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DrsCavanaugh
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ESE and the Digital Camera


Digital images can be used as effective teaching tools for students with physical and learning disabilities.

picture of sandhill crane Images can be manipulated for printing or display in any (larger) size for the visually impaired. Students with limited vision can use handouts with enlarged versions of pictures. Word processing software will allow pictures to be resized on the page.

Flash cards for sign language can be created for practice for hearing impaired. Create cards with pictures on one side and the signs on the other. Sign language fonts can be purchased or downloaded and installed to enable a word processor to type the finger spelling. sign language
picture of toy Pictures of familiar or attractive objects can be used as attractors for learning disabled. A student's attention can be attracted to learning tasks by using printed pictures. Familiar people and objects are more interesting to children than clipart characters.
Speech or word tablets can be created to augment or replace speech difficulties. A sheet can display constantly used words, phrases, and images for the student to point to when communicating. picture of word tablet
Writing with Symbols sample Incorporate into communication software
Digital images of people, places, and actions can be saved and incorporated into the wordlists of software, such as Writing with Symbols and Clicker.  When the image becomes associated with a word or phrase from the wordlist, then that image will appear whenever that associated word is typed in that program. Often a photograph can be more appropriate or useful than a symbol or pictogram.  For example, by using a student's image associated with his/her name, whenever that student types his or her own name, the image will appear above the word, reinforcing correct input.  
Switches 
Digital images can be printed and inserted into or stuck onto a variety of switches, such as lollypop switches or big switches.  By  personalizing the switches or by having the images be relation appropriate (image of a light to turn on a light), you can make the switches more relevant or motivating by including pictures of students or  their friends.
Task Analysis Sets, Timetables, Check-sheets
Digital images can be used to create an image set that is used to display a set of actions or behaviors that a child should do, an image based timetable, or even a check-sheet of behaviors or actions that a child should do each day.
Keyboards/Talkboards
You can incorporate images into augmentative communication devices (e.g. Tech/Talk) and keyboard overlay (e.g. IntelliKeys) to personalize the communication aid or use appropriate authentic images or interactions.
Matching systems
You can easily and cheaply make images for picture matching.  Using the digital camera and your printer also allows you to adjust the image size to the most appropriate, and allows you to crop out portions of the image that may otherwise be confusing.

Also consider that many ESE applications are also useful for ESOL and the general population.

 

Digital cameras in education

© 2006 Drs.Cavanaugh