Hey! Can I try that? Free Self Determination AT booklet.

Do you ever feel like somebody is trying to shove a new idea at you, or get you to implement a drastic change to how you teach without your consent or input?  Isn't it frustrating to be told, "This is what's best for you, and you're going to do it." without being asked how YOU feel about it?  As I've been thinking about the concept of self determination and assistive technology lately, I've been wondering if this is how some of our students feel when we give them an unfamiliar piece of technology and say, "Here.  This is what's best for you." without ever asking them how they feel about it.  I think that allowing students to give input into the consideration of assistive technology will greatly increase their motivation to use AT, and will produce better outcomes for all concerned.

With that idea in mind, I wanted to share a resource a recently re-discovered called Hey! Can I Try That?  It is a free booklet, designed by two premier AT experts,  that you can use with students to teach them about the purpose of assistive technology and self determination.  It includes:

•  short, easy to read passages, 
• case studies to bring abstract concepts to life for our students, 
• worksheets for the students to complete, that ask for their ideas and opinions about themselves and their assistive technology.

It guides students and teachers through every step of the AT process, from initially gathering information, selecting and trying AT, evaluating its success, and making any changes to the AT implementation plan.  It is available as a free PDF download from the following websites:
http://www.educationtechpoints.org/manuals-materials/hey-can-i-try-that
http://www.wati.org/content/supports/free/pdf/HeyCanITryThat08.pdf

If you'd like your students with reading and writing disabilities to be able to independently read and complete the worksheet using AT supports, I've also converted the document to an accessible Google doc.  Students can type directly into the document, and can also use a "text to speech" computer screen reader to read it aloud without adult help.


 

How struggling in school can help you succeed in life.

This is a link to a great article written by Don Johnson, a man with severe learning disabilities who founded and owns one of the largest assistive technology companies in the world, Don Johnston Inc. (makers of Co:Writer software).  He describes how struggling with dyslexia actually gave him an edge over his peers, to whom school came easily.  He also describes how a caring teacher became the "change agent" that changed the course of his life forever.  This is a quick and inspiring read, and would make a great mini lesson for students to discuss disability, perseverance, and overcoming adversity.  You can access the article by clicking here.  Enjoy!