What tools are supporting you to Reach All Learners?

My favorite is the speak screen - my only wish is that they had an Australian Alex!

Love this topic! While we have a lot of work to do, our district has been working closely with all our buildings on allowing all learners to access speak screen, speak selection and predictive text (we call them Tools for Learning) to increase feedback and momentum in learning. In our elementary classes, we introduce these through more traditional writing projects to start. We like to think about it like this... We give all learners breakfast. Those who need it take it. Tools for Learning is similar. If we offer the tools to everyone we reduce the stigma around being different and those who need them, we will use them. Our Math and Literacy Coaches as well as our Instructional Directors are all on board with this mindset too. In addition to that mindset, we have also added a question to our RTI form to ensure that if a learner is struggling academically and or behaviorally, that they have been introduced to these three tools.

As far as a resource, In 2020, Ronit Shapiro ADE 2019 (Northbrook, Illinois), Morgan Cave ADE 2019 (Richardson, Texas) and I collaborated on a project to create a resource to help teachers and learners understand the why and the how of setting up "Tools for Learning" and then implement. Opening Doors to Access:  Reach More Learners is a FREE Apple book that supports questions teachers may have around the why and then help them with some starting points of the how. In our resource, we share videos and templates for teachers to be able to hit the ground running and universally leverage these tools.

I love working with classes to open their world up to personalizing learning just a bit more. These are tools that will transform their learning now and throughout their life!

I am looking to support my nonverbal and limited speaking learners with assistive technology. These are students who present with autism spectrum disorder or have been determined to have an intellectual disability. We have a few iPads but the apps we have used have had limited success in advancing their communication skills. I'd love some thoughts on how we can experience a higher degree of success. Thank you!

I use all of these tools or at least make students aware of the tools that are built right into their iPad. Because many of the students I work with struggle with reading, the OCR and Speak Selection is invaluable. These solutions ARE not only used when reading their digital materials but also when taking examinations.

There are also built-in tools besides the Accessibility features that benefit students with diverse needs. Many of the accessibility features also benefit everyone! I really think the iPad provides Universal Design tools and supports for Universal Design for Learning. I also like to point out that there are many apps that students can use that will support their learning. There are literally hundreds of apps that are great compensatory tools that are not only used during their education but are life-long compensatory tools and strategies.