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Assistive Technology in Schools

Authors:
  • David Banes Access and Inclusion Services

Abstract and Figures

This guide addresses the key issues in seeking to implement Assistive Technology into Educational Organisations such as schools
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Education Guide - Mada Page 1
Assistive
Technology in
Schools
A Guide for
schools and
educators
Mada Center
September 2011
Education Guide - Mada Page 2
Contents
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 3
Start Define your vision ........................................................................................................................ 3
Understanding Special Needs and Disability ............................................................................................ 3
Understanding Assistive Technology ........................................................................................................ 4
Common AT solutions used in schools ................................................................................................. 6
Choosing Assistive Technology ................................................................................................................ 7
Purchasing an Assistive Technology Device .......................................................................................... 8
Training in Using Assistive Technology Device or Service...................................................................... 8
Using the Assistive Technology Device or Service ................................................................................. 8
Repair and Maintenance...................................................................................................................... 9
Implementing Assistive Technology in schools ....................................................................................... 10
Policy................................................................................................................................................. 10
Operating system and network configuration issues .......................................................................... 11
Software ............................................................................................................................................ 11
Learning platforms ............................................................................................................................ 11
Assistive Technology .......................................................................................................................... 12
Building Design and Furniture ............................................................................................................ 12
Training ................................................................................................................................................. 13
Recording and Portfolio ......................................................................................................................... 13
Designing Accessible Learning Materials ................................................................................................ 14
Recommendations and Next Steps ........................................................................................................ 16
Conclusion............................................................................................................................................. 16
Licence .................................................................................................................................................. 17
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Introduction
This guide is intended to help schools and teachers make use of assistive technology (AT) within the
classroom. The guide introduces a series of key issues for schools to address in planning to
introduce assistive technology across a school. The guide can be used to help teachers and
managers consider all the issues to address in school planning, and can help inform discussions with
AT professionals and vendors. For many pupils assistive technology is important because without it
they would be denied access to the curriculum or educational program.
Implementing AT in the classroom is a challenge for any teacher or school. Whilst this guide
provides a starting point it is important for teachers to build confidence in using technology through
hands on experience and structured training programs. AT centers such as the Mada center in Doha
can assist with this
Start Define your vision
In planning to implement AT across a school it is useful to take care to define a vision of what you hope
to achieve. At the Mada center we believe
Any child regardless of ability should have equal access to ICT so that it provides true
enrichment of their learning experience.
All students should be able to log on the school’s learning platform wherever they are working
most comfortably and find it fully accessible and delivering a learning experience and content
which is appropriate to their level and needs.
All students should have full access to learning materials delivered in a format that is
appropriate to their needs and goals
When students need any access technology, it is delivered to them in a seamless way over the
network, regardless of the machine they log on to.
All other teaching and learning ICT tools employed with the school allow Children with SEN to
learn and participate fully.
Understanding Special Needs and Disability
The term 'special educational needs' (SEN) or pupils with additional needs refers to children who have
learning difficulties or disabilities that make it harder for them to learn or access education than most
children of the same age.
Many children will have a special need of some kind at some time during their education. This can be as
a result of health issues, anxiety or an accident or other unanticipated occurrence. Help will usually be
provided in their ordinary, mainstream early education setting or school, sometimes with the help of
outside specialists. Other pupils will have a special need or disability throughout their school life and will
need ongoing support to help achieve their potential.
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If a child has special educational needs, they may need extra help in a range of areas, for example:
reading, writing, number work or understanding information
expressing themselves or understanding what others are saying
making friends or relating to adults
behaving properly in school
organising themselves
accessing information in some formats which do not meet their needs
A social model of disability would suggest that special needs in schools are created when the
environment does not fully support or match needs, and hence barriers to learning are erected.
Assistive technology can help shape that experience more closely to an individuals needs and preferred
learning style.
Children make progress at different rates and have different ways in which they learn best. When
planning lessons, teachers take account of this by careful organization of their lessons, classroom, books
and materials. The teacher will then choose suitable ways to help a child with special needs learn from a
range of activities (often described as 'differentiating the curriculum').
If a child is making slower progress or having particular difficulties in one area, they may be given extra
help or different lessons to help them succeed. Assistive technology and individual technology is a very
useful tool in helping the teacher to personalize learning for an individual.
Special educational needs: basic principles
There are a number of basic principles that all those involved in your child's education will consider.
When talking to your child's teachers, there are some basic points to bear in mind:
Children with SEN should have their needs met and they should receive a broad, well-balanced and
relevant education
Needs should be met in the most supportive environment possible. Usually within a mainstream school,
sometimes with the help of outside specialists.
