Technonlogy Assessment #1 - Enabling Dreams

Catherine Techaira
ED609

Although there are many important parts of a revised lesson plan, the most crucial is determining a suitable modification for a student with disabilities. And upon revision of the lesson plan pertaining to this particular student, his/her capabilities may be enhanced through the use of assistive technology. Examples of these assistive technological devices are presented in the video "Enabling Dreams". From the complexity of a certain technologically advanced gadget to sound off notes on a horn, to a simple shift in an eyebrow. Learning opportunities to promote independence by way of research, exploration, and creativity must be afforded to all students. And so Assistive Technology helps to encourage and promote such opportunities, which otherwise would not have been possible.

In regards to the comparison of this revised lesson plan to the previous, the previous lesson plan did not involve assistive technology. In other words, no revisions or accommodations in regards to the use of assistive technology were incorporated into the lesson plan. And in trying to address the inclusion of assistive technology in the lesson plan, I would include an auditory and speech modification that could be easily accessed through programs already in a computer's software.

As for creating an activity for the inclusion of disabled students, I would assess their capabilities and their specific ways of communicating. By detemining these two factors, I could elicit a more accurate sense of the assistive technological devices or programs that would best accommodate their needs. These accommodations would also include opportunities to foster independence and promote student learning and participation. And the measure I would use to gauge the appropriateness of the assistive technology utilized would be the students' full participation in the activity.

References:
Enabling Dreams http://www.edutopia.org/assistive-technology-enabling-dreams-video