Motor Aspects of Writing
Writing is a complex activity that involves thinking, planning and decision making. Students with disabilities can often struggle with writing. They can find the writing process overwhelming and get very frustrated over it. This is because handwriting involves visual perceptual skills, neuromuscular, motor components as well as cognitive and social emotional factors. These are all areas where students with disabilities can lack in.
The parts of writing that involves the most work are:
- holding the writing utensil
- keeping the paper still
- visually guiding the hand
- moving the writing utensil along the paper
- visual recall of the letter
- kinesthetic memory of letter formation
- word formation and writing
- editing the paper
Also, some students with disabilities may have dysgraphia which is a learning disability where the student lacks the ability to write. These students can also have motor, sensory-motor issues, visual-spatial difficulties and language processing difficulties. They can struggle with spelling, organizing letters, numbers and words, and have poor spelling. Students with learning disabilities, cerebral palsy, autism, Down syndrome and muscular dystrophy all have characteristics that can cause them to struggle with writing. However, there are assistive technology devices that can help these students to write effectively.
Low-tech Tools:
Pencil Grips- Pencil grips can provide students with a stable holding surface on the pencil. They are available in different sizes, shapes, colors, and for both left and right handed students. Pencil grips help to position the students hand and fingers at the proper place to do handwriting effectively. This will help them to adapt a proper pencil grip and as a result improve their writing.
Pencil grips:
o promote eye-hand coordination
o allow students to develop proper hand/finger position on the pencil
o can provide sensory needs to the student
o eliminate the awkward feel of a pencil
o can be visually stimulating for students
Pencil grips are available online at the following website:
http://www.pencilgrip.com/dyn_category.php?k=25774
Pencil grips:
o promote eye-hand coordination
o allow students to develop proper hand/finger position on the pencil
o can provide sensory needs to the student
o eliminate the awkward feel of a pencil
o can be visually stimulating for students
Pencil grips are available online at the following website:
http://www.pencilgrip.com/dyn_category.php?k=25774
Slant boards- are a raised surface that creates an angle for a student to properly
position their hand and body. It helps
to make writing easier for those students who struggle. Slant boards give students the proper surface they need to complete a writing assignment.
Slant boards:
Slant boards can be found at the following website:
http://www.visualedgesb.com/
Slant boards:
- reduce eye strain
- provide support
- allow easier access to paper
- help handwriting to be more legible
Slant boards can be found at the following website:
http://www.visualedgesb.com/
Mid Tech tools:
Portable note takers: Portable note takers help to record classroom notes and ideas to help students do assignments. They allow more time for writing and are easy to operate. This way students are able to focus more on the lesson being taught than on the need to properly write it down on paper. Therefore, they learn more concepts while reducing time and stress. This is a good tool for those students who lack the fine motor skills needed to succeed in the classroom. It allows them to type out what they would normally have to write down on paper.
One good portable note taker to use is the Fusion note taker from Writer Learning. It has many features that can benefit special needs students.
The Fusion:
o helps with the spelling of words
o includes a word predictor and writing help
o has instructive keyboarding
o includes a thesaurus
One good portable note taker to use is the Fusion note taker from Writer Learning. It has many features that can benefit special needs students.
The Fusion:
o helps with the spelling of words
o includes a word predictor and writing help
o has instructive keyboarding
o includes a thesaurus
Recordable pen: A recordable pen can assist a student by recording everything they write and hear in the classroom. It allows the student to use the pen to tap on anywhere in their notes that they want to hear said again. This can help them to hear the whole lesson again so they can make sure they took notes correctly. Also, it can be used to help students become better note takers and reduce stress.
One helpful recordable pen students can use is the LiveScribe Sky wifi smartpen. It can allow a student to wirelessly store their audio on a computer account. This way they have instant access to the material online at their own home.
The LiveScribe Sky wifi smartpen includes:
o a soft touch grip and microphone to record notes
o memory storage (available in 2, 4 or 8 GB)
o wifi access to send your notes to a computer
o a micro usb connector to charge your pen
o a replaceable ink tip
o a built in speaker to play your audio
o a high contrast display and audio jack
One helpful recordable pen students can use is the LiveScribe Sky wifi smartpen. It can allow a student to wirelessly store their audio on a computer account. This way they have instant access to the material online at their own home.
The LiveScribe Sky wifi smartpen includes:
o a soft touch grip and microphone to record notes
o memory storage (available in 2, 4 or 8 GB)
o wifi access to send your notes to a computer
o a micro usb connector to charge your pen
o a replaceable ink tip
o a built in speaker to play your audio
o a high contrast display and audio jack
High Tech tools:
Voice Recognition software: Voice recognition software allows a student to record words into a microphone and then have their words appear on a computer screen. This helps them to not become frustrated with forming letters, spelling words or typing. It can benefit students who are better with oral language than they are with written language.
