Artifact # 10
Competency:
13.2 "Use media and technology to support learning for children with special needs."
Context:
This artifact required me to test
out several features that will help a child with special needs to better
us a computer. The first feature was applying high contrast to the computer
screen. I found this feature by going to the control panel, double clicking
on accessibility options, clicking on the display tab, clicking on high
contrast and finally clicking apply.
The second feature was changing the
speed of the mouse arrow. The mouse arrow may move too fast for some children
and they will be unable to successfully control the mouse. The mouse speed
can easily be slowed down. Simply open the control panel, click on the
mouse icon and then change the speed of the mouse.
The third step of this artifact required
me to go to www.1donline.org and read an article entitled "First
Person." This was an article written by a learning disabled student who
tells about the struggles and shares advice about being learning disabled.
The final step for this artifact
required me to search the site of http://www.check-it-out.org/assist.cfm.
This site is for disabled people who use assistive technology. A definition
of assistive technology is, "any item, piece of equipment or product system,
whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized, that
is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals
with disabilities." Examples of this technology are hearing aids, computers,
vehicle modifications, visual reading aids, ramps and many more items.
Impact:
I will have children with special
needs in my classroom. First of all I need to understand the struggles
that these children have, so that i will know how to successfully instruct
these students. I will have to modify the computers and know about assistive
technologies so that my special needs students will be able to perform
to their full potential.
Alignment:
This artifact aligns with competency
13.2. I now know how to modify equipment and I know what kind of equipment
students with special needs will need in the classroom.