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Mastering tech skills: When and what?

Planning tech goals? What should your student know in kindergarten, 3rd grade, 5th grade and high school?

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Tech skills for students with visual impairments

Technology is leveling the playing field for students with visual impairments and blindness. Accessibility features are being built into mainstream devices; enabling any device to be instantly customized to meet each student’s unique needs. With digital materials, students with visual impairments can access materials at the same time as their peers – without waiting for the materials to be converted to braille. Classroom teachers can instantly access their student’s work without waiting for the work to be transcribed into print. Refreshable braille displays provide digital materials in braille for students whose preferred learning medium is braille. This braille output is especially important when it comes to digital math. Students with visual impairments have instant access to digital books and internet content; students can read, create, edit and collaborate using word documents, spreadsheets and presentations.

There are growing pains as classrooms transition to online and digital educational resources and assessments. Tech and software developers are collaborating with educators to resolve the remaining issues of making digital diagrams, charts and graphs fully accessible. Besides including appropriate alternative text descriptions, new developments such as full screen braille displays and interactive diagrams on touch screen devices are being developed and field tested. In recent years, software has been released that enables users to navigate and glean information from charts and graphs – including the use of sonification which provides a “glance” or overview of the image. As technology and software applications continue to evolve, there will be additional solutions to these issues. 

In this post, we will look at tech skills for both general education students and students who are visually impaired. The goals listed for visually impaired students lean towards students who use a screen reader. Best practice dictates that most students with low vision will benefit from a screen reader. These students should receive screen reader training early on and should not wait until the high reading demands in high school and college make readers a necessity. 

Resources

• Technology goals required for the workplace
• Screen Reader for Low Vision Students? (includes indicators that a low vision studentwould benefit from a screen reader)
• Dual Reader or Multimedia?
• Preparing a Low Vision Student to Use a Screen Reader (geared for low vision students who were not introduced to a screen reader early)
• Tech Standards for Students with VIB: What’s Happening?

TSVI responsibilities

Students with visual impairments and blindness should be expected to master the same tech goals at the same time as their peers. TSVIs will need to pre-teach commands and concepts that are unique to screen readers and/or magnification software in order for students to successfully access educational materials in mainstream classrooms. TSVIs will also need to teach students with visual impairments how to trouble shoot and how to stay current with devices and applications. Technology will continue to evolve and improve; tech goals will also evolve. The school closures during the pandemic had a huge impact on educational technology causing even kindergarten-level tech goals to become more robust.

An assistive technology assessment should be done prior to purchasing equipment and software and periodically updated as the student progresses. It is important for the TSVI to document the student’s tech skills, preferred tech features/accessibility settings, and needs. The TSVI should also learn how to use the device/software and ideally should receive training on the device/application and how to teach the skills at an age-appropriate level to the student. Not all TSVIs are tech savvy and comfortable with learning and teaching assistive technology. Many students are now receiving remote instruction for their assistive technology.

Resource

• Benefits of Mastering Tech Early: Layla, Then and Now
• Layla’s Tech Journey
• Layla’s virtual tech instruction
• Getting Administration On Board with Virtual Tech Instruction (includes how to fit virtual tech instruction into the student’s class schedule)

Reading speeds and keyboarding

Students with visual impairments and blindness should be expected to master or exceed the same reading speed and keyboarding speed as their peers. Yes, exceed their peers! Students who regularly use a screen reader should push for faster screen reader speech speeds. Being able to listen to auditory text at high rates of speed is a ‘superhero’ skill for visually impaired students.

