*Technology Accommodations*

As teachers, it is our job to reach every single child in our classroom. Using technology as an aid is one way that we can more readily do so, however we must take into account which technologies are most appropriate for our classroom situation. When planning our lessons, we must take into consideration the different impairments that our students have, and how these can hinder their learning experience if no accommodations are made to assist them. For instance, if there were a student with low-vision in my classroom, it'd be crucial for me to utilize technology as a means to allow them to participate and continue their work accordingly. As a math teacher, I plan on integrating the use of computers into my class for projects. One project I had in mind was a statistics-based assignment requiring students to gather data and then share amongst each others via google spreadsheets. Then, once data is gathered the students would use computers to graph distributions and draw conclusions. For a student who has low-vision, the use of a standard computer wouldn't be a sufficient means to complete this project. Instead, I'd integrate DAISY as an option for this student to remain independent in their studies. DAISY consortium is a program which combined with Microsoft Office to assist the hearing impaired. In using DAISY consortium students can save any Microsoft Office document or spreadsheet as a DAISY file. Windows speech recognition is what makes this possible; it is a verbal command based program which allows the visually impaired to use computers independently (Wikibooks, 2009). This ability for students to verbally use computer programs doesn't just apply to the visually impaired though. It also is relevant for students with physical handicaps which hinder their ability to use a computer. For instance, if a student had a broken arm and wasn't able to use the mouse of a computer as a result, this verbal command system would accommodate to their needs as well.

Likewise, if a student is hearing impaired similar accommodations need to be made. For example, when teaching in front of my class, those students who are hearing impaired are at a disadvantage if they have no means to "view" my explanations. This is where programs like Windows speech recognition are helpful (Wikibooks, 2011). By implementing this into my classroom, my voice is recognized by the technology and then put into a verbal display. This is a great breakthrough in educational technology because of the mass appeal that it has in the classroom setting. For students who are non-communicative, this same program could help them as well. It can be used as a visual aid for students who aren't able to maintain focus at all times. Instead of leaving them in the dust, whatever was said in the classroom in documented for them and the teacher can refer back to those notes when helping them remain on track. Also, sometimes seeing a physical representation of what is said can help the student learn the material by presenting it in different forms. Thus, by integrating these technologies into our classrooms, we can close the gap that sometimes forms with respect to students that have different impairments.

References:
Wikibooks (2009). Assistive Technology in Education/DAISY. Retrieved from http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Assistive_Technology_in_Education/DAISY on 6/22/11

Wikibooks (2011). Assistive Technology in Education/Speech Recognition Software. Retrieved from http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Assistive_Technology_in_Education/Speech_Recognition_Software on 6/22/11