Web+2.0+and+Cerebral+Palsy

=Web 2.0 and Cerebral Palsy= = = === ** When looking up information on the disability of cerebral palsy I found several articles. However, when I opened up the “Do It Myself Blog”, written by Glenda Watson Hyatt – Living with Cerebral Palsy in the Web, it really clarified the positives and negatives of some of the new technologies that are available to assist someone with this disability. Glenda Watson is a blogger who shares her experiences of living in the world with cerebral palsy. Her cerebral palsy only allows her to type with her left thumb. ** ===

=== ** Glenda is a web accessibility consultant with three governmental agencies suggesting improvements for their websites. As stated earlier, she writes about accessibility issues in her blog, and, teaches an online course to bloggers on how to create more accessible content to allow them to increase their readership. ** ===

=== ** Glenda shares the many assistive technology aides that she uses with success, such as: a joystick instead of a mouse; E Z Keys software (that allows her to type more efficiently); TextAloud text to speech software with a synthesized voice that allows her to do interviews and narrative videos for presentations; and, different types of keyboards that she has used. ** ===

=== ** Glenda also discusses her involvement with web 2.0 technology. She describes how she first “discovered blogging”. She talks about how it changed her life because it allowed her for the first time to communicate in a “clear, concise voice and to be able to communicate with the world completely unhindered by her disability”. You can tell that this was a most profound moment in her life. She also uses Twitter and Facebook as a way to communicate with family, friends and colleagues. She prefers Twitter as she only has to type 140 characters and can do that easily with her left thumb. She also describes some of the website features that she adamantly avoids. ** ===

=== ** Lastly, she talks about her new iPad that she has started using and says that “my life has changed yet again”. She has a new communication app (Proloquo2Go) that allows her to communicate at a much more meaningful level – better than using low-tech alpha cards to get her point across. She shares that the iPad is cheaper than a single-purpose augmentative communication device and it allows her to write her blog posts, tweet and check email while she is out and about; and the iPad size is one she can use very easily. ** ===

=== ** I read a variety of information on many disabilities and technologies but this first person account of how having a disability and living in our world with technology really grabbed me. After reading Glenda Watson Hyatt’s blog, it really brought to light the positives about how Web 2.0 techniques could have on a person with a disability. And, that we need to search out and find the best techniques to give students a voice any way that we can. But, she also doesn’t shy away from scolding the negatives of the technology that shuts the door to her world. ** ===

Most teachers do not know or understand the problems that their students are having with web-based instruction. Many teachers do not even stop to think about it until confronted with a student that has special needs. For example, Madison is a student in my classroom that has Cerebral Palsy. One of the lessons I’m learning from Madison is that each handicap is unique. She faces challenges that a different student would not. While Madison has some motor control, she does not have fine motor skills. She is confined to a wheel-chair, which sometimes makes it difficult to get her close enough to a desktop computer to access the mouse and keyboard. Madison needs a laptop computer, but she needs a mouse attachment to navigate the page because, as of this time, she can manipulate a mouse but not a touch pad. An assignment that requires a lot of keyboard input would tire her out because she has to “hunt and peck” because of her lack of muscle control and dexterity. Being able to type an assignment, however, is advantageous because she has great difficulty with writing and it is very tiring for her. Another advantage is that computers allow her to adjust the size of the font to make is easier for her to read. We have made many of Madison’s course tests accessible to her on the computer. However, I’m not sure whether this has helped Madison achieve higher test scores. She may be skimming the test questions and not taking her time. Students with muscle control issues will need special modifications and web-based learning makes this difficult at times to navigate the pages. However, the web also offers many features that greatly enhances the learning experience of students with this type of disability. [] Designing Accessible Web-Based Instruction for all Learners [] Introduction to Web Accessibility [] Motor disabilities