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=The Art Room = = //Assistive Technology and Tools for Students With Special Needs// = = =

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 * Welcome to the ART ROOM! Here you will find useful resources for teaching art to students with special needs. This site is designed for teachers but may prove useful for parents, students, and other educators.**======

// GOAL: The goal of this website is to provide art and general education elementary teachers with tools, technologies, and // // practical strategies for working with students with special needs in the art room, as well as a basic understanding of five areas of special education: ADHD, Autism , Emotional Impairment , Learning Disability , and Visual Impairment. //

Creating artwork can be when many students with special needs feels successful or talented. The hands-on learning and open expression makes for an experience that is usually less stressful and threatening than other school subjects. We have all heard of artists who, in their private lives, were described as "different". The field of art provided many inspiring examples of people with disabilities becoming successful artists- consider [|Vincent Van Vogh'] s struggles with mental health or [|Chuck Close's paralysis.] Art is not about right answers- rather the unique perspective of an individual.

There is a long tradition of "outsider art" that is created by people who are marginalized by the larger culture. These "outsiders" often portray their experiences honestly and with a unique style. Consider the artwork of James Castle, who grew up deaf in rural Idaho and was a prolific artist, privately working while socially isolated by his disability. An excellent overview of his life, artwork and the exhibition of his artwork at the Philadephia Museum of art can be found in the video below.media type="youtube" key="1hz9vGDA75s" height="151" width="192" align="left"

If Outsider Art interests you, listen to the [|NPR report] by David D'arcy to hear more about Outsider Art and the "unusual biographies of some of its creators."

By clicking on the links at the left, you can find an overview of each disability, considerations for teaching these students, tools and technologies, and additional resources. We hope the tools, technologies, tips, and strategies prove useful and the additional resources provide a jumping off point for further study.