Guest post by Gayl Bowser, founding member of the Quality Indicators for Assistive Technology Services (QIAT) consortium. Cross-posted at Atomic Learning
I'd like to share with you a features chart that could be used when a family or an IEP team is considering Mobile technology of any kind. The idea is to start with the tasks that the student needs to do and then discuss what features a tool would have if it was used to support student achievement for those tasks. So-tasks across the top and features for those tasks down the left side. And, hopefully, for this part, we would not really talk about specific tools.
The second part of the chart is designed to specifically talk about tools. If it’s an iPad with a note taking app, the iPad would go in the first column, the app in the second column and any other tools (e.g. a pen recorder device) might got in one of the other columns. On the left side of this chart are places to write in the features that we discussed in Step 1. Once the top row and left column are completed, it’s a matter of checking the boxes where a device has the needed features.
I hope this tool gives you ideas about how to lead an IEP discussion that considers a student’s need for mobile technology. I believe that it is a good companion piece for the iPad Features chart. But I would love your opinions. Can you imagine using a tool/process like this to facilitate an IEP team discussion? If so, what do you imagine?
I’d also love suggestions for how this new chart might be modified to make it better and/or more useful. Send your comments, feedback and ideas about this approach to considering mobile technology for assistive technology use.
You can learn more and share your feedback and ideas with Gayl via her blog at http://www.integrateat.com/.
PD Tips courtesy of Atomic Learning
