Adaptive & Assistive Technologies
How can we differentiate and scaffold for all learners?
Why should we adapt our teaching, and how might technology help?
Cognitive Difficulties
Story Archives
Free
Story List
Free
Story Builder App
$7.99
For a free version, try UDL Book Builder
Cognitive Difficulties
Physical Difficulties
Dragon Dictate
$99.99 (Teacher/Student edition)
Knowmia
Free
Virtual Keyboard
Free
Physical Difficulties
Students with physical disabilities in the English classroom may need assistance in reading and writing still, cognitively, but what may be most difficult is the actual initial step of reading and writing. The best resources would be text to speech software, audio and video of lesson plans/activities, and virtual or software-based assistance for typing/creating/reading. In addition to those listed above, eye-tracking software could also be useful for students as they read and perhaps question the text but who cannot perhaps move their heads or turn the page.
Sensory Difficulties
Natural Readers
Base-level, Free
Ultimate version (with OCR), $199.50
JAWS
Free version, free
Professional, $1095
SoundAMP R
$4.99
Sensory Difficulties
Often students with sensory disabilities may not have issues with content and comprehension, so instead, these assistive technologies aid students in accessing the text at the same level of everyone else. Many times, these technologies are rather expensive and may not be content-specific but instead are disability-specific for use in every class. Most school districts will provide such technologies and access as the student disability requires, but if not, some of the above technologies are more than affordable and useful for student assistance.
At Risk Students
Awesome Note
$4.99
Last Time
$1.99
Quizlet
At-Risk Students
Gifted and Talented Students
Photo Peach
Free
Penn's Virtual Museums
Free
Free
Gifted and Talented Students
Creativity-based and independence-promoting activities and technologies benefit gifted and talented students regardless of content area. With creative presentation platforms, students can research content with virtual museums and deeply discuss literature with professors or authors on Twitter and then present their findings with a collaborative presentation platform. Not only will it contribute to deep thinking, but gifted and talented students can also practice their communication and social skills with such programs.