(Screen shots from video)
In tonight's inspirational video, Marie-France Bru, a teacher with a motor-neuron disease (ALS), demonstrates how assistive technology enriches her life in many ways.Using Switch XS using her cheek as her main control site, she is able to use her computer to do an extensive range of tasks such as:
Banking, groceries, Email, Online Shopping. She also helps her husband with his research by communicating through CHAT.
Marie-France has developped keyboards she herself. She has also developed a rapis writing method based on keystrokes. This allows her to enter as many abbreviations as she wants. This plus word prediction and shortcuts allow her to write 4 times as fast as typing each letter. She uses Proloquo to help with communication.
THE WRITING PROCESS (Screen shots from class)
In these writing sample, the writing process is challenging for him for a several reasons:
-poor pencil grip
-not a lot of fine motor control
-not very efficient way to write due to poor placement
-improper spacing
-visual neglect
-poor motor planning (placement on the page)
When the physical act of writing is a challenge,the output is compromised.Assistive technology can help in this domain as well providing opportunity for greater control of output.
Technology allows for digitized text to be edited easily. This enables students to go through the steps of the writing process with much more ease and success.
Some options for brainstorming are: Cloud art, inspiration, ibrainstorm, Simplemind (Android), MindMap (Chrome)
Using Ipads and AT fosters growth in students for a variety of reasons. It provides greater independence, reaches the visual learners with a variety of graphics, photos, colours etc. It allows students to multitask. Is have speech to text capability and word prediction. It is portable and provides easy access to the internet. It is a win-win situation for most.
101 ways to Show What You Know
100 UDL Apps to Show What You Know.
Diagnosis and Intervention Strategies for Disorders of Written Language (Screen shot)
- Picking up the pencil
- Brain tells the hand to pick it up and hold it in a comfortable position
- Seating and Positioning - must have core stability
- Holding the pencil tightly (too tightly - anxiety?)
- Apply appropriate pressure on the page
- Pen/paper positioned correctly, sitting upright.
- Attention to task. Recognize Target Audience. Value the importance of the task.
- Recall format of writing intention.
- Language (grammar, letter formation)
Pencil grip, Positioning, and Handwriting OT Perspectives video
Strategies they gave for students to stabilize themselves prior to writing.
- make like a puddle
- tummy at the table (lean in to the table when preparing to write.
- wrap legs around the table
Low Tech AT for Handwriting Video
foam tube, put pen through - easier to hold
hand brace for pen or pencil
pencil grips
writing bird
tripod for pencil - you move along
pen again
two types of fingertip pens
1st steps to independent writing.
ESL
Struggling Writers
Young students
Build first sentences one word at a time
Co write universal - can initiate the idea and tell in extreme detail but when they pick up the pencil their writing is very limited BIG and BAD.
Speech to text does not work for these students.
"For some people the words don't come out right. There is a wall between idea and expression. Spelling and grammar get in the way. Word recall is a barrier."
Topic dictionaries using Co writers - words are subject related.
Speech to text does not work for student who have apraxia, of speech language issues as well as those students who have difficulty organizing their ideas - those who tend to ramble on. Not ideal all the time.
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