Expert Q&A

When teachers don’t use assistive technology, cost is often a factor. Are there good low tech solutions — or maybe some tools that are free or inexpensive that more teachers might consider?

How are students using technology to help them study?

Are there other examples you can think of about how AT is being used effectively to serve students with learning disabilities?

What is assistive technology?

How can teachers and parents help students with attention issues, who have trouble getting organized or paying attention?

Are there tools that can help make the physical act of writing easier?

Are there some common misconceptions about assistive technology that you often encounter?

I am looking for novels for a lit circle in a 6th grade class that follow the theme of overcoming adversity.

What change would you most like to see in the field of assistive technology?

What would you say to parents and teachers who don’t know much about technology and might be a little intimidated?

My son has been diagnosed with dyslexia, dysgraphia, and ADD. He cannot write a story because his printing cannot be understood. What do I do about his printing? How do I get him interested in the writing process?

How do you go about engaging students to help formulate their own technology plan?

How do we go about finding the right tool for a particular child?

I have a 12-year-old son who hates to read much himself, but loves to be read to. He will read comics on his own, but that’s about all. What do you suggest to get him to read more?

What are some good interventions for students who are in the eighth grade? Do you have any good ideas for adolescents who struggle with reading?

Can you suggest some books for a pre-teen girl who hates to read? She doesn’t read as fast as her classmates, so she prefers not to read at all.

In the lower grades it is recommended that students have 90 minutes of uninterrupted reading instruction daily. How many minutes should 5th and 6th graders have? Secondly, what type of reading instruction should 7th and 8th graders have in addition to English class?

I’m a special education teacher who has wavered for six years about whether to test my own son for a learning disability. He doesn’t want to be a “special” kid with “special” teachers. How do I know if it is right to test and risk my son being mad at me?

What’s your perspective on speech-to-text software?

With so many students using technology now, has it become easier for students with disabilities to use technology without feeling stigmatized?