Transcript of "Working with students with special needs "
Kristi P. Kirkland
Georgia Southern University
The National Center for Learning Disabilities had identified
general steps in the special education process. They include:
Child is identified as possibly needing special education
and related services.
Child is evaluated.
Eligibility is decided.
Child is found eligible for services.
IEP meeting is scheduled.
IEP meeting is held and the IEP is written.
Services are provided.
Progress is measured and reported to parents.
IEP is reviewed.
Child is reevaluated.
For students identified with needing
special education and related services,
assistive technologies can “open doors
and break down barriers … by
increasing, maintaining, or improving
the capabilities of individuals with
disabilities” (LD Online, 2014).
The passage of the updated Individuals
with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA
2004) allows for parents to work with
educators to develop a plan called an
Individualized Education Program (IEP)
designed to meet the child’s unique
needs. (Concord SEPAC, 2014)
The student's disability (ies),
A statement vision statement of the student's long term goal (1 -
5 years in future).
Describe how the student's disability (ies) effects their progress
in the classroom.
Short term goals, based upon the child's own learning strengths
◦ How the child's progress towards these goals will be measure
and how will the goals be evaluated
Accommodations and modifications
For students with behavior or emotional issues that interfere with
their learning, the IEP should contain a program designed to
teach the student behavior and social skills.
Last, type of placement.
Kids struggling in school may qualify for
support services, allowing them to be taught in
a special way, for reasons such as:
attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
speech or language impairment
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
(I.D.E.A.) defines an assistive technology as
“any item, piece of equipment or product
system… that is used to increase, maintain or
improve the functional capabilities of
individuals with disabilities.”
Assistive Technology Services are defined as
“any service that directly assists an individual
with a disability in the selection, acquisition or
use of an assistive technology device.”
Students with hearing impairments have
special difficulty in situations where –
There is distance between the sound source and
There is competing noise in the environment
There is poor room acoustics/reverberations
Hearing Assistive Technology devices (HATS)
can help students overcome these listening
Personal Frequency Modulation Systems -
Personal FM system consists of a transmitter microphone
used by the speaker (such as the teacher in the classroom, or
the speaker at a lecture) and a receiver used by the listener.
The receiver transmits the sound to the listeners ears or, if
they wear a hearing aid, directly to the hearing aid.
Infrared Systems – Used in the home with TV sets,
sound from the TV is transmitted using infrared light waves.
This sound is transmitted to your receiver, which you can
adjust to your desired volume.
One-to-One Communicators – A person with
whom you want to speak is given a microphone which
amplifies the sound and is delivered directly to the hearing
Pictures, photographs, objects
Headphones (to keep the listener focused,
adjust sound, etc.)
TDD/TTY for phone service
CD-based (text)books, electronic books
Audio-voice amplification device for teachers
Assistive technologies can be used for students with
ADHD to perform tasks that have been difficult to
initiate, complete, or even remember to get do.
PDA's - calendars, timers, reminder messages
Invisible Clock - Reminder Timers
Noise Cancelling Ear Phones/Ear Plugs
Talking Computer Keyboards
Alarm Talking Watches
Digital Talking Calculators
Children's talking calculators
Assistive devices that do not require
technology are called “no-tech” devices.
Examples of no-tech devices can include:
Copies of structured outlines in which
students fill in information
General Comprehensive Resource Lists –
Assistive Technology Consideration Resource Guide -
IEPs and Beyond - https://www.teachervision.com/special-education/resource/17706.html
Special Needs: Teacher Resources - https://www.teachervision.com/special-education/teacher-
Journal of Research in Special Education Needs -
Journal of Special Education Technology - http://jset.unlv.edu
The Journal: Transforming Education through Technology - http://thejournal.com/Home.aspx
Center for Applied Special Technology - http://www.cast.org
The Family Center on Technology and Disability - http://www.fctd.info/
The National Assistive Technology Research Institute - http://natri.uky.edu
National Association of Special Education Teachers - http://www.naset.org/
National Center for Learning Disabilities - http://ncld.org/
SERGE - Special Education Resources for General Educators - http://serge.ccsso.org/
Georgia Project for Assistive Technology - http://www.gpat.org/Georgia-Project-for-Assistive-
ADHD Brain. (2012). Assistive Technology for ADHD. Retrieved from http://www.adhd-brain.com/assistive-
American Speech Language Hearing Association. (2014). Hearing Assistive Technology. Retrieved from
Assistive Technology for Education, LLC. (n.d.) Examples of Assistive Technology. Retrieved from
Concord SEPAC (2014). What is an IEP? Retrieved from http://www.concordspedpac.org/WhatIEP.htm
Kid’s Health. (2014). Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). Retrieved from
Georgia Department of Education. (n.d.). Georgia Project for Assistive Technology. Retrieved from
LD Online. (2010). Technology. Retrieved from http://www.ldonline.org/indepth/technology
National Center for Learning Disabilities. (2014) What is an IEP? Retrieved from
North Central Regional Educational Laboratory. (n.d.). Assistive Technology to Meet K–12 Student Needs.
Retrieved from http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/methods/technlgy/te7assist.htm
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