toolkits" that instill "independence and confidence in students with special needs" (2011, p. 22). Ahers then goes on to explain that many services are free or are provided by many operating systems such as Windows Vista and Apple's Snow Leopard (a bit outdated, but I'm sure Yosemite has kept and improved upon these technologies). So many features on our OS are low tech and yet help a great deal. This includes magnification, narration, changing the text size, keyboard shortcuts as well as on screen keyboards. There are also more advanced options like speech recognition. 

A particular type of AT I found interesting were the technologies that allowed students to progress into higher education. In the film "How Assistive Technology Enables Dreams," Lukas Bratcher hopes to go to college on a music scholarship. His hopes can become a reality due to his specially made Euphonuim horn that accommodates for his condition, amyoplasia arthrogryposis multiplex congenita. As his music teacher says in the film, Lukas's talent and will to play the Euphonium horn was always there. It was AT that enabled him to interact with his environment that would allow him to showcase that talent and dedication. This is also true for Susanna Sweeney-Martini and the kindergarten class in the film. For the kindergarten class and Susanne, their AT devices assisted with their exceptional learning conditions. From voice recognition to enlarged text, whatever their need, AT helped satisfy it. 

AT provides more equitable access in all learning activities for students with exceptional learning needs. In his article "As I See 'AT,'" Daniel Cochrane addresses this point: "...the traditional concept of disability locates the problem entirely in the person rather than seeing the disability as a result of the transaction between a person and his/her environment. AT doesn't change the person, it changes the person's interaction with the environment" (2014, p.36). Cochrane's explanation really is an eloquent and succinct way of putting it. Access to this types of assistive technology is imperative not only for students but also for teachers. Even an entry level of understanding of AT can help pinpoint possible areas where students require AT. I was very ignorant of how many resources there are already built into our computers. Just from reading and watching these few sources I have already increased my awareness and now know possible technologies students with needs can use. 

Resources:

Ahrens, K. (November 2011). Building an assistive technology toolkit. Learning & Leading with Technology. 39(3). Retrieved from http://www.learningandleading-digital.com/learningandleading

Cochrane, D. (March/April 2014). As I see "AT": Mind the AT-IT overlap. Learning & Leading with Technology. 41(6). Retrieved from http://www.learningandleading-digital.com/learningandleading

How assistive technology enables dreams. (2005, February 5). Retrieved at http://www.edutopia.org/assistive-technology-enabling-dreams-video

How Do We Get "Creatical"?

AR Digital Storytelling

Technology has made it's presence known in the classroom and it's here to stay.  But what if education went really, really virtual? In Jason Ohler's article, he tells of an ARt gallery (no, that's not a typo). ARt is an augmented reality art gallery.  By using real life artwork and programming "triggers" for digital devices to read, a hybrid of virtual reality and real life is created! This is a revelatory tool for digital storytelling. Not only can an artist (the student) create an interactive experience with their art but also use a visual trigger to prompt an overlay that shows the creative process behind making that piece of art! 

I absolutely think tools such as AR are worthwhile and can only improve education. As Ohler comments, "Once you understand AR's fundamentals, you begin to see its potential applications all around you." (2014, p.21) Coming from a Language Arts background, the students could use augmented reality software to do group projects on book reports. The students could have the characters in the story talk with one another about events in the story. Another option would be to have a hand-drawn picture of a pivotal scene with a quick-response (QR) code that when read, prompts a video of the author talking about the mechanics/motivation of that particular scene. 

I think AR will most improve education by providing the tools for students to completely redesign how we're using it. Currently, as Ohler states, we are "using a new medium to explore a blend of new and old expression, but we are just scratching the surface of the kinds of art we can make that is unique to the AR world." (2014, p.19) The generation of students using AR technology as a norm in the learning process will invent entirely new ways of using that technology. The true, positive outcome of technology in the classroom is innovation! 

Backchanneling with Middle Schoolers 

Michael Mills and Jessica Herring in Benton, Arkansas are using "backchanneling" in their Benton Middle School classroom. What is backchanneling? It's a "streaming conversation -- public or private -- that you and your students can have while another activity is going on." (Mills, 2014, p.30) The students received an QR code to access TodaysMeet though a browser on their device (this particular exercise was BYOD-- Bring Your Own Device). While viewing a video adaptation of Ray Bradbury's "The Pedestrian," students could comment in the chat with their predictions, commentary and questions. All students were assigned pseudonyms so only the teachers could see who was making which comments. 

Backchanneling is an interesting method of streamlining the discussion. The teachers in the article said that "using personal technology to discuss their predictions and thoughts engaged [students] in a richer, more enthusiastic way." (2014, p.31) If being able to comment on their own electronic device is generating conversation, then I encourage it. Looking at the opportunities backchanneling provides, it's easy to see how this can lead students to receiving feedback on content of their own. For instance, if a student is going to present a Youtube video where the assignment is to change/continue a characters plot line, students can have their own devices and comment/ask questions while the video is being played for the class. Backchanneling is a tool to be used in conjunction with technology for digital storytelling. Backchanneling can improve education by providing live commentary on events happening in the present. It also can cut out the waiting time if a student has a question. We've all been there where we forget the question we had! Overall, background discussion provides for constant discussion which in turn helps close any gaps in student comprehension. 

**NOTE: "Creatical" is owed to Jason Ohler. Please see resources below. 

Resources:

Ohler, J. (March/April 2014). Beyond the gallery wall. Learning & Leading with Technology. 41(6). Retrieved from http://www.learningandleading-digital.com/learningandleading

Mills, M. (December/January 2014). Backchanneling with middle schoolers. Learning & Leading with Tecnhology. 41(4). Retrieved from http://www.learningandleading-digital.com/learningandleading

Let’s Get Ethical: Teaching Digital Citizenship

Before reading these two articles and taking EDUC 422 at CSUSM, I was not aware of the term “digital citizenship.” My lack of awareness seems to be what educators are trying to correct by teaching digital citizenship in school. In an ever-evolving technology based world, a necessary skill students (and teachers!) must hone is media literacy. Digital citizenship is being media literate. It is of some debate whether teachers should teach ethical behavior for being online or simply provide the technology and applications for students to communicate with the rapidly changing digital world and act as a guide.

As it stands, there is already misuse of technology and resources. Too often students fall victim to plagiarism, being written up for using their personal device in class, or a ho-hum attitude about technology in the classroom if it isn’t being used for entertainment. How do you correct this? I firmly support teaching digital citizenship to students. A component of being media literate is not only citing your sources but also understanding your wider responsibility to the online community. If a student can realize that just as they want online privacy, credit for their work, to be seen as an authority, and praised for their authorship so does the rest of the Internet! This realization should be celebrated, as Jason Ohler, a champion of digital citizenship, notes in his argument for technology in the classroom.

We are only going forward. In order for our students to be good digital citizens they need to be provided with proper, up to date digital environments and guidance.

Ribble, M., Bailey, G., & Tweed, R. (2004). Digital citizenship: addressing appropriate technology behavior. Retrieved from http://cc.csusm.edu/pluginfile.php/354492/mod_resource/content/3/digital_Citizenship_ISTE%281%29.pdf

Ohler, J. & Malmstrom, M. (2012, November 30). Should schools be required to teach digitial citizenship? Retrieved from http://cc.csusm.edu/pluginfile.php/354493/mod_resource/content/2/Teaching_Digital_Citizenship_Y-N.pdf

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