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My ToolBelt
This is my assistive technology Toolbelt for a couple of my past students. This tool belt of assitive technology will change depending on the student's needs and wants.
As a former teacher of high incidence special needs education, I had not been exposed to the power of Kurzweil 3000. Kurzweil 3000 allows any person with a disability to level the playing field, providing reading, writing and test taking skills support, and can provide everyone, not just those with a disability, a little (or a lot) extra support. Kurzweil addresses the needs of unique learners through RTI (response to intervention) and through a variety of multi sensory approaches, makes information more accessible. The guiding principle of this technology is UDL, or Universal Design for Learning, which helps customize learning for students, making education more flexible, customizing learning for visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and other types of learners. Options for students to choose from are nearly endless, and most students enjoy using the program (which makes a huge difference in student engagement).
Since I have never tried to use Kurzweil 3000 before, I was very excited to try the 30 day trial provided on the website. It was a very large download (approximately 2 gigabytes), but it was well worth the 3 hour download wait! It's very easy to see how Kurzweil 3000 would be beneficial for students with sensory challenges. There are text readers that can be used a variety of ways, and can be customized to fit the needs of the student. I am able to adjust the speed at which the text reader speaks, accounting for those with slower/faster processing speeds,and I can use the program to define and translate words that are not known to the student, which would be very beneficial for cognitively impaired students and those with lower reading abilities. I also appreciated the ability to create outlines and brainstorms, using the program as an organizational tool as well.
One of the best features of Kurzweil 3000 is the accessibility features it offers for the internet. Simply clicking on the internet button on the program's toolbar opens up an internet browser containing many of the accessibility tools of the program. When you go to a website, the program automatically inputs that information into Kurzweil, where you can manipulate the information and make it more accessible. This has to potential to open up the internet to students who have previously not been able to access this. Particularly, students who are visually impaired or hearing impaired would greatly benefit, as the accessibility features especially attempt to address these disabilities.
It is very apropos that Kurzweil's slogan is is “Believe You Can”. All of the great features Kurzweil 3000 notwithstanding, my favourite aspect of the program is the independence it provides to it's users. Students no longer have to rely on the help of a teacher or EA to discover and explore, and this will likely give students more confidence and belief in themselves. While I have only spent an afternoon with the program, I am excited to continue to learn and unlock the possibilities of the program for all of my students.