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Microsoft Immersive Reader will be invaluable in my class, particularly for 3 of my students who have dyslexia. It provides text-to-speech, changeable text display (font size, background colour etc), breaking words into syllables, and highlights parts of speech. it would greatly help students with dyslexia to read and comprehend text by offering auditory support and reducing visual stress.
Kahoot is another brilliant resource that I will be incorporating into my class this year. I had heard about it before but had never used it previously. I like the fun and engaging aspect it brings to learning and how you can create kahoots to suit your class and learning topics as well as the multitude of kahoots already there.
I also like POwerPoint Live. The ability to tailor the viewing experience, use Immersive Reader, and engage with multimedia content makes PowerPoint Live an inclusive tool that can help students overcome literacy challenges and fully participate in classroom activities.
The SETT (Student, Environment, Tasks, and Tools) model is a framework used to guide the selection of appropriate assistive technology for students with disabilities. It is a comprehensive approach and considers the student’s unique needs, the environment in which they learn, the tasks they need to achieve and the tools that can support them.
Student: Ben
10 year old boy diagnosed with autism and dyslexia.
Ben loves using an iPad to complete activities where possible.
He rarely interacts with other children within the class and struggles to work collaboratively in group settings.
Environment:
Ben prefers to work in an individual work station in the class setting.Here there are no visuals on the wall which greatly helps his concentration.
He is easily distracted by other children in class and can tend to hyperfocus on certain visual displays.
Task:
Ben will create a visual story using Microsoft PowerPoint.Ben will write a simple story on ‘My Trip to the Zoo’.
Ben will then select images or use clipart available in PowerPoint to represent key parts of his story.
Ben will type or dictate simple sentences to describe each image. Immersive Reader can be used to read the text aloud, helping Ben with word recognition and sentence structure.
Ben will use PowerPoint’s design tools to arrange the images and text in a way that feels comfortable for him , helping him focus on visual learning strengths. Finally, he can present his story to teacher, using the visuals as prompts.
Tools: Microsoft PowerPoint, PowerPoints design tools & clip art, Immersive reader
Part 1: I have chosen an 8 year old boy with autism and dyslexia. He will create and read his own short story using Microsoft Word, with the support of Immersive Reader. I will begin by asking the student to brainstorm a simple story idea, such as “A Day at the Park” or “My Favourite Animal.” He can then dictate his story using the voice typing feature in Word, which helps overcome writing barriers.
Once the story is written, he will use Immersive Reader to read the text aloud. This tool will help them hear the story while following along with the highlighted text, reinforcing word recognition and comprehension. Immersive Reader’s picture dictionary will provide visual support for challenging words, aiding vocabulary development.
The student can customise the text appearance by adjusting font size, background colour, and spacing to suit his reading comfort.
This activity would help the student practice his reading and writing skills but also build his confidence in a supportive, tailored environment.
Part 2: Yes teachers are inherently lifelong learners. Cosan is built on the belief that CPD is essential for teachers to remain effective and responsive to the ever changing needs of their students. Teaching is a career that requires ongoing growth, reflection and adaptation. By continuously learning, teachers can implement the most effective strategies and tools in their class, which leads to their students success.
Immersive Reader in Microsoft Teams, the Edge browser and other 365 tools will be a transformative resource in our class. By making reading accessible, interactive, and engaging, it will support our children’s diverse learning needs and promote an inclusive and effective literacy education. I particularly like the line focus to highlight one line at a time, which would help children focus on reading small sections without getting overwhelmed by the entire page. I also like that it has a picture dictionary function which gives visual clues to readers if they need help to read a word. I would incorporate Immersive Reader in interactive lessons where my students could click on words to see pictures or hear pronunciations, making learning more engaging for them. I think it is something that could be used at home too as it seems easy to use and it would be good to have consistency in using these tools both at home and in school.
Assistive technologies absolutely have the potential to significantly enhance the learning experiences and outcomes for students, particularly those with special educational needs. These technologies provide various practical options that can address multiple learning standards and positively impact the school self-evaluation process.
I work in a special class and have found the use of assistive technologies to have been life changing. For two of our pre-verbal children in particular, it has been a game changer in breaking the barrier of communication. They are more engaged and motivated to learn throughout the day.
The Digital Learning Framework for Schools in Ireland outlines many standards that assistive technologies can help address. Examples of these include, schools integrating AT into their digital learning plans, ensuring all students have access to necessary tools. Incorporating AT into the curriculum to support differentiated learning and ensure that ICT resources are used to meet a vast range of learning needs. to provide ongoing training and support for teachers on the effective use of AT, ensuring they are equipped to support all students. Use AT to enhance teaching practices, facilitate inclusive learning environments, and support varied assessment methods that cater to different abilities.
The integration of assistive technologies within schools in Ireland can significantly enhance the inclusivity, personalisation, and effectiveness of education. By aligning with the Digital Learning Framework standards, schools can ensure that these technologies are effectively utilised to support all students.
