7B- Christina Neeley-Response to Amanda Barbone

     Assistive Technology for Students with Exceptional Learning Needs is a topic that intrigues me, it is the wave of the future.  I feel like every teacher that I correspond with is trying to write grants for I-pads in the classroom because they enhance an exceptional learners educational experiences.  I was drawn to your topic because I was curious as to what research had to say about this ever growing subject.

     As I read your paper I appreciated the different categories throughout.  It kept me interested and allowed me to jump right to areas of interest.  Your PowerPoint was informative and was a nice accompaniment to your paper.

     I was not surprised to find out that colleges do not prepare students to use assistive technology in the classroom.  By requiring only one 3 credit hour course does not offer enough information to back up researchers claims to the amended IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) in 1997.  The amendment put force onto teachers, and schools to consider more use of AT to fulfill the implementation of a child’s IEP (Individualize Education Plan) to help children reach their full potential (Dalton, 2002).

     I was surprised to find out that The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) now requires all elementary and secondary schools to provide assistive technology when two conditions are met, an education professional deems it necessary, and the technology is written into the child’s Individual Education Plan (IEP)—every child in Special Education receives an IEP (Raskind, 2000).  If it is medically necessary, the child’s insurance will pay for it if the school does not have funds available.  It is now a student’s right to use assistive technology when it is in the best interest of the child and fulfilling their IEP goals.  Today schools do not have a choice and they are required to provide the assistive technology needed to assist any child and obey by what the child needs according to his/her IEP plan. 

     Thank you for sharing this wonderful topic, I found it informative and enlightening as an educator of several exceptional learners.  I look forward to learning more about the technology that will assist the students in my classroom.