Intro/Modual 1

This is something, i.e. the adaptive technology, I feel I need to get stronger at creating and learning about. I think the library is a key place in any school that needs to be able to assist all students in their needs.

I liked the youtube videos about the different organizations and the special stories about regular people adapting with their different disabilities.

While reviewing the NFB website, I learned quite a bit regarding the various issues that effect a person who is blind, especially while trying to learn different subject areas. This is something I never looked at before. I did not consider the difficulty of having to teach a visual concept to a blind student, like decimal points or other technology or engineering topics. I noticed in the lesson plans and other activities that a concept that I learned visually is taught to blind students using a tactile approach. For example, trying to describe the phases of the moon in a cycle, I would probably be shown the different phases thru pictures. A lesson plan on the NFB website showed that the teacher could use a stryrofoam ball to deomonstrate the phases. Very creative and simple to adapt.

Since I am coming from a classroom prior to my move to the library, I have sat in on several IEP development meetings as well as Chapter 15 meetings. Something that I learned is a lot of the adaptions are generally the best teaching practices. Using the SOAR website, I looked up some of the frequent disabilities that I'm meeting with parents about to decide upon the best teaching practice for their child. After viewing some of the lists that employers should try to practice, I only have apprciation for the employers who would make the check lists for the ADHD employeek, or create visual cards for concepts of teminology or recording directions. It is to benefit the person to be a better student or employee. I have sat thru the same meetings and had teachers complain that they had to teach their lessons using a microphone for the hearing impaired child in the classroom or adapt their 15 year old test for the student who needs a larger font for reading purposes.

Even in the library, I have looked into and purchased a few headphones for students who have reading difficulties and are listening to the book online or CD while following along in the book. This is a cognitive disability that is becoming more prevalant in my school district.