Lakisha Wright

EDTC 625
Assistive Technology Case Study
Dr. Ruffini

As a teacher at Erasmus Middle School (located in a rural county of an Eastern seaboard state)
you have been identified by the school principal as an expert on the application of educational
technology. A new student has been transferred to Erasmus and he has been diagnosed with both
Attention Deficit Disorder and Dyslexia. The principal explains your role is to serve as a
consultant to the school on this matter. The principal would like you to do the following:

1. Make recommendations for hardware and software for the student.

Students with disabilities require access to assistive technology (AT) that meets their unique
needs, helps them to learn more effectively, and allows them to work independently. According
to View Sonic (2021) AT is “any device, piece of equipment, or system that helps to enhance
lives and accommodate people with special needs, impairments, or disabilities” (para. 7). The
new student at Erasmus Middle School has been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder
(ADD) and dyslexia. It is important to note that ADD and dyslexia are disabilities that can
impede student learning, understanding, and achievement. The first step in recommending AT is
to understand how ADD and dyslexia impacts learning. ADD can impact learning by causing the
student to become “easily distracted, not able to finish tasks on time or not following the
instructions, not listening…forgetting about daily tasks, having problems organizing or
managing stuff” (Disability Canada, 2021, para. 2). In addition, dyslexia can impact the student
and impede learning by creating challenges with “word recognition, spelling and decoding, and
may interfere with vocabulary building and reading comprehension...” (Loop, 2021, para. 1). My
goal as a consultant is to identify effective AT to meet the student’s specific ADD and dyslexia
needs, is grade appropriate, maximize the student’s strengths, address key challenges, and help
the student achieve success by working independently.

AT Hardware
 Paper-based Computer Pen – A paper-based computer pen is assistive technology
hardware that “records and links audio to what a person writes using the pen and special
paper. It enables the user to take notes while simultaneously recording someone (e.g., a
teacher) speaking” (Stanberry, 2011, para. 4). The paper-based computer pen is an
effective option because it can address ADD and dyslexia challenges that impede
learning. For instance, the paper-based computer pen uses text and audio to allow the
student to learn in a different way, help the student to stay focused, use audio to help the
student with reading and comprehension challenges, and allow the student to record and
listen to classroom lectures multiple times to increase learning and understanding. The
technology also has cross-curricular benefits because the student can use the AT
hardware in all subject areas. For instance, the paper-based computer pen can be used to
record lectures, help the student learn more effectively, and take effective notes in
English, Science, Health, Math, Social Studies, etc.
  iPad - The student requires a device that is mobile, flexible, and capable of installing AT
software. For instance, the student requires AT software to learn, be successful, and work
independently in the classroom and at home. An iPad would allow access to the AT
software, applications, and customizable assistive features. The iPad also has multi-
symptom and cross curricular benefits as the student can use the iPad in different subject
areas. It is also important to note that iPads have assistive features to help students with
ADD and dyslexia to learn in different ways and work independently to include guided
access, speak selection, iBooks, word prediction, zoom features, and voiceover options
(Apple, 2021). I also recommend access to headphones for the iPad. This will ensure that
audio options do not interfere with other students’ learning in the classroom.  
 Talking Calculator- Math can be extremely challenging for students with ADD and
dyslexia. Access to a talking calculator provides “a built-in speech synthesizer that reads
aloud each number, symbol, or operation key a student presses, as well as the answer.
The aural feedback lets a student with ADD know whether he pressed the right keys and
verifies the answer before he transfers it to paper” (Stanberry & Ranskind, 2021, para. 5).
This can provide the support the student needs to understand math processes, check their
answers, stay focused, and learn more effectively.

AT Software
 Text-to-speech (TTS) – TTS is an effective option for the student because the software
“reads the words on the screen out loud to the user. This technology is popular among
students who have difficulties with reading, especially those who struggle with decoding”
(Cunningham & McNaughtan, 2021, para. 1). Using audio to present words and read
sentences can increase comprehension, help the student to recognize and sound out
words, stay focused, improve listening and memory skills, learn in a different way, and
work independently. The AT software would help the student to access learning content
in the classroom and at home. It can also remove barriers that prevent the student from
comprehending learning content and learning.
 Speech-to-text – This is an effective option for the student because the software allows
the use of “dictation to write with their voices, instead of writing by hand or with a
keyboard. This can be helpful for kids with…dyslexia and other learning and thinking
differences that impact writing” (Martin, 2021, para. 1). This can help the student to work
around writing challenges, improve writing skills, and stay focused during the learning
process. The AT software also removes barriers that prevent the student from writing and
writing more effectively in the learning process.

2. Give advice to the student's key academic faculty (English, Math, Social Studies and
Science) on general integration in their classrooms for this student and hardware.

