Assistive Technology for Reading

I. Stacy Naden suga_bb@yahoo.com 03/22/2008

Assistive Technology for Reading Hasselbring and Bausch

II. Overview of Article

This article was about using more assistive technology in the regular classroom. A study was done at the University of Kentucky and found that most schools only utilized assistive technology on low-incidence special education students. In 2000, the Kentucky Dept. of Education decided to implement a program centered on assistive technology called text-reader software to help students with learning disabilities, specifically to help them with their reading and writing skills. The results were positive. The article then went on to discuss other assistive technology programs such as READ 180, READ, WRITE, & TYPE!, and Read Naturally. The goal of the article is to provide information to teachers as well as evidence supporting the use of assistive technology programs in the classroom.

III. Bulleted Reference Points

• Assistive Technology
• Text-Reader Software
• Kentucky Department of Education
• Read & Write Gold
• word prediction
• Reading Interventions
• READ 180
• Des Moines Independent Community School District
• Learning Disability
  

IV. Reflection and Significance to me

This article was certainly informative. Unfortunately, we don't do a whole lot of reading in the art classroom thus far. I would love to see an art classroom that functions around reading. I think this information is very helpful for a school district to have in order to better utilize their technological supports. I can see how assistive technology would help students in their learning providing individualized feedback and support where most students with learning disabilities just get shoveled around with the rest of them in the regular classroom. I can see how such programs would increase reading and comprehension skills which are crucial for students to advance at in order to successfully navigate today's educational system.