Making Technology Work for Students with Disabilities
Chapter 9 Thoughts 'Making Adaptations with Hardware and Software'
Helpful for those with any variation of disabilities, computers are essential tools that empower us. (101) Shortcuts are not only useful to any person with out disabilities, but it is also quite helpful for those with motor difficulties. I was pleasantly surprised to find so many options for so many situations.

I had no idea there were so many different kinds of keyboards for different disabilities. It certainly makes sense, however; to have all of the variations because someone with poor fine-motor skills would need a different keyboard than, someone with poor gross-motor skills, as would children's needs differ from the needs of an adult with bigger hands.

This chapter made me realize how definitions change, depending on the context. For example, a Deaf person would not be at a loss in the deaf community, as all their needs are met. It is the hearing people that are disadvantaged in terms of communication if they do not use or understand sign language.


Chapter 6 Thoughts
'Presentation Software'
While I feel like we should be reading the chapters in order, I am looking for the importance in doing it this way...

Power point is an excellent tool for students with Learning Disabilities to see and understand content in a more useful way. Words can be enlarged, like flash-cards. Pictures can appear and fade into words that are connected. All of the animations and transitions can also make it more exciting and relavant for the students.

What I have taken away from this chapter is that it is important to see the documents as the viewer would, so that we know what they benefit from and what works best for their success. The pen option is new to me, I didn't realize that could be done.