There’s A Special “App” For That: New Assistive …There’s A Special “App” For That: New...

There’s A Special “App” For That:

New Assistive Technologies for the Student with Learning Disabilities

Elizabeth Shoiry, NeuropsychologistAndrea Prupas, Founder, inov8 Educational Consulting

Congrès de L’AQETA 2011

Overview

• Today’s Goal• LD defined• Common Learning Challenges• What do they look like?• Common pedagogical recommendations• Matching AT to specific recommendations

Today’s Goal…

To recommend effective assistive technology tools to support common pedagogical recommendations for students with learning disabilities.

Learning Disability defined

A persistent difficulty to learn, or process information of a specific type, in individuals of average intelligence

• Congenital neurological conditions• Specific impairments and not global impairments

• Range in severity and can impact on several areas of life

Canadian Statistics on Learning Disability • 1/10 Canadians or 3 million Canadians• Approximately 12% of students in schools have LD

• Approximately 35% of LD students drop out of high school

• Overall rates of inclusion and educational attainment (H.S. diploma) is increasing.

(Statistics Canada 2006)

Common Learning Challenges

• Reading Challenge

• Written Expression Challenge

• Nonverbal Learning Challenge

• Communication Challenges

• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Reading Challenge

• Persistent difficulty in reading achievement, despite formal reading instruction

• Reading accuracy (decoding), speed, or comprehension are affected

What does it look like?

• Difficulty dividing word into word parts/syllables, e.g. cowboy into cow boy

• Auditory or phonetic confusion (rhyming difficulties;

• Dysfluency: slow, hesitant, choppy reading• Cannot recall previously learned material


• Cannot memorize word facts (spelling and sight word recognitions)

• Reversals‐letters or numbers

• Aversion to reading

• Does not understand what is read

Reading challenge: Pedagogical recommendations• Reinforce basic skills‐phonological awareness; phonics skills; tracking words; teach parts of speech, word endings, and word families.

• Multisensory activities to enhance phonological awareness

• Visual aids to support comprehension: i.e. semantic mapping, graphic organizers

• Reinforce auditory information• Reduce amount of reading and writing required• Shared reading activities

Connecting technology to pedagogy

Recommendation AT to supportReinforce phonological awareness skills iSpyPhonics (E, app)

ABC pocketphonics (E, app) Interactive alphabet (E, app)

Reinforce auditory information; reduce amount of reading and writing required

Dragon (E,S, software)

Shared reading activities Interactive booksAlice for iPad, (E,S, app)Jack and the Beanstalk (E, app) The Wrong Side of the Bed, (E, app)Dr. Seuss (E, app)

Visual aids to support comprehension: i.e. semantic mapping, graphic organizers

SimpleMind, iThoughtsHD (S, apps)

E=ElementaryS=Secondary

Software/app demonstrations

Written language challenges

• Persistent difficulty with written skills

• Also known as “output” challenges.

• Combination of difficulties:– Grammatical or punctuation errors– Poor paragraph organization– Multiple spelling errors– Excessively poor handwriting


• Spatial difficulties • Difficulty with copying and writing tasks, in terms of speed, accuracy and legibility

• Excessive spelling errors• Difficulty getting thoughts down on paper • Excessive grammatical errors• Awkward pencil grip

Written Language Challenges‐Pedagogical recommendations• Minimize the amount of writing required; • Allow the use of a scribe • Bypass grammatical and spelling errors by allowing student to demonstrate understanding with oral language rather than in writing.

• Allow more time for written work, or have the teacher reduce the amount of written work required.

