Have you ever absentmindedly tapped on your shift key, only to get a message saying that you have activated "Sticky Keys"? The first time it happened to me, I was sure I'd done some irreparable damage to my parents' Gateway desktop. What ever happened to Gateway? It feels like forever since I've seen one of those cow-spotted boxes...
Most personal computers today come equipped with accessibility features that most of us know little about. Sticky Keys are meant for individuals who have difficulty pressing more than one key at a time. It treats a sequence of modifier keys as a key combination. Shift, Control, Alt, Fn, and Command are just a few examples of modifier keys.
Last year, there was an 8th grade student in my classroom who was paralyzed from the waist down and had limited mobility between his waist and shoulders. He used an electric wheelchair and could not hold a pen or pencil. In class, he used a laptop and typed with his knuckle, one key at a time.
Don't be fooled. This kid was sharp. Originally from Spain, he spent most of his time at home on the internet or watching the news...in Spanish. He knew more about current events than I did, for sure. He loved technology, and how the world was open to him in spite of his disability. He had the highest scores in the entire eighth grade on the state assessment, while still classified as Special Ed and LEP (Limited English Proficient).
But he hated being different.
His disability was caused by a mistake in a surgery only a few years ago, so he was still adjusting to his new situation. Anytime the teacher's aide brought out his laptop, he wanted nothing to do with it, unless all the other students were working on computers.
On the days we could convince him to use his assistive technologies (especially when the whole class was typing or doing research), he was a pro. I got to see Sticky Keys used to their full potential.
What kind of assistive technologies have you seen utilized? Can more technology intergration across the board increase student engagement and achievement? Years and years of research report mixed results. It seems to be more about HOW you use the tool rather than WHICH tools you use. Daniel Light researches how technology impacts classroom culture and teacher-student interaction. Check out his article on how to Do Web 2.0 Right.Light, D. (2011). Do web 2.0 right . Learning & Leading with Technology, 38(5), 10-12, 14-15. Retrieved from http://eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/contentdelivery/servlet/ERICServlet?accno=EJ914323
Wikipedia. (2011, October 21). Modifier key. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modifier_key
I enjoyed the article. I agree with Daniel Light's suggestion that there are three elements necessary to use Web 2.0 successfully in the classroom-daily practice, focus on audience, and appropriate behavior. As the article describes the activities that he and his colleague observed I see evidence of the three elements at play. As I read the article I was reminded of my own attempts at using various web 2.0 technologies that were not successful. After reading the article I have a better idea of where I went wrong. I'm always looking for meaningful ways for my fourth graders to express themselves with writing and there are many web 2.0 technologies that can help me if I use them correctly. In the future I will keep Daniel Light's three elements in mind when planning my own lessons and training teachers.
ReplyDeleteLight, D. (2011). Do web 2.0 right. Learning & Leading with Technology, 38(5), 10-12, 14-15. Retrieved from http://eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/contentdelivery/servlet/ERICServlet?accno=EJ914323