ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY

WORKING WITH STUDENTS WHO HAVE

SPECIAL NEEDS
Vielka Flowers

OVERVIEW

Students with special needs in many cases are required to have

accommodations and some cases they receive modifications.

Assistive technology is a strategy that can be provided for students

who have special needs such as: auditory disability, mild learning
disabilities and have been diagnosed with ADHD.

Some times teachers have to use the help of Assistive Technology

strategies as well as non- technological strategies to ensure they
are meeting the needs of these students.

Educators should be patient and provide a learning environment

that supports and enhances these students learning abilities at all
times.
(Teacher Vision, 2015)

ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY
The Tech Act defines the term assistive
technology device as any item, piece of
equipment, or product system, whether
acquired commercially off the shelf,
modified, or customized, that is used to
increase, maintain, or improve functional
with disabilities.
(Behrmann, 2002)

ADHD

IDEA offers help for eligible students with ADHD, but not all students who
have ADHD are eligible for special education services. Even a medical
diagnosis of ADHD does not necessarily guarantee eligibility of services. In
order for a student with ADHD to qualify for services, the ADHD must
adversely affect a child's educational performance.

Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) is a neurological condition

that involves problems with inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity that are
developmentally inconsistent with age of the child.

Children with ADHD exhibit behavior that is classified into two categories:
Poor sustained attention
Hyperactivity-impulsiveness

https://www.naset.org
www.ed.gov/offices/OSERS/OSEP.

ADHD

The American Psychiatric Association on its fourth edition

proposed three subtypes of ADHD:
Predominantly inattentive: a student with this type of ADHD
commonly appears fidgety, have difficulty staying seated or
playing quietly, and act as if driven by motor.

Predominantly hyperactive-impulsive: a student with this type of

ADHD has difficulty participating in tasks that require taking turns.

Combined type

www.ed.gov

ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY
Assistive technology can be a use as great strategies to help the students
achieve and improve the learning abilities.
Clickers:

this device can help the students record the answers to questions.
This devise can be very helpful for students with learning disabilities.

ipads:

this device can easily be used as an assistive technology for students.

They can be carried from one place to another, enabling the students and
teachers to provide a feasible device for instruction.

Smartboard:

this device can provide opportunities for the students to

participate in activities where they can move around.

Writing

aids: this device helps turn dictation directly into notes.

www2.ed.gov/rschstat/research/pubs/adhd/adhd-teaching_pg2.html

NON-TECHNOLOGICAL ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY FOR

ADHD

Graphic organizers: this can provide the students with a since

of direction when presented with a task. The students can
organize the essential information, so they dont become
frustrated.
Venn diagrams: teach a child how to use Venn diagrams to help
illustrate and organize key concepts in reading, mathematics,
or other academic subjects.
Sticky notes: the students can use this item to write questions
they may have in a section of a book . They can use it to
remember a place where they stop reading.
Assignment notebooks: Provide the child with an assignment
notebook to help organize homework and other seatwork.

www2.ed.gov/print/rschstat/research/pubs/adhd/adhd-teaching.html

ADHD ACCOMMODATIONS AND STRATEGIES

Accommodations:
Reduce distractions
Allow extra time to complete assignments
Have exceptionally clear rules/repeat the rules often
Have specific behavior intervention plan
Be consistent
Strategies:
Make sure to create a caring, nurturing learning environment for all
students.
Promote cooperative learning
Try to give positive and constructive feedback
Consider sitting arrangements for student
Talk to the students about their peers OHI
Try to keep routines and warn the students of a change
Keep a good relationship with parents and coworkers
Friend, M. (2014)

RESOURCES FOR ADHD

http://psychcentral.com
http://www.help4adhd.org
http://www.add.org
http://www.nimh.nih.gov

http://www.help4adhd.org
http://www.atlantaparent.com
http://www.georgiachildpsychologist.com
http://aadd.org

AUDITORY DISABILITY
FEDERAL DEFINITION

Hearing impairment: means an impairment in

hearing, whether permanent or fluctuating, that
adversely affects a childs educational
performance but that is not included und the
definition of deafness in this section. (IDEA 20
U.S.C.1401[2004], 20 C.F.R. 300.8[C] [5])

Deafness: means a hearing impairment that is

so severe that the child is impaired in processing
linguistic information through hearing, with or
without amplification, [and] that adversely
affects a childs educational performance. (IDEA
20 U.S.C.1401[2004], 20 C.F.R. 300.8[C] [3])

Friend, M. (2014).

AUDITORY DISABILITY

The students that have hearing loss are

protected by the federal special education
law and is considered a low incident disability.
Hearing loss often affects the development of
communication skill, which in turn often
negatively affects language development,
academic progress, socialization, and career
attainment.
Most students who are deaf or hard of
hearing receive all part of their education in
regular education settings.
The evaluation for eligibility for special
education services for these students,
focuses on the extent of the hearing loss and
the impact that has on education, but also
incorporates ability, achievement, and
social, emotional, and behavioral domains.

STRATEGIES FOR STUDENTS WITH AUDITORY

DISABILITY
Educators can implement the following strategies:

Make sure the student is sitting up front.

