Assistive Tech
*This post has been written as part of my journey as a Ph.D student through University of Regina
The following is a presentation I put together while training on Assistive Tech in our school division:
Parkland Clinicians by Kirsten Cali
Assistive Tech Resources to Support Your Learning & Future Classroom Use
Leveling the Playing Field with Microsoft Learning Tools
“This study was designed to evaluate whether Microsoft Learning Tools is useful for enhancing reading and writing instruction and learning. Four 4th grade and four 6th–12th grade teachers from Bellevue School District in Bellevue, Washington participated. We interviewed them and analyzed reading assessment data to gain an initial understanding of whether the product supported learning. Results indicate overall that Learning Tools appears to be a useful digital tool for supporting not only reading, but also writing and other skills for elementary, middle and high school students, who range from struggling to above grade-level in their skills. Moreover, for struggling readers, Learning Tools “levels the playing field” by supporting access to learning materials beyond their reading skills.”
Periodic Table of Learning Tools.pptx
- Graphic displaying what learning tools are available within different Office 365/Microsoft Programs
- Online module
- In this interactive guide, you’ll see how inclusive classroom tools from Microsoft can help students read more effectively, improve focus, and work independently at this own pace.
Helpful Links for Microsoft’s Inclusive Classroom Experiences
- This page pulls together lots of tools and resources to help you get the most out of Microsoft’s inclusive tools for the classroom
- Used to remove login barriers and facilitate access to computers and programs
- iOS app for low-vision or blind learners
Digital Assistive Tools I Personally Use
- Multiple screens
- Subtitles
- Custom-sized/coloured cursor/mouse
- Speech-to-text
- Text-to-speech
- *Non-digital accessibility options include glasses and a standing desk