Facilitating Autonomy: Optimizing Adaptive Technology Assessment and Support through the DS Office Michele Bromley Adaptive Technology Specialist Alternative Formats Coordinator Portland State University

Most students have never heard of adaptive technology, much less used it. Introducing adaptive technology yields unique opportunities to explain disability through the lens of diversity and difference. You can explore the idea that everyone intakes, processes, and outputs information differently. You can explain that learning differences should be recognized and celebrated; AT can facilitate that. Why is adaptive technology (AT) so important? Is AT truly integral to an equitable academic experience?

Thanks to consistent innovation in the field of AT, the goalposts for equity and inclusion are always moving.

1. Audio Recorders 2. Smart Pens How do we keep up? How do we ensure maximum academic opportunities for accessibility and autonomy? 3. Smart Phones

A quick and easy way to figure out where students are struggling and what adaptive technology they need A quick and easy way to provide or recommend appropriate adaptive technology support for those needs You Need TWO Things:

You Need TWO Things: In other words... An Adaptive Technology Needs Assessment A Working List of Supported and Available Adaptive Technology You Need TWO Things:

Developing and Implementing a Comprehensive Adaptive Technology Needs Assessment ? Autonomous, Reusable, Sustainable

Outline What You Need to Know from the Student Determining what adaptive technology will most benefit students depends on several things: To what devices and operating systems do students have access? What level of technological savvy are students bringing with them to the college classroom? What are students’ most common areas of academic struggle? Outline What You Need to Know from the Student

What Tools are Students Already Able to Access? Focus on devices that are either owned or readily accessible to students. Determining operating system is incredibly important: Desktop Computers Android or Macintosh? Laptop Computers Tablets Smart Phones What Tools are Students Already Able to Access?

What Level of Skill do Students Already Have? Avoid offering students a sliding scale. Students will provide varying and sometimes inaccurate measurements of their technological expertise. Focus instead on direct questions: Are students comfortable using their operating system? Are they comfortable using the internet? Word processing software? Presentation software? Google Apps? What Level of Skill do Students Already Have?

What are Their Most Common Areas of Struggle? Think about the academic and university life aspects that pose the most difficulty for students with whom you are already familiar. Computer Input? Mathematics? Note Taking? Organization? Reading? Writing? What are Their Most Common Areas of Struggle?

STUDENT, Thank you for meeting with me today STUDENT, Thank you for meeting with me today! As we discussed in our meeting, your accommodations may include adaptive technology. Please take this brief Adaptive Technology Needs Assessment. (It will only take a few minutes!) This assessment will ask you a few questions regarding your access to computers, your computer experience, and any academic challenges you might experience. I’ll use this assessment to determine what adaptive technology tools might work best for you and then follow up with you via email. Best, ACCESSIBILITY COUNSELOR Combine all of these Inquiries into One, Accessible, User-Friendly Survey

Creating and Maintaining a Working List of Supported and Available Adaptive Technology ? Affordable, Practical, Accessible

Combine Survey Data with Knowledge of your Campus Resources To what devices and operating systems do students have access on campus? Computer Labs Laptops/Mobile Devices for Checkout What computer basics training opportunities are available on campus for students? Online Resources Combine Survey Data with Knowledge of your Campus Resources

Use your Data to Determine Appropriate Recommend- ations What tools will work best for your students based on their access to technology, computer savvy, and specific areas of academic struggle? Consider: With what level of technology will students be most comfortable? What can students afford? Use your Data to Determine Appropriate Recommend- ations

What’s out There and How Can it be Sorted? Make information regarding campus adaptive technology and funding resources easily accessible to students. Create and maintain a working list of supported and available adaptive technology. Separate adaptive technology solutions into these common areas: reading, writing, note taking, mathematics, etc. Establish a comprehensive list of quality, free resources for download and quality, paid resources for purchase and download. What’s out There and How Can it be Sorted?

Gather this Information in One, Accessible, User-Friendly Space Establish a web presence for Adaptive Technology What is Adaptive Technology? Adaptive Technology for Math Adaptive Technology for Note Taking Adaptive Technology for Reading Adaptive Technology for Writing How do I learn about Adaptive Technology? Where can I find Adaptive Technology on campus? Gather this Information in One, Accessible, User-Friendly Space

Figuring out How Your Office Can and Should Support Students Going Forward ? Supportive, Innovative, Realistic

What Level of Support Are You Able and Prepared to Provide? There are really THREE varying levels of AT support: What Level of Support Are You Able and Prepared to Provide? Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Directing students to the online guides, tutorials, and help materials already available through adaptive technology developers. Providing group demonstrations and trainings within each adaptive technology category once or twice per academic term. Supporting students via one-on-one training that covers each adaptive technology category relevant to that individual student.

? Questions? Email: michele.bromley@pdx.edu Phone: 503-725-8395