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Empower Students with Special Needs
Using Assistive Technologies to Empower  Students with Special Needs
Simple Modifications and Adaptations
1.Low-Tech Solutions            2. Keyboard Options   3.Mouse Options 4.Web Design    5.Web Browsers
1.Low-Tech  Solutions

Ensuring Equitable Access to Technology - comments by IT Consultant, Nancy Desrosiers. To view text, Open Window.

Simple Computer Modifications- Learn about how simple modifications to computers  can help special needs students  by visiting this learning module found on the Assistive Technology Training Online (ATTO) Project Web site  developed by the University of Buffalo and the   US Department of Education's Office of Special  Education and Rehabilitation Services. 

1.Ergonomics & Positioning  
2.Input and Output Devices    
3.Windows Accessibility Features
4.Adjusting Font Size on Internet Explorer     
5.Keyboard Aids
6.Shortcut Commands   
7.Windows Screen Magnifiers
Learn More about Windows Accessibility Features - Microsoft Windows has a built- in feature allowing the user  a wide range of control over the visual display. This feature is called the Display  Properties Panel. Once you have learned how to manage the Display Properties Panel, you will be able to shrink or enlarge text, modify  system colors and fonts, or even change the resolution of the display itself.  Familiarize yourself with the steps involved in altering your the display panel described in this online tutorial created by Microsoft. 
Practice Activity: Increase  the font size on your own computer. Jot down the steps you followed in your Learning Log for future reference. 
2.Keyboard  Options

View a Complete Listing of Keyboard Shortcuts for Windows -   The simple keyboard shortcuts outlined on the Microsoft Windows site  can make the accomplishment of tasks much simpler for students with  poor fine motor skills or mobility problems. 

Copy down in your Learning Log, at least five keyboard shortcuts that might be useful to a student with a learning disability.
 
The Mouse:

Learn About  Mouse Options-Learn how to change features of the mouse by adjusting settings in your computers Control Panel  by following the activities in the  learning module found on the Assistive Technology Training Online (ATTO) Project Web site  developed by the University of Buffalo and the   US Department of Education's Office of Special  Education and Rehabilitation Services. 

Practice Activity: Slow  down the speed of your mouse on your own computer. Jot down the steps you followed in your Learning Log. 
Learn about Mouse Alternatives-  Familiarize yourself with the different kinds of  Trackballs  by following the activities in the  learning module found on the Assistive Technology Training Online (ATTO) Project Web site  developed by the University of Buffalo and the   US Department of Education's Office of Special  Education and Rehabilitation Services. 
1.Mouse Alternatives     
2.Trackballs   
3.Touch Screens           
4.Use MouseKeys Option
Jot down in your Learning Log at least five  modifications which might be helpful to one or more of your students.
 

 
4.Internet Accessibility-Web Design 

Could Helen Keller Read Your Web Page?  -The All Things Web site provides much information on how to improve web design.  The section on Accessibility provides tips for designing  web sites with people who have  disabilities in mind.  This site would be useful to a teacher creating a web resource for his or her students.  Read through this web page and make note of considerations in designing web resources that are accessible to all.

CAST Bobby - Center for Applied Special Technology, CAST is an educational, not-for-profit organization that uses technology   to expand opportunities for all people, including those with disabilities. Bobby is an online resource that you can use to check and see if a web site has accessibility features.  Find out how to use this online resource. 

Use CAST Bobby  to check a web site that you use with your students to ascertain its degree of accessility for students with special needs. Make note of some of the criteria that Bobby picked up on the web site you tested


A Prompt - (Accessibility Prompt) has been developed to assist Web authors in improving the accessibility and usability of  HTML documents. By checking Web pages for barriers to accessibility and making repairs to correct any problems. The tool's evaluation and repair checklist is based on accessibility guidelines created and maintained by the  Web Access Initiative of the World Wide Web Consortium.

Compare the criteria of A Prompt to the criteria of Bobby. Draw two columns in your Learning Log.  In the first column jot down the criteria  of Bobby and in the second column, jot down the criteria found in A-Prompt.

 
5. Web Browsers:

Alternative Web Browsing - Familiarize yourself with web browsing options by reading this article by the Web Accessibility Initiative which provides an overview of various web browsing options.

Match Disabilities to Web Browsing Options.  Jot down a list of disabilities in one column.  In the other column find and note an appropriate web browsing option. 


A Series of Tutorials on  Making Web Browsers More Accessible -  Follow these tutorials by the Royal National Institute for the Blind on web browser accessibility. RNIB is the leading UK charity offering practical support and advice to anyone with a sight problem. 

1.Increasing Font Size within the Web Browser                         
2.Screen Magnification for Low Vision
3.Speech Output Systems                                                        
4.Facts on Producing Braille
5.Specialist Web Browsers                                                           
6.On Inaccessible Websites

Make a list of ways to make web browsers accessible to students with special needs.