Parting Words...

I have never looked as myself as someone who incorporated technology in my classroom mainly because my schools were not equipped. Yet, truth be told, I was always quite intimidated by it. I could relate to the students mentioned in the power points that were hesitant or didn’t want people to see them use it. I was always hesitant to use it because I didn’t want people to see I was clueless on how to use it.

But, I have to say this course, along with the other AT class I took, has certainly opened my eyes, not to mention boosted my confidence.  I had no idea what resources were out there. I knew that the iPad was a cool little gadget but, I had no idea just how powerful this learning tool could be. The possibilities and range of access is mind boggling. I learned ways to support students with communication disorders and mobility issues. The best part of the course had to be that not only did we hear about the tools but, we actually got the opportunity to experience it firsthand. Proloquo2go was so amazing. How many teachers, EPA’s AND parents have sat, cutting, gluing and laminating? I wouldn’t want to try and guess.

When reflecting on the last 6 classes I can’t help but be struck with the iPad. I recently bought one and I am floored at how easy it is to use. Let’s face it, if I can use it, anyone can. The iPad is an effective technology that can support all students but, it is extremely powerful for students with disabilities. The iPad is revolutionizing how we teach kids. It’s really exciting to see this type of technology blossoming. AT provides attention to task and is improving performance for those individuals with a disability. Yet, there is one negative. There is one piece that is required for any AT to be successful and that is training. It is quite apparent that training is lacking in our system. If I hadn’t taken this course I would not have had a clue what is out there. And I am not alone. Just speaking with teachers and parents at my school I wasn’t at all surprised by their lack of knowledge surrounding current tools in AT.

In closing, I have to say thank you to Barb for a wonderful class.  It has opened up a world, I didn’t know existed. I am looking forward to sharing what I’ve learned!