Assistive Technology

Assistive Technology/ Boardmaker

Let's start here : Take a moment to put yourself in the seat of a child with a learning or thinking difference.  Please visit understood.org and take part in the activities under Through Your Child's Eyes.  This website gives you tasks to complete, but you are completing them through a child's eyes who have these differences.

These tasks were frustrating for me and it made me realize just how frustrating it may be for the children we work with that are experiencing these differences.  This is why it is important for us as educators to help these students stay on track so they are not left behind.

This website is a great tool for parents to become informed, ask for help, and join a community of others that may be going through the same struggles.

Some differences children may have are:
 - dyslexia
 - ADHD (me!)
 - dyscalculia
 - autism

What is Assistive Technology?
Assistive technology is any item, piece of equipment, software program or product system that is used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of persons with disabilities.

Here are some examples of assistive technology:
Mobile aids: wheelchairs, walkers, canes, crutches and prosthetic devices.
Hearing aids: to help people hear or hear more clearly
Computer software or hardware: screen enlargement applications, screen readers, voice recognition programs.
Physical modifications built into the environment: ramps,  grab bars, wider doorways, handicap buttons to open doors.

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An assistive technology that I find to be extremely beneficial is boardmaker.

Boardmaker is a collection of standardized picture symbols used for communication with students who are strong visual learners.  When students have communication deficits, the day can be really frustrating.  Using an assistive technology like boardmaker, communication can is made easier.  This teaching technique has been a huge help with the English Language Learners in my classroom.

Ever since I began using picture cards like the ones shown above, communication with my English Language Learners has been so much better.  

If you want access to over 40,000 symbols you can click the link here:  Board Maker Symbols.  Unfortunately these are not free, but there is a solution to that! Create your own!  WIth google images or even your own camera, you can create picture symbols that the students can relate to.  I actually took pictures of my students acting out different emotions (happy, sad, surprised) and used those as the picture symbols.  The children loved it!