For children with SEN, parents and family are important partners in working towards success. For this
reason finding assistive technology solutions that work across both school and home is extremely
valuable.
Understanding Assistive Technology
Assistive technology devices are any item, piece of equipment, or product that can be used to
increase, maintain, or improve the ability of a child with special needs.
The term “assistive technology” encompasses a broad range of assistive devices from “low tech” to
“high-tech” learning tools.
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Low-tech examples: pencil grips, highlighters, paper stabilizers.
High-tech examples: computers, voice synthesizers, Braille readers.
The division between high tech and low tech solutions is constantly shifting. Five years ago a mobile
phone was a very high tech device, today most people carry smartphones with them at all times and
they are considered relatively low tech.
Sometimes a pupil does not take up the use of assistive technology easily. When this occurs, it is
important to discuss the reasons with the student, teachers, parents and others. Some reasons why a
student may not use an assistive technology device might include:-
The student was not involved in choosing the device and does not like it
The device was not appropriate for the intended purpose.
The device is inconvenient or impractical to use.
The device has limited the child from taking part in another activity
The device can’t be modified or upgraded to meet changing needs.
The device is cumbersome or unattractive.
The needs of the student have changed.
Medical intervention such surgery or medication have made it unusable.
Training on the device and its use was not provided.
Technical support was not readily available.
Student was self-conscious about using it.
For communication devices, the student may continue to use previous communication methods
(gestures, eye gaze) rather than the new device or system, if she or he is able to get what they
want by using the previous method rather than by using the new method.
The goal of AT use, whether low- or high-tech, is to enable individuals to actively and fully participate in
learning and other day to day activities.
Using AT in the classroom is often based around making a series of accommodations. Accomodations
are specific processes or tools that help a student access and complete the same school work and
activities as his peers. They can involve both tools and processes.
Changing an activity so that a student with a disability can more easily perform it is a process-type
accommodation. Providing a student with attention deficit a quiet room for taking an exam is an
example of this kind of accommodation, since it changes the way that the activity is carried out.
If the same student were to take the test on a computer screen with adjustable magnification, he would
be using a tool-type accommodation.
Many pupils benefit from combinations of both of these accommodations and it is often valuable to
include such accommodations and plans in the childs Individual Education Plan.
If a child benefits from assistive technology and/or uses it as an accommodation, it is a key part of his
life that helps him participate as fully as he can in school, work and life activities. Whatever AT
equipment, software or services a child uses, those who work with him need to understand how the
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technology helps him. They need to know, as well, what they can do to make sure the AT is being used
as effectively as possible, this might include how to best use it to support classroom activities and
homework, and how to program, repair or make suggestions about upgrades or replacements if those
seem necessary. They also know whom to contact if there is a problem that they can’t address.
Common AT solutions used in schools
There are many AT solutions used in schools. Here are some examples
Computer Access
Alternative mouse device
Alternative keyboard
Text-to-speech application
Speech recognition software
Word Prediction
Simple desktop
Lessons
Sign language interpreter
Note taking assistant
Digital recorder
FM listening device
Computer for taking notes
Real-time captioning
Personal Organization
Talking watch
Print or picture schedule
Voice output reminders for tasks and assignments
Studying/Learning
Personal data assistants
Graphic organizer software
Digital recorder
Software for organization of ideas
Accessible teaching materials provided by tutors
Test-taking
Extended time
Low-distraction testing environment
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Repeating directions
Oral testing
Online accessible tests
Math
Talking calculator
Accessible math software
Visual graphing software
Reading
Audio book
Large-print, Braille material or computer Braille display
Text-to-speech applications
Scan-and read software and pen
Screen magnifier
Writing
Computer, tablet PC or mobile device or portable word processor
Electronic spell checker & dictionary
eBook reader
Speech recognition software
Word Prediction
Choosing Assistive Technology
At the heart of effective use of assistive technology is assessment of the child’s needs and a matching of
the technology to those needs. This matching process is not complex but does require a breadth of
knowledge of the options available and experience of which technologies are most successful with
specific needs.
An effective assessment usually follows a five step process
1. Preparation
2. Observation
3. Experimentation
4. Recommendation
5. Implementation
Useful questions to ask in assessing a child’s needs for technology can include-
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What will happen if the student does not have assistive technology?
What do we want to happen as a result of this technology being available?
What assistive technology has been used in the past, with what success ?
If assistive technology has failed previously do we know why?
What current IEP goals are related to the student’s needs for assistive technology?
What will limit the student’s use of the technology? (mobility, availability, physical limitations,
etc.)
