Event Information
The seminar is for primary, post-primary and special school teachers.

Event Description
This seminar will show how assistive technology and standard IT can meet the needs of students who:
- have a physical disability;
- would benefit from specific adaptations;
- and require augmentative or alternative communication devices/software.

Presented by Deirdre Madden, Disability Support Services, UCC 

This seminar will explore how assistive technology can meet the needs of students:
- Who have a physical disability – alternative mouse, keyboard, screen access, digital copies, built in adaptations options, five finger touchtyping, overview of specialist hardware
- Who require augmentative or alternative communication devices/software – overview of commonly used software and alternative access methods (proloquo2go, The Grace App, The Grid 3, Touch Chat, Tobii Dynavox, Type to talk in screen alteration, magnification, OCR recognition, alternative media formats (AMF), overview of specialist hardware in automatic subtitles, automatic captioning, live transcribe, assistive technology to support vocabulary development, ISL apps, overview of specialist hardware

Anticipated Outcomes

Participants will:
- Understand the role of assistive technology in supporting students with specific needs to access teaching and learning
- Learn how to make their teaching and learning materials more accessible using digital/assistive technology
- Be able to support colleagues in the use of assistive technology 
- Understand the challenges that exist to the effective use of assistive technology and explore possible solutions.
- Be aware of the issues that can lead to the discontinuation of the use of assistive technology.

Seminar Outline and Content
- Learn how assistive technology and standard IT can be used as alternative learning tools including basic adaptations of standard technologies to meet the specific needs of students
- Learn how to access and use free tools or tools built-in to standard technology that can enable a student with specific needs access teaching and learning
- Support teachers to develop a student’s basic IT skills to ensure they get the maximum benefit from any assistive technology they are using
- Learn about the DARE scheme and the HEAR scheme to enhance access and transition to higher education opportunities for students with disabilities/learning difficulties. Access to the most up to date RACE criteria will be provided.
- Access UCC’s free Technology to Make Learning Easier resource/course and explore how it supports teaching and learning for all students
- Develop the skills and knowledge to learn more about the technology independently after the seminar.
- Raise awareness of the issues that can lead to the discontinuation of the use of assistive technology.
- Participants should have access to a Windows laptop or desktop (preferably Windows 10 but not essential) on the day of the seminar, with a licensed copy of Microsoft Office (preferably Office/Microsoft 365 but not essential). Participants should also have the Google Chrome web browser installed.
- Participants should have their phone or any tablets they use charged and to hand to explore their built-in, free, speech-to-text features. Participants will also be invited to install free apps on their phone/tablets to explore their uses in supporting writing difficulties.
- Participants should also have basic computer skills, such managing folders and programs, mouse operation and web browsing skills. Knowledge of specialist software or advanced skills are not required.

An NCSE Certificate of Attendance is available to participants who attend all sessions.

Participants will require permission from their Board of Management to attend.

Typically, substitution for this full-day professional learning experience will only be allowed:  to class and subject teachers and if it is deemed essential by the principal.