DownSyn Forum

marlene · Posted: September 07 2010, 11:08 PM Post subject: Assistive technology

What kinds of assistive technology is your child using (or has used) in the classroom?

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Marlene, mommy to my precious Aleena (1/30/04)

lespring · Posted: September 07 2010, 11:28 PM Post subject:

The main one for Angela is the alphasmart. She's been using that since 3rd grade. Well, the end of last year she switched to a Neosmart, which is the newer version of it.

She also uses a calculator that writes the problems up and down instead of in sentence form. The only thing I don't like about it is the numbers are NOT written as boldy as they are in the advertisement. http://www.learningthings.com/Items/EI-8480.htm

Angela also uses these pens. When I shattered my wrist a couple years ago, my hand therapist had my using them while I was regaining strength in my hand. Hmmmm I thought. These might work great for Angela. I brought them to her OT who LOVED them!
http://justwrite.com.au/justwrite8/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=144

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~Leah~

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mom to Rob 26, Noah 25, Tyler 23, Bryon 23, Angela 16 (DS), Axel 12 (DS, adopted from Serbia 12/2012, AAI w/fusion) Asher 7 (DS adopted from Serbia 12/2011, AAI non-fusion)

mary c · Posted: September 08 2010, 7:33 AM Post subject:

Anna uses Intellikeys combined with a computer in her classroom. It is basically a huge keyboard that is easier to use than a regular keyboard.

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Mary
Mom to Libby 6/92, Alex 9/93, Anna (DS)12/12/03

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marlene · Posted: September 08 2010, 9:48 AM Post subject:

Thanks Leah, I will look into those - already looked at the pencil link and as soon as I'm done here, I'm ordering a couple.

Mary, doew Anna use a laptop or a desktop? And what activities does she use the software for? Are those activities a modified version of what the rest of the class is doing?

Thanks, Ladies!

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Marlene, mommy to my precious Aleena (1/30/04)

mary c · Posted: September 08 2010, 9:56 AM Post subject:

I believe there is a desktop in her classroom with which they use the intellikeys. The keyboard can be unplugged and moved to the computer lab. We have a set of intellikeys at home as well that we use with different computers. When she is doing a straight writing exercise (where the content is important) she will type it and then if it has to be on a form, cut out the answers and glue them in place. If she is practicing penmanship she will write like everyone else. Anna's small motor skills are pretty poor (she can write her first name and that is about it), but she has good keyboarding and mouse skills with the computer and she reads and spells very well. They use a qwerty keyboard format so that she can transition to a regular keyboard easily.

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Mary
Mom to Libby 6/92, Alex 9/93, Anna (DS)12/12/03

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marlene · Posted: September 08 2010, 10:02 AM Post subject:

And two more questions, Mary. Did the school suggest this, or did you have to? Has she just begun using this, or did she use it in Kindergarten?

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Marlene, mommy to my precious Aleena (1/30/04)

mary c · Posted: September 08 2010, 10:05 AM Post subject:

We asked for an assistive technology evaluation (on the recommendation of our OT from early intervention) before she started kindergarten. I'm sure if the school would have done it on their own (doubtful really). She used it in kindergarten and will continue in first grade. We bought our own set for home use (because we felt like it) although we don't use it much at home. The set cost about 400 bucks as I recall.

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Mary
Mom to Libby 6/92, Alex 9/93, Anna (DS)12/12/03

Please support the Down Syndrome Research and Treatment Foundation http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q284/maryc_010/a13-1.jpg[/img]

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marlene · Posted: September 08 2010, 6:51 PM Post subject:

mary c wrote:

They use a qwerty keyboard format so that she can transition to a regular keyboard easily.

Meaning they use a qwerty overlay on the Intellikeys keyboard? Because the picture they show has the alphabet key in alphabetical order. That might be helpful NOW, but it would be very confusing later when she is on a regular keyboard. So, I'm assuming the is a qwerty overlay . . .

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Marlene, mommy to my precious Aleena (1/30/04)

mary c · Posted: September 08 2010, 7:09 PM Post subject:

Yes there is a qwerty overlay. Our OT didn't want to use the alphabetical version figuring that the kids were being taught computer skills in the computer lab and it would just be confusing to use one type of keyboard for the intellikeys and another type for computer lab. The keys are just really big and it is easier to hit the right key without hitting the ones right next to it as with a regular keyboard.

All of her written work with the exception of using a keyboard instead of handwriting is the same as her classmates. With math though they found it easier to write out answers on stickers and then have Anna chose the correct answer and stick it on the paper rather than laboriously writing each number out. It seems to be working (or at least it did last year--we are only on our second day of first grade and school is closed for the next two days for the Jewish holidays).

Just so you know, our district is usually pretty good about giving assistance but we had to affirmatively ask for this evaluation. My son could have used some of the interesting word processing programs way back in elementary school (such as Kurzweil) but they never mentioned such things existed. It was only when in 10th grade that we asked about reading software that we learned such things existed. So go and ask for what you think you might need.

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Mary
Mom to Libby 6/92, Alex 9/93, Anna (DS)12/12/03

Please support the Down Syndrome Research and Treatment Foundation http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q284/maryc_010/a13-1.jpg[/img]

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marlene · Posted: September 08 2010, 7:46 PM Post subject:

I didn't know about any of this stuff either, until this past weekend. I attended a mtg at our local Ds support group. It was on IEPs. They talked about assistive technologies and that was the first I heard of these types of things being available! So, two moms with older kids told me what their children use in school. I don't remember it ever being discussed here, so I decided to ask! I'm going to do some more research and then go to the school. Thanks for your input!!

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Marlene, mommy to my precious Aleena (1/30/04)

briarsmom · Posted: September 08 2010, 8:34 PM Post subject:

Briar has a tango.

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Lori
Wife to Wes (briarsdad)
Mom to Will(11)9-14-98 Briar(8)DS 6-22-01

lespring · Posted: September 08 2010, 10:47 PM Post subject:

Angela also uses Clicker 5 at school (her entire special ed program uses it) and Clicker Paint goes with it as well (we also have both for at home) It is a word processing program with a VERY WIDE RANGE of adaptability!

_________________
~Leah~

My mom's blog
http://gardenofeagan.blogspot.com/

And don't forget to visit MINE!
http://itsmylifemom.blogspot.com/

mom to Rob 26, Noah 25, Tyler 23, Bryon 23, Angela 16 (DS), Axel 12 (DS, adopted from Serbia 12/2012, AAI w/fusion) Asher 7 (DS adopted from Serbia 12/2011, AAI non-fusion)

Shelley · Posted: September 13 2010, 7:22 AM Post subject:

The ESL teacher at Hannah's school brings in her own ipad and has a number of apps that they ahve been trialling - we are thinking of getting the 'family' one for Christmas so that Han can use it in Year 1 at school. They also have smartboards - which she LOVES.

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Mum to Hannah (ds) and Kit 15/10 /04

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