Day 1- Wed., July 4th, 2012.

I think it is important to start by sharing an explanation of Assistive Technology.

*Click on the words that are blue to be taken to a link that further describes the idea.*

At the basic core, assistive technology is about providing access to a task or improving a performance for an individual by making an appropriate match of a device with a student. This is done by ensuring a universal design for learning (UDL) curriculum is in place. Some examples of UDL are:

• curb cut outs
• putting wheels on items so they can be push/pulled
• automatic doors
• voice recognition software
• pencil grips

Technology is rapidly and continuously changing, so new perspectives, products and practises are needed. This can cause new technology to replace an already established technology- a phenomenon that is termed "disruptive technology". 

A new technology that certainly has worked its way into everyone's vocabulary is Applications or Apps. You can pretty much find an App for whatever you need/want to do. So with iPads in hands, we spent some time today figuring out how to use a App called Pic Collage. This App can be very beneficial in the the classroom to support student learning. Here are a few of the ways I envision its use:
1. Create a collage of your favourite things as if you were a character from a story
2. Do a book response through pictures
3. Sequencing of a story
4. Take a pic. of collage and use in another app. that makes a puzzle of it
5. Construct a biography of a famous person
6. Make a "getting to know you" book for the class where each student creates their own page reflecting what they want to share about themselves
7. Sequencing of a persons' life line
8. Explore the community through pictures
9. Make a photo story of a significant event students wish to share
10. Take pictures of a visual schedule and sequence each day in the order needed
11. Making a visual list of what they have learnt/ want to learn
12. Keeping track of books read by adding a picture of the cover of each book

I created a Pic Collage using examples of Assistive Technology. This was my first attempt at using the App on my own and found it very easy and user friendly. You have the option to add text (even being able to change font style/colour), import pictures (from your ipad/iPhone/iPad, Facebook, camera, and the web) as well as change the background and purchase stickers.

If you are still skeptical at how easy it is to use, here is a "how to" video for Pic Collage.