Friday, February 21, 2014

Additional Computer Features

In the previous post, we spoke about how computers are flexible to the needs of students.  There are also additional operating system features that allow students with disabilities to use the computer successfully.

For students with hand tremors or poor fine motor skills, the use of Slow Key allows students to press on a key for a longer period of time without typing multiple letters.  Students with limited motor skills can also use on screen keyboards to type by using the mouse.


“Computers emit beeps, tones, and voiced messages to alter users to a variety of events; students who are hard of hearing of deaf may be unable to hear these sounds” (Dell, Newton, & Petroff, p. 171).  For these students, computers offer controls that replace auditory prompts and signals with visuals such as icons or captions.


There are so many different ways to incorporate computers into the lives of students with disabilities and I plan to fully take advantage!


References:
Dell, A., Newton, D., & Petroff, J. (2012). Assistive Technology in the Classroom. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.

1 comment:

  1. Mia,
    Exploring these computer accessibility features for students with disabilities is a great way for teachers to make accommodations for their students individual needs. I think every teacher should look into these features and use them in the classroom. Great job giving detail of these features.

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