An overview for Support Teachers of ways

ICT can enable inclusion

Thursday 19th July 2001Laura Cryer

Learning Support

Steps

ICT supports teaching and learning across the curriculum for all pupils. Good practice in ICT will support all learners, encourage independence and individual progress.

Good practice in ICT will support all learners, encouraging independence and progress. ICT is a useful TOOL. It is not what the technology can do, but what you can do with the technology that is important!

“the Government is committed to promoting the inclusion of

pupils with SEN in mainstream school……

with the right strategies and support the vast majority of a child’s individual needs

can be met in either a mainstream or specialist setting”

ICT - Entitlement for ALL children- Access entitlement for child with SEN

Assistive TechnologyICT provides access to the curriculum by enabling physical access and by supporting the development of cognitive skills.

• Writers with serious physical and sensory impairments

• Pupils with poor motor control• Writers with specific learning/literacy

difficulties• Learners with organisational difficulties• Pupils with specific language disorder• Learners with attentional and

motivational difficulties

How does ICT contribute to learning?ICT enables the pupil to be an active participant in the classroom, not just a passive observerICT offers opportunities for differing learning stylesICT is a motivating medium which has ‘street cred’ICT enables pupils to stay on task by focusing their attention and alleviating some of the physical pressuresICT enables pupils to develop independenceICT affords privacy to work and develop at the learner’s own paceICT provides a medium through which pupils can demonstrate their true ability and potentialICT can facilitate social communication and interaction,including pupils in a wider communityICT can support the production of well presented, high quality outcomes.

Identifying Learning Styles and Using Strengths to help Weaknesses

Children may need to develop strategies to support their differences in learning

Identification of preferred learning style enables focussed teaching and facilitates good learning strategies –

use of ICT can assist this e.g.• Use of speech and sound to support visual

strengths• use of images to support auditory strengths• encouragement of handling of objects alongside

looking and listening• encouragement to articulate and repeat new words

/ideas

What sort of hardware?The child may not necessarily need

specialist hardware, but may benefit from :

• good multi media computers

• more regular access to the computer than the class norm

• alternative access devices (rollerball, touchscreen etc), if needed

Software and alternatives to the keyboard and mouse include:•Head pointers•Keyboard/mouse accessibility utilities and keyboards•Overlay keyboards•Predictive word processors•Switches and scanning systems•Touchpads•Trackballs and joysticks•Voice recognition software

ROLLERBALL

KIDTRAC

BIG KEYS

TOUCHSCREEN

Developing cognitive skills

The child will be exposed to variety of related activities on and away from computer but may benefit from extra computer time for:

• matching / sorting / sequencing / counting games (early years)

• the opportunity of computer support to use strengths to support weaker areas

MAKING TRACKS

SPIDER IN THE KITCHEN

TIZZY’S TOYBOX

TIZZY’S TOYBOX - RHYMING

WORDS

TIZZY’S TOYBOX -

CATERPILLAR

MY WORLD SCREENS FOR DEVELOPING COGNITIVE SKILLS

Support for reading

• Multi-sensory environment

spoken text

animation

• instant support for ‘hard’ words

• instant re-reading service

Sherston’s Naughty Stories

Support for writing

• personal writing aid

easy editing

spellchecking(?)

legible work

portability

cost

Laptop NotebooksLaptop Notebooks

IT laptopIT laptop

(Ablac)(Ablac)

DreamWriter ITDreamWriter IT

(DreamWriter Solutions)(DreamWriter Solutions)

Support for writing personal writing aid

• talking wordprocessor

speech feedback via the program

via a screen reader

wordbank support

rebus support

Word ProcessorsWord Processors Word processors are useful for pupils with writing Word processors are useful for pupils with writing difficulties because:difficulties because:

• it can be physically easier to write with it can be physically easier to write with a a keyboard than by hand.keyboard than by hand.

• drafting, re-drafting and editing is drafting, re-drafting and editing is quicker quicker and easier.and easier.

