This week we learned a lot about adaptive technology. A lot of the information presented was brand new to me. Some of it was familiar. I had a student last year who was legally blind, but could still read and see things when they were very close to his eyes. For class we adapted our instruction by obtaining a closed circuit television (CCTV). The CCTV was basically a computer monitor attached to a magnifying lens. When you placed books--or anything at all--under the the lens, it would increase the size and display it on the monitor. It was an amazing device and allowed him to read an impressive amount.
I found the braille writer to be fascinating. Whenever I see braille on a wall or a sign, I always run my fingers across it and try to imagine obtaining information from the little bumps on my fingertips. I actually started memorizing the braille alphabet for fun, but let me tell you, it's much different seeing it and trying to discern what the letters are when you don't use your eyes. Anyway, the braille writer is a great device because it allows people to type and create braille documents instantly. That is amazing because it allows students with vision disabilities to work and create braille without any long or tedious processes. This is a great example of adaptive technology in the classroom.
I have learned this week about adaptive technology. I know many of the different tools, and I have a better understanding of how they work. I can take this information directly into my classroom, where I can use this adaptive technology to give my special education students the instruction they deserve.
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