How often will the student use the technology?
How often will the student use the device/method?
Where will the student use the device?
Who will the student use the device with? Peers? Teachers?
How easy is the device to set up, learn to use, operate, maintain and repair for the student,
teachers and parents?
Is the device portable and flexible enough that the student can/will use the device?
Is the student concerned about the appearance of the technology device or using it around
peers?
Once you have identified a suitable assistive technology for a pupils there are a number of other
questions that you may wish to address
Purchasing an Assistive Technology Device
Who will purchase the device?
What is the effectiveness, reliability, durability, safety, comfort, and long-term use of the
assistive technology device?
When will the device need to be replaced or updated?
How easy is the device to store and transport? Will there be a need for any additional
equipment such as carrying cases, mounting systems, etc.?
If software is to be used, do you know the memory, operating system and speed of the
computers on which the software is to be used?
What is the compatibility and expandability of the device(s)?
Training in Using Assistive Technology Device or Service
What training will the student receive to use the assistive technology device?
Who will deliver the training(s)?
Who else will be trained to use the device or trained about the device?
How will substitute staff be trained in the use of the device?
How will future needs for training be identified?
Using the Assistive Technology Device or Service
Who will determine if the device is being used successfully?
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What IEP goals will be developed for the use of the assistive technology device?
How will the IEP include assistive technology services?
When will the success or failure of the device be reviewed? By whom?
How will the student provide feedback on the use of the assistive technology device?
Repair and Maintenance
Who will pay for repairs?
Are local resources available to provide technical support or repair of the device(s)?
When the device breaks, who will repair the device?
Who will be responsible to contact the repair provider? To get the device to the repair location?
To make sure that the repairs occur?
How will the need for the assistive technology be addressed while repairs are occurring?
At the end of this process we will have successfully chosen and planned for assistive technology for an
individual pupil. However schools are made up of groups of pupils with a range of needs, and there is
much to be said for schools to be thinking on a whole school basis and planning not only to meet the
needs of todays pupils, but also those likely to join the school in the future.
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Implementing Assistive Technology in schools
Policy
In defining a whole school approach or policy to assistive technology, there are a number of questions to
consider and understand your accessibility issues and challenges.
What are our legal responsibilities?
What are the needs of the current student population?
Do we anticipate that these needs might change in the future ?
Where can we go for advice on accessible technologies?
What do we want pupils with SEN to do with technology in school, and do we understand the
aspirations of the students in this area?
Can we predict any changes in policy or legislation that might impact in the future such as a
move to greater inclusion of pupils with SEN requiring greater accessibility requirements ?
What assistive technology solutions are students currently using and what impact might these
have on the systems being considered?
Do we understand what the accessibility implications of particular needs groups are? E.g. what
are the access issues faced by blind students or switch users?
What assistive technology solutions are teachers and support staff familiar and comfortable
with?
What lessons have been learned from past experiences with AT ?are there examples of good
practice to follow and pitfalls to avoid?
How far do we want to go with getting accessibility right? Do we have a budget limit for this
activity ?
Are we prepared to accept any compromises in functionality for all students in order to ensure
accessibility?
The answers to these questions will outline our priorities and key areas for action. Such policy then
needs to be translated into guidelines to inform our decisions in the future. We may then need to
consider a number of questions when purchasing or implementing ICT systems in the school these can
be broadly considered under categories that relate to the type of technology we are thinking about.
De sktop P Cs
Can peripheral devices be easily attached by people with dexterity difficulties - things such as
USB sockets at the front of machines can help
Will the screen size and type be suitable for all learners including visually impaired children?
Will hardware be compatible with common access technology software packages and hardware
devices? E.g. soundcard compatibility with voice recognition packages
Laptop computers
Weight, screen size, battery life, ease of opening, screen reflections are all worth considering
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Teaching and learning tools
Do our interactive whiteboards need to be height adjustable to give all pupils easy physical
access ?
Are there alternatives to using a pen as an input method ?
What form of projection works best for your pupils and classroom, rear projection, short throw
projectors or plasma screens ?
Can children get a local image of the whiteboard on a screen at their desk ?
Pupil voting systems
is the input method accessible ?
Operating system and network configuration issues
There will be a number of possibilities for the operating system which will be chosen and also for how
the network will be configured. It is important that any implications of these choices for students with
SEN are considered and addressed in the decision making process. These factors include:
What accessibility options are available within the operating system?
What range of third-party assistive technology solutions are available for the operating system?
Will accessibility features in the operating system be locked down?
Will the operating system allow log on for non keyboard users - e.g. onscreen keyboard users or
switch users?
