Jeannie SzafranJeannie SzafranE-mail: E-mail: jszafran@holyfamily.edujszafran@holyfamily.edu

Website: Website: http://http://www.jszafran.angelfire.comwww.jszafran.angelfire.com//Research Topic: Inclusion and Assistive TechnologyResearch Topic: Inclusion and Assistive Technology

Prepared July 19, 2007Prepared July 19, 2007

Table of ContentsTable of Contents

• IntroductionIntroduction• Summary FindingsSummary Findings• Detailed FindingsDetailed Findings

Education WorldEducation World

NICHCYNICHCYThe Access CenterThe Access CenterProject ParticipateProject ParticipateThe Ability HubThe Ability Hub

• ConclusionConclusion• AppendixAppendix

IntroductionIntroduction

• This research is on the idea and process of inclusion and the use This research is on the idea and process of inclusion and the use of assistive technology in the general education classroom for of assistive technology in the general education classroom for students with disabilities to adapt curriculum and to help develop students with disabilities to adapt curriculum and to help develop a working communication system.a working communication system.

• We must believe in inclusive classrooms We must believe in inclusive classrooms • Using assistive technology in our classrooms gives students the Using assistive technology in our classrooms gives students the

ability to do things they would not be able to do without ability to do things they would not be able to do without technologytechnology

• A little creativity can go a long way and does not have to be A little creativity can go a long way and does not have to be expensive. expensive.

• Observing and communicating with our students will help Observing and communicating with our students will help develop ways to assist them in the classroom to be socially develop ways to assist them in the classroom to be socially included and to do class workincluded and to do class work

• I used the search engine I used the search engine www.google.comwww.google.com and typed inclusion, and typed inclusion, special education, assistive technology, and adaptive equipment. special education, assistive technology, and adaptive equipment.

• I found, evaluated, and narrowed my list to twenty websites I am I found, evaluated, and narrowed my list to twenty websites I am recommending to you today.recommending to you today.

““You must do the things you think you cannot do" You must do the things you think you cannot do" (Eleanor Roosevelt)(Eleanor Roosevelt)

Back to Table of Contents

Summary FindingsSummary Findings• This research is geared towards inclusion and This research is geared towards inclusion and

incorporating assistive technology in the general incorporating assistive technology in the general education classroom for students with disabilities. education classroom for students with disabilities.

• I found twenty websites I would highly recommend I found twenty websites I would highly recommend to you and I categorized them under two main to you and I categorized them under two main headings: inclusion in school and community headings: inclusion in school and community settings and assistive/adaptive technology.settings and assistive/adaptive technology.

• The websites I found are a mix of commercial, The websites I found are a mix of commercial, organizations, and education websites.organizations, and education websites.

• I developed a file called Internet I developed a file called Internet Address Book (IAB), Address Book (IAB), where I evaluated the where I evaluated the websites and organized them. From there I websites and organized them. From there I developed a developed a Research Excerpts Research Excerpts File, which is a File, which is a glimpse of the twenty websites with hyperlinks to glimpse of the twenty websites with hyperlinks to the actual sites. the actual sites.

Back to Table of Contents

• In the following pages I will discuss my top five In the following pages I will discuss my top five websites which is a mix of sites based on inclusion websites which is a mix of sites based on inclusion and assistive technology. The five I decided to and assistive technology. The five I decided to discuss in more detail are as follows:discuss in more detail are as follows:

• Education WorldEducation World• NICHCYNICHCY• The Access CenterThe Access Center• Project ParticipateProject Participate• Ability HubAbility Hub

Detailed FindingsDetailed Findings

Back to Table of Contents

Education WorldEducation World• The first site I chose to focus on is Education World, The first site I chose to focus on is Education World,

http://www.education-world.com/a_tech/tech/tech220.shthttp://www.education-world.com/a_tech/tech/tech220.shtmlml. .

• Education World is a collective site with information about Education World is a collective site with information about lesson planning, professional development, administrator lesson planning, professional development, administrator issues, technology integration, and school issues.issues, technology integration, and school issues.

