All teachers have to do is ditch the classroom chair. A growing number are replacing them with exercise stability balls more associated with Pilates classes than schoolroom lectures as an innovative way to improve student posture and attention.

"They're awesome," gushed 10-year-old James Howell, a fourth-grader at Bauder Elementary School whose class switched to purple stability balls in January. "They help you focus, they help you keep your structure. And sometimes you get to bounce on them, get the wiggles out."

I can definitely see how these would benefit all children. Even children that do not have a diagnosed disability get the "wiggles" sometimes. Kudos to this school for thinking outside of the box and for doing whatever is necessary to promote the students' ability to learn.

Do you think these would benefit your child? Should they be required in schools. Or, should children at least have the option to use them if they choose?

You can read the full story via the San Francisco Chronicle website.

Assistive Technology for Children with Learning Disabilities

I came across an article today on the Great Schools website and wanted to share it with it. It's full of information and links about the assistive technology that is out there for children with learning disabilities.

Assistive technology (AT) is available to help individuals with many types of disabilities — from cognitive problems to physical impairment. This article will focus specifically on AT for individuals with learning disabilities (LD).

The use of technology to enhance learning is an effective approach for many children. Additionally, students with LD often experience greater success when they are allowed to use their abilities (strengths) to work around their disabilities (challenges). AT tools combine the best of both of these practices.

This article will introduce parents to the role of AT in helping their children with LD.

You can visit the Great Schools website to read this article in its entirety.

What Exactly is IDEA?

If you have been in the ADHD/LD arena for any length of time at all, you've inevitably heard about IDEA. But, do you really know what it is? How it affects your child? Did you know there is more than one part?

According to the IDEA website...

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a law ensuring services to children with disabilities throughout the nation. IDEA governs how states and public agencies provide early intervention, special education and related services to more than 6.5 million eligible infants, toddlers, children and youth with disabilities. Infants and toddlers with disabilities (birth-2) and their families receive early intervention services under IDEA Part C. Children and youth (ages 3-21) receive special education and related services under IDEA Part B.

IDEA governs the entire special education process. IDEA also promotes the use of assistive technology in teaching children with disabilities.

The nine basic steps of IDEA are:

1. The child is identified as potentially requiring special education support.
   
2. The child is then evaluated. The evaluation will include the school team and the parent.


3. After evaluation, the eligibility is determined. Qualified professionals and the parent will determine the eligibility.


4. An Individualized Education Program (IEP) meeting is scheduled.


5. The IEP is written.


6. The plan is carried out - Services are provided.


7. Ongoing measurement of progress and reporting to parents.


8. The IEP is reviewed.


9. Reevaluation.

To read more information about each step, visit About.com. Wrightslaw.com also has a comprehensive list of articles about IDEA that you can access for free.

IEP Alternatives

Has your child been tested and didn't quite qualify for an IEP? Are you wondering now what? Don't give up! There is another option that may be just right for your child. The school should tell you about the next steap, a 504 Plan. What is a 504 Plan?

A 504 plan is a legal document that outlines a plan of instructional services for students in the general education setting. Students with ADHD often have a 504 plan. While not an IEP, the document usually describes the types of accommodations that will be made for a student in school. --LD Online

To learn more about the 504 Plan and decide if this may be the route your child needs to go, read on:

• Understand Your Rights
• Overview of 504 & IDEA
• Section 504 & Public Schools
• Accommodations
• Understanding Special Education Laws
  
  

Assistive Technology for Dyslexia

If your child struggles with dyslexia, a pen scanner may be the assistive technology that you have been looking for. Sue Watson, Developmental Support Counselor from about.com, says the following. "The pen scanner is used the same way you use a marker highlighter. Simply take the pen scanner across the text. The pen scanner will let you scan, store and transfer your printed text as well as smaller images to your computer. It's ideal for taking notes or scanning text for students that use a text reader. " Your child "can benefit tremendously from the use of scanner pens for test taking, note taking, greater access to materials, auditory support and overall productivity." In deciding whether your child may benefit from a pen scanner, she also suggests that you take the following into consideration:

• fine motor control is essential
• responsibility (the student will need to keep the pen with him/her)
• auditory discretion is important as many of the pens read but the voice is synthetic which can be frustrating for many students
• confidence (these students need to be comfortable using their assistive devices around their peers)
  

Following are several types of pen scanners that are available on the market:

• Iris Pen $129.00
• WizCom QuickLink Pen from $69.99
• C-Pen 20 $139.00

Assistive Technology Tools

I know I refer to Schwab Learning a lot on this blog, but it's for a good reason. They have such a comprehensive data base of information on every topic you could think of relating to ADHD and LD. They have a ton of useful, relevant information that I just have to pass on.

