In this week’s lesson Chantelle from BCEDAccess spoke to our class about assistive technologies, and how they can function to support the diversity of needs in the classroom.
She explained how in an ideal world, teachers would have access to these various apps and technologies and have no problem creating a more inclusive classroom for their students.
Realistically however, this will not always be the case since according to the BCTF, “10% of students in every single BC classroom will have special needs” and most of these assistive technologies are too expensive to have in required amounts.
This is where apps come in, with there being an app for almost any type of need a student could have. With iPads having cameras, word processing, and recording functions, students can learn in ways that they do best, as explained in the multimedia learning theory.
Multimedia Learning Theory is concerned with HOW we learn. Information exists in multiple forms – text, images, sound, video… how does the media type impact how we receive, process, and retain information? How do they work when in combination (e.g, text with an image vs. text with a sound, etc.)?
edtechuvic.ca (Theories)
This just reaffirms for me how important the role technology plays in the classroom is. I look forward to researching some of the apps mentioned (Mathtalk, Clicker Connect, Co:Writer) and providing space in my unit plans for students to work with them.
Photo by Charles Deluvio on Unsplash