In the previous post we discussed using AT to assist students with disabilities who are moving onto higher education. As with any student entering college, there is a need for independence. Assistive technology can help students with disabilities in reaching independence. It is of course important that the correct device or system is chosen to allow the independence to occur. Factors such as usability and mobility should be considered to ensure that the use of the AT is successful. Making sure that the student is involved when choosing the device is also important.This will provide ownership and start off that feeling of independence for the student. There are many types of software and applications available such as My House: Language Activities of Daily Living can be used to teach functional skills and can be accessed by students with a wide range of physical and cognitive disabilities. Assistive technology can also be used to provide visual supports to these students since they often have difficulty with self-managing and personal organization. Boardmaker and Pogo Boards can assist educators in creating picture schedules and other visuals to support their students. As discussed before, the iPad is also a useful tool when meeting the needs of students with a variety of disabilities. An iPad can be loaded with many differents apps to assist students in acheiving and maintaing independence.
I completely agree that it is very important for students with a disability entering college need to become independent! I LOVE the software application, "My House: Language Activities Of Daily Living" that you shared with your readers. This application sounds like it would be an amazing way to help teach a student with a disability how to become more independent in each and all of the settings that they need to be independent in!
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