AT in the Classroom: SETTing the Example for using Assistive Technology

Sometimes I take for granted what I have learned about assistive technology, so let me start out by sharing and defining it before diving into examples...

Assistive Technology (AT) is defined in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) as any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of a child with a disability. It does not include medical devices that are implanted, such as cochlear implants.

As part of every Indvidualized Education Plan (IEP), Assistive Technology should be "considered" as part as the child's ability to have access to a Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE).

With all that in mind, in this alphabet soup of educational acronyms, how can parents, educators, and therapists search, select, and support children with complex needs?

Using the SETT Model, as developed by Joy Zabala who is a leader in Universal Design for Learning (UDL) concepts, it is recommended to look at four components: Student, Environment, Task and Tool.  First, you look at the Student: what are their strengths, needs, and motivating factors.  Then, look at the Envirnoment: where is the student going to be completing the task?  Third, name the Task: what does the student need to do or learn? Last is the Tools: how is this child going to access the task at hand, as independently as possible?

When I am working with students, I collaborate constantly with a group of amazing therapists and educators.  We try to look at all options from no tech to high tech. You don't want to jump to the iPad with ProLoQuo2Go if it's not going to work to the child's strengths and meet their needs.  Let me give you a few examples:

Example: 

The Student: A preschool student with significant physical and cognitive disabilities. S/he is able to reach, grab and release with both hands.  S/he is motivated by sensory exploration, food and music.  

The Environment: Student will be completing tasks in the OT room, the classroom, and academic specials like gym, art, and music.  

The Task: develop a means of communicating needs and wants.   

The Tools: 
No Tech: Incorporating the use of gestures, eye contact and vocalizations into activities

Low Tech Option- pictures, like Boardmaker, SymbolStix, or downloaded pictures from the internet.  

Mid Tech Option- voice output single switch with a picture indicating what it says or a swtich activated toy (available through specialty vendors such as Enable Mart  or Able Net or potentially Amazon).

High Tech Option- iPad with Cause and Effect music based play apps such as Inclusive Tech, with a switch and Blue tooth switch interface for the iPad such as the Pretorian APPlicator

During therapy sessions, I use them all.  The combination of all approaches supports intent, initiation, persistence, and communication needs through motivating play. This student must request a turn using a picture exchange to then activate the cause and effect switch based toy/app, indicate more wanted time on the swing, or use of the rice box.  Notice, I haven't attempted to start an alternative and augmentative communication (AAC) app.  S/he is not ready for it yet.  Maybe in the future, maybe not.  

Example 2.

The Student: Student with significant physical mobility challenges. S/he is very bright but has difficult time keeping up with his/her peers during class activities. S/he can type on average at the same speed his peers write; s/he can write single letters and numbers recognizably but large.

The Environment: regular education setting

The Task: S/he needs to be able to complete math, reading, and writing worksheets independently.

The Tools: 
No Tech: scribing, however this involves an adult or peer to do the work, and the student is dysarthric. Reliability of answers should be considered.

Low Tech: Use a Slant board, built up pencil, and strategic positioning (and repositioning) of materials

Mid Tech:Lap top already available in the classroom with shortcut to a word processing application and a printer

High Tech: iPad with a PDF translation app that takes a photo, turns it into a PDF on which the student can type or draw on, access to email and/or printer

The student uses a combination of all four, again. Now that the student has access to the tech, the need for the scribing is lessened.   Sometimes the child wants to write. So with strategic positioning and his built up pencil, s/he can fill in the blank or draw the lines. But when the writing is more than a few letters or numbers, he can complete his work on either the iPad or the computer.  Is it perfect? Is it up to UDL? No, because in theory, the means of his expressing his knowledge wasn't explored before creating the lesson.  But does it work and give him improved access right now?  Yes.  

Example 3.
The Student: Elementary student with decreased strength and endurance to upper extremities and absent lower body sesnsation.  Also wears glasses.  Enjoys reading and music, but has a hard time comprehending and expressing what she knows.  S/he hunts and pecks on the keyboard.
The Environment: The inclusion classroom
The Task: Reading assignments, comprehension
The Tools:
No Tech: Provide modified educational materials like multiple choice questions
Low Tech: Highlighting strips to visually narrow the area the student needs to which s/he needs to attend. Access to read-aloud accommodations on the ePublished version of the reading program
Mid Tech: Access to laptop with a text to speech app/extension (Read and Write for Google, Readability, etc)
High Tech: iPad with PDF translation app to enlarge the print on the screen and limit visual clutter.  If student has a print disability, may qualify for Bookshare account and could use Voice Dream app on the iPad as well.

Combination of all four.

Notice the trend?  There is no end-all, be-all answer to access needs because depending on the strengths, needs, environment, and task, the tools required will be different.  And it is always a work in progress as the demands of the schoolwork change.  The important thing to take out of this is that you need to ask the right WH questions.  Who? Where? What? and How? Because if you don't know the answer, you can consult with your team or request an Assistive Technology Evaluation from your local AT group, in accordance with your district policies and procedures.  If you're not sure, refer!  

If you want to learn more about SETT, UDL, CAST, AIM, or any of the other Assistive Technology acronyms, there are amazing free and at cost webinars available on-line through AbleNet University, CDT Institute, and AOTA .  And don't forget to make friends with your local AT program!  They can be an amazing resource.