Average reading speeds

Updated information about reading speeds: Do You Read Fast Enough to Be Successful?  Forbes article states an increase in reading rates of average students and adults with vision:

• 3^rdgrade students = 150 words per minute (wpm)
• 8^thgrade students = 250 wpm
• Average college student = 450 wpm
• Average “high level exec” = 575 wpm
• Average college professor = 675 wpm
• Speed readers = 1,500 wpm
• World speed reading champion = 4,700 wpm

Resources

• Five reasons why your student should learn to read at a rate of 600 words per minute
• How to teach your student to read at 600 words per minute: Part 1 
• How to teach your students to read at 600 words per minute – Part 2
• How to teach your students to read at 600 words per minute – Part 3
• How to teach your students to read at 600 words per minute – Part 4

Keyboarding

Previously taught in upper elementary school, keyboarding is now being introduced in kindergarten with finger positioning and basic touch typing. Finger dexterity of young students will improve throughout elementary school grades.

While keyboarding benchmarks vary, the following are general grade level typing benchmarks:

3rd grade: 85% – 100% accuracy, 15 WPM
4th grade: 90% – 100% accuracy, 20 WPM
5th grade: 90% – 100% accuracy, 25 WPM
6th grade: 90% – 100% accuracy, 30 WPM

According to typing.com last updated 8/29/22.

High school students should be typing at least 60 words per minute.

Resources

• Keyboarding for Young children
• Five Resources to Teach Keyboarding Skills
• Starting from Scratch: Where Do I Start When Teaching My Visually Impaired Student to Type?
• Strategies for Teaching Touch Typing to Students with Visual Impairments
• Typio Online: A Web Based Self Voicing Typing Program
• All About the Base (Line): Strategies on Getting your Student’s Baseline Typing Speed

What tech skills should be mastered? High school  

High school: General education

The following are standard, general tech skills for all students in general education classrooms – skills are not specifically for students with visual impairments. These skills should be engrained into every student’s daily tech use – across a variety of devices. Students with visual impairments and blindness should have the same tech proficiencies as their sighted peers.

The skills listed below are general tech skills – most of which have been taught and mastered in earlier grades – and are critical tech skills that students should have before graduation. 

• Touch typing – average at least 60 word per minute
• Microsoft Office – mastery of advanced skills in Word, Excel and PowerPoint (create margins, headers/footers, charts & graphs, data analysis)
• Computer organization – create files and computer maintenance
  • Computer maintenance: installing operating system updates, clearing the internet browser cache, maintaining anti-virus software
• Web browsers – bookmarks, favorites, clear cache/ browsing history
• Online research
• Acceptable use, copyright and plagiarism
• Digital skills:
  • Digital communication – appropriate email, texting, chat, social media skills
    • Understand and use different grammar rules for different people (informal emojis and abbreviations in text to friend; correct grammar/formatting in resume)
  • “Netiquette” – communicate with respect
    • Proper way to use social media, internet, emails (not complaining about teacher/student/boss)
  • Cybersecurity and safety – antivirus, spam, phishing, too much personal information, online safety, stalkers
• Trouble shooting tech and how to find help

The Common Core State Standards K-12 Technology Skills Scope and Sequence is an excellent resource that breaks tech standards into categories, each with specific skills listed; all skills are further broken down by grade levels. The Scope and Sequence lists 47 tech skills for secondary students (students in 6^th grade – 12^th grade). Out of these 47 skills only 5 of these skills are “reinforced” in 9^th grade and mastered by 10^th grade. The other 42 skills are mastered before entering high school. Please refer to the Scope and Sequence for a more detailed list of tech skills expected to be mastered in high school for general education students.

Research indicates that it takes three years to truly master a tech skill. The first year Introduces the skill, the second year Reinforces the skills, and the third year Masters the skill.

