Name and describe three hardware and three software assistive technologies for students with disabilities

Hardware

There are many types of hardware assistive technologies available for students with disabilities, for example,

• touch screen computers can make learning more simple and easier for students who find it hard to keep up with the reat of the class, also for students who find it difficult to read and understand the letters on the keyboard they can touch the picture on the screen.
• Another example of assistive technology is augmentative and alternative communication, students who experience communication difficulties may need to use assistive technology to supplement or replace spoken communication. Augmentative and alternative communication is an area of assistive technology enchances individuals' communication skills using the latest developments in speech synthesis, language processing and symbol-based expression.
• A student who is in a wheelchair or has movement difficulties may need to use portable devices allowing them to use technology in a way which is comfortable for them, they may not be able to raise their hand s to high or the screen can be brought down to their level, they can also bring the technology with them, in case where they might have difficulty speaking with a touch of a button the computer can speak for them.

Software

• Disabled people benefit from using speech recognition programs. It is especially useful for people who are unable to use their hands, from the profoundly physically impaired to people with mild repetitive stress injuries. People who used the keyboard a lot and developed repetitive strain injury benifit greatly from speech recognition technologies.
• Another vital assistive technology which will aid students with disabilities is a screen reader, this is a software application that identifies and interprets what is being displayed on the screen. This interpretation is then represented to the user with text-to-speech, sound icons. Screen readers are useful to people who are blind, visually impaired, or learning disabled.
• A screen magnifier is software that enlarges screen content. It is a assistive technology which is suitable for visually impaired people with some functional vision, a screen magnifier can be used with screen readers for visually impaired people with little or no functional vision.

How does collaborative learning and distance collaborate learning benefit students with learning difficulties

How does collaborate learnind and distance collaborate laerning benefit students with learning difficulties?

Students have different learning styles and these leraning styles need to be recognised and addressed in the classroom in order for the students to learn and for the learning to be embedded. Students with learning difficulties often tend to work better in groups than on their own as the have the help and support of the other students in the group. when the work on the project is being divided within the group the students can choose the area they are best at, providing this element of the project to the group would boost their confidence, and help them feel apart of the team.

How could you use technology and the internet in the classroom?
Realistic and desirable

Realistically you can only use what is available to you even if the school is equiped with such teachnologies you might have twenty five students in your class and fifteen computers making use of the computers difficult for class.
The age of technology is here and we have to embrace it, students are interested and have the skills to use technology therefore if possible it should be brought into the classroom. the internet could be used for students to take charge of their own learning and do their own research for projects or homework assignments, certain web pages should be requested by the teacher for use to ensure the information the students are recieving is genuine.
In the classroom teachers can use images, text, podcats, video links, to bring the class alive and make the topic more interesting and revelent to the students.
Students with disabilities or learning difficulties will find the use of technology an aid in their education allowing them to recieve the education they deserve.
Use of technology and the internet keeps the information in the classroom up to date and relevant.