The New Assistive Tech: Make Learning Awesome for All!

by Christopher Bugaj

School districts often struggle to develop consistent practices for meeting the assistive needs of special education students. This playful yet professional book will help public school educators select, acquire and implement technology to help all students, but especially those with special needs. The New Assistive Tech is a catalyst for breaking down walls between special education and general education, and will help all educators realize they have tech knowledge (and can build upon that knowledge) that can be used to support students with disabilities.

 

This book: details how an educational team can request assistance to determine technology needs; explains how to conduct and document assessments to help an educational team make informed decisions about technology needs; describes a proactive approach to professional development for individuals and for those who train others on the use of technology; assists individuals or teams in creating an action plan for developing a culture of inclusion; and interweaves stories, songs and other exciting features to make learning fun!

269 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 15, 2018

Reviews

[Chelsea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this for an AAC course. Unfortunately we'd only read a few pages at a time and it made for a less than effective read. However, when I sat down and read chunks on my own I found this informative, helpful, and well written. Easy to digest and learn from, anyone working with students that have needs for tech options for reading, communication, etc...recommend giving this one a glance through!

[Vgwaxman · Rating 4 out of 5]

The New Assistive Tech: Make Learning Awesome for All! is a wonderful addition to any school or teacher professional development library. Too often teachers and support staff find or learn about resources that they want to implement with their students based on a need or recommendation. We aren't talking just any tool, but more specifically could be a technology tool as well. In my own experiences when a teacher just brings in a tool it becomes the wild west that in terms of support and understanding of the tool being implemented. What do I mean? As a former Educational Technologist teachers rely on support staff to help with any struggles a student may be experiencing, however, if they aren't able to support it the tool fails inadvertently. The New Assistive Tech provides guidance and structure on the how and the why and the importance of a process and setting goals to guide effective decisions that benefit our staff and students.

[Eden · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are a media specialist or a tech integration specialist in your district, you need at least one copy of this book in your professional collection. Although it provides an overwhelming amount of information on how to use assistive tech with special populations, its use of the ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education) provides a solid basis for lesson design to support learning for all students. Also, check out this book written by the same author: Practical (and Fun) Guide to Assistive Technology in Public Schools: Building or Improving Your District's AT Team|8100952

[Morgan Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this for my grad class this semester. :) It was actually very interesting and relatable.