Software
Software, including curriculum content, will need to be designed to meet accessibility standards. Such
software should be capable of working with
A variety of forms of input including keyboard only access
Be capable of outputting information to a Braille display
Be capable of providing information through a screen reader or inbuilt voices
Be able to be used with magnification
Allow the child to change contrasts, fonts, text size etc to meet their personal needs
Allow distracting visuals and animations to be stopped
Learning platforms
Many schools are making use of an online learning platforms to support the education of their pupils.
These on-line environments will have two areas of accessibility which need to be considered.
One is the design of the platform itself and some steps towards core accessibility can be achieved by
adhering to the W3C Web Accessibility Initiative guidelines see http://www.w3.org/WAI/ for more
information. Such a design will need to combine not only compliance with tests, but also usability
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principles for disabled people. You can best discover more about this by asking pupils with SEN to test
and provide feedback on the platform with their personal assistive technology solutions. This will help
you identify any further accessibility considerations.
Some groups of students with SEN may need further support to use the platform. For example, making a
learning environment entirely switch accessible, providing symbol support for non readers, following
guidelines on easy read web sites or building in text to speech into the platform.
Special schools are likely to have very different requirements of a learning platform, both between
themselves and mainstream schools, but also between themselves and other special schools.
The other area of accessibility to address is the learning materials available on the learning platform.
The same issues that we discussed for software are relevant to online materials.
Assistive Technology
Even when we have addressed all of the accessibility considerations above there will still be a need for
third party access software and hardware for some pupils.
There are a number of factors to consider so that students can access their necessary assistive
technology easily and effectively. Including:
Can assistive technology software solutions be delivered to students who need them over the
network regardless of which computer they log on to ?
Are licensing options offered by assistive software suppliers responsive to your needs ? Are you
only paying for the number of users you need or are you expected to pay for one copy per
machine?
How will assistive technology updates work will they keep abreast with application and
operating system updates?
Will you limit the choice of assistive technology software to one of each type ? e.g. choosing just
one screen reader package for all blind children to use (except in exceptional circumstances)
How will access technology hardware be made available to students who need it for instance
will all classrooms have a range of the common alternative access devices or will students be
required to carry their access technology with them?
Where assistive technology hardware such as trackballs, joysticks and Braille displays require
drivers to be installed to work properly, will these drivers be available across all PCs?
Building Design and Furniture
It is quite possible to reduce the levels of ease of access to technology through the design of classrooms
and furniture. The environment around the technology can have either a beneficial or detrimental
impact on accessibility. For instance we need to consider the availability of
Access to power sockets especially for pupils where a laptop or other device is their only way of
accessing the curriculum.
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Does the furniture need to be height adjustable to meet the needs of pupils with different
seating or positioning ?
How does lighting and daylight affect visibility of computer screens and whiteboards? This may
change during the year, and has a great impact on the ease with which all pupils, but especially
those with low vision, can view a screen.
Space this is a key consideration for disabled learners. The y will need space for maneuvering
safely and easily within a classroom and also on desks for additional ICT devices and peripherals
they might be using.
Training
Depending on the technology and the involvement of the family, peers and professionals with the child,
training and technical assistance should include, but not be limited to, providing information and
training about:
the technology and how it works;
programming and setting up the solution;
recognizing and fixing minor problems;
integrating the technology into the student’s life at home;
integrating the technology into the student’s education goals and objectives;
maintenance of the solution;
resources for repair services.
Recording and Portfolio
Many pupils with SEN will have been provided with an IEP (Individual Education Plan) by the school. The
IEP details the objectives and strategies employed to meet the pupils needs. Beyond the IEP it is useful
for schools to build a “student AT portfoliowhich contains a detailed record of past and planned
accommodations and travels with the pupil during transitions.
An AT portfolio can also help justify continued accommodation in a variety of post school settings
including a college or workplace.
Typically an AT portfolio consists of the following information:
Information about needs, past accommodations provided, and key assistive technologies.
Information about AT devices, their purpose, where they were purchased, maintenance and
warranty requirements, and where training for their use can be obtained
An emergency plan with contact information, including AT loan and repair information if the AT
fails to function and needs servicing
Perhaps the main benefit of the student AT portfolio is that it organizes AT information in one place for
easy reference, making it valuable as a resource and advocacy tool.
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Designing Accessible Learning Materials
Assistive technology is only one part of creating a fully inclusive and accessible classroom. In addition
teachers will need to consider the design and layout of learning materials to ensure that they are usable
by all pupils. This can be especially valuable if materials are to be shared across schools via a shared
network.
