Task: This weeks readings examine how assistive technology can aid education for ALL students; encompassing strategies for those traditionally thought of as benefiting from assistive technology (deaf, deaf-blind, hard of hearing, mental retardation, multihandicapped, orthopedically impaired, other health impaired, emotionally disturbed, etc…) as well as those with milder "disabilities" (learning disabled, speech impaired, hearing impaired, visually impaired, ADHD, ADD etc…). However, what are your feelings/beliefs toward AT for the general population?

Should these applications, services, devices, adaptations and/or strategies be available to ALL students? Why or why not?

In your own words define informally your definition of assistive technology.

Response:

Assistive technology is any technology devices that enable people with disabilities to do something they otherwise cannot.

AT applications, services, devices, adaptations and/or strategies that are SUITABLE for use for all students should be available to ALL because AT is something all students can benefit from. For example, for English language learners (ELLs) with limited English proficiency, the computer becomes a tool for improved literacy and language development. Software can be regulated so it runs at a slower pace if an ELL needs this type of modification for language learning.

Today many teaching strategies that are primarily developed for ADHD students are used for students without ADHD because some of these strategies work for all students. If that is the case, why not use AT that is suitable for all students? However, I agree that assistive technology is costly and it requires teacher training. Therefore, before enthusiastically embracing any kind of AT, we need to make a cost-benefit analysis.