Section
4:
Rights and Responsibilities
Appendix B:
Appropriate
Language and Behaviour
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Computer Software & Devices to Assist the Process of Learning
This Fact Sheet is available in PDF Format. To Access and download this version click here.
Brief Description:
There is a range of computer software available which can significantly assist students who experience difficulties either accessing, processing or delivering information.
- Organisation (for example, time management, analysing and synthesising information, taking notes), auditory processing, visual processing, conceptual problems, memory, motor problems (including hand-eye coordination), are examples of some of the areas which may cause a problem to a student.
- Spelling Checkers, Thesauruses and Grammar Checkers, readily available in most word processing packages, can be of great assistance to some students.
- Electronic Diaries or Personal Organisers are examples of devices which can also prove useful for some students.
Who can it assist?
- students who have a learning disability
- students who experience reading, typing, vision and spelling difficulties
- students who have an intellectual disability
Inclusive Teaching Practice
Considerations
- Your attitude toward the use of assistive devices and software is vitally important. The use of assistive technology under these circumstances is not unfairly advantaging one student over another. Rather it is a means to assist the student in minimising the effect of their disability on their learning. Permitting the use of assistive technology will both enhance the student’s learning and provide them with the opportunity to participate in assessment and examination procedures which allow them to fairly demonstrate their ability and knowledge.
- It is important to note that the software has its limitations and may not prove useful under all circumstances. (eg. most of the software is developed for use in word processing packages which is of little assistance to a student who needs to use a spreadsheet or data base application.)
Students who use software and devices to assist the process of learning:
- may need access to a personal computer
- may require additional space at any work station including examination/assessment facilities
- may need access to power points for the equipment
You can assist your student by:
- Permitting the use of such assistive devices and software in the learning and assessment environment
- Allowing additional time for the student to check their work.
- Utilising a variety of ways to present your information to students. (See Fact Sheet 2 `Access to Information/Study Materials’)
Inclusive Technology
- A number of specialised software products have been developed for users. The following are examples of some more commonly used:
- Read and Write (formerly textHELP™)
- Write Outloud™
- Co Writer™
- WYNN™
Major features of specialised software products:
- Speech feedback letter by letter, word by word, sentence by sentence, marked block and proofreading;
- Word by word spell checking to catch errors as they happen;
- Word Completion and Suggestion (predictive typing) which saves very slow typists having to type the whole word;
- ability to modify the page to suit individual needs and also to enlarge, space, highlight and mask specific text.
Further information and assistance can be obtained from:
Disability Advisers/Disability Liaison Officers (see Fact Sheet section 6 for contact details)
Useful information and links can be found at the following website:
Discover Technology
http://discovertechnology.com/adaptiveS.html
Introduction | Strategies for Inclusive Practice | What The Law Says | Legislative Requirements | Rights and Responsibilities | Code of Practice | Who Can Assist? | Examples of Inclusive Practice | Appropriate Language and Behaviour | Index to Fact Sheet Series | Bibliography | Recommended References | Tasmanian Organisations | Acknowledgements