High school: Visually impaired

In addition to the general education tech skills listed above, students with visual impairments should also master these tech skills:

• Multiple devices – Computer, tablet, smartphone, and if appropriate, refreshable braille display/braille notetaker or digital magnifier
• Multiple applications – including multiple applications for the same tasks – and their specific keyboard shortcut commands
  • Examples: Zoom, Google Meets, WebEx or Google Suite and Microsoft Office
  • Note: Google Suites is often used in K12 classrooms; however, Microsoft Office is more commonly used by businesses, various management platforms. 
• Keep current on accessibility features for each device
  • Determine when to use which feature on which device
  • Adjust accessibility features on-the-fly as needed
• Digital math skill tools – including the ability to input and read digital math equations and using math tools, such as Desmos
  • Mathematical: Use and interpret scientific notations using a variety of technology applications (Scope and Sequence for gen ed students introduces in 8^th grade): skills require:
    • Math editor programs used by in K12 and beyond
    • Students who use a screen reader going into higher math/STEM fields will need LaTeX and/or other markup languages
• Screen reader speed: JAWS/NVDA 600 words per minute; iOS devices 100% 
• Work directly with classroom teachers
  • To clearly communicate IEP accommodations
  • Explain how the assistive technology is used in the classroom
  • Explain how to create accessible materials
• Convert educational materials to an accessible format

What tech skills should be mastered? 5^th grade  

The Common Core State Standards K-12 Technology Skills Scope and Sequence lists 39 tech skills for elementary students (students in kindergarten through 5th grade). No new skills are listed in 4th or 5^th grade and 29 the total skills are mastered by the end of 4^th grade.

5^th grade: General education

The following general categories are standard tech skills for all students in mainstream classrooms. Students should be independent and proficient with the following tech skills:

• Touch typing – keyboarding 90% – 100% accuracy, 25 WPM (at least 22 words per minute by end of 5^th grade is the minimum speed where typing is faster than writing).
  • Many resources now state 30 wpm for 5^th grade students.
• Troubleshooting and self-learning – how to use a Help menu, where to find the manual, where to find resources/user forums, explore new features in updates
• Digital citizenship – minimum age for many websites is 13; even though most 5^th graders are not yet 13, they do need to learn about and apply safety, online bullying, online etiquette, communication, social media
• Device specifics – student should be able to independently:
  • Connect to Wi-Fi/Bluetooth connections
  • Create and deliver multimedia presentations (Google Slides, Microsoft PowerPoint, or Apple Keynote)
  • Edit and proofread 
  • Perform internet searches – age-appropriate search engines and child-friendly websites
  • Collaborate using technology (including collaboration tools such as comments and review)
  • Organize learning (folders, labeling documents, images)
  • Cite resources
  • Responsibilities – care for device, backup data, limit screen time

5^th grade: Visually impaired

Tech goals for visually impaired students in early elementary school may focus on one device or a device paired with a braille device and/or external keyboard. However, students should know computer basics before middle school and should be proficient on a computer and multiple devices before high school. Students should know which device and accessibility settings to use for which activity/goal. Students should be able to accomplish the same classroom tasks as peers using gestures, keyboard commands, and if appropriate, braille display commands or zoom/magnification commands.

By 5^th grade, students should understand their unique eye condition and be able to describe how various tech features/applications help them access educational materials in the classroom and at home. Students should be learning to self-advocate for accessible materials and communicate directly with classroom teachers. Students should take ownership of their devices, the care of their devices, and be able to problem-solve tech issues. 

By the end of 5^th grade, students with visual impairments tech skills should also include:

• Auditory skills – using a screen reader and/or read aloud when appropriate
  • Listening speed should be 500 words per minute or more (JAWS) or 100% (iOS). Students with low vision should also be proficient with auditory skills!
• ​Set accessibility settings/preferences, including low vision features, if appropriate
• Typing skills – 5th grade: 90% – 100% accuracy, 25 WPM
• Keyboard commands
  • Efficient with screen reader-specific commands (screen reader goal)
  • Efficient with standard mainstream keyboard shortcuts (with or without a screen reader)
• Understand the spatial layout of various applications (Example: Know the screen layout when creating a slide deck)
• Acquire digital books – locate, download and read digital book from Bookshare, Learning ally and other resources
• Accurately describe their preferred format for various educational resources. (i.e., preferred file format types for different types of assignments; font size, color preferences, etc. for students with low vision.)
• Explain and work with general education teachers on how to provide materials in their preferred format.
  • Be able to explain how their assistive technology is used in the classroom.
• Accessible formats: be introduced to knowing where to find materials in accessible format and be involved with converting materials into an accessible format (i.e., Convert a worksheet using OCR)
• Digital math – access digital math, input math equations using a math editor and use math tools such as Desmos.

