I wanted to post the video below for a couple of reasons. First, it was local, made to increase awareness for children with disabilities in PEI. Secondly, and more importantly, I felt it served as a great reminder to educators as to ensuring we maintain the proper perspective. Whether it be high tech or low tech, assitive technology can be amazing, but however we offer support, the most important thing is the individual.

This was I great course...I truly believe I am a better educator because of it.

A new device at Disney

Audio Descriptive Device at Disney

I found a neat video from Disney. It introduced the viewers to a device called an Audio Descriptive device. Basically the device is used to help provide services to guests with disabilities at Disney's theme parks. In the video we see how the device can be used by guests with visual impairments to access information while visiting the parks. The nest part about the device is that rather than just be a pre-recorded message, it provides the guest with small bits of information and then they can choose if they wish to access more. There is a neat little demo of how the device works included in the video. The video also includes some interesting information on what went into developing the device to make as accessible as possible. Things such as the importance of having tactile buttons are discussed.

Of course, we need to recognize that this video is produced by Disney, and so there is obviously other motives at play, but nonetheless, the device, and its application in this setting is interesting.
I would like to learn more about what Disney, and other companies with large finical resources are doing to be accessible.

Low Tech Items

Our low tech device assignment was a great task as it generated so many effective, accessible ideas, that were also cost effective and easy to apply. Here are a few that I came up with...

First, I thought about how a student with a memory problem might work with a ruler and measurments. It might be difficult for them to retain a mesurement in their working memory long enough to complete a task with it. An easy solution I thought might be to have the student simply use a dry erase marker to mark the measurment on the ruler until he or she has had time to work with it or record it elsewhere. The mark can then quickly and easily be erased.

When I considered ways in which to combine items in order to create a unique assitive device, I focused on the sqeegee. By adding some velcro to the top of the sqeegee and then to a ruler a new device s created. The ruler can then be easily mounted to the sqeegee to take advantage of the sqeegees easy to grasp handle.