Assistive Technology in Education


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Way Beyond Virtual Field Trips: The Surprising & Incredible Ways Educators Are Using ClassVR Virtual Reality in Schools

Educators and instructional technology experts Michael Jaber and Charley Suter describe the “endless” ways that ClassVR virtual reality headsets can help educators get students excited about learning — and share some incredible and surprising ways they are using ClassVR in schools, particularly for special education students, students with autism, and those with limited mobility.

HMH Combines Phonics Instruction with AI-Driven 1:1 Reading Tutoring in New Connected Foundational Skills Solution

Learning technology company HMH has unveiled a new connected teaching and learning solution for literacy that combines its AI-driven Amira Learning literacy tutoring solution with its Saxon Phonics & Spelling instruction for K–2 classrooms.

How One District Used Tech to Address Sinking Reading Scores & Overhaul Its Literacy PD

A literacy and intervention director at a California district with a serious literacy issue — only 16% of its 22,000 students in TK–12 were reading at or above grade level districtwide — explains how they used technology to overhaul the district's literacy professional development program and address access and equity problems.

Discovery Education has integrated Minecraft: Education Edition into its learning platform

Discovery Education Launches Minecraft: Education Edition Channel

Discovery Education recently unveiled a new Minecraft: Education Edition channel within its learning platform, which means that the wildly popular educational game is now supported within DE’s platform with instructional resources for using M:EE in the classroom, the companies said.

1EdTech Updates Its QTI Assessment Standard to Enable the Latest Accessibility Features

An update to 1EdTech Consortium’s digital assessment interoperability standard has added accessibility features and improved rendering to enable greater access in large-scale testing for students with special needs, the nonprofit said in a news release.

Google for Education has unveiled new features for Google Classroom, Google Meet, and Chromebooks

Screencast and Figma Added to Chromebooks as Google Unveils Slate of New Features and Integrations

Google for Education today announced a slate of new apps for Chromebooks — including a new free Screencast app and a free Figma design app — as well as new functions in Google Classroom and Google Meet, and the company announced integrations with popular ed tech apps that will launch later this year.

Movement-based learning games developed by Kinems integrate occupational therapy tasks with academic learning activities and make education more efficient and effective — particularly for children with multiple disabilities.

With So Many Ed Tech Choices, Here's What Schools Should Be Investing In

With so many programs, devices, and technologies to choose from, educators and K-12 decision-makers should prioritize these two things when making ed tech decisions: Interaction to increase motivation and engagement among students, and data analytics to make teachers' lives easier and make public schools more efficient.

Applications Now Open for $159M in Education Innovation and Research Grants from ED's OESE

The U.S. Department of Education Office of Elementary and Secondary Education has begun accepting applications for $159 million in grants budgeted for the Education Innovation and Research Program, which aims to develop, implement, or take to scale entrepreneurial, evidence-based innovations to improve student achievement and attainment for high-need students; and to rigorously evaluate such innovations.

Civil Rights Investigation: Los Angeles Unified Failed to Meet Needs of Students with Disabilities During Pandemic

The U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights has resolved an investigation of the Los Angeles Unified School District with an agreement requiring it to provide educational services and compensatory services for the 66,000 students with disabilities for whom the district “failed to provide services” for as required by law, according to a news release.

PresenceLearning Ordered to Pay Super Duper $3.25M in Copyright and Trademark Infringement Suit

A federal judge in New York this week approved a judgment ordering PresenceLearning, provider of online special education and therapy services for K–12 schools, to pay competitor Super Duper Inc. $3.25 million plus legal fees in a copyright and trademark infringement and unfair competition lawsuit filed in late 2020.