What is the Technology Access Project for FASD?
POPFASD (Provincial Outreach Program for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder) http://www.fasdoutreach.ca/ and SET-BC have joined together to explore assistive technology solutions that will address the unique needs of students with FASD.
Currently there is little or no research addressing the effectiveness of technology in improving the academic skills and access to the curriculum for students with FASD. Children with FASD typically have impairments in their working memory leading to organizational challenges and difficulties with written output. Their written output difficulties may also be related to weakness in visual sequential processing and/or language abilities which may lead to challenges remembering and using a keyboard or constructing thoughts in an organized manner.
This action research project will address the following questions:
- Will technologies designed to support and enhance written output have a positive impact on the quality and quantity of the writing tasks completed by students with FASD in the classroom?
- What conditions foster effective use of these technologies in the classroom by students with FASD?
Through the supported use of technology, it is expected that the project students will increase both the quality and the quantity of their written output.