Lesson Plan Education Research Paper

Assistive Technology Help in the Classroom?

Concept/topic

Assistive technology is an umbrella term comprising of: assistive, adaptive, and rehabilitative devices for disabled people (Andresen, 2007, pp. 11). Additionally, it includes the procedure used in choosing, finding, and using them. In order for students to know how to use them in the classroom, or how they can be used to assist people with disabilities within the classroom, they must first understand what these devices are. Therefore a brief introduction on what assistive technology is and what kinds of assistive technology are available will allow for a firmer grasp on the subject.

Another point to cover will be the why use assistive technology. Assistive technology increases a student's chances for a good education, along with improved social interactions, and eventually, prospective for significant employment (Robitaille, 2010, p. 54). It also enables and encourages a student's contribution in learning proficiencies in the least obstructive environment. Assistive technology is a means to aid the student as well as enable the student to benefit more from the general education prospectus, and access supplementary activities in family, school, and work situations. Using the tools to build a diagram along with other things like magazine clippings, scissors, pens, and paper, they will express things like time, setting, and interpret images they see and collect using the tools to make it easier and faster.

In making an allowance for a Least Restrictive Environment (LRE), the students will start with low tech tools, and then move on to mid tech tools, and high tech tools. That way they learn how to use each level of assistive technology and develop a variety of strategies for utilization and further ease of access and learning ("Assistive Technology"). Low Tech tools are easy, ready to use tools requiring no electricity such as a magnifying bar. Many people who experience disability may have trouble reading.It could be due to dyslexia, vision problems, etc. Magnifying bars are relatively inexpensive at $4 and come in various magnification levels increasing the size of the area it is used on.

Mid Tech tools are little and transportable hand held tools that work mainly on battery power. One such mid tech tool the class will use is a Time Timer (Generaction). A Time Timer is a visual representation of passed time. It comes in varying sizes from 3," 8" and 12." Students see a graphic representation of time remaining for an assignment in red as the clock counts down. High tech tools like computer hardware and need electricity to run and are often more expensive. One example of a high tech tool the class will be using is a computer with voice recognition software for those who again may have vision problems or not know how to use the keyboard and need to hear or speak the commands instead of typing and reading them.

3. Lesson goals/objectives

The lesson and objectives are as follows, to learn what assistive technology is and why it is used in the classroom. The next objective is to learn how to use a low tech tool followed by learning how to use a mid tech tool, and then how to use a high tech tool. Understanding their purposes within the classroom will be emphasized with added importance on the usefulness of these tools every day. Additionally the class will the best ways to use these tools along with which topics like reading and math.

4. Standards, including CCSS and any Arizona State….....