Kelly+Stone

//This is a picture of my little sister Tracy and me in Naples, Florida in December 2007.//

**Assistive technology**  can be used to promote independent participation in classrooms. Assistive technology for kids with learning disabilities is defined as any device, piece of equipment, or system that helps bypass, work around, or compensate for an individual’s specific learning deficits. AT compensates for a student’s skills deficits or area(s) of disability. This homepage gives me the opportunity to share with viewers some helpful websites about using technology in the classroom.

My general philosophy on assistive technology is that it should be integrated into every special education classroom where it is needed. AT and technology in general should be introduced to children at a young age. The younger they learn about technology, the more advanced they will be in the future. Technology can be a student's most important tool in promoting learning. I think that without AT in classrooms, many students with special needs will not get their educational needs met and will not be able to benefit from school as well as regular educations students can. I think that my homepage can be used as a useful tool in finding helpful websites for teachers who are interested in using assistive technology. I provide many websites that not only explain AT, but that also give you direct links on where to find solutions.


 * Technology integration in the classroom websites for teachers:**

This website is useful in teaching people about possible products and services available for use in the classroom and at home. These assistive devices use technology to create a product that might be helpful in overcoming a problem. It tells you to identify your problem and then click on the picture below. This will take you to a new page describing the product. Therefore, this website makes it very easy to learn more about technology of a specific disability.
 * 1.**** [|**http://empoweredlivingtoday.com/ProductList.asp?MainCategoryId=23&OVRAW=assistive%20technology%20in%20classrooms&OVKEY=assistive%20technology%20device&OVMTC=advanced&OVADID=2938929021&OVKWID=42022198521**]

This website strives to educate teachers on uses of technology in the classroom and benefits of AT. It gives some background information on disabilities and encourages teachers to know more about AT in order to help their students with any deficits.
 * 2.** [|**http://www.unf.edu/~tcavanau/presentations/preparing_teachers_for_the_inclu.htm**]

This website introduces new AT products to teachers. It gives many links to useful websites that offer a variety of products. It gives solutions to help people with disabilities lead more independent lives.
 * 3.** http://www.assistivetech.com/

This website gives many links to assistive technology. It answers many questions some teachers may have on specific disabilities and possible AT solutions that they can explore for their students. It gives many symptoms of disabilities, such as hearing loss, and many useful tips on how to assist a person with a disability.
 * 4.** http://www.righthealth.com/Health/ASSISTIVE%20DEVICES-s?lid=yhoo-ads-sb-9456923278

This website is great for teachers to find a specific disability on the site and find a wide arrange of possible AT devices that can be used with the individual with a disability. It gives many possible solutions for every disability and allows the teacher/person to research about the disability and explore possible AT options.
 * 5.** http://www.woodlaketechnologies.com/

This is a great website that is directed at teachers. This website offers tools and resources for teachers using AT in the classroom. It also promotes AT and explains benefits.
 * 6.** http://www.4teachers.org/


 * Literacy and content-area learning websites:**

I enjoy this website because it gives links for themed online games for kids to use. These games teach kids about all content areas, such as math and reading. This gives learning a fun new spin!
 * 1.** http://www.east-haven.k12.ct.us/dcmoore/edulinks2.html

Brain POP makes school subjects such as Math and English fun with this highly animated website for kids! This website helps kids on every subject and provides quizzes to test their knowledge. They address every subject including Science, Social Studies, English, Math, Arts & Music, Health and even Technology!
 * 2.** http://www.brainpop.com/

I thought that this was an interesting website for older students to learn about real-life stuff. It gives cool facts about things like the Earth and how an astronaut goes to the bathroom in space. It gives fun and different facts that they may not learn in school.
 * 3.** http://www.howstuffworks.com/


 * Augmentative and Alternative Communication Devices:**

[|L*E*O - //L//anguage and //E//CU in //O//ne!] [|Mercury II™ and Mercury II SGD] [|MiniMerc™ and MiniMerc SGD] [|LinkCLASSIC™ and LinkPLUS™] [|Communication and Access Solutions]


 * Assessment and Curriculum Software:**

[|Stages Math: Number Sense] [|Stages] [|Stages Report Wizard] [|Stages Curriculum Bundles] [|Charts Online] [|AT Profile] [|EvaluWare] [|Functionally Speaking]


 * Two articles that relate to technology in education:**

//Technology in Environmental Education,// by Clancy J. Wolf. http://www.newhorizons.org/strategies/environmental/wolf.htm I would recommend this article to any teacher that may be interested in implementing technology into his/her classroom. This describes many benefits of technology for teachers and students. Wolf explores the philosophy of the love/hate relationship we share with technology and examples of how we can embrace technology in education. He talks about simple technology use in astronomy class, such as a camera, and how useful that can be to a student's learning.

//Working Together: Students with Disabilities and Computer Technology,// by Sheryl Burgstahler, Ph.D. http://www.newhorizons.org/strategies/technology/burgstahler.htm I would highly recommend this article to teachers as well, as it relates to people with disabilities and benefits of using AT in the classroom. The author gives examples of disabilities that are seen in schools and problems that they face in the classroom. She then goes into detail about how technology may enhance their learning.

There are many ways that I plan to improve my knowledge in assistive technology. A couple examples include collaborating with my colleagues and other special education teachers who currently use AT in their classroom, reading up on new advances in AT through the web, current articles and workshops, and by implementing AT into my classroom when I become a special education teacher myself. I think that a great way on how to keep up with this advancing world that utilizes technology in the classroom is to attend professional workshops that teach teachers and professionals about the new devices and software on the market that caters to people with disabilities. Personally, I learn things better, not through lecture, but through experience and learning through other people.
 * Indicate how you plan to improve your knowledge in assistive technology:**


 * Write a paragraph about your ideas on how Wikispaces might be used by K12 teachers:**

I have found the Wikispaces website to be a very useful way to communicate to my teacher and peers. It allows me to express my own ideas, while allowing me to view others and understand different points of view. I think this website could be useful to a high school classroom. It can be a way to integrate technology into their lives and creates a way for the students and teacher to stay connected. I think the websites I provide on AT in the classroom can be useful to teachers who do not have much knowledge on AT. It can be used to access articles written by people on what they think of AT, to provide different points of view on the subject.


 * Indicate your plan to sustain the usability of the homepage content:**

I plan on sustaining the usability of my homepage by updating the material that is presented. Adding new subtopics to my page as I learn more would be one way I would sustain my page. Adding on useful websites I encounter during my experiences and stating new experiences I am having in the real world in relation to technology, that might be useful to new teachers.