• they produce neat, legible results.they produce neat, legible results.

• they have built-in writing support tools they have built-in writing support tools - - word banks, spellcheckers, speech word banks, spellcheckers, speech output output and other features that can be suited and other features that can be suited to the writer and task.to the writer and task.

Inclusive Writer Inclusive Writer (Inclusive Technology / Widgit)(Inclusive Technology / Widgit)

Support for writing personal writing aidstalking wordprocessors

• talking picture / word banks

in the wordprocessor

on-screen grids

• Powerpoint

Ready for Writing (Semerc)

INCLUSIVE WRITER

INCLUSIVE WRITER

I CAN WRITE

Penfriend Penfriend (Penfriend Ltd)(Penfriend Ltd) with with Pages Pages (Semerc)(Semerc)

Support for writing personal writing aidtalking wordprocessortalking picture / word banks

• predictive typing

Type and Talk Type and Talk (TextHelp!)Talking spellcheckerTalking spellchecker

Predictive lexicon Predictive lexicon

Talking word processors

Support for writing personal writing aidtalking wordprocessortalking picture / word banks

predictive typing • handwriting sheets

HANDWRITING FOR WINDOWS

Support for writing personal writing aidtalking wordprocessortalking picture / word bankspredictive typing handwriting sheets

• keyboard training

Developing keyboard skills Software to support: First Keys to Literacy Speedy Keys On-screen or overlay keyboard grids• Can be learned and practised at home

• Young children need to learn layout

• Older children need speed and accuracy

• Use any program the child enjoys

• Practise 20 minutes every day – especially in holidays

First Keys to First Keys to Literacy Literacy (Widgit)(Widgit)

Touch Type Touch Type (iOTA)(iOTA)

Improving spelling

• technology can be help through :– speech feedback– a portable spellchecker– predictive typing– a rebus wordprocesor– drill and practise remediation programs

Elementary Spellmaster (Franklin)Elementary Spellmaster (Franklin)

Starspell 2001Starspell 2001

(Fisher Marriott)(Fisher Marriott)

WordSharkWordShark

(White Space)(White Space)

Speaking Starspell 2001

Gamz

Support for numeracy

• cognitive difficulties– orientation of numbers– sequencing– shape

SUMONE

LEARN MORE ABOUT MATHS

LEARN MORE ABOUT MATHS

MY WORLD SCREENS FOR DEVELOPING COGNITIVE SKILLS

Support for numeracy cognitive difficulties

• recording maths info– diagrams– setting out work

Maths Page Maths Page (Inclusive Technology)

Talking Maths Book (Topologika)Talking Maths Book (Topologika)

Support for numeracy cognitive difficultiesrecording maths info

• social maths– telling the time – days and months– coping with money– using a calculator – self-help remediation

Learn more about maths Learn more about maths

(Inclusive Technology)(Inclusive Technology)

Foundation Decimals (E-Soft)Foundation Decimals (E-Soft)

Interactive Calculator Interactive Calculator (Inclusive Technology)

Maths activities, with built–in checking and no writing, so child can concentrate on the arithmetic, not recording

My World My World (Semerc)

Memory enhancement

• Memory training(Accele Read Accele Write)

• Speech feedback

• Software such as Thinkin’ Things

Coping with the curriculum

Access can be provided through:

• talking worksheets

• a personal voice recorder

• topic related wordbanks

• mindmaps

   

  

Alternative recording of diagrams for science through

My World My World (Semerc)

Alternative recording of diagrams for science through

My World My World (Semerc)

LC 70

Barriers to access

Computer software can easily exclude a wide number of potential users by having screen layouts that contain:

• too large text blocks to read at one time

• too long sentences

• too small or inappropriate font

• too many icons for pull down menus

• unsuitable colour combinations of foreground or background

• superimposition of text on shadowy background images

• too many distracting frames on the screen

www.steps.org.uk

Thanks for listening!Thanks for listening!