Assistive Technology and UDL

ASSISTIVE TECNOLOGY

• Assistive technology (AT) means any piece of technology

that helps a student with or without a disability to
increase or maintain his/her level of functioning. These
often include laptops with specialized programs, like
speech to text, text to speech, graphic organizers and
word prediction software.
• Assistive technology device means any item, piece of
equipment, or product system, whether acquired
commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized, that
is used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional
capabilities of a child with a disability.
 Nature of Assistive Technology
1. AT compensates for a student's skills deficits, needs and/or area(s)
of disability.
2. AT is used to lessen or remove barriers faced by persons with
disabilities.
3. AT refers to both high- and low-tech tools that allow people of all
ages to be more independent self-confident, productive and better
included in every day life, education, employment and living.
4. AT offers a wide range of equipment to support participation and
learning.
5. Improve the speed and accuracy of students' work.
6. Reinforce effective classroom instruction and strengthen skill
7. development of students with learning disabilities.
8. Help students to 'fit in' with classroom learning and routines
9. Motivate students with LDs to set high goals for themselves and to
persevere
 Types of Digital Assistive Technology
• Digital recorders

• Digital books

• Graphing calculators

• Electronic math worksheets

• Portable or adapted keyboards

• Mobile technology, e.g. tablets, iPods, iPads, smartphones, MP3 players, etc.

• Reading systems that utilize a computer, scanner, and software to "read" scanned book pages

out loud, e.g. Kurzweil

• Speech recognition software that allows a computer to operate by speaking to it, e.g. Siri

• Speech recognition system that turn oral language into written text, e.g. Dragon

• Software that predicts and edits words for students who struggle with spelling, e.g. WordQ

• "Talking" calculators that assist students with math challenges

• Mind mapping/outlining software

• Global Positioning System (GPS)

 Choosing of AT

• Effectiveness or how well the technology

enhances the user's capability
• Affordability or how much it costs to purchase,
maintain, and repair
• Operability or how easy the technology is to
employ
• Dependability or how long the technology
operates without reduced performance or
breakdown
 Advantages of AT
• Remind the persons to take their tablets at the right time.
• Help locate a lost item.
• Orientate the person that it is day time or night time.
• Assist the person to phone a relative or friend using
preprogrammed numbers or pictures.
• Switch on the lights automatically if the person gets up at
night time.
• Switch off the gas automatically if it has been left unlit.
• Alert a career or monitoring centre that the person needs
assistance.
 Limitations of AT

• the person switches off or unplugs the equipment

• the person is confused or distressed by any alarm
sounds or recorded messages
• there are insufficient careers or care workers to
respond to an alert.
• If the user is unable to afford the technology
• If the user doesn’t know how to use the
technology.
• If there is no technical support when needed.
 Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Inclusion

• The basis of UDL is grounded in emerging insights about

brain development, learning, and digital media.
• They observed the disconnect between an increasingly
diverse student population and a "one-size-fits all"
curriculum would not produce the academic achievement
gains that were being sought.
• CAST (Center for Applied Special Technology) advanced
the concept of universal design for learning as a means of
focusing research, development, and educational practice
on understanding diversity and applying technology to
facilitate learning.
An approach to designing, curriculum,
materials and instruction to meet the
needs of all learners.

UDL provides equal access to learning.

• UDL is de-signed to serve all learners,
regardless of ability, disability, age, gender, or
cultural and linguistic back-ground.
• UDL provides a blueprint for designing goals,
methods, materials, and assessments to
reach all students including those with
diverse needs.
• CAST's philosophy of UDL is embodied in a series of
principles that serve as the core components of UDL:
• Multiple means of representation to give learners
various ways of acquiring information and knowledge
• Multiple means of expression to provide learners
alternatives for demonstrating what they know
• Multiple means of engagement to tap into learners'
interests, challenge them appropriately, and motivate
them to learn.
 What do all UDL practices have in
common?
• They reach and engage the maximum number of learners.
• They recognize that students possess different skills, experiences, and
learning styles.
• They emphasize flexible and customizable curricula.
• They use multiple modes of presenting content, engaging students, and
assessing comprehension.
• Cooperative learning (group work)
• Differentiated instruction
• Performance-based assessment
• Project-based learning
• Multisensory teaching
• Theory of multiple intelligences
• Principles of student-centered learning
How Can Instructors Incorporate UDL?

• Use multiple strategies to present content

• Use a variety of materials.
• Provide cognitive supports.
• Teach to a variety of learning styles.
• Provide flexible opportunities for
assessment.
 Use multiple strategies to present content
• Use of case studies, music, role play, cooperative
learning, hands-on activities, field trips, guest
speakers, Web-based communications, and
educational software.
• Example: Students can role play important events in
history to give them a better under-standing of the
events and people involved.
• Also, offer a choice of learning contexts by providing
opportunities for individual, pair, and group work as
well as distance learning, peer learning, and field
work.
 Use a variety of materials.

• To present, illustrate, and reinforce new

content, use materials such as online
resources, videos, podcasts, PowerPoint
presentations, manipulatives, and e-
books.
 Provide cognitive supports.
• Give students organizing clues; for example: “I
have explained the four main points, and now
I am going to summarize them.”
• Present background information for new
concepts using pictures, artifacts, videos, and
other materials that are not lecture-based.
• Scaffold student learning (provide temporary
support to reduce the complexity of a task) by
providing a course syllabus, outlines,
summaries, study guides, and copies of
 Teach to a variety of learning styles.

• Build movement into learning.

• Give instructions both orally and in writing to
engage students auditorily and visually.
• Consider using large visual aids for slides,
graphics, and charts.
 Provide flexible opportunities for
assessment.
• Allow students to demonstrate their
learning in multiple ways that include
visual and oral presentation, rather than
only written assessment.