A big “thanks” to Joan L. Green for her diligence in updating her book, “Assistive Technology in Special Education 3rd Edition” © 2018 and to her donor who offered 1500 copies of her book to professionals working in the field of AT. I gratefully received one of the 1500 copies of her book yesterday offered as a member of the QIAT community. With the book, I received a message from Joan and her donor about their SHOW and SHARE objective to spread the contents of the book with others. With the Show and Share initiative, individuals who participate in sharing her book have a chance to win $1,000 donation to the charity of their choice. Aside from sharing the book with colleagues, this blog post is my Showing and Sharing of her book to reach online communities of individuals interested in AT.
I couldn’t resist reviewing “Assistive Technology in Special Education, 3rd Edition”, as soon as I received the book. While AT lists for apps and technology have come and go over the years, Joan’s 3rd edition of her book offers a valuable “resource to support literacy, communication and learning differences” for individuals in special education. She provides an amazing accumulation of AT resources and strategies for special needs learners that remains timely despite the rapid, ever-changing (assistive) technology industry. Reading and reviewing the contents she provides familiar, tried and true AT apps, software and devices as well as new and unfamiliar AT tools and resources. I look forward to using this book as a go to resource for AT solutions for clients serviced. If not specifically provided in the book, she offers resource lists in topic chapters for more information, (e.g. Enable Mart, CHADD, CTD ). As an AT Practitioner evaluating clients with a wide variety of challenges, this book offers a helpful guide in topics less frequently used. It also offers tools and strategies in a wide variety of needs faced by students we service.
As a speech and language pathologist, Joan Green’s book focuses on AT to support special education. Contents of her book addresses the following 15 topics (chapters):
1. Getting Started with Assistive Technology
2. The Benefits of AT
3. Lifting the Barriers, Technology and Access
4. Technology and Strategies to Improve Verbal Expression
5. Alternative and Augmentative Communication
6. Technology and Strategies to Improve Auditory Comprehension and Receptive Language
7. Technology and Strategies to Improve Reading Comprehension
8. Drill and Practice Technology to Improve Reading Skills
9. Technology and Strategies to Improve Written Expression
10. Drill and Practice Technology to Improve Writing Skills
11. Technology and Strategies to Improve Attention, Cognition and Executive Function
12. Technology and Strategies to Learn New Information
13. Online Organization and Collaboration
14. Interactive Programs to Practice Cognitive Skills
15. Final Thoughts: Keeping Students Safe and Preparing for the Future
I am impressed with the content of Joan Green’s book and will use it as a resource for identifying solutions for client serviced. Having some experience with blogging and training in AT apps and technology, maintaining up to date information with AT is a huge challenge. Hats off to Joan for compiling a valuable hard copy resource of AT for special education that maintains relevance for today.
Assistive Technology in Special Education sells for $28.92 at Amazon.com. Amazon offers a “Look Inside” to catch a glimpse of some of the contents of her book.
More for your OT eToolkit!
Carol, OT’s with Apps and Technology
OT's with Apps & Technology 