Strategies and Software for students with special needs
[ This page should be viewed in tandem with my Glogster Project ]
Cognitive Disabilities
Word Q & Speak Q
This software is used to help students with reading, writing, and typing difficulties. Word Q uses predictive text (much like most smart phones) to help students make the writing process faster and more accurate. This software also reads back to the student what they have already typed to ensure correctness. Speak Q works in correlation with Windows Speech Recognition software to allow the student to dictate text instead of typing.
This software would be incredibly useful for any student whose cognitive disabilities lead to challenges with reading, typing, writing, and spelling. Given that over 90% of my class is built around those skills, this software pack would be incredibly useful within my curriculum. Students who may otherwise be unable to be successful in my class would be able to complete the curriculum with much greater ease.
Diigo
Diigo is an online tool that helps students store and organize the information they find. Through Diigo, students can bookmark, annotate, save, combine and organize any information they find online. This makes finding and referencing information found in multiple locations much easier.
This software would be helpful for any student whose cognitive disabilities lead to difficulties in organizing data and information. In my class, we often pull together information from multiple sites, and Diigo would be an excellent tool for those students who have trouble with this task.
This software is used to help students with reading, writing, and typing difficulties. Word Q uses predictive text (much like most smart phones) to help students make the writing process faster and more accurate. This software also reads back to the student what they have already typed to ensure correctness. Speak Q works in correlation with Windows Speech Recognition software to allow the student to dictate text instead of typing.
This software would be incredibly useful for any student whose cognitive disabilities lead to challenges with reading, typing, writing, and spelling. Given that over 90% of my class is built around those skills, this software pack would be incredibly useful within my curriculum. Students who may otherwise be unable to be successful in my class would be able to complete the curriculum with much greater ease.
Diigo
Diigo is an online tool that helps students store and organize the information they find. Through Diigo, students can bookmark, annotate, save, combine and organize any information they find online. This makes finding and referencing information found in multiple locations much easier.
This software would be helpful for any student whose cognitive disabilities lead to difficulties in organizing data and information. In my class, we often pull together information from multiple sites, and Diigo would be an excellent tool for those students who have trouble with this task.
Physical Disabilities
Disabled Online - Joysticks
The online vendor Disabled Online offers a plethora of joysticks and mouse-alternatives that would be beneficial for students with physical disabilities that impair their use of the mouse. These joysticks are designed for all age ranges and disability types and come at reasonable prices.
Hardware like this would be very beneficial in my class. If a student was unable to interact with a mouse, they would have immense difficulty with my curriculum. These alternative hardware options give those students an opportunity to successfully interact with computers.
One Hand Typing Tutor
Although the site appears a little out of date, the software is still a great tool for any student who has a physical disability that only allows the use of one hand. This software can help those students learn to be successful typists and has a program designed for both left and right hand users.
In my class we spend a great deal of time learning to type properly (through Type to Learn and TypingWeb.com) and for a student that is only able to type one-handed, this would be an excellent alternative to those programs.
The online vendor Disabled Online offers a plethora of joysticks and mouse-alternatives that would be beneficial for students with physical disabilities that impair their use of the mouse. These joysticks are designed for all age ranges and disability types and come at reasonable prices.
Hardware like this would be very beneficial in my class. If a student was unable to interact with a mouse, they would have immense difficulty with my curriculum. These alternative hardware options give those students an opportunity to successfully interact with computers.
One Hand Typing Tutor
Although the site appears a little out of date, the software is still a great tool for any student who has a physical disability that only allows the use of one hand. This software can help those students learn to be successful typists and has a program designed for both left and right hand users.
In my class we spend a great deal of time learning to type properly (through Type to Learn and TypingWeb.com) and for a student that is only able to type one-handed, this would be an excellent alternative to those programs.
Sensory Disabilities
HumanWare
The Braille Display from HumanWare can be used with most desktops, laptops, and mobile devices. It allows for blind or visually impaired students to read on-screen text in braille. This readers are lightweight, portable, and intuitive.
This hardware device would be incredibly useful in my class since the majority of work we do is on the computer. Any student who is blind or has a visual impairment and is familiar with Braille would benefit from this hardware.
JAWS Screen Reader
This screen reader from Freedom Scientific is one of the best rated/reviewed screen readers on the market. This software allows users who are blind or who have visual impairments to hear any on-screen text. For those students not comfortable with Braille, or who would prefer to have text read, this would be the perfect alternative to a Braille Display.