These guidelines are useful in the classroom
Documents
Aim for a good contrast between print and paper, such as black type on white or cream paper.
Avoid all pale shades on colored background, for example avoid grey print on pale blue paper.
White type on black or another dark colored paper (reversal of type) can work well, provided font size is
relatively large. Avoid glossy paper as this reflects light and reduces readability.
For electronic documents it is valuable to allow the student to be able to:-
Change the font style and colour.
While reading a document it can be very useful to amend the colour or font style of the text. For
example, some people find a dark blue text easier to read than black.
Change the character and line spacing.
For some people the letters of the text can appear too close together and some of the letters can
merge, making it difficult to read words. It may be beneficial to increase the spacing between individual
letters, or between lines.
Change the background colour.
When reading a document from the screen it can be distracting to read the text with a white
background. Some users may find text easier to read with a different colour background.
Fonts
Choose an appropriate font style and size. There are hundreds of font styles to choose from, but they
generally fall into one of two groups. ‘Serif’ fonts have small cross strokes at the end of strokes. In
English Times New Roman and Garamond are serif fonts. ‘Sans serif’ fonts do not have these strokes
(‘sans’ is French for ‘without’). People generally find sans serif fonts easier to read. The complex shapes
of serif characters can cause confusion because the ‘ticks’ and ‘tails’ can obscure the shapes of the
letters and make the shape of the word more difficult to identify.
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Arial, comic sans, gill sans, verdana, trebuchet and tahoma are all examples of Latin based sans serif
fonts.
Type size is often the biggest influence on legibility. Generally, text should be produced as a minimum
equivalent Ariel font size 12. Most materials are easier to read if a larger font size is chosen
Avoid italics and underlining as this makes text harder to read. Generally, using italics will reduces
readability by 30%.
The use of bold type can be used as emphasis, although don’t overuse this feature as this can be
counterproductive.
Text
Avoid justified or centred text. Justified text is harder to read because the spacing between words is
varied to give the flush left and right margins. It is the most difficult of all layouts to read and most
people give up after only a few lines. It takes time to pick up the start of a new line from the end of the
one above.
Avoid writing in capital letters. These are harder to read than lower case letters. Capitals should be
avoided for continuous text as they are confusing to read. They also give the impression that you are
shouting at the reader.
Backgrounds and layout
Avoid text over a patterned background, or superimposed over images, or around illustrations. It is
much harder to read and can be confusing.
Aim for an uncluttered layout without too much information. Avoid narrow line spacing, narrow
margins, or dense text. Leave larger spaces between sections than between paragraphs. Lots of white
space encourages reading and accessibility.
Use bullet point summaries rather than dense text or lengthy paragraphs. Break up large amounts of
information into smaller blocks by using subheadings. Use short sentences and paragraphs. Layout
should be clear, simple, and logical.
Overall tip simplify, simplify, simplify.
Navigation
Navigation of documents is made much easier by the use of headings for sections of a document. You
can apply a heading in Microsoft office or Powerpoint by using the headings attribute within the toolbar.
This is much easier for people to follow than using bold, or underline to highlight the beginning of a
section or idea.
Headings also allow you to create a table of contents for your documents with the single click of a
button. A contents table will make it easier for all learners to find their way around your materials.
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Images
Use visual images to attract attention, give interest and illustrate information. But if you are using
images ensure that you also describe the content in text, either alongside the image or as a tooltip
within the image.
Alternative Formats
Ensure materials are available in alternative formats; large print, electronic format for example, and
make sure you say this on the front or at the back of any document.
Information on the production of alterative formats is available from many AT centers. As a standard
your materials should be capable of being produced in
Large Print
Audio
Daisy Talking Book
Braile
Text Only
Recommendations and Next Steps
1 All schools should have an accessibility champion who oversees and supports the introduction of
accessible technology into schools
2 A clear budget should be agreed for the provision of technology within the school
3 School management should regularly review policy and ensure that necessary steps are taking to
monitor and evaluate implementation.
4 External advice should be utilized as and when required
5 Staff development programs should be initiated to support teachers use of access technologies
6 Understanding SEN should be a core aspect of a school induction program.
7 All teachers should be able to demonstrate ICT competence to meet the needs of all pupils.
Conclusion
An inclusive classroom is one that benefits all pupils, it helps maximize learning and pupil progress. A
fully inclusive environment will not happen overnight and requires commitment and action at all levels
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form individual classrooms to school management teams. This guide will help you work through those
processes on behalf of your pupils.
Licence
Guide to Assistive technology for Schools and Educators by Mada Center - Qatar is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at info@mada.org.qa.
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