Reflections of Assistive Technologies

In The Case of Josh from the video, the machine that he uses says what is happening in the books and shows him that it is not only okay to speak and say what is going on, but it also explains exactly what is happening without him having to speak. Through this, it gets him to understand what is going on, and involves him by having him participate in what he is saying. For a student with autism, this is crucial for their development. Students with autism are often unwilling to participate and have certain limitations that don't allow them to, or make it hard for them to communicate with others, even teachers.

The teacher from the video was very clever to use this assistive technology to get him more out of his "shell." Once using the machine for a few weeks, everyone began to see progress with him in terms of communication. Most autistic students in his situation would have just been put in a special classroom where the teachers just baby sat them, rather than actually helping with his disability. By getting him involved in the program, it helped all aspects of his life with communication. He began to look his teacher in the eye, and even communicate somewhat with other classmates.

Assistive technologies can help students with disabilities who wouldn't normally be able to communicate or participate in regular classroom settings, and really do bridge the gaps from having potential to actually releasing that potential for the world to see. Once he started building skills, just by simply pointing at the pictures that he heard the voice say, he began to build confidence and be more open to seeing and participating in the books. After he got past pointing, he began to even speak with the voice until he no longer needed it. That is an extreme amount of progress for a kid who wouldn't even look at his teacher. Not only does the assistive technology build skills for him, but it also builds confidence and shows him that he can do it, and feel more comfortable in a classroom setting. Thus, allowing him to be more open to learning and being an active participant in class.