Students with Cognitive Difficulties

Google Translate
1) Google Translate - allows students to translate written text from one language into another. When a student has trouble with recall, I allow them to use Google Translate in class. They love this option and it helps to take the pressure off of having to give the answer in front of everyone without knowing if it correct.

Conjuguemos
2) Conjuguemos.com - allows students to go online to practice the repetition of vocabulary acquisition through the use of a five minute drill and response format. I have assigned this weekly for the past several years with huge success. Sometimes it is difficult to get the students to buy into it, because the repetition can sometimes be boring, but once they do, their grades sore.

Students with Physical Difficulties

Smart Tech
1) Smartboards - allows students with motor skill deficiencies to be able to participate in the activities as easily as the others by using the touch screen functionality. It allows all students, even those who cannot hold a pen, to write and interact with content using the finger-touch capability. For students who have trouble using traditional keyboards and mice, the touch and click ease allows them the opportunity to interact with a computer. I do not have access to a Smartboard in my classroom in the high school, but I teach in the middle school as well and we use the Smartboard for Jeopardy and also for geography. I do not use it much, but when I do, the students really like it.

Nuance
2) Dragon NaturallySpeaking is a comprehensive voice recognition program that allows enabling hands-free navigation and dictation Dragon NaturallySpeaking may be used to create documents, reports, send e-mails, instant messages, surf the web, and more. I do not use this program, but in my class we create documents, reports, and surf the web frequently. It would be very useful for a person with motor skill difficulty.

Students with Sensory Difficulties

iSpeech
1) iSpeech - allows users to receive information without having to take their eyes off whatever they are doing. It can be used with documents, things found on the web, blogs and much more, including different languages. This is an important feature for my class. Auditory learners, or people with visual problems can benefit greatly by using this technology enhanced strategy. I always give my directions via Google Docs to my students - I share many things with them. This would be a great program to use if a student wanted to hear the directions in addition to seeing them.

iPad
2) iPads - In addition to Apples abundant accessibility features, the iPad has been considered by some to be transformative in educating students with sensory disabilities (Marcinek). It offers the ability to use numerous apps that help in numerous areas. for example, you can read books on the ipad which allows you to adjust the size and color, you can use Voiceover which will read to you any text selected and you can use the screenshot or camera feature to take handouts and complete them online. This is a technology strategy that could be used in any classroom to help almost any student.

Students who are At-Risk Novanet

1) Novanet - a program that provides rigorous core high school curriculum designed to help every student achieve objective-base mastery and prepare them for graduation and college. We use this program at the school I teach at to reach those students that are in danger of failing for a whole host of different reasons. Students who look to be at risk of not passing the class they are currently taking are pulled out of the class in order to enroll in the NovaNet class in hopes of success. This program does not offer foreign language so I am not affected by it, but the other core programs are. It has been fairly successful.

Podcast Directory
2) Podcasts - a downloadable broadcast made by anyone who wants to make them, this technology allows educators to create a discussion of the topic they are discussing for 24/7 use by their students. Students can listen not only to their teachers, but to a number of other people who have created a discussion on the very same topic. It allows for different perspective and a deeper understanding. In my class if I am teaching about the preterit vs. the imperfect, students can listen to Podcasts by any person who has created one to help them better understand this difficult topic.

Gifted and Talented Students ePals

1) Epals- This is an online pen pal service that allows students to communicate safely with other students from around the world. Allowing a gifted Spanish student to showcase their abilities with a native speaker, typically their own age, helps to build their language skills even more, helps them to understand relationships and increases creative thinking, which according to Roblyer and Doering, are factors in developing the potential of gifted students.

Twitter
2) Twitter - a social media platform that allows students to communicate with each other. In my class, I conducted a survey on who would be interested in an optional assignment of having to Tweet in Spanish for extra practice and fun. Overwhelmingly, it was the students who were already achieving grades in the A and A+ ranges that wanted to try it. So, my plan is to offer this opportunity as enrichment. The students will need to create a second login that will be used only for Spanish class and they will be required to Tweet only 5 times a week. It is the first time I have done anything like this, so I expect to be altering things as I go along, but I think it will be well received based on the comments in the survey.

References: Marcinek, A. Assistive technology and the 1:1 student. Retrieved December 1, 2012, from http://www.edutopia.org/blog/assistive-technology-one-to-one-andrew-marcinek Sohlberg, M. (2011). Assistive technology for cognition. Retrieved from http://www.asha.org/Publications/leader/2011/110215/Assistive-Technology-for-Cognition.htm Assessing students needs for assistive technology (2009). Retrieved from http://www.wati.org/content/supports/free/pdf/Ch5-WritingMotorAspects.pdf Torreno, S. (2012). Using smartboards in special education classrooms. Retrieved from http://www.brighthubeducation.com/special-ed-inclusion-strategies/55013-advantages-of-usingsmartboards-for-students-with-special-needs/?cid=parsely_rec Learning thats one on one not 101. (2011). Retrieved December 1, 2012, from http://www.novanet.com/programs/novanet-courseware