The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act gives students with special needs the right to a free and public education. In many cases, these students will need additional accommodations in order to be successful in acquiring content knowledge and communicating with their peers. Technology can be a powerful tool for students in this situation. Hardware and softwares exist that help students take notes, organize their thoughts, enhance reading comprehension and much more. As exciting as these tools are, I find the tools for communicating especially powerful. Imagine feeling like a prisoner in your own body, aware of what is happening around you but unable to express yourself through words. Technology can give some of these students a voice. I encourage anyone who has not already done so to check out Carly Fleischmann's story. Carly is a severely autistic, nonverbal teenager who found a way to express herself through typing and has now written a novel about her experience and frustration with autism. Here are some links about Carly's experience:
Carly Fleischmann: Autistic girl who used a computer to ask for help
20/20 ABC News: Carlly Fleischmann
Carly Fleischmann and Social Media
Are there any stories like this you've found inspiring or assistive technologies you are excited about?
Jess-
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing the Carly Fleischmann story. Communication is one of the most important skills we need to have as humans. This is how we share ideas, collaborate, debate, etc. For students with autism, communication such as spoken words or even physical writing will not be the easiest to do. So we find other ways that students can show what they know and communicate with those AT tools. It's tackling the same skill, just using a different method.
Fatima
Jess,
ReplyDeleteThis is such a touching story. I am so glad you shared it with us. It is so sad to think that the resources are in our reach to help ALL students but some students are not getting what they need. I'm sure being nonverbal but being able to communicate was exhilarating for Carly. Her world must have changed so much for the better. What a great success story! Thanks.
Jess,
ReplyDeleteI am really inspired by Carly's story. The very literal struggles and frustrations she's experienced can be seen in classrooms in every corner of our country and internationally. The statement you made that had the most impact for me was that the lines of communication between Carly and her peers is vital to helping her understand, use and manipulate concepts in her classes. You can a brief and fleeting idea at first in the initial stages of acquiring knowledge but you can only go so far with your own thoughts. By communicating through writing, singing, acting, dancing, drawing, speaking (just to name a few modes), we share what we know, take in what others know and mold it into a new understanding. Very powerful and empowering.
-Nichole
Jess,
ReplyDeleteLast year I read The Reason I Jump by Naoki Higashida which discussed many similar themes. He too was able to explain what was happening in his mind, why he acted the way he did and his personal frustration through the use of a custom computer. I remember being so stunned that this wasn't more widely used. As educational technology becomes more and more embedded in the culture of our schools, I hope that these tools will become more effective and prevalent.
Brittany