More School Helps
Other gadgets are helpful to students and, if appropriate, may be written into your child's IEP. Your child's teacher, therapists, and other school staff can teach your child how and when to use them. Some gadgets may be needed in all situations (raised-line paper might be used for a student with low vision). Other gadgets (such as calculators) should be used only in certain situations.
Calculators
Some children with special needs use calculators for specified types of math work. Obviously, calculator skills are taught to every elementary student. In the case of a child with a learning disability in math the calculator might be used more often.
Calculators are used when a student understands how to complete a math problem but gets overwhelmed with the calculations. Sometimes the child is not able to remember the basic math facts.
Perhaps he understands that to get the average of a group of numbers he must add the numbers and then divide by how many numbers he added. Perhaps he understands the process but has difficulty remembering addition or division facts. He may be allowed to use a calculator if his IEP is so written.
The same student would not be allowed to use a calculator for an assignment that practices or assesses knowledge of math facts because that would defeat the purpose of the assessment.
Alert
Finding the right assistive technology for your child can take time, effort, and lots of patience. The key is to use technology that is a “good fit” for your child's needs. Sometimes children develop strategies that serve them better than an assistive device.
Writing Helps
Handheld electronic spell checkers are sometimes used by students with learning disabilities. The student can enter an attempted spelling and the device will give a list of correctly spelled word choices. At least some of these models will then “say” the word and its definition.
Spell checking devices are not only common for students with learning disabilities. They are widely used on computers and palm devices by many people without a disability.
Electronic Dictionaries
Electronic dictionaries are used by students with learning disabilities in later elementary grades and older. Like a spell checker, the dictionary will offer choices of words that are spelled correctly. An audio component of the dictionary will “speak” the word choices as well as their meanings, allowing the student to choose the word he needs.
Paper
Fact
The “best” student in the class may not be the wisest choice to be a note taker. Consider how thorough the student's notes are. Sometimes the top students do not see the need to take as many notes. Also consider the individual's handwriting skills; notes should be taken in clear, easy-to-read printing.
Pressure-sensitive paper allows one or more copies to be made as someone writes. This kind of paper is often used for classroom note taking. A designated peer takes notes as the teacher talks. At the end of class, the top sheet is given to the student with special needs and the copy is kept by the note taker for her own use.
Paper with raised lines is sometimes used for students with vision impairments or with students having visual discrimination difficulties. The tactile feature of the paper allows the student to better judge where to write his letters and sentences.
