iPads to Provide Access for Students in Wheelchairs
My students need 3 iPad Airs with cases to make the activities on the SMARTboard more accessible since many of them are in wheelchairs. They also need a printer.
Our school motto is, "Never DIS our ABILITIES."
A typical day is providing communication opportunities to our students who are minimally communicative and or non-verbal. At the end of the school year, we hope to enhance their independence.
The students that we work with have many needs both physical and educational.
Although being “disabled,” they are typical teenagers in many ways. They crave social interactions with their peers, use of technology, and attention. Our school focuses on their ABILITIES rather than their DISABILITIES. Our school culture believes that every student can make a valuable contribution to our community. Providing access to the curriculum is our job. In our classrooms the curriculum is presented on the SMARTboard, however for our students in wheelchairs, accessing the SMARTboard is challenging. Often students with these physical limitations are locked out of participating in these educational instructional activities.
My Project
I am requesting 3 iPads to make the activities on the SMARTboard more accessible since many of them are in wheelchairs, 1 printer, and 3 iPad cases.
The iPads will be uploaded with a "reflector app" that we will purchase that will allow us to transmit the exact lesson that is on the SMARTboard right to the iPad if the students cannot navigate their way to the SMARTboard. Many of the lessons are interactive, and hands-on participation is vital to the learning environment for students with intellectual disabilities. Use of the iPad will establish a dynamic setting in which students can become more active and independent participants in their education. Broader access to curriculum and to their peers will improve social interactions and communicative experiences within the classroom. Students will gain independence and opportunity thus improving their self-esteem and confidence.
A printer will allow us to have visual picture supports (in color) around the classroom as the majority of our students are non-readers and non-verbal.
Having portable technology in our classroom allows us as the educators to bring the curriculum to each one of our students in an instant.
Our students with extensive physical and intellectual disabilities will be able to access the material being taught at ALL times. The teachers will be able to walk around to the student who may be unable to “come up to the board” due to classroom layout. ALL students will have equal opportunity to participate in EVERY lesson!
Nearly all students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mrs. Devlin and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
