Reflection on Assistive Technologies. Enhancing inclusive classrooms.

Inclusive education is the one that gives equal opportunity to learners, irrespective of their ability, to
learn. As teachers, we can include assistive technologies (AT) in our classrooms to address a wide range of needs and offer a help that encourages independence, interest, and learning. This reflection contains my analysis of two assistive technologies Text-to-Speech (TTS) software and Interactive Whiteboards (IWBs), their inclusion promotion prospects, as well as the way they can be used and their drawbacks.

Text-to-Speech (TTS) Software

Text-to-Speech (TTS) is software that reads written text aloud. Students who are visually impaired, dyslexic and those with other reading problems especially find this tool very helpful. Commonly known
are Natural Reader, Kurzweil 3000, and Microsoft Immersive Reader.

Based on my own experience in the classroom, I was able to see firsthand how TTS tools enabled struggling readers to follow along with grade-level material without falling behind. One of the students in my class has dyslexia and started to use the Immersive Reader by Microsoft. It has tremendously enhanced his understanding and eager to learn because he was able to follow through, by listening and also tracing words on the screen.

The effectiveness of TTS tools has research backing them. Alnahdi (2020) claims that students utilizing TTS demonstrate better reading comprehension and task persistence. The tool also facilitates multisensory learning, which is not only beneficial to students with special needs, but to all students have become a characteristic of Universal Design for Learning (UDL).

Along with advantages, TTS is not universally applicable. The excessive use may interfere with the independent reading of the students. As well, low-quality synthetic voices or mispronunciations may interfere with understanding. Therefore, I think that TTS tools can be employed as an aid, but not as an alternative to the conventional reading instruction.

Interactive Whiteboards (IWBs)

The Interactive WhiteBoards (e.g. SMART Boards) have turned the ordinary classroom into a fun-filled, animated environment. They enable students to edit text and pictures, play learning games and collaborate in real time. Students with physical, cognitive or communication disability can have the IWB customized to include tools like touch-sensitive controls, visual aids and speech output capabilities.

The use of IWB activities in my inclusive classroom offered various ways of representation and expression. There was one particular activity where students had to drag Visual Representations of vocabulary words into the appropriate definition. A student with autism spectrum disorder who was generally weak at expressing himself verbally performed very well in this practical, visual activity. It was a pressure free means to demonstrate comprehension and to engage in a meaningful manner.

The literature reinforces the IWB inclusive learning potential. Higgins, Beauchamp, and Miller (2007), also note that IWBs enhance student engagement, especially where the lesson is opened out to interactivity and accessibility. In addition to this, IWBs enable differentiation because teachers can offer the same information in many forms - visual, auditory and kinesthetic.

But, teacher preparedness and training are essential to efficient use. I have witnessed the use of IWBs as simple projection screens, with little interactivity. Also, technical problems (calibration mistakes, software failures, and so on) may interfere with learning. Therefore, although the IWBs are effective, they require premeditated preparation and technological skills on the part of the teachers.

Critical Comparison and Appropriateness

Both TTS software and IWBs follow the ideas of inclusive education due to overcoming learning barriers.

TTS is direct to the point in assisting literacy and information access and, therefore, the best option with students affected by reading and visual impairments. In their turn, IWBs improve interaction and provide interactive learning to address a wider variety of needs.

TTS software is more person-created, allowing individual access to the content. It is especially well adapted to silent, self-speed work, like reading comprehension or research. In their turn, IWBs encourage group learning and discovery. Thus, their suitability is tied to the objectives of instruction - either individualized instructions (TTS) or a whole-class interaction (IWB).

TTS tools are usually more available in regard to sustainability and cost. Lots of them are integrated into the current documents such as Microsoft Word or Google Docs. IWBs are expensive to purchase and maintain which makes them inaccessible to schools that are poorly resourced.

This reflection note indicates the potential of assistive technologies in eliminating learning differences and establishing inclusive classrooms. Interactive Whiteboards and Text-to-Speech software have complementary, but different functions. Whereas TTS encourages independent access of written information, IWBs encourage exploration and group interaction. The way they are implemented, however, strongly determines their effect.

My responsibility as a future teacher does not just end in using these tools. It means being reflective, changing, and an advocate in making sure technology can meet the varied needs of all learners. Assistive technologies, with proper strategies and training, can make classrooms actual inclusive learning communities.