It is critically important for teachers to build an inclusive and supportive learning environment
for all students. This will require teachers to differentiate content, processes, products, and the
curriculum to meet the student’s unique needs and include AT hardware and software in the
learning process as a required component. By taking this approach, teachers in all subjects (i.e.,
English, Math, Social Studies, and Science) can design their classroom to help the student learn
with their peers and participate fully and naturally in the learning process using AT (Sullivan
2019). Teachers can also use assigned seating, visual timers, graphic organizers, scaffolding,
peer-to-peer activities, personalized learning activities, and develop and share best practices to
effectively integrate AT hardware and software in the classroom (Sullivan, 2019). The goal is to
build the AT as a requirement in the curriculum and related activities, processes, strategies,
methods, and projects for the student. In addition, teachers must have access to training to ensure
AT hardware and software is used effectively in the teaching and learning process. This can help
the teacher to effectively integrate and use AT. In addition, training can also help teachers to
maximize the student’s strengths, help the student to work around learning barriers, work
independently, and succeed in Erasmus Middle School. It is also important for key academic
faculty to work together (i.e., to also include the student’s parents or guardians) as a team to
share information, resources, data, and best practices. This will ensure the student has a
community of support and access to the tools he or she needs to succeed in the classroom and the
real-world. I also recommend that the student’s performance, use of current AT hardware and
software, and differentiation strategies and instructional decisions are monitored and evaluated
on a systematic basis. This will help key academic faculty to determine what works and what
fails to help the student achieve the desired outcomes. This can also identify the need for new AT
and improved instructional decisions to meet the student’s unique and changing needs over time.

3. Make recommendation to the principal where the school might be able to find
funding for this project.

Limited budgets and competing priorities can cause rural schools to experience challenges with
obtaining the AT students need to learn, meet desired outcomes, and be successful in school.
This highlights the need to identify external sources that can provide financial support to help the
school obtain AT hardware and software for the new student. The National Center for
Technology Innovation (2021) notes “Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education
Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA), all local educational agencies (LEAs) are expected to provide
assistive technology (AT) to students who need it in order to receive a free appropriate public
education” (para. 1). The Principal and educators must explore various funding sources to obtain
AT for students with disabilities. The following sources can be used to fund the AT for this
project:

- The State ADA Technical Assistance Program - The National Center for Technology
Innovation (2021) notes “Each state has one, as defined by the Americans with
Disabilities Act, and they provide an array of services, including funding, training, and
support” (para. 6).
- EdTech Online - According to Gray and Ruedel (2015) EdTech Online “serves as a grant
directory…to identify U.S. Department of Education technology grants for states,
districts and local schools” (p. 4).
- The Educational Technology, Media, and Materials program – The program is the
“primary source of support for accessible technology and media-related activities under
the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The program supports two broad
categories of activities—accessible technology and educational media and materials”
(U.S. Department of Education, 2020, p. 1).
- The Rural and Low-Income School Program – This grant is offered through the U.S.
Department of Education, and it provides grants for assistive technology and training for
special education teachers.
References

Apple. (2021). Different ways to learn: for every kind of learner. Retrieved from

https://www.apple.com/au/education/special-education/ios/

Cunningham, T., & Mcnaughtan, H. (2021). Text-to-speech (TTS). Retrieved from

https://www.readingrockets.org/article/text-speech- tts#:~:text=Text%2Dto%2Dspeech
%20(TTS)%20is%20a%20very%20popular,out%20lo ud%20to%20the%20user.&text=By
%20presenting%20the%20words%20auditorily,to%2 0sound%20out%20the%20words.

Disabilities Center Canada. (2021). 10 best assistive technologies for ADD/ADHD. Retrieved

from https://disabilitycreditcanada.com/10-best-assistive-technologies-add-adhd/

Gray, R. J., & Ruedel, K. (2015). Assistive technology for students with disabilities: What to do

when funding is limited? Retrieved from

https://www.ctdinstitute.org/sites/default/files/file_attachments/AT%20for%20Students%
20with%20Disabilities%20What%20To%20Do%20When%20Funding%20is%20Limite
d_FINAL.pdf

Loop, E. (2021). How dyslexia affect learning. Retrieved from

https://www.theclassroom.com/dyslexia-affect-learning-4610434.html

National Center for Technology Innovation. (2021). Finding alternative sources of funding for

assistive technology. Retrieved from http://www.ldonline.org/article/6239/

Martin, J. (2021). Dictation (speech-to-text) technology: What it is and how it works. Retrieved

from https://www.understood.org/en/school-learning/assistive-technology/assistive-
technologies-basics/dictation-speech-to-text-technology-what-it-is-and-how-it-works

Stanberry, K. (2011, August 4). Assistive technology tools: Organization and memory. Retrieved

from https://www.greatschools.org/gk/articles/organization-memory-tools/

Stanberry, K., & Ranskind, M. (2021). Assistive technology for ADHD challenges at school.

Retrieved from https://www.additudemag.com/change-the-program/

Sullivan, J. (2019, May 28). Easy ways to bring assistive technology into your classroom.

Retrieved from https://www.edutopia.org/article/easy-ways-bring-assistive-technology-

your-classroom

U. S. Department of Education. (2020, February 10). Special education: Educational technology,

media, and materials for individuals with disabilities program. Retrieved from

https://www2.ed.gov/programs/oseptms/index.html

View Sonic. (2020, August 12). Assistive technology in special education. Retrieved from

https://www.viewsonic.com/library/education/assistive-technology-in-special-
education/#:~:text=What%20is%20Assistive%20Technology%3F%20Assistive%20techn
ology%20in%20special,accommodate%20people%20with%20special%20needs%2C%20
impairments%2C%20or%20disabilities.