Resources

• Common Core State Standards K-12 Technology Skills Scope and Sequence. (detailed list of mainstream technology goals with skills broken down by scope and sequence and grade levels) 
• AT Technology Skills Scope and Sequence: iPad (geared for K-5 students learning to use VoiceOver on the iPad – follows the Common Core State Standards K-12 Technology Skills Scope and Sequence)
  • Numerous posts in this series with links to specific lessons to teach/reinforce the tech skills

What tech skills should be introduced/mastered? Third grade

3^rd grade: General education

High stakes assessments begin in third grade and are no longer traditional paper and pencil assessments. These online assessments require that students have mastered basic tech skills by the end of third grade in order to access the assessments. Research indicates that it takes 3 years to fully master individual tech skills. The first year is introduction, the second year is reinforcing and the third year is mastery, which is often defined as the ability to teach others. High stake assessments are driving the need for tech mastery by the end of third grade. Students need to know how to navigate through items on the page, select items, use radio buttons, complete short answers, navigate tables and charts, use alt text/image descriptions, navigate through the assessment pages/app, etc. Some assessments require additional commands such as drag and drop.

Currentlymany assessments have built-in accessibility features and claim to be accessible with a screen reader, the questions with visual images – especially math – may or may not be fully accessible in a digital format and may require supplemental braille tactile graphics.

By third grade, students are no longer learning gestures and commands; instead, they are using their tech skills to access applications and complete assignments.

By third grade, the items that were introduced in kindergarten should be mastered. In addition:

• Average reading speed -3^rdgrade students = 150 words per minute (wpm)
• Keyboarding: 85% – 100% accuracy, 15 WPM
• Proof reading and editing using resources such as dictionary, spell checker, grammar, and thesaurus (Introduced in 2nd grade) 
• Spreadsheets as a tool to record, organize and graph information (Introduced in 3rd)
• Enter/edit data in spreadsheets and perform calculations using formulas (introduced in 3rd)
• Use spreadsheets and other applications to make predictions, solve problems and draw conclusions 
• Use digital mathematical symbols
  • Requires math editors or math markup languages
• Use Web 2.0 tools (e.g., online discussions, blogs and wikis) to gather and share information
• Create projects that use text and various forms of graphics, audio and video (with proper citations) to communicate ideas

3^rd grade: Visually impaired

Keep in mind that it takes three years to master individual tech skills. Tech skills should be introduced in kindergarten or preschool; the student should have these tech skills mastered by the end of third grade. 

• Screen reader speed: iOS at least 70% speech rate
• Mastery of screen reader gestures, Bluetooth keyboard commands, and if appropriate, braille display commands 
• Spatial concepts and mental mapping of familiar of app layouts
• Listen for and follow app instructions and screen reader prompts
• If using a screen reader, mastery of Earcons and sonification 
• If low vision, mastery of zoom or magnification features
• If low vision, mastery of preferred low vision accessibility settings

Resources

• Tech Standards: Why Teach Digital Concepts Early?
• iCons and Earcons: Critical but Often Overlooked Tech Skills

What tech skills should be introduced/mastered? Kindergarten

Touch screen devices such as smart phones and tablets have been game changers for preschool and kindergarten students. Students with vision are now entering kindergarten with independent technology skills. They are using smart phones and tablets to access educational games, videos, and websites. This early-on exposure to tech has completely altered the expectations of when and what tech should be mastered for students with visual impairments! 

