After viewing the last 12 blogs of different types of AT devices that can help aide in the communication, I continue talking about Assistive Technology and communication. As I was instructed to watch a video as part of our component to our Module, I was thinking to myself how boring this was going to be. Especially since it was an hour long. As I listened to the video, I found that I could relate, especially since I own an IPad. To hear and see all the neat things and apps you can download is mind boggling. When I bought this device a little over a year ago, I never could have imagined it changing my life and helping me out sooo much. The more I have it, the more I learn new things that I can do with it. Aside from what I can do with it, rather the video goes into discussing the ways in which students in our very own classrooms can use it to communicate, engage, and interact with their peers, teacher, and environment.
The speaker mentioned two things to me that really stood out in that whole hour video. First, the fact that some students have a really hard time engaging in activities, especially if they are shy or have a form of Autism. To know that such a device as an IPad (a medium sized device that can be held with two hands and not very heavy) can engage sooo many learners especially those that I have mentioned is really eye opening.
Second, the speaker talked about a family that had a daughter with a learning disability, mainly in communication. She had a few devices that she used with her throughout her school day to assist her in learning. However, she was very embarrassed to use them in class because she felt that it brought a lot of attention to her and singled her out. Most of the attention was negative. In coming in to contact with the IPad, she didn't feel embarrassed. She became known as the "cool"girl. Since having and IPad is the new thing in todays schools, she fit in with her peers and she didn't stand out anymore. In a way, IPads can really change peoples, in this particular case, students' lives for the better.
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