Again, since my class is primarily computer based, this software would be perfect for any students with visual impairments. Additionally, this software could be incredibly useful for students with cognitive disabilities that prevent them from reading at their grade level.
The Braille Display from HumanWare can be used with most desktops, laptops, and mobile devices. It allows for blind or visually impaired students to read on-screen text in braille. This readers are lightweight, portable, and intuitive.
This hardware device would be incredibly useful in my class since the majority of work we do is on the computer. Any student who is blind or has a visual impairment and is familiar with Braille would benefit from this hardware.
JAWS Screen Reader
This screen reader from Freedom Scientific is one of the best rated/reviewed screen readers on the market. This software allows users who are blind or who have visual impairments to hear any on-screen text. For those students not comfortable with Braille, or who would prefer to have text read, this would be the perfect alternative to a Braille Display.
Again, since my class is primarily computer based, this software would be perfect for any students with visual impairments. Additionally, this software could be incredibly useful for students with cognitive disabilities that prevent them from reading at their grade level.
At-Risk Students
Twitter
Twitter can be used as an online reminder service to at-risk students who have difficulty remembering assignments or who feel isolated from the class. The teacher could send personalized reminders and check-ins to students on their computers or mobile devices.
This would help in my class to connect with at-risk students and let them know that I am concerned with their progress. Twitter can also help to quickly connect with at-risk students (and all students) if questions and problems arise on projects outside of school.
Merit Software
This software suite can be used to help at-risk students with their reading and writing comprehension. It is one of the highest rated and reviewed products and with it, students can work on a variety of different reading and writing skills to improve their performance.
This would be very beneficial within my classroom as the majority of my projects involve reading and writing. Students who are below grade level in either of these areas could work with this software while other students work on more advanced activities.
Twitter can be used as an online reminder service to at-risk students who have difficulty remembering assignments or who feel isolated from the class. The teacher could send personalized reminders and check-ins to students on their computers or mobile devices.
This would help in my class to connect with at-risk students and let them know that I am concerned with their progress. Twitter can also help to quickly connect with at-risk students (and all students) if questions and problems arise on projects outside of school.
Merit Software
This software suite can be used to help at-risk students with their reading and writing comprehension. It is one of the highest rated and reviewed products and with it, students can work on a variety of different reading and writing skills to improve their performance.
This would be very beneficial within my classroom as the majority of my projects involve reading and writing. Students who are below grade level in either of these areas could work with this software while other students work on more advanced activities.
Gifted and Talented Students
WebQuest.org
Through this site, talented and gifted students could extend their learning by creating or completing an online webquest. Basically, a webquest is like an online scavenger hunt where users search through various sites (approved by the creator) to find information. Students can either create their own webquests or try out quests that other teachers and students have made.
This would be an awesome resource in my class and something that gifted students could use if they have extra time after finishing a project. It would be great to see students create their own webquests that would demonstrate an advanced understanding of whatever subject matter we're working on.
Voice Thread
Another great resource for talented students is voice thread. Through this site, students could create more interactive an advanced presentations than just using powerpoint. Gifted students could go the extra mile by adding narration and interactivity to their presentations.
This tool would also be excellent for my class. We make a variety of presentations throughout the year and with voice thread, gifted students could add enjoyable narration to the their presentations. This would be great for those students who usually finish their presentations quickly and have extra time to take their work to the next level.
Through this site, talented and gifted students could extend their learning by creating or completing an online webquest. Basically, a webquest is like an online scavenger hunt where users search through various sites (approved by the creator) to find information. Students can either create their own webquests or try out quests that other teachers and students have made.
This would be an awesome resource in my class and something that gifted students could use if they have extra time after finishing a project. It would be great to see students create their own webquests that would demonstrate an advanced understanding of whatever subject matter we're working on.
Voice Thread
Another great resource for talented students is voice thread. Through this site, students could create more interactive an advanced presentations than just using powerpoint. Gifted students could go the extra mile by adding narration and interactivity to their presentations.
This tool would also be excellent for my class. We make a variety of presentations throughout the year and with voice thread, gifted students could add enjoyable narration to the their presentations. This would be great for those students who usually finish their presentations quickly and have extra time to take their work to the next level.
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