Enabling Dreams

Having assistive technology available is a great opportunity for students with disabilities. Most of the time parents and teachers are not aware of the assistive devices that could help students with learning and with their everyday lives. After watching the Enabling Dreams video, it showed me how these devices can be crucial when it comes to a person’s development and how it can help promote a better life for students with disabilities.

There are many assistive devices that can help students with disabilities. They range from low tech devices, such as pencil grips and magnifiers, to more high tech devices like voice activated software and on-screen keyboards. These devices are more than just tools that the students use, for some it’s a way of life. It opens up many opportunities for students with disabilities and it allows them to accomplish more than what is expected. A student in need of a specific device to help them understand the curriculum is something that the student must receive and be accommodated for (Smith and Tyler, 2010, p.38).

As a future educator, creating a lesson plan that would allow students with disabilities to participate in would be very challenging, but with the right attitude and ingenuity, I believe students with disabilities can easily be a part of class activities. A good example would be Lukas Bratcher from the video Enabling Dreams. Lukas is unable to use any of his four limbs fully, which can be really difficult in many ways. Although his disability may seem like it slows things down, Lukas does not let it get in the way of learning and pursuing his dreams. Lukas was able to pursue his passion of playing the horn in the school band by having the proper tools and technological devices to help support him with his disability. This allowed him to be himself and to participate in an activity with all his other peers.

Being able to create an activity that allows students with disabilities to participate in is something that I would definitely promote. Every student who has a disability is unique and requires different accommodations and modifications, which must be addressed (Smith and Tyler, 2010, pp.319-320). As a teacher, I would look into student’s profiles and find out how I can revise certain activities to where it meets their specific needs. By doing this, it enables students with disabilities to be a part of the lesson and to not let them feel as if they are not important. I want to ensure that every student is grasping the information and comprehending the lesson that is being taught.

Having a family member or friend with a disability may be tough, especially when it comes to their education. I personally do not have any family members or friends with a disability, but I have been exposed to students who have disabilities. I recently had to observe at a school, with the requirements being that it had to be in a special education classroom. Most of the students I observed had a learning disability, but there was one student with a hearing impairment. This student was required to wear an F.M. unit, which helps optimize the speaker’s voice and block out any background noise. This device allowed the student to be able to hear the teacher more clearly so that the material is easier to understand. I think in this situation, assistive technology has proven to enhance education and to really allow students to reach their full potential.

Technology is evolving so rapidly and is one of the most utilized tools in today’s society. Having assistive technology available for those who need it really changes the way a student with a disability learns. These devices help students with disabilities express themselves and it teaches them to be independent. I think if we introduce the various types of assistive technology devices to students and parents early on, it will help benefit students learning abilities and expand possibilities.

 

 

References

The George Lucas Educational Foundation. (2005, February 02). Assistive-Technology: Enabling Dreams [Video File]. Retrieved October 9, 2012, from http://www.edutopia.org/assistive-technology-enabling-dreams-video   

    Smith, D. D., & Tyler, N. C. (2010). Introduction to Special Education: Making a Difference (7th ed., p. 38). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill.