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For this assignment, students will search TeacherTube® & YouTube® for Assistive Technology demonstrations by individuals with disabilities. The class will contribute to a wiki by posting a link to the video and then a 150-word description of the device and how it can be used in the classroom (students are not allowed to repeat an assistive technology posted by another student). To cultivate student conversation about the AT videos, students are required to read all descriptions and watch all videos posted by other students. Students are also required to add at least two constructive comments to posts from other students.

Each section of 320 has a different page posting and responding, Choose the link to your section's page to get started!   media type="youtube" key="R8mbhQ7bkb0" height="344" width="425" SAMPLE POST
 * Ashley Cohen's Post: AbleNet BookWorm**

This video is about a little boy named Josh who has Autism. His first expierences in an early childhood classroom proved to be very challenging to him. Josh was non-verbal, and engaged in self isolating activities. His struggle to communicate was a constant source of aggravation to him. He often ended up in tears curling in a ball. Josh's teacher noticed that Josh was interested in both books and cause and effect toys. She decided to use and ablenet Super Talker with Josh to help him with his communication. The ablenet Super talker is a device that has pictures of objects on it and words with them. The child is able to push on one of the pictures and it will say the word or words for him. This was a way for Josh to break his communication barrier. The super talker eliminated the stress of communication and created a safe and predictable environment for him. As Josh become more open and comfortable, the ablenet BookWorm was then introduced. The BookWorm is a device that almost any book can be hooked up to. The teacher will read the pages to the device and then a child can turn pages and have the book read to him. Each page has a sticker on it that lines up with a button on the device. When the child is on a certain page they push the corresponding button and that page will be read. Josh not only loved watching his teacher set up the device for him but he loved using it. He soon began reading along with the BookWorm as well as looking at his teacher in the eyes and answering her questions. This only furthered his passion for reading, as well as helped him with his communication, speaking, confidence and socilization.

Both the Super Talker and the BookWorm are great tools to use for students with Autism, communication difficulty, and even reading difficulty. They are most benificial when used with younger children just begining their school expierences. The Book Worm is most effective with smaller books because the books do need to be recited to the machine first. With longer books this can become quite time consuming, because a child needs more than one book that is programmed to this machine so they do not get bored with it. These devices would be great for the every day classroom. The Super Talker can help students get across their wants, needs and desires, as well as helping them to better participate in the classroom. The BookWorm is a great way to get students engated in reading, as well as help with reading issues or speech issues. This devices can also be used to help with communication and interaction among students. It is a fun device that gives studetns with Autism the comfort level they need while allowing them to grow and communicate with others!


 * Response for the AbleNet Bookworm by Jenn Vogt:** It's really awesome how Josh's teacher took the time to notice his interests and work to build on his skills by using things that interested him. He is increasing his self-esteem because the tool allows him to say the words along with the tool and he even began to say the words himself. If he enjoys one of the pages alot, he is even able to press the button again and hear the page again. This allows him to better understand words and associate them with the pictures. I think this is a great tool to build up the confidence of students and allow them to read stories that suit their interests.


 * Response for the AbleNet Bookworm by Allee Hess:** This is such a great tool! When i first saw this post i was curious and was sold after i watched the video. To see the happy smile on this child's face and at the end when he proudly read to his classmates! This really was a good tool to observe, becuase if i had a child who was primarily nonverbal and exhaused all of my ideas to help him, i would never have thought or known their was a tool out there like this. This even would be great for a child who has difficulty reading. Some of the tools that we have been looking at in the tech tips are usually perchased for a particular student to use, but i think that this would be a great tool to have in the classroom for any child with reading difficulties to use.

This video was so great. It really made me smile and overjoyed to see Josh grow in leaps and bounds over such a short period of time. After one week of using the smart talker and the bookworm he was responding to his teacher and his communication skills had visibly improved. Amazing. It really means something to those who will be working with students with special needs to see something so effective and know that that product is at our disposal. It's also really great that with the Bookworm you can adapt it to ANY book. I have seen some products that only work with certain books or certain series of books and that can get so boring and repetitive to see the same text or characters day after day. It's great to be able to say to a child, go pick ANY book you want and you can read it. Watching this video totally makes me want to graduate now and jump into a classroom and start making a difference for all those kids who will benefit from this product or ones like it. Amazing how Josh went from PRIMARILY NONVERBAL to communicating and READING to his teachers!
 * Response for the AbleNet Bookworm by Katie Duym:**


 * Response for Ablenet Bookworn by Lisa Harbilas**

Wow! Talk about an inspiring video. The ablenet bookworm allowed Josh to really wake up the speech center and allowed him to be able to interact socially with his teacher, classmates, and family. I believe that it is a great tool to use. As I watched the video, I noticed how good it made me feel to see him become more verbal. This is what makes it so valuable. I can see the bookworm being used in many ways. For example, a child who has difficulty learning to read or a child who has had limited success in understanding the reading process. Overall, this video shows how children like Josh can succeed and earn to talk and read even when thy have disabilities such as being primarily nonverbal as some autistic children are.