Technology for Diverse Learners

By: Brooke Kemmet

Self-check

1. Who are TAG students?

A. TAG- is the acronym for the Talented and Gifted students. According to our text, "Although gifted students do not need support or remediation for minimal skills, they do need continual challenges to maintain interest and motivation to meet their personal potentials. Problem solving, simulations, and interactive experiences are of particular benefit to challenge and engage TAG learners. Technology, particularly up-to-date online resources, offers teachers the support and content they require to help meet these unique students’ needs to be challenged in complex and creative ways".(Teaching and Learning with Technology)

2. Describe two word processing technologies that can support students who have difficulty writing.

A. Text to Speech and Talking Spell-Checkers are two forms of technologies that have been invented to help students who may have difficulty writing.

3. How could high-interest low-level books be useful to students with diverse abilities?

A. High-interest, low vocabulary books are created so a student whose reading may be below grade level can still enjoy an assigned class story and participate in class activities. This will help them to be able to enjoy and retain information from the same assigned book even though they may not be able to comprehend the original book yet.

4. What is switch and in what way can it help students with special needs?

A. A switch is a device used with students who have sever disabilities. If the student is able to move one muscle just a bit, they are able to use a device such as a switch. This device scans through context and items. When it is on a particular item the student wants to say or write, the student will stop the movement and highlight the item.