Assistive Technology and Instructional Practices for

ADHD, an Auditory Disability and Mild Learning Disability

Priscilla Gordon-McClain ITEC 7530 June 15, 2014

ADHD

A disorder that appears in early childhood. Includes inattention , impulsivity, and

hyperactivity Treatment do not cure it, but helps with the

symptoms The earlier it is diagnosed, the better the

outcome is

ADHD Challenges

Have trouble following instructions Demand attention by talking out of

turn/moving around the room Often lack fine motor control Don’t pull their weight during group work

ADHD Accomodations

Seat student away from windows and doors Put student in front of classroom Give instructions one at a time, repeat as

necessary Use visuals- charts, pictures, color-coding Create outlines for note-taking Create worksheets/tests with fewer items Give frequent short quizzes instead of long

tests

ADHD Technology

iPad Text to Speech Program

Auditory Disability

Called Auditory Processing Disorder Called Central Auditory Processing Disorder Describes a variety of problems with the

brain or brainstem. This can interfere with processing auditory information. Student have difficulty in 1)distinguishing one sound from another 2) blending, isolating, or separating sounds in words 3) identifying similarities and differences in sound patterns

Auditory Disability Instruction

Face student when speaking to him/her Speak Clearly Preferential seating (toward front of class) If you have problems with being understood,

rephrase your thoughts Write important instructions on the

blackboard Provide transcripts of audio information, if

possible

Auditory Disability Technology

Assistive listening devices (FM assisted hearing device, Telecommunication device for the deaf (TDD), Captioning)

Speech to text software Sign Language or Interpreters Note-Takers

Mild Learning Disability

A permanent disorder affecting how a student with normal or above-average intelligence process incoming information, outgoing information, or both

Mild Learning Disability Instruction

Provide handouts and visual aids Use more than one way to demonstrate or

explain information Break information into smaller steps Provide study guides or review sheets for

exams Allow the student the same anonymity as the

other students ( no pointing student out)

Mild Learning Disability Technology

Word Processing Software Word Prediction Software Computers for communication and

networking activities

References

How To: Help Your Student with and Auditory Processing Disorder. Retrieved June 14, 2014 from http://teaching.monster.com/benefits/articles/2324-how-to-help-your-student-with-an-auditory-processing-disorder-

Helpguide.org. A Trusted Non-Profit Resource. Retrieved June 14, 2014 from http://www.helpguide.org/

References Con’t

Hearing Loss and Auditory Processing Disorders.(2013). Retrieved June 14, 2014 from http://www.northwestern.edu/disability/faculty/strategies/hearing-loss.html