Gilchrist, Monica

Assistive Technology Interview

When interviewing a special educator, Mark, who I have worked alongside for two years, he
communicated that his passion has always been to work with students with special needs. His son was
diagnosed with downs syndrome which gave him his main drive to serve and support special needs
children to rise to their utmost potential. He also considers himself to have mild ADHD which have
provided him with a deeper insight for supporting special needs students. With a four year bachelors
degree from Towson he was able to learn and hone his craft as he volunteered at several autism
awareness functions, tutoring sessions, and the Special Olympics.
The logistics of assistive technology became familiar to Mark when entering into Montgomery
County Public Schools around ten years ago. When supporting a very challenging student with autism,
Mark used several strategies and technology to provide supportive instruction. The student was closer to
the low function spectrum of autism, so Mark would chuck essential concepts through using the software
Inspiration. Creating word webs with accompanying pictures helped reinforce main ideas and identify
connections. Flash card manipulatives were created from the words, definitions and pictures to reinforce
vocabulary. Text was read through a screen reader, Kurzweil 3000 as the student was able to follow
along with the words and focus more on comprehension rather than decoding. All text (textbook, articles,
assessments, worksheets) was read to the student by the computer screen reader to provide a routine
and consistency.
In the science class, hardware that Mark utilizes with special needs students are highlighters and
manipulatives. The various colors of highlighters help students chunk similar and main ideas. The
highlighters can be used throughout the unit and certain colors can be associated with concepts that are
interconnected. Manipulatives such as globes, flashlights, Styrofoam balls, etc. all serve as models to
physically show special education students the processes that are occurring in space. Much of the
science content is abstract and cannot be visually seen, so using scientific models to reiterate ideas and
build clarity on how celestial objects move. Mark also communicated that multimedia computer
simulations served as great tools to teach, reinforce and to slow down the scientific processes which all
could be controlled by the individual learner. By having students actively use the computers to observe
interactive, research, and create multimedia presentations Mark felt this not only engaged students but
this also met the various learning needs and styles. Mark believes tablets are the new it tool for
assistive technology. Tablets have access to endless apps that can provide ample support to the general
education curriculum. Mark believes the new web 2.0 technology such as podcasts and screen casts will
be integrated into assistive technology. For example, students can download teachers recorded
discussions to review and gain deeper knowledge about a topic. No longer will a special needs student
need to be anxious about taking notes on every word that the teacher says during a class period.
Podcasts and screencasts allow for student to replay discussions, take additional notes, and review for
assessments which all can lead to the final aha moment of learning.
In talking with Mark, I recognize assistive technology can be beneficial to all students in the
classroom. Each student has their own unique footprint in the learning process that can be supported
through the use of unique technology available for the classroom setting. Technology has proven to be
an effective method of giving such students opportunities to engage in basic drill and practice,
simulations, exploratory, or communication activities that are matched to their individual needs and
abilities (Hasselbring & Glasser, 2000, pg. 106). In the past, I have incorporated interactive simulations
to help students grasp abstract concepts. In speaking with Mark, I have come to recognize that assistive
technology is individualized. Trying different software and hardware with students and offering choices of
how to learn can provide less stress and more investment in learning at each students pace. Perhaps
providing hyperlinks to various websites to explore and research about a topic can give students
individual choice to identify what tool works best to help them learn. Hyperlinks enable students to jump
to electronic units of information with the speed and freedom of human thought, creating meaningful

Gilchrist, Monica

learning experiences through quick and easy links between new and previously learned information
(Hasselbring & Glasser, 2000, pg. 108). Hyperlinks can be used in conjunction with screen readers to
support special needs, ESOL, and RELL students. While students read information electronically other
softwares can be used to collaborate and organize main ideas. Charts, graphs, and concept maps could
be created using Inspiration. Multimedia presentations such as Glogster and Prezi could be used to
create an informative presentation of the concepts that were learned during the research process.
Students with mild learning disabilities often demonstrate higher-level performance and attention to detail
working on multimedia projects than they normally exhibit (Hasselbring & Glasser, 2000, pg. 109). In
using multimedia application, students can express their knowledge on a personal level through graphics,
videos, comics, etc. All in all, assistive technology can be adapted to all students learning needs and it is
essential for the educator to be open and willing to take chances with new innovative web tools.
Lastly, the process for an educator to access assistive technologies is data. Mark explained
Data drives the need for implementing the correct assistive technologies for students. Once data is
collected then a specific team (educators, parents, admin) come together to determine the next steps for
a particular student. Data is the driving force of identifying is the assistive technology is in fact working in
specific subjects and classroom settings. Teachers too use data on a daily basis to checking to identify if
technology incorporated into a lesson was meaningful and valuable towards student learning. Ultimately,
data serves as an indicator if the appropriate supports are put into place for a student to achieve to his
fullest potential.

Gilchrist, Monica

Reference
Hasselbring, T.S. & Glaser, C. W. (2010). Use of computer technology to help students with special
needs. The Future of Children. (pp. 102-122).