Explore Assistive Tech

Assignment Purpose/Objectives

After participating in this activity, learners will demonstrate the ability to:

• “Model for colleagues the identification, exploration, evaluation, curation and adoption of new digital resources and tools for learning.” (ISTE 2c)

• “Use technology to create, adapt and personalize learning experiences that foster independent learning and accommodate learner differences and needs.” (ISTE 5a)

• “Manage the use of technology and student learning strategies in digital platforms, virtual environments, hands-on makerspaces or in the field.” (ISTE 6b)

Prerequisites/References

Before starting this assignment, learners should know the following:

• Read

  • Identify the four domains of assistive technology, common tools, and considerations at 21things4educators – Thing 21 - Assistive Technology   Locate the 4 domains of accessibility by visiting the "Define" section, "The Power of Assistive Tech & Introduction"

  • Microsoft’s Accessibility Website, Apple’s Accessibility Website and/or the Wisconsin Assistive Technology Initiative’s site outlining Google Chrome’s Accessibility Features.

  • Vanderbilt University’s IRIS Center’s Assistive Technology: An Overview: Review the entire module, especially the pages on Assistive Technology Devices and Assistive Technology Services

  • Explore Sabrina Santaniello of Curry College's Assistive Technology curation of AT resources. 

• View

  • Visit the MISD Accessibility Tip Sheet created by Sue Hardin or the Designing for Access site, 

  • The Center on Technology and Disability‘s “Intro to Assistive Technology” (4:56)

  • Understood’s “Is Assistive Technology Cheating?” (and Other Assistive Technology Myths)” (3:45)

• Explore

  • Explore at least 3 tools of your choice for accessibility. 

  • Consider text-to-speech tools like Immersive Reader or Read & Write, accessibility checkers in browsers and platforms (e.g. Chrome add-on's like Grackle, Microsoft Word or Adobe), guidelines for images (inserting images "in line with text" and using "Alt Text" for example), or something else you found to support learner variability. 

Basic Criteria for your Essay

• This is a formal academic essay of at least 500 words minimum, 750 words maximum. 

  • Information presented should be organized in a logical manner displaying clarity in thought and progression.

  • Main points are well developed with high quality, supporting evidence that demonstrates critical thinking.

  • Appropriate sentence structure and paragraph structures are used and the document is void of grammatical errors.

• The essay requires a little initial research on your educational technology topic and should include at least two valid outside references.  You can use our Ed Tech Library Guide  or any other resource you deem appropriate. Sources can include books (including our course text book), blog posts, websites, podcasts, webinars, or other items that connect to the topic and tools you are exploring. 

  • If you still need to download and install the VPN software, please be sure to check out the CMU Knowledge Base article for help. 

  • To the best of your ability, utilize APA formatting and style guidelines to format your document and cite your two sources. You are welcome to use a bibliography generator like Zbib or Zotero. 

Assignment Instructions

You have reviewed three accessibility tools, terms, and categories.  It is now it is time to focus on one. 

After reading and viewing materials related to a specific accessibility technology (whether a specific device, a function of an operating system, or a particular program), you will choose one and articulate the needs that learners using this accessibility technology have and the ways in which this particular tool is responsive to their needs. 

In your 500 - 750 words essay, articulate the following: 

• Describe how this tool might be used to address the following: personalizing, differentiation, accommodations, accessibility, and/or UDL. 

• Describe what the particular assistive technology is and how the technology works, in non-technical language (you may choose to include an image or screenshot)

• Describe the characteristics of students who would use this technology (if appropriate, you may consider multiple populations and purposes)

• Describe issues related to the technology's use in the learning environment (including approximate costs, as well as perceptions that other able-bodied people may have about the use of this particular technology)

The best essays will include a quality introduction section, clearly identified section and sub-section headings (as needed), and a thoughtful conclusion section.  Be sure to include at least one, if not more, screenshots of your assistive technology tool in which you use the screenshot for illustrative purposes to accentuate the points you are writing in your paper.