Improve+access+to+the+general+curriculum

=A wealth of articles and books have been published in support of improving access to the general curriculum through integrating assistive technologies.=

Most of my students are not technology savvy, besides social media, word, powerpoint, and gaming, students don't really know the importance of technology. My classes do not use assistive technology, but I do believe that it will help if provided. Being a English teacher, many of my students have difficulty comprehending long pieces of text, grasping the main idea of the text and sounding out big words. I often break down the texts in to chunks and slowly focus on individual parts. This can be time consuming, and lose the focus of the more advance students. With assistive technology each student will be on equal playing grounds. Visual picture cards will help students remember and understand the meaning of words they struggle with. The computer will say the word aloud and a symbol with the meaning will appear on the projector screen, student will now be able to visually see and hear the meaning and sound of words. This will also not discourage or embarrass the students who usually have issues with vocabulary words. The "Picture It" software would truly make a impact on the learning environment of my classroom. I also think that text readers would greatly benefit students who want to work independent. Assistive technology does not only have to be for students with disabilities but for all students. Technology is the future, and it can only improve learning in the classroom and at home. Students who are encourage to independently work now have the resources they need to successfully complete and understand their assignments. Through technology students of different cultures will become socially accepted among their peers. Many students in the ESL classes who are still unsure about their English would greatly benefit from the programs that spell and speak aloud, because they are very segregated technology will help close the gap. In order to have assistive learning implemented in my classroom, I would have to get the support of the entire English department. While my school is very supportive of new learning supports, It also depends on the school's budget.



More can be found in the monograph series published by the Technology and Media Division of the Council for Exceptional Children.

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After you have completed these investigations, please click on the Discussions Tab above and respond to this prompt:
If your learners do not use assistive technology, do you think it could help? How? How can you use technology to promote acceptance of differences and recognition of individual strengths in your classroom? What supports would you need to integrate the use of your learner’s assistive technology in home and community settings?