Assistive Technology

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Assistive Technology 


Notebookcast

Photo Credit
When starting to explore assistive technology I have so many tricks in my bag, but I wanted to explore something new to me! I noticed something called Notebook Cast. Once I went to the website I was extremely excited! It looks like SmartBoard....but not! So I went on an interview and talked SOOOO much about how much I love SmartBoard, turns out they don't have one! I was shocked and scared, how many other schools don't have SmartBoards??? How will I ever teach without one??? Notebookcast will definitely help the 
transition. 


ScreenCast

Below is a link to my screencast explaining a little more in depth how to use Notebook cast. 
NoteBookCast

Pros

  • A different way to teach a topic (not a worksheet)
  • Colorful and allows you to use pictures
  • Save board for future use
  • Students can explain their thinking and teach the class
  • "interactive"-to an extent
  • Take photo of board and print as a worksheet

Cons

  • takes practice
  • students can move objects on the screen but can write
  • must download photos to computer to insert (which means lots of photos on your computer)
  • students can erase the typing
  • once its saved you can't change it
Overall, if I didn't have a SmartBoard in the classroom this would be a great alternative and would love another way for students to learn. Now assistive technology is not just about technology you can use many things to help students learn. According to IDEA, assistive technology is anything that helps students with disabilities learn. Some other things I have used are seat cushions, flexible seating, fidget tools, even headphones to block out loud noises. 





Comments

  1. NMZumpanoJune 11, 2018 at 11:22 AM

    Thanks for introducing me to Notebookcast! I haven't seen this tool before. Your screencast gave me a good look into the ins and outs of the program and I even liked that your words erased so you could tell us what to do! The pros and cons listed here help the reader see if the tool is a good fit for them as well. Nicely done!

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousJune 11, 2018 at 1:32 PM

    Amanda, I like how in your screencast you were showing us some of the "cons" as you were modeling how to use it. I think this could be a good tool for some people, but like you said I think it definitely would take some practice and knowing how to navigate it so you could get full use out of it. This reminds me of the coursework we used in the kindergarten classroom I worked in this past year, but with the advantage of being able to create the problems and tweaking them for the group you have.
    I've never heard of Notebookcast before so this was definitely informative for me. Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousJune 13, 2018 at 12:44 PM

    Hi Amanda - Thank for showing us a alternative to the smart board. It does look like it would take some getting used to! I appreciate the pros and cons list. It looks like it might be a good option for slightly older kids. I like the drawing option!

    ReplyDelete
  4. LeilaJune 13, 2018 at 12:45 PM

    Previous comment is mine!

    ReplyDelete
  5. UnknownJune 13, 2018 at 4:21 PM

    I also had never heard of Notebookcast. I like the idea that you could use this in a way that we are able to use SmartBoards especially if the funds are not there to purchase these. While it seems that Notebookcast is a bit time consuming and tedious to use, with most technology I think there is a learning curve and with time, teachers and students would be able to navigate this easily.

    ReplyDelete

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