On this episode of “Stress-Free IEP®,” host Frances Shefter welcomed Joan Green, a speech-language pathologist and assistive technology specialist, passionate about empowering individuals through technology. Joan runs the “Tech Life Inner Circle,” a membership community aimed at helping families, professionals, and advocates harness technology to overcome everyday challenges.
Making Technology Accessible and Approachable
Joan emphasizes that people often underestimate the potential of technology readily available in their homes and schools. Her approach is simple yet effective: demonstrate practical applications of existing tools. Every week, Joan hosts short presentations, showcasing how AI, speech-to-text, text-to-speech, and accessibility settings on common devices can significantly enhance learning and communication.
The Reality of Assistive Tech in Schools
Frances and Joan discussed the gap between available technologies and their actual implementation in schools. While schools often have adequate technology, Joan highlighted a significant issue: the lack of training and follow-through. Too often, assistive technologies are provided without comprehensive guidance for teachers, students, and parents on how to effectively integrate them into daily activities.
Communication for Non-Verbal Students
One of the most pressing issues Joan identified is the inadequate support for non-verbal or minimally verbal students. Dedicated communication devices and specialized apps can significantly enhance these students’ abilities to express themselves, but schools frequently fall short in providing comprehensive training and consistent follow-up. Joan emphasizes that families often feel left to navigate these complexities independently.
Innovative Solutions and Tools
Joan introduced several groundbreaking tools:
VoiceIt and Google’s personalized speech recognition: These innovative technologies help individuals with speech impairments communicate more effectively by adapting to unique speech patterns.
Goblin Tools: A free online resource ideal for students who struggle with initiating tasks. It generates detailed, step-by-step guides for virtually any activity, supporting executive functioning skills.
Encouraging Self-Reliance and Empowerment
Joan advocates for technology to foster independence. By demonstrating how tools like Google Lens or voice-typing in Google Docs can be easily incorporated into everyday life, Joan empowers students to confidently engage in their education. She also cautioned against complete reliance on technology, stressing the importance of foundational skills like reading and writing.
The Role of AI in Special Education
Joan highlighted the transformative impact of AI-driven tools, not only in educational tasks but also as therapeutic aids. Technologies that enable non-verbal students to create images or interact through voice assistants like Alexa can significantly boost motivation and engagement.
Practical Steps and Support
Joan described her collaborative approach, emphasizing personalized, actionable advice. Through short consultations and detailed follow-ups, Joan helps families quickly identify the best technological supports tailored to individual student needs.
Closing Thoughts
Joan and Frances agreed on the critical need for increased awareness and proactive implementation of assistive technology. Joan reassures parents and educators: don’t be afraid to explore new technologies. Simple, incremental changes can lead to substantial improvements in student outcomes.
Stress-Free IEP®: Frances Shefter is an Education Attorney and Advocate who is committed to helping her clients have a Stress-Free IEP® experience. In each podcast, Frances interviews inspiring people to share information, educate you, empower you and help you get the knowledge you need. Watch more episodes of Stress-Free IEP®:
Leveraging Technology to Empower Students & Families in Special Education with Joan Green
On this episode of “Stress-Free IEP®,” host Frances Shefter welcomed Joan Green, a speech-language pathologist and assistive technology specialist, passionate about empowering individuals through technology. Joan runs the “Tech Life Inner Circle,” a membership community aimed at helping families, professionals, and advocates harness technology to overcome everyday challenges.
Making Technology Accessible and Approachable
Joan emphasizes that people often underestimate the potential of technology readily available in their homes and schools. Her approach is simple yet effective: demonstrate practical applications of existing tools. Every week, Joan hosts short presentations, showcasing how AI, speech-to-text, text-to-speech, and accessibility settings on common devices can significantly enhance learning and communication.
The Reality of Assistive Tech in Schools
Frances and Joan discussed the gap between available technologies and their actual implementation in schools. While schools often have adequate technology, Joan highlighted a significant issue: the lack of training and follow-through. Too often, assistive technologies are provided without comprehensive guidance for teachers, students, and parents on how to effectively integrate them into daily activities.
Communication for Non-Verbal Students
One of the most pressing issues Joan identified is the inadequate support for non-verbal or minimally verbal students. Dedicated communication devices and specialized apps can significantly enhance these students’ abilities to express themselves, but schools frequently fall short in providing comprehensive training and consistent follow-up. Joan emphasizes that families often feel left to navigate these complexities independently.
Innovative Solutions and Tools
Joan introduced several groundbreaking tools:
Encouraging Self-Reliance and Empowerment
Joan advocates for technology to foster independence. By demonstrating how tools like Google Lens or voice-typing in Google Docs can be easily incorporated into everyday life, Joan empowers students to confidently engage in their education. She also cautioned against complete reliance on technology, stressing the importance of foundational skills like reading and writing.
The Role of AI in Special Education
Joan highlighted the transformative impact of AI-driven tools, not only in educational tasks but also as therapeutic aids. Technologies that enable non-verbal students to create images or interact through voice assistants like Alexa can significantly boost motivation and engagement.
Practical Steps and Support
Joan described her collaborative approach, emphasizing personalized, actionable advice. Through short consultations and detailed follow-ups, Joan helps families quickly identify the best technological supports tailored to individual student needs.
Closing Thoughts
Joan and Frances agreed on the critical need for increased awareness and proactive implementation of assistive technology. Joan reassures parents and educators: don’t be afraid to explore new technologies. Simple, incremental changes can lead to substantial improvements in student outcomes.
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Stress-Free IEP®: Frances Shefter is an Education Attorney and Advocate who is committed to helping her clients have a Stress-Free IEP® experience. In each podcast, Frances interviews inspiring people to share information, educate you, empower you and help you get the knowledge you need. Watch more episodes of Stress-Free IEP®:
Connect and learn more from your host, Frances Shefter:
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