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For kids of all ages who struggle to do schoolwork with paper and pencil, it is now possible to complete ALL types of assignments using the latest “best practice" assistive technology (AT). While this IS great news, it is also true that most professionals and parents have little idea of what AT will help students become as academically successful as possible. Many professionals think that all kids need is a device to type on - and they will be “all set.” This is usually not the case. They often need ways to do worksheets, math, science equations and drawings. Many need to correct even the most severe spelling errors and some need speech recognition. Much of this type of AT found online is not current – and if it is, it is difficult to know if it really IS the best to use and successfully implement in the classroom. The good news is that this is our specialty! To take the “guesswork” out of choosing what AT works best, how to implement it, how to teach our easy method of keyboarding, and much more – we have created our Resource Guide –
Assistive Technology, Classroom Implementation Strategies & Resource Recommendations for Kids Who Struggle to Write
WE ARE PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE
THE FALL 2023 PUBLICATION OF OUR 11TH EDITION!
NOW AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE IN PDF PRINTABLE DOWNLOAD
*PLEASE NOTE - NO MATTER WHEN YOU PURCHASE ONE OF OUR GUIDES, YOU CAN ALWAYS BE CERTAIN THAT IT REMAINS CURRENT AND UP-TO-DATE IN THE FUTURE BY PERIODICALLY VISITING OUR WEBSITE'S "GUIDE UPDATES" PAGE. THIS IS WHERE WE WILL POST ALL THE LATEST INFORMATION ABOUT NEW EQUIPMENT, SOFTWARE/APPS/EXTENSIONS, TEACHING STRATEGIES AND EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY USING WITH STUDETS. SIMPLY ENTER THE 4 DIGIT ACCESS CODE INCLUDED WITH OUR GUIDE ON THE "GUIDE UPDATES" PAGE ON OUR WEBSITE. IF YOU PURCHASED ONE OF OUR GUIDES PRIOR TO THE CREATION OF THIS PAGE, PLEASE EMAIL US AND WE WILL BE HAPPY TO EMAIL YOU THIS ACCESS CODE.
Our Resource Guide Includes:
NEW INFORMATION!
Why & When Assistive Technology
Dysgraphia Diagnostic Evaluation Tests
We use these "handwriting solutions" everyday with our students – and they REALLY WORK! Our resource guide has been written from the perspective of what "test-driven" technology really works best in the school or home school environment – both for students and the adults that work with them.
Our resource guide is a start-to-finish, easy to use resource for both parents and professionals that contains a full continuum of equipment, software/apps/extensions, products, services and support for kids, K-12, with written output disorders. It presents specific solutions ranging from how to help kids improve their handwriting skills to the introduction of "High-Tech" equipment and software/apps/extensions when a student’s handwriting is unable to be significantly improved though therapy/practice. Also included are our classroom implementation methods – which really are the key to making a smooth transition from traditional to technology-based methods for completing written schoolwork. All recommended equipment, software/apps/extensions in our guide include complete descriptions, website and ordering information.
If you have any questions regarding whether or not our resource guide or Consultation services would be of benefit to you and your particular situation, please email us at handwritingsolutions@hotmail.com and we will be happy to set up a FREE 20 minute phone consultation with you to answer your questions.
***OUR RESOURCE GUIDE WILL BE A VERY VALUABLE REFERENCE FOR YOU IF YOU ARE WORKING WITH A STUDENT/PATIENT, GRADES K-12, WHO HAS ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING SYMPTOMS:***
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Is falling behind with written schoolwork and cannot keep up with written assignments independently
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Has labored writing and fatigues easily when completing written schoolwork
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Experiences physical pain/hand cramping when writing
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Has written schoolwork that is often illegible/difficult to read
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Has difficulty reading what they have written
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Spends an inordinate amount of time completing class assignments
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Spends too much time after school/at night completing homework
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Has written content that does not “match” their thought content
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Shows continued frustration/avoidance behaviors/crying/stress when asked to complete written assignments
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Requires someone to write much of their written schoolwork for them (a scribe)
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Requires accommodations at school such as reduced assignments and oral answers
****AS A GENERAL RULE, IF A STUDENT IS STILL STRUGGLING WITH WRITTEN OUTPUT BY MID-THIRD GRADE – IT IS TIME TO TEACH THE USE OF APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGICAL TOOLS TO COMPLETE WRITTEN SCHOOLWORK. SOME STUDENTS NEED TO BEGIN USING TECHNOLOGY AS EARLY AS FIRST GRADE IF THE LEGIBILITY AND SPEED OF THEIR WORK IS SERIOUSLY COMPROMISED. HANDWRITING SKILLS CAN CONTINUE TO BE WORKED ON – BUT THIS SHOULD TAKE A “BACK SEAT” UNTIL USE OF APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY IS TAUGHT AND IMPLEMENTED IN THE CLASSROOM SO THAT PRECIOUS ACADEMIC TIME IS NOT LOST AND STUDENTS ARE NOT PUT AT RISK FOR EMOTIONAL AND/ OR BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS RELATED TO THEIR PROBLEMS USING PAPER AND PENCIL. N THE UNITED STATES, THE GOAL SHOULD ALWAYS BE FOR KIDS TO BE AS INDEPENDENT AS POSSIBLE IN BEING ABLE TO TELL US EVERYTHING THEY KNOW IN WRITTEN FORM. FOR STUDENTS WITH SECTION 504 PLANS AND IEPS, THEY MUST BE ABLE TO ACCESS THEIR FREE APPROPRIATE PUBLIC EDUCATION (FAPE). FOR STUDENTS WITH DYSGRAPHIA, THEY CANNOT ACCESS THEIR FAPE WHEN EXPECTED TO COMPLETE ALL OF THEIR SCHOOLWORK USING PAPER AND PENCIL ALONE. (For more detailed information about FAPE, Google “About.com – FAPE”)****
ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY
IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
You will also have access to our Assistive Technology Implementation Plan. We have designed this plan to provide a smooth transition at school from traditional to technology based methods for completing written schoolwork for students with handwriting challenges.
While we never want most kids to abandon their handwriting skills if possible, a student’s handwriting must be legible, timely and non-stressful for them.
ATTENTION HOMESCHOOLERS ☺ - Although we address the process of acquiring services for kids with written output disorders through the public schools in the first 2 sections of our guide, the resources and strategies in the remaining 11 sections are very applicable to those who homeschool in helping kids with handwriting challenges learn to complete finished written products as similar to those of their peers as independently as possible. It is also important to know that many states DO provide Special Education services to kids who are homeschooled – in which case the first two sections are also very applicable to a homeschooled student. You can find out if your state provides these services by going to the website, "Homeschooling a Struggling Learner" at www.hslda.org/strugglinglearner/sn_states.asp.
THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT 99.9 % OF ALL WRITTEN SCHOOLWORK CAN NOW EASILY BE COMPLETED USING TECHNOLOGICAL TOOLS – EVEN ADVANCED MATH AND SCIENCE!