Dragon Naturally Speaking 12 is a great voice recognition software for students to use. It makes it easy for students to change their oral words into written words on the computer screen.
Dragon Naturally Speaking 12:
Here is a video of Dragon Naturally Speaking:
Dragon Naturally Speaking 12 is a great voice recognition software for students to use. It makes it easy for students to change their oral words into written words on the computer screen.
Dragon Naturally Speaking 12:
- is 99% accurate
- is fast (quick word correction and editing)
- organizes your information and formats accordingly
- reads your words back to you
- allows you to browse through your email through voice input
Here is a video of Dragon Naturally Speaking:
Word Prediction software: Word Prediction software can help to make writing less of a challenge for students with disabilities. It predicts the word that the user intended to type based on frequent use, grammar and spelling. It also allows them to use fewer keystrokes and can help them to learn the correct spelling of words.
Word Q is an excellent word prediction software that has multiple functions. First of all, it has word prediction where teachers can include lists of relevant subjects and topics. This will help the students writing to be more geared to what they are learning in the classroom. Also, it can read aloud any text and provides auditory proofreading. This can help students to improve their editing skills, grammar and comprehension skills. Furthermore, it works along with programs like Microsoft Word, Microsoft Outlook, email applications and more.
Word Q is an excellent word prediction software that has multiple functions. First of all, it has word prediction where teachers can include lists of relevant subjects and topics. This will help the students writing to be more geared to what they are learning in the classroom. Also, it can read aloud any text and provides auditory proofreading. This can help students to improve their editing skills, grammar and comprehension skills. Furthermore, it works along with programs like Microsoft Word, Microsoft Outlook, email applications and more.
Resources:
Dell, A.G., Newton, D.A., &
Petroff, J.G. (2012). Assistive technology in the
classroom: Enhancing the school experiences of students with disabilities (2nd
ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.
GoQ Software (2011). "WordQ". Retreived Feburary 5, 2013 from http://www.goqsoftware.com/product-details/wordq/
LiveScribe. "Sky Wifi Smartpen". Retrieved February 3, 2013 from http://www.livescribe.com/store/20070723002/2gb-sky-wifi-smartpen/p-615.htm
Nuance Communications Inc. (2002-2013). "Dragon Speech Recognition Software". Retrieved February 5, 2013 from http://www.nuance.com/dragon/index.htm
Roscos54 (February 20, 2011). "Dragon Naturally Speaking Demonstration". Retrieved February 5, 2013 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSHmPamLGQA
The Pencil Grip Inc. (2013). "Pencil Grips'. Retrieved February 3, 2013 from http://www.pencilgrip.com/dyn_category.php?k=25774
Visual Edge Inc. (2011). "Slant Boards". Retrieved February 3, 2013 from http://www.visualedgesb.com/
Writer Learning Systems. "Fusion". Retrieved February 3, 2013 from http://www.writerlearning.com/special-needs/fusion-features.php
GoQ Software (2011). "WordQ". Retreived Feburary 5, 2013 from http://www.goqsoftware.com/product-details/wordq/
LiveScribe. "Sky Wifi Smartpen". Retrieved February 3, 2013 from http://www.livescribe.com/store/20070723002/2gb-sky-wifi-smartpen/p-615.htm
Nuance Communications Inc. (2002-2013). "Dragon Speech Recognition Software". Retrieved February 5, 2013 from http://www.nuance.com/dragon/index.htm
Roscos54 (February 20, 2011). "Dragon Naturally Speaking Demonstration". Retrieved February 5, 2013 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSHmPamLGQA
The Pencil Grip Inc. (2013). "Pencil Grips'. Retrieved February 3, 2013 from http://www.pencilgrip.com/dyn_category.php?k=25774
Visual Edge Inc. (2011). "Slant Boards". Retrieved February 3, 2013 from http://www.visualedgesb.com/
Writer Learning Systems. "Fusion". Retrieved February 3, 2013 from http://www.writerlearning.com/special-needs/fusion-features.php
Other Resources:
WATI Writing Motor Aspects:
http://www.wati.org/content/supports/free/pdf/Ch5-WritingMotorAspects.pdf
Wikispaces Motor Aspects of Writing:
http://apasick.wikispaces.com/Motor+Aspects+for+Writing
Handwriting Solutions:
http://www.handwriting-solutions.com/dysgraphia.asp
Writing Toolbox:
http://www.nsnet.org/atc/tools/writingtoolbox.html