Technology and Special Needs learner

Technologies used to aid student with Visual Impairment

A practical way on how teachers can utilize technologiesPresented By: Usha Baldeo , Dekerda, Rajesh Motie and Shenelle Roberts

Objectives

Introduction/rational on visual impairment

Definition of visual impairment Benefits of technology use to aid visual impairment

Examples or strategies of technological devices use to aid visual impairment

Practical ways teachers can utilize these technology

People who are visually impaired may have

special needs, but that does not prevent them

from leading successful lives at home, work or

school. Students will be introduced to children

who are visually impaired to understand their

special communications needs and will come to

appreciate the visually impaired .

Rational on Visual Impairment

In an era of inclusion and collaboration, educators on all

levels need information about the myriad ways in which

technology can enhance the performance capabilities of

these visually impaired students, facilitate participation in

instructional activities, and improve scholastic

achievement. There are several kinds of assistive

technologies available to visually –impaired students that

can be incorporated into the classroom setting. This

presentation explores practical ways teachers can made

utilize tech for the visual impaired.

Rational continue

"Visual impairment including blindness" means an impairment in

vision that, even with correction, adversely affects a child's

educational performance. The term includes both partial sight and

blindness. This impairment refers to abnormality of the eyes, the

optic nerve or the visual center for the brain resulting in decreased

visual acuity.

What is visual impairment?

Cognitively, students can attend to various tasks at the same time.

Academically, technology allows users to feel a part of the classroom and develop reading and phonetic skills.

Linguistically, students can develop and understanding of the difference between written and spoken forms of language.

Behaviorally, It fosters better communication with the user and the instructor. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzbASVir8qo

Benefits of technology use to aid visual impairment

Examples of Technologies used to aid visual impairment

Text to speech software-this application can be use on desk-top,

laptop and iPod, cell phones etc. It is a

software application that simple reads pre-recorded text aloud for students.

Type to speech or Braille and speech device- reads the letters and words as students type.

Voice recognition software-allows

students to take note in the class and also request the device to

find something

Audio books-reads story and informational

text for students

Text to speech devices

Practical ways or strategies teachers can utilize these

technologies as a learning tool

These devices can be use across the curriculum . For instance, reading comprehension students can listen to stories just by simple touching bottoms then use another form of visual tech device to answer the questions. This can aid in fluency, listening skill and word pronunciation etc. (type to speech device (laptop) watch this video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FKYjo8sFCw

Students will listen to the story” Three little pigs” via the laptop

Say what they learnt about and from the story

Record in their now words the beginning, middle and ending of the story using any text to speech device

This will test students understanding of the story and the use of the technology

Practical ways teachers can use the Text to speech devices

This device is a powerful tech tool that can we use at dictation and spelling.

Here is how it works Teachers reads a passage of scrip or words

for student to type. As they type the device reads the scrip or words out loud.

Practical way teachers can use the type to speech device

Braille Displays

Braille displays are hardware that enables visually impaired students to read. Teacher can prepare the same reading lesson and using this device, blind students can open documents and edit , and browse the Internet. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFQMLc2vO4U&feature=related

Voice recognition software

Voice recognition software can be used to facilitate various stages of the writing process, it can be fine-tuned for specific writing assignments in various subjects such as history or science.

Audio/braille books

This device can be used to facilitate reading for visually impaired students. The books can be read in Braille or with synthesized speech software, and contains page numbers, information from the title page, and mark-up indicators to direct users to the beginning of chapters and pages. 

I am visual impaired, yet I can

Learn it

Play it Create it

There are no barriers to my abilities. With the

help of assistive technologies I can remove all

barriers and be anything I want to be.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofIt3So1dJU

You can do it too just try.

Hope you had fun

Come into my world

The

End

https://arksped.k12.ar.us/rules_regs_08/3.%

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzbASVir8qo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFQMLc2vO4U&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FKYjo8sFCw http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCKAJ_H0rPw http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofIt3So1dJU

References