Kathy Bynum 1

Assistive Technologies

Kathy Bynum

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Four technologies assist with the various hurdles that hinder students from the writing process:

Englishtype Junior and SeniorGhotit

Dragon DictationPowerPoint

Writing

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Why is writing SO important??• Everyone has the capacity to write, writing can be taught, and teachers can help

students become better writers• People learn to write by writing• Writing is a process• Writing is a tool for thinking• Writing grows out of many different purposes• Conventions of finished and edited texts are important to readers and therefore

to writers• Writing and reading are related• Writing has a complex relationship to talk• Literate practices are embedded in complicated social relationships• Composing occurs in different modalities and technologies• Assessment of writing involves complex, informed, human judgment

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Impaired fine motor skills impair handwriting

Difficulty interpreting what the eye sees impairs copying

Difficulty processing what the ear hears impairs reading comprehension, sentence writing, and spelling

Dysgraphia Impairs Writing

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Assistive technologies that help students with dysgraphia are also helpful for students with dyslexia and students who are

English language learners.

Let’s see what we can find to help these students!!!

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Englishtype Junior and Senior

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Teaches touch typing to assist with handwriting

Multisensory Color coded Appropriate for mixed-ability grouping Visually simple and uncluttered Spoken and Written instructions Uses common words to boost literacy

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Ghotit: Real Writer and Reader for Windows and Mac

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Ghotit is an assistive technology that features capabilities for helping with writing and proofreading.

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Ghotit features:

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Dragon Dictation:Speak and instantly see your text content

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Dictation Uses:

Assignments

Instructions

Group project contact information

Research notes

Supply lists

Schedules

To-do lists

Lecture notes

Directions

Memorable quotes and antidotes

Anything to write down, lest we forget

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Presenting:

Build the story, present with presence

and inspire your audience

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Many technologies can be presented through Powerpoint

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It’s how they learn!!PowerPoint allows creativity and feedback through color and design, sound,

and movement, without relying as heavily on written language.

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Would you want it?

AdvantagesEnglishtype: Multisensory appeal

Ghotit:Lifelong support of writing disabilities

Dragon Dictation:Goes anywhere, anytime

PowerPoint:Versatility of design options and embedding capabilities

DisadvantagesEnglishtype:Based on British literacy curriculum

Ghotit:Complex screen for people who often have difficulties with seeing organizational patterns

Dragon Dictation:iTechnology specific

PowerPoint:Linear concept

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References• English Type (2014). Learn to type. Retrieved August 16, 2014, from

http://www.englishtype.com/index.php

• Ghotit (2014). Spelling corrections. Retrieved August 16, 2014, from http://www.ghotit.com/dyslexia-spelling-corrections

• NCTE (2004). NCTE beliefs about the teaching of writing. Retrieved August 16, 2014, from http://www.ncte.org/positions/statements/writingbeliefs

• Nuance (2014). Dragon Dictation: text to speech. Retrieved August 16, 2014, from http://www.nuancemobilelife.com/apps/dragon-dictation

• Warren, E. (2014). Bloom’s technology pyramid. Retrieved August 16, 2014, from http://www.res.rcs.k12.tn.us/teachers/leonardl/images2/Pyramid_blooms.jpg

• Warren, E. (2014). The 12 ways of learning. Retrieved August 16, 2014, from http://www.res.rcs.k12.tn.us/teacher

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