Candidates facilitate the use of adaptive and assistive technologies to support individual student learning needs. (PSC 3.4/ISTE 3d)
Reflection: I created an Assistive Technology Implementation Plan for one of my hearing-impaired students. I have a large population of hearing-impaired students and work with the number of interpreters in my classroom. I'm always looking for ways to make these students feel more a part of the classroom and provide them with equitable opportunities to learn just as the other students who are non-hearing impaired in my classroom. In this plan, I chose to implement the Pocket Talker for one particular student in collaboration with her interpreter. The student’s IEP was reviewed by our schools ISC (inhouse special education coordinator) coordinator, and it was determined that this would be a good form of assistive technology to try out with this particular student. We detailed how the device would be implemented in the classroom and what the projected outcomes would be for the student. It was also determined that the student would take the device home to help with any work schoolwork to be completed at home. This would also help for the student to learn how to effectively utilize the device on a consistent basis. A monitoring and evaluation plan was put into place to determine the usefulness and effectiveness of the device for the student. This artifact demonstrates mastery of standard 3.4 because I researched this device and facilitated the implementation of it for this particular student to support their individual learning needs. Data was kept over the implementation of this device over a period of time, and I was able to work collaboratively with the student's interpreter and our ISC coordinator to determine the effectiveness and plan for the next steps to better serve this student in my classroom. Throughout the planning process of this assistive technology implementation plan, I learned that there are many forms of assistive technologies available to support individual student learning needs and disabilities. Before completing this project, I was unaware of most of the devices that I researched. I feel that I have a better knowledge base of the forms of technology that are readily available to help me better serve my students and ensure that they feel a part of my classroom and that I am providing premier learning opportunity for them while they are in my class. If I were to make any improvements to the Assistive Technology Implementation Plan, I would have chosen another form of technology to implement with a student who had a different need. By choosing two different forms of assistive technology, I would broaden my learning base over various forms of assistive technology and be able to assess the effectiveness of more than one tool. The Assistive Technology Implementation Plan impacts student learning at our school, because through this project we were able to assess the effectiveness of this particular tool through its implementation and data records. If deemed effective by the administration and our school's ISC Coordinator, the Pocket Talker could possibly be purchased for a more hearing-impaired students at our school to better serve them throughout all classrooms. Classroom teachers could be trained to use these to ensure that this population of students are being provided equitable learning in all of the classrooms they attend throughout the day. The impact can be assessed by the data that is kept continually in the daily folders carried by the students using the device and from the feedback provided by the interpreters and teacher’s implementing the usage of the Pocket Talker.