"Assisting Writers with Assistive Technology"
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Maggie CollinsMaggie Collins is earning her Ph.D. in Rhetoric and Writing at Bowling Green State University. Her research interests include writing program administration, writing assessment, and composition pedagogy. Before attending BGSU, she attended DePaul University where she earned her M.A. in Writing, Rhetoric, and Discourse while working at DePaul University’s University Center for Writing-based Learning as a peer writing tutor. ContentsAssistive Technology Overview Cont. Framework for AT in Writers Centers |
ConclusionAssistive technologies are powerful tools that are yet to be leveraged in writing centers, and this may be because writing tutors need to be introduced to these tools so that they become more comfortable incorporating them into appointments. Writing centers should begin to incorporate AT by actively using high-tech software and low-tech options during tutorials in order to teach writers how to take advantage of their learning preferences. Tutors should also learn about AT that may not be used in appointments like speech-to-text and text-to-speech software so that they can recommend them to writers who identify as auditory or oral learners. With this knowledge, tutors use a Universal Instructional Design framework to accommodate all types of students that wish to use AT. From the focus group, it is clear that there are some questions surrounding the use of AT in tutorials, but it may be best for tutors to try using AT in tutorials before believing they can cause harm. By experiencing AT during tutorials, tutors can learn how it affects an appointment rather than assuming it will affect an appointment a certain way. And once tutors see how writers can learn how to use their learning preferences to their advantage with AT, they will notice how they may have improved a writer’s approach for the rest of their writing experiences.
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