Josh's Story

This story was so cool! From all of my experience working with individuals with disabilities, each has strengths and interests that can be channeled in good directions, but sometimes it is difficult to find something or some way to do that. This teacher found a way to give Josh a form of expression and she probably couldn't have done it without basic technological knowledge/the ability to think outside traditional methods and use the resources available. As far as the 4 principles of technology goes she exemplified all of them.

1. It should involve students: Josh was the one who was reading with the book worm. It was him pressing the buttons, him turning the pages, etc.

2. It should be an essential integration, not peripheral: Before Josh was characterized as "non-verbal", the Book Worm changed that. This CANNOT be described as peripheral, it was an important key to his success.

3. Focuses on the learning task not the technology: It was all about his love for books. The Book Worm was brought to make books accessible to him not just to play with a toy. They also said that since the book worm works with virtually any book children don't get fixated with the technology itself.

4. Facilitates learning activities that would be more difficult or impossible without the technology: Josh could not read or even be understood in his speaking. This technology was the way that he could learn that. It was what engaged him and gave him the confidence to speak out.

Honestly, this is a very cool story, I wish that all teachers were this good at finding ways to get around a students disability and into their learning capabilities.