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As new technology comes out at ever-increasing speeds, educators in the field of visual impairment often feel overwhelmed and unsure where to begin. Assistive technology (AT) offers powerful solutions, and yet practitioners may struggle to keep up with the sheer magnitude of possibilities. This presentation offers an alternative perspective and approach to working with students and clients in AT. Embracing an AT Mindset will support practitioners in meeting the challenges inherent in this work, and modeling an AT Mindset for their students and clients. In addressing specific skills, this presentation highlights the differences between tasks, tools, and features in the context of AT use. As practitioners may struggle with where to start with AT evaluation and instruction, this presentation will focus on drawing from connected concepts with an asset-based approach. Participants will be reminded that many of the basics, or fundamental skills, remain the same even as technological options continue to grow and change. With this focus on the fundamentals in mind, participants will be taken through a process of identifying the tasks their students need to accomplish. Participants will practice using feature matching to determine a range of appropriate tools for given tasks. Attention will also be given to embracing the challenge of technology and identifying useful strategies including experiential learning and promoting fluency in AT use. Finally, participants will walk away with resources to assist them in their work with students and clients. Learning Objectives1.Participants will identify three differences between a growth mindset and a fixed mindset as an approach to assistive technology. 2.Participants will provide three examples of assistive technology tools relevant to a given academic or functional task.3.Participants will access a minimum of two resources related to assistive technology. |
