Assignment: Exploring Assistive Technology.

Purpose: To help familiarize you with AT, Apps, and emerging technologies to support employment, education, and recreation that can be used by individuals with disabilities.

Recommendation: You may choose to complete this assignment individually, but recommend that you connect with a classmate and complete the assignment together.

You have several options for completing the AT assignment. You will choose one option:

1) Apps for employment

2) Apps for education (for all ages)

3) Video/case studies of AT use for employment (i.e. feature news stories, human interest stories of AT under development or in use by individuals with disabilities)

4) Video/case studies of AT use for recreation/social interaction/independent living

5) Ex: Video case study: Emerging technologies (ET) that might benefit individuals with disabilities.

a. Example: NOT IMPOSSIBLE LABS: http://www.notimpossible.com

b. TAP,wearable keyboard: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtSQT8lS4vo

Written response:

1.) Definition of Assistive Technology (use the definition found on the AT PowerPoint)

2.) Name of APP/AT/emerging technology

3.) Source (URL, where to find it) including screenshot/picture of APP/AT/ET

4.) Purpose (2-3 major uses)

5.) Who can benefit? (age level, populations)

6.) Accessibility (include any issues regarding downloading APP, ability to use with voice, hands free, voice activation, etc. (2-3 key features)

7.) Cost $ (for APP, note if there are free versions, and versions that cost)

8.) Terms of use (Are data collected? Who has access? Opt in/Opt out?)

Written format:

1. Attach Student Self-Scored Checklist If you are working with a partner, write both names on the checklist, including the student numbers.

2. Use person-first language, even if the website does not.

3. Minimum of 3 full length pages double spaced. You will not be penalized if you write more than 3 pages.

4. Include the photos, screen shot – they may be located anywhere in the write up.

5. Typed, check writing mechanics (spelling and grammar).

6. Assignment will be uploaded on blackboard. If you are working with a partner, we ask that each of you upload the same version of the assignment on your own Blackboard account. Include both names on the assignment. Failure to do so will result in zero points given to the individual who didn’t upload the assignment onto Blackboard.

You must proofread your paper. But do not strictly rely on your computer’s spell-checker and grammar-checker; failure to do so indicates a lack of effort on your part and you can expect your grade to suffer accordingly. Papers with numerous misspelled words and grammatical mistakes will be penalized. Read over your paper – in silence and then aloud – before handing it in and make corrections as necessary. Often it is advantageous to have a friend proofread your paper for obvious errors. Handwritten corrections are preferable to uncorrected mistakes.

ORDER CUSTOM, PLAGIARISM-FREE PAPER

Use a standard 10 to 12 point (10 to 12 characters per inch) typeface. Smaller or compressed type and papers with small margins or single-spacing are hard to read. It is better to let your essay run over the recommended number of pages than to try to compress it into fewer pages.

Likewise, large type, large margins, large indentations, triple-spacing, increased leading (space between lines), increased kerning (space between letters), and any other such attempts at “padding” to increase the length of a paper are unacceptable, wasteful of trees, and will not fool your professor.

The paper must be neatly formatted, double-spaced with a one-inch margin on the top, bottom, and sides of each page. When submitting hard copy, be sure to use white paper and print out using dark ink. If it is hard to read your essay, it will also be hard to follow your argument.

ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE CLASS

Discussion Questions (DQ)

Initial responses to the DQ should address all components of the questions asked, include a minimum of one scholarly source, and be at least 250 words.
Successful responses are substantive (i.e., add something new to the discussion, engage others in the discussion, well-developed idea) and include at least one scholarly source.
One or two sentence responses, simple statements of agreement or “good post,” and responses that are off-topic will not count as substantive. Substantive responses should be at least 150 words.
I encourage you to incorporate the readings from the week (as applicable) into your responses.

Weekly Participation

Your initial responses to the mandatory DQ do not count toward participation and are graded separately.
In addition to the DQ responses, you must post at least one reply to peers (or me) on three separate days, for a total of three replies.
Participation posts do not require a scholarly source/citation (unless you cite someone else’s work).
Part of your weekly participation includes viewing the weekly announcement and attesting to watching it in the comments. These announcements are made to ensure you understand everything that is due during the week.

APA Format and Writing Quality

Familiarize yourself with APA format and practice using it correctly. It is used for most writing assignments for your degree. Visit the Writing Center in the Student Success Center, under the Resources tab in LoudCloud for APA paper templates, citation examples, tips, etc. Points will be deducted for poor use of APA format or absence of APA format (if required).
Cite all sources of information! When in doubt, cite the source. Paraphrasing also requires a citation.
I highly recommend using the APA Publication Manual, 6th edition.

Use of Direct Quotes

I discourage overutilization of direct quotes in DQs and assignments at the Masters’ level and deduct points accordingly.
As Masters’ level students, it is important that you be able to critically analyze and interpret information from journal articles and other resources. Simply restating someone else’s words does not demonstrate an understanding of the content or critical analysis of the content.
It is best to paraphrase content and cite your source.

LopesWrite Policy

For assignments that need to be submitted to LopesWrite, please be sure you have received your report and Similarity Index (SI) percentage BEFORE you do a “final submit” to me.
Once you have received your report, please review it. This report will show you grammatical, punctuation, and spelling errors that can easily be fixed. Take the extra few minutes to review instead of getting counted off for these mistakes.
Review your similarities. Did you forget to cite something? Did you not paraphrase well enough? Is your paper made up of someone else’s thoughts more than your own?
Visit the Writing Center in the Student Success Center, under the Resources tab in LoudCloud for tips on improving your paper and SI score.

Late Policy

The university’s policy on late assignments is 10% penalty PER DAY LATE. This also applies to late DQ replies.
Please communicate with me if you anticipate having to submit an assignment late. I am happy to be flexible, with advance notice. We may be able to work out an extension based on extenuating circumstances.
If you do not communicate with me before submitting an assignment late, the GCU late policy will be in effect.
I do not accept assignments that are two or more weeks late unless we have worked out an extension.
As per policy, no assignments are accepted after the last day of class. Any assignment submitted after midnight on the last day of class will not be accepted for grading.

Communication

Communication is so very important. There are multiple ways to communicate with me:
Questions to Instructor Forum: This is a great place to ask course content or assignment questions. If you have a question, there is a good chance one of your peers does as well. This is a public forum for the class.
Individual Forum: This is a private forum to ask me questions or send me messages. This will be checked at least once every 24 hours.

Assignment: Exploring Assistive Technology.