Using assistive technology in an inclusive classroom is essential. There are a number of benefits: it can help students to be more independent; the curriculum can be more accessible to all students; it can boost engagement among students, etc.
1.For students with physical disabilities, use mobility aids in the classroom, such as wheelchairs, scooters, walkers, canes, crutches, and orthotic devices to help enhance student’s mobility.
2. iPads can be a great assistive technology in education as well. We could install several Apps on iPad that help students learn.
Such as an App called Co:Writer, a word prediction software, which can help student with Dyslexia to eliminate and overcome barriers. As you type, Co:Writer would predict the word you are typing; it's especially helpful for some difficult words that are hard to spell; it could even predict words that are likely come next. It interpreted spelling and grammar mistakes and offers word suggestions in real time!
3. In order to allow students with disabilities to participate more effectively in educational activities, I would use automatic page-turners, book holders, claw gripper, and adapted pencil grips in the classroom.
4. Using audio players and recorders for children who struggles with writing or taking notes. An audio recorder can capture what the teacher says in class so that children could listen to it again at home. Provide many e-books that have audio files, and tablet computers come with text-to-speech software that can read aloud anything on the child's screen.
5. Some students have trouble with pacing, I would use devices like wristwatches to hourglass timers as visual aids to show them how much time is left to complete an activity. It could also help children who have difficulty transitioning from task to task to be mentally prepared to make the switch.
6.For students who have trouble with visual tracking or who need help staying focused on the page, I would use reading guides. The plastic strip can highlight one line of text while blocking out surrounding words that might be distracting. It's very easy to move down the page as the kid reads.
7. For children who have math issues, they would be given access to a basic calculator in class. A talking calculator has built-in speech output to read the numbers, symbols and operation keys aloud. It can help the child confirm that he has pressed the correct keys.
8. For presentation, I would use graphic organisers. Although it's low-tech, it can effectively help the child to organise his thoughts for a writing assignment.
With the above list of technologies is not adequate yet.There is a problem of how to apply them efficiently. In some classroom, there're plenty of technologies, but because the lack of teachers, these devices and equipment can be left unused, and just like an exhibition for students to watch. It would require the manpower to coordinate and guide students how to use them. In many traditional special education settings, students are "pulled out" for related services, like speech therapy or for other specialised instruction, I would like to bring speech therapist, reading specialists and other service providers into the inclusive classroom so that students could benefit the most in the classroom. Although classroom teachers have a range of curricular and instructional skills, educating students in an inclusive classroom requires contributions from professionals representing a wide variety of disciplines. Having services of support personnel in the inclusive classroom could meet the range of diverse student needs that may be present in a heterogeneous classroom. Therefore, in my inclusive classroom, there is not just one teacher who's responsible for all. It's an educational team, who can identify and build on an individual student's strengths and gifts to form a basis for future success.
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