Freshman year of college, I remember sitting in the 300+ person lecture hall listening to the roar of students pouring in and wondering how I was going to manage to stay focused during the next hour and a half while my teacher scratched Physics formulas on the board. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love physics and enrolled in one of the top schools in the country fully intending to get my “learn on”. But, I was also a student with ADHD and let me tell you, dark lecture halls and an ancient chalkboards are no way to keep my attention.

InterwritePRS Infrared (IR) remote

That day was different though. That day the professor called us all up to the front of the hall to pick up numbered remotes (numbered so we wouldn’t lose them or steal them I suppose) and return to our seats. We were going to play Jeopardy, or at least a Jeopardy-style game.

The devices were part of what is called a “Personal Response System” which is a system that allows students to answer multiple-choice questions using a hand-held remote. The results are then displayed on the board. Students can see a histogram of the class’ answers and who did and did not respond. The devices can also be used to administer tests and quizzes with the feedback screen deactivated.

I read an article today on PhillyBurbs.com that talked about how these systems are moving into mainstream middle and high school classrooms as a way to increase class participation. The article emphasizes the fact that the systems give students who wouldn’t normally answer (for various reasons) a motivating and easy way to stay engaged. What I found really interesting, though, were (of course) the applications for students with disabilities.

For the rest of this post, I am going to use the InterwritePRS system as an example. The InterwritePRS is a relatively common PRS system that is used by many middle, high, and post-secondary schools including Georgia Tech. There are two types of remote systems, a simple one which uses infrared (IR) to transmit data, the InterwriteIR, and a more complex one that uses radio frequencies, the InterwriteRF. The RF system has a lot more features than the IR, but as you will see, it also has its share of accessibility problems.

Retaining attention of students with ADHD

Students like me with ADHD need a variety of stimuli in order to retain attention and information. A system that provides instantaneous feedback and a competitive environment could thus be very useful. The unit that was in my lecture hall (IR) indicated which remotes hadn’t responded which made sure that all students were at least responding if not paying attention. Some devices record the responses from each remote as well which makes it easy to tell who is actually trying and which student is bubbling in “C” every time.

Pros for students with ADHD

• Highly interactive
• Instant feedback
• Hand-held remote could deter fidgeting
• RF remotes allow for double-checking responses before they are sent
• RF checks class attendance based on transmitted Student IDs, IR responses are linked to unit number which can be compared to a roster
• Student information can be linked to Content Management Systems such as Blackboard which helps with organization
• Many textbook providers have electronic versions of their books which means that students can have a hard-copy and electronic version of questions.
• PowerPoints can be turned into interactive question tools

Cons for students with ADHD

• Some schools require students to purchase or checkout remotes for the year, which means that students could easily misplace them, therefore loaner remotes should be kept on-hand
• Passing out remotes in class takes away from instruction time
• IR remotes don’t allow for double-checking responses
• Response grid at the front of the classroom might be distracting

Helping students with limited dexterity

A system like this would also allow students with limited dexterity to participate without requiring the use of a pen or pencil. Mounted to a desk or wheelchair, the student could potentially operate the remote using only one finger depending on the size and complexity of the remote. Some remotes, like the RF which has an extensive feature list might not be as easy to operate as the IR.

Pros for students with limited dexterity

• Simple response mechanism can lead to lower response times
• IR remotes can be operated with one finger
• The IR’s small remote size makes buttons easy to reach
• Both remotes can be mounted to desk or wheelchair to prevent movement
• RF remotes do not require line-of-sight with the receiver

Cons for students with limited dexterity

• IR remotes must be line-of-sight with the receiver which could make mounting difficult
• IR does not allow for easy mistake correction
• RF remote has a large number of buttons over a larger area

The trouble with visual feedback

The systems could also be useful for students with visual impairments so long as the remote interface and the feedback system was tactile and auditory. I took a look at the Interwrite forums to see what they had to say about accessibility of the devices. Currently, it looks like they are not accessible to students with visual impairments which could be a major issue especially if a school receives funding for Section 504 and 508 compliance.

Pros for students with visual impairments

• Responses can be sent simultaneously with other students
• No need for a separate computer in the classroom for test taking
• Information can be easily placed online and synced with Blackboard or another Content Management System for use with screen readers and magnifiers

Cons for students with visual impairments

• IR buttons are all of similar shape which makes orientation difficult, RF buttons have a more varied pattern which might be better for orientation
• Buttons are small and might be difficult to locate
• No known auditory feedback
• LCD screen does not appear to be large-print

I am interested to know if anyone has had experience from an educator or student’s perspective with these devices. How easy are they to set-up and use? What about cheating? And especially, what about accessibility?