1. WEEK 6 ASSIGNMENT I-ESHA RIVERA EDU620: MEETING INDIVIDUAL
STUDENT NEEDS WITH TECHNOLOGY (MRC1417B) INSTRUCTOR: ANGELISE ROUSE
JUNE 2ND, 2014
2. Assistive technology is a vital part of life for those who
have a disability. It can help those with hearing problems, hear
more productively or those with vision problems, help them to see
in the best way possible for them. These devices help students to
live a more fulfilled life Assistive Technology services and
devices allow access to the general education curriculum for
academic, social, and extracurricular activities. School leaders
play an essential role in ensuring that students with disabilities
receive appropriate assistive technology to be successful learners
(Dyal, A. 2009).
3. There are many different Assistive Technology devices that a
school may use. This depends on the needs of the students that they
have attending and their disabilities.
4. QUESTION 1 THE CHOICE OF TECHNOLOGY T H E C H O I C E F O R
T H I S P H I L A D E L P H I A P R I V A T E S C H O O L I S T H E
S M A R T V I E W 3 6 0 The SmartView 360 is a video magnifier,
which helps to bring the world into a larger and clearer point of
view for those with low vision.
5. QUESTION 2 - HOW IS THE TECHNOLOGY IMPLEMENTED? The
technology is implemented into the classrooms that the visually
disabled student attends. It is used on the blackboard, in order
for the student to see, for their workbook and other lessons.
6. QUESTIONS 3 AND 4 FUNDING AND POPULATION SERVED Funding for
the AT Devices as well as the school itself comes from the
community in which it serves. Which is mostly African- American and
the school survives off of donations.
7. QUESTIONS 5 AND 6 WHO IS IMPACTED AND HOW IS IT INCORPORATED
INTO THE CURRICULUM? There is only the one student who is impacted
by this device. The class sizes are small (about 10 students per
class) which allows the teachers that educate this student, time to
focus on that student as well as the other nine. Every assignment
including workbook assignments are able to be magnified. There are
no real adjustments to be made. This device has made it relatively
easy to accommodate this student.
8. QUESTIONS 7 AND 8 HOW IS TRAINING OFFERED FOR THE DEVICE AND
WHAT IF ONE BREAKS. PowerPoint Presentations are given to educate
the teachers on the device, as well as the parents. The school
tries to involve the parents as much as possible into their
students education, with how they are learning and what they are
learning. Each teacher receives training and additional help with
working the device if necessary. The student however, is fully
functional on the device and very little goes wrong If a device
breaks, we have a technician that comes into repair it. However,
due to our donations we were lucky enough to have 2 SmartView360
devices. The student does not miss out if there are technical
problems.
9. QUESTION 9 REVIEWS AND DISLIKES Pros - The arm can be turned
in any direction. Objects can be magnified up to 57x. Color can be
adjusted to whatever the user is comfortable with. Cons There were
no cons disclosed by this instructor. He is satisfied with this
device.
10. QUESTION 10 TRACKING BENEFICIAL LEARNING The student would
not be able to see the board, their workbook or calculator to do
their classwork. Without the SmartView, they would not be able to
see, to learn at they level they are learning now with much less
difficulty.
11. REVIEW AND JUSTIFICATION The SmartView360 is a benefit to
any class that has low vision students, if its one as this school
had, or many many more the SmartView360 made a student who may have
struggled before into a student who can view their work as easy as
any other student. The color is able to be adjusted, students can
have white letters and a black screen or yellow letters on a blue
screen. Whatever may be easier for them to see. The SmartView 360
will help students view text in a book with an enhanced black and
white contrast control; then they can simply twist the camera for a
full-color image of a blackboard or presentation screen (Humanware,
2010). The functionality of this device makes it the perfect asset
to a classroom that instructs those with low-vision. With its many
options and it being easy to use, young and old would benefit from
this assistive device. Currently, this device is being sold at
$1,995.00 + 30 day free trial and technical support.
12. Reference List Dyal, A. (2009). Assistive Technology what
every school leader should know, Education, 129(3), 556. Safhi, M.,
Zhou, L., Smith, D., & Kelly, P. (2009). Assistive technology
in teacher-training programs: a national and international
perspective. Journal Of Visual Impairment & Blindness, 103(9),
562-568. SmartView 360 - The point and shoot Video Magnifier for
low vision https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMh9AsprZnY (2010,
October 26). HumanWare unveils the SmartView 360, the electronic
magnifier that provides a clear view in all directions. PR Newswire
(USA). Edyburn, D. L. (2013). Inclusive technologies: Tools for
helping diverse learners achieve academic success. San Diego, CA:
Bridgepoint Education, Inc.