Guest guest Posted November 17, 2010 Report Share Posted November 17, 2010 Greetings all, I am looking for an alternative to the AlphaSmart that my 7th grader could carry with him. Although his disability is documented and using a device is part of his IEP (and we continue to work with staff at school) it is a "big deal" getting the thing plugged in, being able to print etc. This size is large as well (about the size of a large keyboard and a couple inches thick.) He is self conscious about carrying it around so that isn't helping and the teachers report they do not have time to help him get it set up in class. The end result is he is trying to write by hand and after enough trying will give up. Ironically, he is an excellent writer, just not able to use paper and pen effectively so he flunks because the assignments are not completed in time to turn in to the teacher. The school owns the equipment but we would be willing to purchase something different if it would assist him. I would love to find something smaller that would hold a charge and he could carry around and use without it being a big production. He is very careful with electronics but whatever we sent him with has to be simple (and not have the capacity to play games for example.) Any suggestions would be welcome. Thanks to everyone who posts here, it helps to know we aren't alone in this. Thanks, Amy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 17, 2010 Report Share Posted November 17, 2010 Why not put in his IEP that he gets extra time for projects and such and that he gets a copy of all the class notes from the teacher. Either that get him a scribe or smart pen. But I really think making adjustments to his IEP would work. Jan "In the Midst of Difficulty lies Opportunity" Albert Einstein Success is not measured by one's position but by the obstacles one has overcome to obtain that position From: AmyF <ficklenak@...> Sent: Wed, November 17, 2010 11:43:34 AMSubject: ( ) Writing Aid for School Greetings all, I am looking for an alternative to the AlphaSmart that my 7th grader could carry with him. Although his disability is documented and using a device is part of his IEP (and we continue to work with staff at school) it is a "big deal" getting the thing plugged in, being able to print etc. This size is large as well (about the size of a large keyboard and a couple inches thick.) He is self conscious about carrying it around so that isn't helping and the teachers report they do not have time to help him get it set up in class. The end result is he is trying to write by hand and after enough trying will give up. Ironically, he is an excellent writer, just not able to use paper and pen effectively so he flunks because the assignments are not completed in time to turn in to the teacher. The school owns the equipment but we would be willing to purchase something different if it would assist him. I would love to find something smaller that would hold a charge and he could carry around and use without it being a big production. He is very careful with electronics but whatever we sent him with has to be simple (and not have the capacity to play games for example.) Any suggestions would be welcome. Thanks to everyone who posts here, it helps to know we aren't alone in this. Thanks, Amy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 18, 2010 Report Share Posted November 18, 2010 http://www.writerlearning.com/special-needs/writer.php What about this? O’Brien From: [mailto: ] On Behalf Of AmyFSent: Wednesday, November 17, 2010 1:14 PM Subject: ( ) Writing Aid for School Greetings all, I am looking for an alternative to the AlphaSmart that my 7th grader could carry with him. Although his disability is documented and using a device is part of his IEP (and we continue to work with staff at school) it is a " big deal " getting the thing plugged in, being able to print etc. This size is large as well (about the size of a large keyboard and a couple inches thick.) He is self conscious about carrying it around so that isn't helping and the teachers report they do not have time to help him get it set up in class. The end result is he is trying to write by hand and after enough trying will give up. Ironically, he is an excellent writer, just not able to use paper and pen effectively so he flunks because the assignments are not completed in time to turn in to the teacher. The school owns the equipment but we would be willing to purchase something different if it would assist him. I would love to find something smaller that would hold a charge and he could carry around and use without it being a big production. He is very careful with electronics but whatever we sent him with has to be simple (and not have the capacity to play games for example.) Any suggestions would be welcome. Thanks to everyone who posts here, it helps to know we aren't alone in this.Thanks, Amy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 18, 2010 Report Share Posted November 18, 2010 How well does the Speaking Dragon workout for your child? My son also uses an AlphaSmart at school but I was wondering how hard it would be to get the speech recognition software to work. At school he would not be able to use speaking dragon but for his writing assignments at home it could be very useful. Rich D > > > From: rushen janice <jrushen@...