The latest article I have found that I want to share is entitled Technology to Help Kids:Assistive Technology Tools. It's really more of a data base than an article. You choose your child's learning difficulty from a drop down menu and up pops assistive technology tools/products relating to that particular learning problem. It just couldn't be easier. Click on the tool/product you're interested in a you are automatically taken to a website that has, sells or offers that tool.

There is also a drop down menu if you prefer to search by tool/product. For example, if you are interested in talking calculators, just click on that tool and a list of resources pops up. You can then follow those links to learn more about the calculators and find out where to purchase one.

If your child is struggling with listening, math, reading, writing, organization and/or memory, this site can lead you to the very tool that could help your child succeed.

Wake Up Sleepyhead!

Do you or your child have trouble waking up in the morning? Do you hit the snooze button a few too many times? Well, how does this sound...... a clock that gives you one chance to hit the snooze button. Then, it rolls off of your nightstand and hides. It continues to beep in a random pattern until you get out of bed, find it and turn it off. If that sounds like it might actually make you drag yourself out of bed every morning, then "Clocky" is for you! It's a bit pricey at $49.99, but if it gets you to work on time or your children to school on time it might just be worth it.

If this clock isn't quite what you need, here are a few more that may do the trick.

Assistive Technology Database

Assistive technology for kids with learning disabilities (LD) is defined as any device, piece of equipment, or system that helps bypass, work around, or compensate for an individuals specific learning deficits.

This is taken directly from SchwabLearning.org and sums it up beautifully I think. They have created an indispensable tool to help you find the right assistive technology for your child. I plan to utilize it myself for my son's specific needs. I hope you find it useful as well.

Also, to help you determine if the assistive technology you are considering is adequate, read this article on their website.

LD & Assistive Technology

According to Wikipedia.com Assistive Technology (AT) is a generic term that includes assistive, adaptive, and rehabilitative devices and the process used in selecting, locating, and using them. AT promotes greater independence for people with disabilities by enabling them to perform tasks that they were formerly unable to accomplish, or had great difficulty accomplishing, by providing enhancements to or changed methods of interacting with the technology needed to accomplish such tasks.

Below are a number of site that (I hope) will assit you in your search for AT for your child.

• LD online
• Family Village
• Schwab Learning 1
• Schwab Learning 2
• About.com
• Treasure Chest
• LD & Assitive Technology
• NCLD

Assistive Technology for LD students

Assistive technology is "any technology that enables an individual with a learning disability to compensate for specific deficits." * This includes a broad range of tools ranging from using tape recorders to voice-activated software. These tools allow a student with learning disabilities to circumvent their deficits. For example, if a student has writing problems, taking notes in class can pose a real struggle. By using a tape recorder to tape the lecture, the student bypasses his area of weakness. After all, the goal is to learn the information being taught, not to improve his writing skills. This is referred to as a compensatory approach. If technology is used to directly address skill deficits, this is called a remedial approach. For example, the same student that relied on the taped lecture could use a keyboarding program to improve note-taking skills. If you feel assistive technology my increase your child's ability to succeed in school, you may want to do a little more research. Here are a few resources to get you on your way:

• National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitative Research
• Adaptive Computing Technology Center
• Alliance for Technology Access
• Apple Computer's Worldwide Disability Solutions Group
• Assistive Technology Online Training Project
• Association for the Advancement of Rehabilitation Technology
• Assistive Technology Industry Association
• Center for Applied Special Technology

*The Encyclopedia of Learning Disabilities, Carol Turkington & Jospeph R. Harris, PH.D., 2002