Students with visual impairments should ENTER kindergarten with basic tech skills, including screen reader skills. This places the responsibility of introducing access technology to the preschool TSVI, K12 TSVI working the preschooler and/or family members. Using age-appropriate apps, students with visual impairments should be introduced to tech with basic screen reader skills in preschool.

Kindergarten: General education 

Let’s take a look once again at the popular Common Core State Standards K-12 Technology Skills Scope and Sequence. This year, more items have been added to the evolving Scope and Sequence, especially under the Digital Citizenship category. According to the Scope and Sequence, kindergarten students are introduced to:

• Keyboarding (correct positioning, knowing letter and number keys, etc.)
• Introduced to word processing applications to write, edit, print and save simple assignments
• Watch online videos and use play, pause, rewind and forward buttons while taking notes
• Use age-appropriate technology to locate, collect, organize content from media collection for specific purposes, citing sources

Kindergarten: Visually impaired

The majority of preschool and kindergarten students begin on a tablet or smart phone; however, some students will start on a computer or braille notetaker.

There are checklists available for gesture commands, Bluetooth keyboard commands and braille display commands. These cheat sheets and checklists can be found on Paths to Technology, on the individual device/application websites and through internet searches. Use these command cheat sheets and checklists when teaching these commands and for recording student progress.

• Screen reader speed start on 50 – 55% (iOS), faster if possible
• Introduction to screen reader gestures, Bluetooth keyboard commands, and if appropriate, braille display commands 
• Understand spatial concepts and familiarity of app layouts
• Listen for and follow app instructions and screen reader prompts
• If using a screen reader, introduction to Earcons and sonification 
• If low vision, introduction to zoom or magnification features
• If low vision, introduction to preferred low vision accessibility settings

Ideally, students should be introduced to a refreshable braille display (if appropriate) and/or a Bluetooth keyboard paired with their touch screen device. Students should be familiar with the basic commands for these peripheral devices.

Kindergarten keyboarding

Keyboarding is introduced in kindergarten, starting with the Home Row. Keyboarding is not typing using the on-screen keyboard on a tablet. Students with visual impairments can use Bluetooth keyboard paired with their tablet and should be introduced to learning the keyboard commands (with or without the screen reader). Students who are emerging braille readers should learn the braille display commands and reading and writing braille using the braille display. It is critical for these students to have access to braille (traditional print braille and refreshable braille) along with developing auditory/listening skills. It’s all about tools in the toolbox!

Resources

• Download the Mastering Tech Skills: When and What Quick Reference
• Download the Mastering Tech Skills: When and What Progress Report

• Introducing Technology to Students with Visual Impairments: Toddler, Preschooler and Kindergarten
• VoiceOver Teaching Strategies for Preschool TVIs (includes student videos and strategies for analyzing the student’s tech skills)
• Paths to Technology has pages dedicated to:
  • Early Intervention (often appropriate for kindergarten students too!) 
  • app reviews/lessons with specific apps
  • Technology Curricula: Curricula and Resources, Quick Reference Guides and Checklists and Assessments
• Libraries: Free lesson ideas and downloads!
  • Books and Documents
  • Lessons
  • Maps
  • Tactile Graphics

Sources

Editor’s Note: Many educational resources were reviewed to identify what tech should be mastered and when these goals should be mastered. Long-term research on tech skills for students with visual impairments is not yet available and technology continues to evolve rapidly. The goals mentioned in this post were the common goals overlapping from a variety of educational sources. If the goals were taken from a specific website, the link to that website is include with the information.

Educational technology goals will continue to evolve as more educational resources – including digital textbooks and online assessments – are developed, more schools become paperless and as  research becomes available. Stay tuned for updates as tech goals evolve!

(Original article published 8/21/2017; updated 1/27/23 and updated again 09/27/23)

By Diane Brauner

Back to Paths to Technology Home page

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