Online+Resources+for+Special+Needs+Students

**Watching and Wondering:**
====‍I really enjoy working with special needs students, so when I started exploring topics online I wanted something geared towards special education. I started seeing a lot of information on assistive technology and thought I would explore that topic more. I have seen in many classrooms students struggling with reading, writing, note taking and more. I want to explore the online resources that can aid theses students in their learning. Students fall behind in their independent reading all too often, if more students had the availability to some of these tools they can successfully keep up in their classes. ====

‍What resources are available for students struggling with reading?
====‍What resources are available for students struggling with writing/note taking? ====

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====This is an assistive reading tool. Schools/teachers/parents are able to purchase this assistive reading tool. Student can download the book to the program, once downloaded you program will read the book aloud and the student is able to follow along. This program can be benefit struggling readers, english language learners, as well as students with physical challenges. ====

[[image:http://www.muhealth.org/images/MRC/AsstTech_devices.jpg width="160" height="211"]]
====TechScan 8 is an exceptional, light-weight, multi-level communicator. It combines the standard direct communication device with the benefit of scanning. This is an ideal tool for nonverbal students to let others know what they want or need. ====

====[] This website talks about assistive technology for students with mild disabilities. It goes on to talk about what AT are, and how they can be implemented in the classroom. It also talks about all the different subject/problem areas AT can be used. ====

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====The Parrot Voice Mate is a voice recognition tool that allows visually impaired students to easily store and retrieve important information. Homework or class notes can be quickly entered and retrieved using voice commands. The Voice Mate reads all functions verbally making it easy for students and teachers to learn and use. ====

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====This is a link to LiveScribe Smart Pen. The resource helps students take notes and record lectures. This smartpen lets you capture words, scribbles and diagrams and syncs everything to what is said. ====

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====This is the homepage for all different links for helpful tools for all different subjects. Once you click on the link for writing, reading, listening, organizing, or memorizing it will take you to a list of assistive tools for that subject, to help students in and out of the classroom. ====

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====<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">This tool is called "PleaseRead" it is a speech- to- text software. It will read the text on the computer aloud. This could be used for a struggling reader or the viaualy imaired. ====

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====<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">GoTalk Express is easy to use yet powerful, it is between low-tech and dynamic display communication tools. It comes with interchangable overlays, that you can record a message to go with. The GoTalk Express is a fully functional scanning device, ideal for beginning or experienced communicators. ====

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====<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">This article talks about how important assistive technology is for students with special needs. It also states some of the laws that mandate AT tools for students with certian disabilities. ====

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">‍**Wiggling and Weaving:**
====<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">‍ Technology resources for students with special needs are becoming more and more common. In the schools you will find numerous amounts of different assistive technology and web based programs that are aiding students in being successful. While exploring the many different tools I started to see that the majority of the programs are geared towards reading and writing. Most of the assistive technology tools that I have researched are tools for students that are not strong readers or writers. Many of the tools will read or write for the non verbal student. This is a major help for teachers that can not communicate with their nonverbal students, it gives the student a way to comunicate and interact with peers and adults. ==== ====<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">‍ I continued to notice article after article stressing the importance of choosing the correct piece of technology for that students specific needs. Since many of the assistive technology equipment and software that is expensive teachers and administrators should take the time and really match a student with the software that will benefit them the most. A concerin that school systems and teacher have when faced with the decision to give a student AT, is budget. Many of the tools used today are expensive and schools are on a strict budget which may make it hard for students to really get what they need. ====

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">‍**Wrapping and Waving:**
====<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">In the No Child Left Behind act it states that the IEP team must review the option of assistive technology for each student that is in special education as a part of their IEP. Based on this law, if nessasary each student is entittled to the best piece of assistvie technology that will benefit them. Knowing this schools should no hold back on AT based on school budgets or lack of understanding on the equipment. ====

====<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">The IEP team, teachers and administratives, should carfully asses each student that is in special education and place them with the AT that will help them the most. When considering an AT device it is important to look at the individuals strenghts and weaknesses in all subjects areas; reading/writing, speaking, listening, math, memory, organization, and motor skills. Their are tools and software out their for severly hanicaped students but there are also tolls that the regular education student can benefit from. Regular education student can also benefit from some of the online programs, such a the kurzweil reading software, or a smart pen which will help with taking notes and recording lectures. ====

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">‍**Wishing:**
<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">** Now after reading, learning, and exploring AT tools I have gained a lot of new knowledge about assistive technology and its importance and benefits to students and teachers in the classroom. I have read and seen so many stories and videos that show a student before AT and then after, and the results are amazing. AT for some students can mean being able to read and communicate with peers, parents and teacher, or being nonverbal for their entire life. Many of the stories like Josh's were very touching and made me very passionate about helping every student receive the equipment that will benefit them. **

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">** However I realize that money, school budget, and lack of knowledge and motivation are a strong factor in students not receiving assistive technology. I hope that all classroom teachers, and special education teachers would consider that great benefits and successes of their students if they had assistive technology tools to use. I also hope that all education personnel will become more informed on all the ways to benefit their struggling students, and that there are ways to help them be successful. **

====‍ BG...Everything on your page looks great, I would suggest that maybe you add a video or two to make it even better ==== [|http://youtu.be/yBnBWlbbvKY] This is a youtube video on why students resist to assistive technology...maybe you can incorporate this into your wiki, and talk about the reasons for this and how that could play a part in their stuggling with reading, writing or note taking.