Other tools come in handy as I work with
students and do my record keeping. I use the Siri
feature to dictate notes into my consult logs in the
Pages app, and for reminders about student absences, testing, and so forth. The calendar keeps
me on track, the calculator helps tally my miles,
and the timer with various sounds helps me
gauge timed breaks for students. Other applications help to teach concepts to young students,
while some apps are geared toward students who
have cortical vision impairment to encourage
looking and reaching. The portability and responsiveness of the iPad allows the students with limited mobility to engage with it using a variety of
movements or locations. The video feature allows
me to record a student reading braille and then
play it back for him to help with reading errors
and to increase fluency. The students are interested in hearing themselves read, and have often
made self-corrections as they follow along. I also
have plans to use the video feature in orientation
and mobility lessons for mapping routes. The
map application will also play a part in planning
travel within the community, such as determining
the best route to walk from the school to the grocery store!
Speaking of the grocery store, I decided on
the short and sweet reply to the cashier whose
line is building behind me, "I'm a special education teacher and I work with students who are
blind or have visual impairments. They are between 3 and 21 years of age." She responds,
"Well that must be very rewarding. So you know
sign language?" I sigh and say, "No, but I know
braille! Have a nice day!"
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