Increase Independence of Students with Disabilities Using Windows and Microsoft Word

Indiana special educators Subhashini Balagopal and Patti Young saw the potential of using word processing and presentation capabilities of Microsoft Windows 98 and Office 2000 for adapting activities to help students with disabilities feel successful at school and increase their independence. They shared some of their ideas at the Closing the Gap conference in October, 2001.

Picture a child with orthopedic impairments in a classroom.struggling to turn pages in a book.working hard to complete pencil and paper tasks.dictating to an adult aide—wishing he could do his work all by himself—independently.

Picture another child with low vision, struggling to complete a worksheet—laboring just to read her own handwriting.

Now picture these students proudly, happily, independently going about their work—without having to rely on others, using just one ubiquitous tool—a computer.

Is special software required to increase the independence of these children? Not necessarily. Not if you have access to Windows 98 and Microsoft Word 2000 (or the latest versions of these products: Windows XP and Word 2002)!

Educators are searching to find assistive technology options that are viable for students with a wide range of disabilities. Often, the options available are fairly expensive. At the annual "Closing the Gap" conference in October 2001, our workshop focused on utilizing standard Microsoft Word 2000 features and Windows 98 features to provide adaptations and increase our students' independence in school activities.

We use these programs for students with orthopedic impairments, visual impairments, and learning disabilities to customize computer access and increase student participation and efficiency in completing school-based tasks. The biggest advantage is the cost-efficiency of using software that is already on every computer in our school. We are able to utilize something that is readily available, which means that our students have access to what they need everywhere in the district. This software is also age-appropriate, utilized by most of their peers as well as adults, and teaches them skills that will be of even greater value as they get older. These tools are not just useful for students with special needs—but all students. The workshop at the conference focused on teaching professionals how to enhance student participation in the general education classroom by using technology that is already on most Windows-based computers.

Below are ideas that evolved from evaluating the needs of our students and attempting to use existing software to meet these needs. The use of these powerful tools is limited only by your creativity. In the following examples, we used Microsoft Windows 98 and Microsoft Office 2000 products.

Here are some ideas shared at the workshop:

• Windows Accessibility Features
  Accessibility features are available by default for computers running Microsoft Windows 98 and later versions of Windows (including Windows 2000, Windows Me, and Windows XP). These features make computer access far easier for individuals with disabilities. One accessibility utility—Microsoft Magnifier is used to enlarge what is viewed on the monitor. Font size, titles, menus, buttons, icons, scrollbars, mouse cursors, etc. can be adjusted for optimal viewing and efficient access. High-contrast options, captions with sounds/warnings, and special keyboard options are also available.
• Form Filling Using Imaging for Windows 98
  This feature allows the user to scan-in a document and mark annotations on it. We use this with students who have orthopedic impairments, so that they can scan in a worksheet, and use the annotation tools to complete their work independently. It allows the user to add, highlight, and underline text. There is also a rubber stamp feature, which enables the user to insert frequently used items such as name, date, subjects, etc. that might be used for every paper he/she types.
• Keyboard Shortcuts
  These increase efficiency and decrease the need for mouse access to commonly used buttons and icons. Internet Explorer shortcuts and Word shortcuts are covered in our workshop.
• Creating Forms
  Using the Forms toolbar in Microsoft Word 2000, you can create a form that can be used by a student to easily tab through the fields to complete a document. Text fields, check box fields, and drop-down lists (to specify choices for the user to select) can be inserted. It is possible to lock, or protect, the form so that it cannot be modified. This is a useful tool for setting up worksheets, tests, multiple-choice questions, letters, reports, etc. A number of general education teachers who have been shown this feature have started using it in their classrooms as well.
• Creating Custom Ruled Paper
  You can use the Tables and Borders toolbar in Microsoft Word 2000 to make ruled paper customized to the needs of specific students. The lines can be drawn in different colors and thicknesses, grids can be created to help with lining up numbers for math activities, and enlarged graph paper can be easily produced for students who need it. Samples of ruled paper that we have created are available to download from our Web site.
• Using Print Screen
  This feature enables the user to take "snapshots" of images as they appear on the computer monitor. We have used this to set up simple instructions for students and staff members who are using new software. It is also useful for importing pictures into communication books/overlays.
• Creating Clickable PowerPoint Lessons For teachers who are always looking for interesting cause-and-effect software, and other software for teaching various skills, Microsoft PowerPoint 2000 and PowerPoint 2002 are very simple and effective means of creating computer activities. Graphics, sound, and animation can be added to make learning fun for students. Our students use these activities with a mouse, touch windows, trackballs, etc. The biggest advantage of this is that any activity created by teachers can be copied and shared with colleagues, parents, and others who can use them by saving the activity as a show. The 'Pack and Go' feature of this program also makes it easy to save the activity on a disk to use on a computer (perhaps in the student's house) that does not have PowerPoint installed on it. Older students who are learning to use PowerPoint in computer education classes can work on setting up activities on different topics for teachers to use in their classrooms.

Note: Some students may need additional hardware such as trackballs, touch windows, expanded keyboards, switches, and scanners to utilize the software listed above. For a list of assistive technology products compatible with these products, visit Microsoft's catalog of assistive technology products.

About the Authors:Subhashini Balagopal and Patti Young work together in Indiana at the Richmond Community Schools. Balagopal has over a decade of experience as a special educator working with students with orthopedic, visual, and multiple disabilities, including many with significant medical needs. Young has nine years experience in the area of special education. Both provide training for staff and students in assistive technology devices and software.