> > Subject: Re: ( ) Writing Aid for School > > Date: Wednesday, November 17, 2010, 5:57 PM > > >  > > > > > > > Why not put in his IEP that he gets extra time for projects and such and that he gets a copy of all the class notes from the teacher. Either that get him a scribe or smart pen. But I really think making adjustments to his IEP would work. >  > Jan >  > " In the Midst of Difficulty lies Opportunity "    Albert Einstein >  > Success is not measured by one's position but by the obstacles one has overcome to obtain that position > > > > > > > From: AmyF <ficklenak@...> > > Sent: Wed, November 17, 2010 11:43:34 AM > Subject: ( ) Writing Aid for School > >  > > > > > > > > Greetings all, >  > I am looking for an alternative to the AlphaSmart that my 7th grader could carry with him. Although his disability is documented and using a device is part of his IEP (and we continue to work with staff at school) it is a " big deal " getting the thing plugged in, being able to print etc. This size is large as well (about the size of a large keyboard and a couple inches thick.) He is self conscious about carrying it around so that isn't helping and the teachers report they do not have time to help him get it set up in class. The end result is he is trying to write by hand and after enough trying will give up. Ironically, he is an excellent writer, just not able to use paper and pen effectively so he flunks because the assignments are not completed in time to turn in to the teacher. The school owns the equipment but we would be willing to purchase something different if it would assist him. >  > I would love to find something smaller that would hold a charge and he could carry around and use without it being a big production. He is very careful with electronics but whatever we sent him with has to be simple (and not have the capacity to play games for example.) >  > Any suggestions would be welcome. Thanks to everyone who posts here, it helps to know we aren't alone in this. > Thanks, > Amy >  >  > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 20, 2010 Report Share Posted November 20, 2010 Thx for the info. We got the AlphaSmart written into his IEP at the beginning of the school year. The teachers saw that he was going to fall behind if he had to write stuff out and they were the one's who suggested it. (Pro-Active teachers- Yea!!) When we mentioned about the Dragon Speak software they thought it might be a good idea. Rich D. > > > > > > > > > From: rushen janice <jrushen@> > > > Subject: Re: ( ) Writing Aid for School > > > > > > Date: Wednesday, November 17, 2010, 5:57 PM > > > > > > > > >  > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Why not put in his IEP that he gets extra time for projects and such and that he gets a copy of all the class notes from the teacher. Either that get him a scribe or smart pen. But I really think making adjustments to his IEP would work. > > >  > > > Jan > > >  > > > " In the Midst of Difficulty lies Opportunity "    Albert Einstein > > >  > > > Success is not measured by one's position but by the obstacles one has overcome to obtain that position > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > From: AmyF <ficklenak@> > > > > > > Sent: Wed, November 17, 2010 11:43:34 AM > > > Subject: ( ) Writing Aid for School > > > > > >  > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Greetings all, > > >  > > > I am looking for an alternative to the AlphaSmart that my 7th grader could carry with him. Although his disability is documented and using a device is part of his IEP (and we continue to work with staff at school) it is a " big deal " getting the thing plugged in, being able to print etc. This size is large as well (about the size of a large keyboard and a couple inches thick.) He is self conscious about carrying it around so that isn't helping and the teachers report they do not have time to help him get it set up in class. The end result is he is trying to write by hand and after enough trying will give up. Ironically, he is an excellent writer, just not able to use paper and pen effectively so he flunks because the assignments are not completed in time to turn in to the teacher. The school owns the equipment but we would be willing to purchase something different if it would assist him. > > >  > > > I would love to find something smaller that would hold a charge and he could carry around and use without it being a big production. He is very careful with electronics but whatever we sent him with has to be simple (and not have the capacity to play games for example.) > > >  > > > Any suggestions would be welcome. Thanks to everyone who posts here, it helps to know we aren't alone in this. > > > Thanks, > > > Amy > > >  > > >  > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.