Limit background noise during seatwork (may want ear plugs).
Use visual cues and give instructions in short segments.
Rephrase and repeat what you have explained in simple language.
Accommodate your students slower response timegive them a
chance to process.
Ask the student to repeat back what you said silently to themselves or
to you.
Teach note taking skills or help them improve their technique.
Maintain structure and routine so directions are predictable.
Write directions on the board.
Assign a buddy to your student so they can check understanding.
(Richert,K.2015)

ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY FOR STUDENTS WITH

AUDITORY DISABILITY

Students with auditory disability need

some accommodations and assistive
devices to be able to achieve in the
classroom.
The assistive technology devices are:
Cochlear implants
Amplification systems
Hearing aids
Head phones

RESOURCES FOR AUDITORY

DISABILITY

http://www.readinginstruction.com/visual-and-aud
itory-learners/
http://www.babycenter.com/0_the-auditory-learn
er_64456.bc
http://ldaamerica.org/types-of-learning-disabiliti
es/auditory-processing-disorder/
https://www.understood.org/en/learning-attentionissues/child-learning-disabilities/auditory-proce
ssing-disorder
http://www.ldonline.org/article/6390/
https://www.boundless.com/education/textbooks/b
oundless-education-textbook/working-with-studen
ts-4/teaching-strategies-21/effective-teaching-

IDEA'S DEFINITION OF "LEARNING DISABILITY"

Our nation's special education law, the Individuals with Disabilities

Education Act, defines a specific learning disability as . . .

". . . a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes

involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, that
may manifest itself in an imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read,
write, spell, or do mathematical calculations, including conditions such
as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction,
dyslexia, and developmental aphasia. However, learning disabilities
do not include, "...learning problems that are primarily the result of
visual, hearing, or motor disabilities, of mental retardation, of emotional
disturbance, or of environmental, cultural, or economic
disadvantage."34 Code of Federal Regulations 300.7(c)(10).
(Learning Disabilities, 2008)

MILD LEARNING DISABILITIES

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

Students with mild learning disabilities have:

poor auditory memory (short and long term)
Low tolerance and high level of frustration
Poor handwriting skills
Very weak and/or poor self-esteem
Gets distracted easily
Finds very difficult to stay on task

STRATEGIES FOR STUDENTS WITH MILD LEARNING

DISABILITIES

Educators should implement the following strategies

to help students achieve in the classroom:
Break learning into small steps
use diagrams, graphics and pictures to augment
what they say in words
Supply regular and quality feedback
Give oral instructions for students with reading
disabilities.
Use concrete objects for students who have
difficulties learning abstracts terms and concepts.
Use Scaffolding it seems to make a real difference.

ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY FOR STUDENTS WITH

MILD LEARNING DISABILITIES
Low Tech
Note-taking cassette recorders
Pencil grips
NCR paper/Copy machine
Simple switches
Head pointers
Picture boards
Taped instructions
Workbooks

(Behrmann, 2002)

ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY FOR STUDENTS WITH MILD

LEARNING DISABILITIES (CONT.)
High Tech
Optical character recognition
Word Processors with spelling and grammar checking
Word prediction
Voice recognition
Speech synthesizers
Augmentative communication devices (e.g., Liberator)
Alternative keyboards (e.g. PowerPad, intellikeys)
Instructional software

(Behrmann, 2002)

MILD LEARNING DISABILITIES: RESOURCES

http://www.csun.edu/~hfdss003/atacp/suppl
ements/gph7.html
http://www.education.com/reference/article/R
ef_Assistive_Technology/
http://www.sess.ie/categories/general-learning
-disabilities/mild-general-learning-disability
/additional-resourcesrefere
http://www.sess.ie/sites/all/modules/wysiwyg
/tinymce/jscripts/tiny_mce/plugins/filemanag
er/files/Categories/ASD/8MGLD.pdf
http://www.parentcenterhub.org/repository/ld
/#def

CONCLUSION
Educators who teach special needs students need to be
familiar with the needs of students with learning disabilities.
These students have a plan that requires modifications to
meet their varied needs. The teachers should always be
loving and caring towards these students. These students
require a lot of patience and dedication from all the staff
that works with them. Assistive technology can be a great
asset in the classroom for these students. It can help them
reinforce their abilities so they can be successful students.

REFERENCE

Behrmann, M., (2002). AT for students with mild disability.

http://www.csun.edu/~hfdss003/atacp/supplements/gph7.html

Friend, M. (2014). Students with deafness and hearing loss. In Special education: Contemporary
perspectives for school professionals (Fourth ed.). Pearson Education.

Learning Disabilities Association: Successful strategies for teaching students with learning
disabilities. (2011).
http://ldaamerica.org/successful-strategies-for-teaching-students-with-learning-disabilities/

Richert,K.(2015). Teaching Community: How to: help your students with an auditory processing
disorder.http://teaching.monster.com/benefits/articles/2324-how-to-help-your-student- with-anauditory-processing-disorder

Seay, B.(2015). Additude-strategies and support for ADHD & LD. 20+Classroom Accommodations
for ADHD Children: ADHD students can benefit greatly from the right school accommodations. New
Hope Media, New York, NY. Retrieved from http://www.additudemag.com/adhd/article/5901.html

Teachers Vision, (2008). Teaching students with special needs.

https://www.teachervision.com/special-education/newteacher/48460.html?for_printing=1

REFERENCE

The National Association of Special Education Teachers. (2007). Exceptional Teachers Teaching
Exceptional Children: Comprehensive Overview of Other Health Impairments. Retrieved from
https://www.naset.org/contactus2.0.html

U.S. Department of Education. (2008). Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative

Services, Office of Special Education Programs, Identifying and Treating Attention Deficit
Hyperactivity Disorder: A Resource for School and Home, Washington, D.C. Retrieved from
http://www2.ed.gov/rschstat/research/pubs/adhd/adhdidentifying_pg2.html

U.S. Department of Education. (2008). Building the Legacy: IDEA 2004.

http://idea.ed.gov/explore/view/p/,root,regs,300,A,300%252E8

U.S. Department of Education. (2008). Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative

Services, Office of Special Education Programs: Teaching Children With Attention Deficit
Hyperactivity Disorder: Instructional Strategies and Practices. Washington, D.C.
Walsh,M. (2008). Medicine. Net. Learning disabilities.
http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=38098