Case Studies / Assistive Technology

Group Name: ​Dream Team

Description of Need for Assistive Technology: ​(Carly- ​Attention deficit/hyperactivity

disorder​) Carly is an outgoing, friendly, and talkative young girl. She is interested in
learning but easily distracted, fidgety, unorganized, forgetful, and often does not
complete her work. We have found that her main area of need is learning how to
leverage positive attributes to make up for challenges.

Resource & Cost:​ (​timetimer.com​; iOS, $2.99; Android, $0.99; Computer App $19.95,
timers and watches, $29.95-$79.95)

Findings:

● “Time Timer is a lifesaver for those who lose track of time or get too wrapped up
in what they’re doing. The format of the timer — a red field within the clock face
gets smaller as the time passes — is simple enough for even young children to
understand. Time Timer is wonderful for preventing arguments between parents
and kids. When the limit is reached, there can be no real argument that a few
more minutes of Minecraft are warranted. Older students and adults can use the
timer to keep breaks from lasting twice as long as they should or to keep from
spending 20 minutes composing an email that should take five.”
● “​A study conducted by the Department of Exceptional Student Education at
Florida Atlantic University found that children ages 2-4 years old showed a
significant increase in self-regulation skills when the Time Timer® was used to
facilitate their activity.”
● Benefits
○ Generate a sense of urgency with a shared, visual understanding of time
○ Empower students to manage their own time
○ Provide focus for individual work
○ Ease transitions​ from one activity to another
 ○ Keep ​routines and schedules​ consistent at school and home
○ Break larger challenges into smaller tasks or amounts of time

How the resource can be adapted to use in the classroom: ​Teachers, and older
students, have the ability to use both a physical timer or the app on their phone to help
regulate the time spent on classroom activities. Additionally, the app gives teachers the
ability to set multiple timers at the same time for multiple uses.