Working around Worksheets- Two Free Apps to Help Gain Access

If you have ever worked with, had, or was a student with terrible handwriting or who couldn't physically access the worksheets to which they/you were handed, then you may want to try a combination of two free apps: Paper Port Notes and CamScanner.  Separately, the apps are pretty awesome.  But with their powers combined, a worksheet can be made a little more accessible.  What the apps do is create an editable PDF (or Portable Document Format).  In a nutshell, you take a picture of the worksheet, then the user can input the answers via the onscreen keyboards, with a stylus or even his or her finger.


The following is a step by step account for using the apps.  Don't get overwhelmed by the number of steps, because it is actually easier than it seems. But I know when I am learning how to use a new program, I like to know exactly which buttons and at what points to use them.

Once you download the apps:

1. First open Cam Scanner 

2. On the right hand side of the screen there is a camera icon, press it.  this will open up the camera feature

3. Make sure you have good lighting and take a picture of the document you want to work on

4. Press done

5. When you press done, it will show 8 dots. By moving the dots you will be able to adjust and make sure you have just the document you want to work on

6. Once cropped, press next step and it will show the cropped section

7. Press Next Step again which will open up a new doc, press on that.

8. Now press on the three dot icon  (...) and select OPEN IN (select PDF FILE) then select Open in Notes that looks like the Paperport app

9.  Now the document is in the Paperport notes app 

10. If the sidebar is showing, just tap on sidebar and it will go away.

11. At this point, there are a variety of editing buttons in the top right hand corner. T for creating text, the Pencil for circling/drawing, the Highlighter to highlight facts, and Eraser to erase stuff

      (11 a.) To type on the document, press the T. Then use your finger to touch and drag along the area on which you want to type to create a text box.  If you want the font to be bigger, create a taller box by dragging your finger up or down while you are dragging across.  When you are done typing, just touch the T again and it will close out the option.

      (11 b.) To circle answers or draw on the document, tap on the Pencil icon then go to work on your touchscreen.  When you are done drawing, tap on the Pencil icon again to close the option.

      (11 c.) To highlight information, tap on the Highlight icon then go to work on your touchscreen.  When you are done drawing, tap on the Highlighter icon again to close the option.

      (11 d.) To Erase things you have marked accidentally, tap on the Eraser icon then go to work on your touchscreen.  When you are done erasing, tap on the Eraser icon again to close the option.

12. When you are done working on the document, there are a few options.  Touch Menu at the top left corner.  Select the document you wish to share.  If you have access to a wireless printer, select the document, Share Selected and choose print. If not, sending the document as a PDF may be an alternative option.  

13. Select Share

14. Select the document you want to share

15. Protect (enter a password... I would make it something simple and that you can always use like the child's name or a number, making sure you tell the person receiving it the appropriate password)

16. Share Selected

17. Select EMAIL and send to your desired recipient.

I know this looks horrendous. But I swear, it isn't.  I have been training an amazing first grader how to use it.  So if that student can do it, you should give it a try.  

There are a couple of barriers you may come across.  First, if you do not have a wi-fi connection, you will not be able to send the document at that time.  And you will have to figure out how to orient the camera so you don't get stuck with an upside down document.  You also need to make sure you iDevice has an email account set up on it.  But there are also a ton of great features including uploading to Google Drive and DropBox.

Paper Port Notes by Nuance and Cam Scanner are available through the Apple App Store for FREE.  I am an Apple girl, and though Cam Scanner is available on the Android platform, I don't believe Paper Ports is.  And I am not sure if or how they would work together in non-iOS devices.    So if you have experience or feedback, please share!

Five Bucks or less: Homework Helper

Do you or someone you know find it difficult to attend to homework assignments because it gets visually overwhelming?

I found these Avery See Through Sticky Notes at the Recycling for Rhode Island Eduction Center, and immediately thought of a variety of uses because of a couple of unique properties. First, they are sticky notes and are easily removable, no real left over tack noted. Second, they come in a couple of colors and shapes, so depending on the preference of the child, you can accommodate pretty easily. Third, you can write on them. Note, if you write or erase vigorously, the color can come off. And depending on the writing implement you use the ink may rub off onto your hands.

So here are some quick uses for homework:
1. Place it on the math problem you need your child or student to focus on or copy.  The highlighting color draws attention to the problem and helps to alleviate some of the stress when there are multiple problems to complete.

 2. The child can then either write directly on the highlight sheet to complete the work, then copy it over if neatness is an issue.

3. Use the highlight to make a reading assist.  Trim the sticky note to the size of the font/spacing in a book the student is reading. Then the child can focus on the line(s) at a time and can follow the left to right, top to bottom reading, without skipping lines.

There's a Fly Guy in my Soup by Tedd Arnold

4. Same theory as above, teachers could stick these highlight papers in the big books they read to children as a cue for a new word.

Now I found them at an educator's discount place, noted above, so I paid 10 for $1.  But if you don't have access to a place like that, then these sticky notes can run anywhere from $3.50 and up for a package of 50 sheets.  But it may be a small price to pay to increase confidence and decrease stress during those pesky, and visually overwhelming assignments.

If you have more ideas on how you can use these See Through Sticky Notes, please post them on the blog response or my Facebook page.  I would love to add more ideas to my mental rolodex!