Technology for students with LD

Submitted by an LD OnLine user on

Hi,
I’m a Special Education graduate student doing research on technology for students with learning disabilities. For example, is there technology out there for students who are taking tests and can’t concentrate because other students are asking the teacher questions? What about technology for students who are trying to write notes while the teacher and classmates are talking? I’d appreciate any advice or help I can get. I’m looking specifically for technology, not accomodations like allowing the student to take a test in another room. Thanks!
Jesse

Submitted by Anonymous on Tue, 04/06/2004 - 6:21 PM

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What about good old fashioned ear plugs, or ear buds with classical music being played through them. Also you can have him take his test in the same room but in an isolated part with partitions separating him from the rest of the class. But technology to make a student control his wandering mind?? I have yet to find that magic pill. :?

Submitted by Anonymous on Tue, 04/06/2004 - 8:32 PM

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Welp, one of the most important things to learn about technology is that you don’t start with technology, you start with the problem.
There are some great websites with research and information about assistive technology — this site has a section on it, and http://www.qiat.org also has good info.

Submitted by Anonymous on Sun, 04/18/2004 - 10:50 PM

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Hi

Have a look at TestTalker from Freedom Scientific:

http://www.freedomscientific.com/LSG/products/testtalker.asp

It has been marketed for your purpose for LD kids.

I homeschool in Australia via a Distance Education School and my son (13) has dyslexia. I showed this program to the school because 99% of his work is worksheet/leaflet based. They are now implementing it. First subject is Science because of the heavy/long reading needed.

Hopefully next term (May) we will get the first of them to try. I know the trial I did with my son resulted in “When are we getting this?”

Good Luck in your research

Bernadette
Australia

Submitted by KTJ on Mon, 04/19/2004 - 12:39 AM

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Jesse,
There are a number of different technology tools available, from low to high tech, depending upon the needs of the students. Shaywitz’s book “Overcoming Dyslexia” mentions some of the software available. It all depends upon what obstacles the student needs to overcome to become a successful, independent learner.
If you are doing research on this topic, I’m sure you have found a wealth of resources on the internet. There are a number of tools built right into Microsoft Office (Word, Powerpoint and Excel) that are especially helpful.

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