• Teach a structured writing approach (i.e. brainstorming, rough draft, editing skills, final draft)


Recommendation AT to supportAllow the use of a scribe Speech recognition with:

Dragon (E, S, software) Bypass grammatical and spelling errors

Ginger (E, S, software)Predictable (E, S, app)

Teach a structured writing approach (i.e. brainstorming, rough draft, editing skills, final draft)

Kurtzweil (S, software)WriteOnline (S, software)

Communication challenges

• Disorders that involve the processing of linguistic information

• Can affect both receptive language (input) and expressive language (output)


Receptive challenges:• Conversational skills (i.e. turn taking, maintaining a topic)

• Appears not to hear, confused, or not paying attention when spoken to

• Can not follow long or complicated verbal directions • Decoding is good, but comprehension skills are weak• Cannot discriminate sounds in a word.


• Cannot listen well in a noisy environment.

• Can “tune out” and can be easily distracted.

• Often asks for repetition, takes time to respond to questions or answers inappropriately.


Expressive challenges:• Limited range of vocabulary.• Difficulty using new words, or recalling words.• Sentence structure and word order unusual. Limited amount of speech. Sentence production inappropriate for developmental age.

• Difficulty explaining or expressing self; easily frustrated.

Communication Challenges‐Pedagogical Recommendations• Simplify verbal instructions.

• Provide one instruction at a time.

• Provide visual cues, visual schedules, pictures.

• Connect new information with existing knowledge base.


Recommendation AT to support

Provide visual cues, visual schedules, pictures.Connect new information with existing knowledge base.

Kidspiration (E, software)Inspiration (S, software)Popplet (E, S app)

Nonverbal learning challenges

• Social emotional deficits

• Visual spatial deficits

• Weak organizational skills

• Motor weaknesses

• Excellent language development/acquisition


• Poor organizational skills• Concrete or literal interpretation of language in social settings

• Strengths in rote learning• Often can read (decode) above grade level but reading comprehension is weak

• Math difficulties particularly with spatial and abstract concepts

• Written language weaknesses • Verbal strengths

Nonverbal Learning Challenges‐Pedagogical Recommendations• Teach and encourage social skills development including an

explanation of feelings and personal space.• Use language to explain visual information• Use auditory strengths to enhance comprehension of text• Use language strengths to bypass writing deficits • Teach and develop organizational skills• Encourage the use of keyboarding/computer skills for written

work• Teach reading comprehension skills• Use concrete and manipulative aids to support the teaching of

math• Use prewriting and writing activities to encourage fine motor

skill development


Recommendation AT to supportSocial skills development Model Me Kids, Pictello (E, apps)Use auditory strengths to enhance comprehension of text

Text to speech with:Kurtzweil (S, software)WordQ (E, S, software)

Use language strengths to bypass writing deficits

Speech recognition with:Dragon (E,S, software)

Use concrete and manipulative aids to support teaching of math and spatial skills

Numerate (E, app)Shapebuilder (E, app)Touchmath (E, software)

Use prewriting and writing activities to encourage fine motor skill development

iWritewords (E, app)Read and Write (E, app)

ADHD

• Neurobiological disorder with three subtypes:– Hyperactive‐impulsive type – Inattention type – Combined type

• Interferes with social and academic functioning from childhood to adulthood

• 30% of students with LD have ADHD, and 15‐20% of students with ADHD also have LD

(Statistics Canada, 2006)

ADHD‐Pedagogical Recommendations

• Use organizational strategies• Use time management strategies

– Agenda, electronic calendars– Alarm clocks, visual clocks

• Use Organizational tools to structure the writing process;

• Use motivational, engaging tools for writing


Recommendation AT to supportTime management strategies Time timer (E, app)

Taska (S, app)myHomework (S, app)Springpad (E, S, app)

Organizational tools to structure writing process

Kidspiration (E, software)Inspiration (S, software)

Motivational, engaging tools for writing

StoryPatch (E, app)Toontastic (E, app)Story Kit (E, app)

Thank you!For further questions, please contact: Assistive Technology workshops/consultations

Andrea Prupas‐inov8 Educational Consultingandrea@inov8‐ed.com; www.inov8‐ed.com

514‐600‐0303Psychological Consultation and/or Evaluations

Elizabeth Shoiry, [email protected]

514 736 0793

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.inov8-ed.com/

mailto:[email protected]

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