Power to the Learner! Integrating Assistive Technology With Learning Strategies - Reading, Part II
By Berzins, Diane; McIntosh, Marlene; Closing the Gap, Vol. 27, No. 2, pp. 1, 4-6Publication Date: June/July 2008
Part two of a two-part series of articles discussing the integration of learning strategies with assistive technology to assist postsecondary students with learning disabilities. The authors are English teachers at a pilot program, situated at Cambrian College in Ontario, Canada, for postsecondary students with learning disabilities. The article highlights metacognitive learning strategies for reading comprehension that can be integrated with text-to-speech software. While cognitive strategies are defined as ways to process and manipulate information, metacognition is described as the planning, monitoring, and evaluating of learning or strategy performance. The Strategic Instructional Model (SIM) is recommended as a guideline for teaching learning disabled students the use of a learning strategy. The SIM includes a pretest to assess students’ skills and knowledge as well as teacher modeling and student practices of strategies chosen based on the pretest. Reading strategies outlined include (1) SQ3R: Survey, Question, Read, Recite/write, and Review; (2) PASS: Preview, Ask, Summarize, and Synthesize; and (3) KWL: What do I Know about this already, what do I Want to know, and what did I Learn. The reading strategies should be used with text in electronic format and text-to-speech software, with the assistive technology providing auditory support and the strategy ensuring that the students know what to do with the information they are reading.
Published by: Closing the Gap, Inc. (Website:http://www.closingthegap.com)
