Assessing Student's Needs for Assistive Technology (ASNAT)

Chapter 5 – Assistive Technology for Reading, Studying, and Math
Two students are highlighted in the article. Erica is a 6-year-old with cerebral palsy. She could walk but
not talk. She could use several modified signs and could type on the standard keyboard with some
success. After a few weeks in the program she began using the keyboard independently for many
activities. She began using a Touch Talker communication device and was able to handle icons with
multiple meanings. In less than 6 months she was an emerging reader and writer.
The second student, Casey, was 5-years-old. She also had cerebral palsy but needed many more
adaptations than Erica. She had no speech but used eye pointing quite dependably and had a consistent
yes-no response system. She demonstrated awareness of initial consonant sounds and could
communicate via eye pointing to the correct consonant that was being finger spelled by a teacher. Casey
assisted in programming a talking switch each day to report to her parents what had occurred at school
each day and vice versa. By using eye pointing boards, the staff determined that she could read a few
words.
The authors reported what they had learned as a result of implementing this literacy program. It
provided a wide range of literacy opportunities and the tools to participate in them. They fostered the
means to ask and answer questions, and comment on daily events. Four of the eight students were placed
in their neighborhood schools, although one was unsuccessful and was returned to the special classroom.
One of the most compelling reasons to place students in regular education classes is that regular
education teachers have the expertise in literacy to contribute to the programming for students with
special needs. To be successful, the authors suggest:
♦ Work closely with the special education team and the parents; get their assistance in developing light
technology communication boards.
♦ Understand that physical and communication disabilities do not mean cognitive disabilities.
♦ Provide additional wait time for students to respond or provide them with advance notice on what
questions will be asked.
♦ Balance teacher-directed activities with child-centered activities.
♦ Encourage interactions between all students and teachers.
♦ Update technology skills by taking a class.
♦ Contact the Center of Literacy and Disability Studies for assistance and ideas.
Identifying Stages of Literacy
Of course we all know that children do not change overnight from being a non-reader to being a fluent
reader. But what are the steps or stages? Can we predict a progression of specific skills? To answer
those questions we undertook a review of the literature looking for a clear explanation. What we found
was a great variety of different descriptions, criteria and labels for stages in the development of literacy.
After reviewing them, we found that none felt exactly right. It was especially frustrating that different
authors used the terms “Beginning,” “Transitional,” and “Novice” in very different ways and often they
just didn’t seem to “fit”. So, we develop our own description, which is included here. The states we have
identified are: Pre-literate, Novice, Beginner, Transitional, and Functional. Following the description of
the five stages of literacy that we are using, there is a chart that compares our names of the five stages
with some of those from the literature review. Following that is an article on Reading that looks at
selecting and using various assistive technology for students who are in each of the five stages of
literacy we have identified.
Assessing Students’ Needs for Assistive Technology (2004) 117