Assistive technology has come a long, long way since I first attended the BETT Show in Bristol over 20 years ago and marvelled at the first version of Dragon Naturally Speaking, a then trailblazing piece of speech-to-text software which was recommended for those with dyslexia and other additional needs which impacted upon their ability to hand-write. This particular example of assistive tech was quite expensive at the time, and also had many limitations and frustrating shortcomings including the fact that you had to be a brilliant reader to ‘train’ it to recognise your voice!
Now, we have a plethora of innovative gadgets, apps, software and tools to support individuals with barriers to curriculum access and functional living. Sometimes they’re relatively cheap, sometimes easy to use…not always…but, certainly, access to assistive technology has never been greater.
And, while it always seems that schools are usually more than willing to accept the challenge of integrating assistive technology into their classroom for students with sensory needs or physical disabilities – there tends to be a quiet acceptance that it (rightly) ‘has to be done’ for these students – it is often the case that for those with specific learning difficulties, such as dyspraxia or dyslexia, schools are more reluctant. I’ve heard lots of reasons/excuses in my time…e.g. cost, that ‘If they have a laptop, everyone will want one…’ etc…but, generally speaking, schools then go on to wish they had embraced technology sooner, once they see the positive impact and improved outcomes.
I’m certainly no expert on assistive technology, as I’m sure you can tell, but over the years I have enjoyed seeing the delight on secondary students’ faces when they realise the benefits of using a scanning/reader pen in lessons and even in their English GCSE exam, or the way the free dictation tool on Word has enabled primary-aged pupils to demonstrate learning which they would otherwise not have been able to, given their difficulties with handwriting.
So, why not dig out the dusty Chromebook from the back of your store cupboard, or better still take a look at some of the links below and delve into the wonderful world of assistive technology! There is a superb free webinar by the SEND Excellent Gateway to watch with a cuppa, and if you’re in a school, why not express your interest in participating in the DfE, Microlink and NASEN funded Assistive Technology Training (deadline 31st January 2023) “Delivered with partners at Microlink, the training will encourage staff to use technology which they already have available to them to reduce or remove the barriers to learning for all children and young people, including for learners with SEND.” Sounds good to me!
Scanning (reader) pen – great for use when you need to listen to individual words or short sentences – not so great for ‘reading’ huge amounts of text, but the orange scanning pen is accepted by JCQ for use in exams…including English language!
Orcam - reader pen initially developed for those with a vision impairment, but useful for anyone with difficulties accessing text-based materials. (Not cheap though!)
Clicker 8 – a brilliant piece of software useful to support those with difficulties recording work.
Particularly good for younger pupils as school can set up word banks (with visual cues) etc. Reads work back to you too! There is much more to it than this, of course!
Dragon Naturally Speaking – version 15 of the brilliant dictation software (home edition).
Windows accessibility website – all you need to know about personalising settings in Windows applications.
Why not take a look at the New South Wales’ (yes, Australia!) page all about assistive technology too – there are some superb ‘How to…’ videos on here too.