• In following link I found within Education World is a In following link I found within Education World is a valuable resource to a teacher in an inclusive setting: valuable resource to a teacher in an inclusive setting: http://www.ualberta.ca/~jpdasddc/inclusion/schoolcaring/ihttp://www.ualberta.ca/~jpdasddc/inclusion/schoolcaring/intro.htmntro.htm

• Another link within Education World I found to be a good Another link within Education World I found to be a good site and useful in lesson plan accommodations and site and useful in lesson plan accommodations and modifications is modifications is http://http://www.pacificnet.net/~mandelwww.pacificnet.net/~mandel. Not only . Not only does it give lesson plans for a special does it give lesson plans for a special education education setting but it also targets other subjects. setting but it also targets other subjects.

Back to Table of Contents

Education World Education World ContinuedContinued

• Another activity I thought would be useful in your Another activity I thought would be useful in your classroom and could be easily adapted with technology classroom and could be easily adapted with technology was the Animal A-Z edits. was the Animal A-Z edits.

• You could do these activities with your students and You could do these activities with your students and adapt it as necessary so all students could participate.adapt it as necessary so all students could participate.

• Click on the link below for an example of an Animal A-Z Click on the link below for an example of an Animal A-Z Edit:Edit:

Back to Table

of Contents

Animal A-Z Edit File

National Dissemination National Dissemination Center for Children with Center for Children with

DisabilitiesDisabilities• NICHCY is the second site I am recommending NICHCY is the second site I am recommending

to you today, you can find this site atto you today, you can find this site at http://http://www.nichcy.orgwww.nichcy.org//

• NICHCY serves the nation as a central source of NICHCY serves the nation as a central source of information on disabilities in information on disabilities in infants, infants, toddlers, children, and toddlers, children, and youth; IDEA, youth; IDEA, which is the law which is the law authorizing special authorizing special education; No education; No Child Left Behind (as it relates to children with Child Left Behind (as it relates to children with disabilities); and research-based information on disabilities); and research-based information on effective educational practices” (NICHCY, effective educational practices” (NICHCY, retrieved 7/18/2007).retrieved 7/18/2007).

Back to Table of Contents

NICHCY continuedNICHCY continued

• One area on this website that I found very helpful One area on this website that I found very helpful is the is the A-Z TopicsA-Z Topics Section. It gives you information Section. It gives you information on areas of interest alphabetically and is very on areas of interest alphabetically and is very easy to use. See below for an excerpt from the easy to use. See below for an excerpt from the website:website:

Back to Table of Contents

NICHCY is pleased to provide A-Z Topics, a series of Web resource pages on topics of high interest and concern. They're intended to connect you quickly with a range of resources, materials, and guidance on these topics.For your convenience, the index below also includes links to Web resource pages developed for our eNews service (called eNews Foundations) and from our Publications pages. This allows you to identify our online topics and resources without having to travel to every corner of our site

NICHCY continuedNICHCY continued• Another area on this website that I particularly liked Another area on this website that I particularly liked

and found very useful, not only to teachers but to and found very useful, not only to teachers but to students as well, is:students as well, is:

Zigawhat!Zigawhat!

This section of the website offers areas for children to This section of the website offers areas for children to Learn more about youLearn more about you, , Connect with other kidsConnect with other kids, , Tips just for youTips just for you, , Tell your storyTell your story, and , and Fun and gamesFun and games. .

This section is for children with and without This section is for children with and without disabilities. It could be something teachers could do disabilities. It could be something teachers could do in their classroom as an activity with the students for in their classroom as an activity with the students for social integration. social integration. Back to

Table of Contents

The Access CenterThe Access Center

• The Access Center, The Access Center, http://www.k8accesscenter.org/index.phttp://www.k8accesscenter.org/index.phphp is a national technical assistance (TA) is a national technical assistance (TA) center funded by the U.S. Department center funded by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special of Education's Office of Special Education Programs.Education Programs.

• Their mission is to improve educational Their mission is to improve educational outcomes for elementary and middle outcomes for elementary and middle school students with disabilities school students with disabilities Back to

Table of Contents

Access Center ContinuedAccess Center Continued

• Mission• The mission of the Access Center is to provide technical

assistance that strengthens State and local capacity to help students with disabilities effectively learn in the general education curriculum.

• Goals• To achieve our mission, we have the following goals:

– Increase awareness of research-based programs, practices, and tools • Strengthen the ability of educators to be informed consumers of

programs, practices, and tools • Assist educators to implement and evaluate programs, practices,

and tools • The Access Center is housed at the

American Institutes for Research in Washington, D.C. (The Access Center, Retrieved 7/18/2007).

Back to Table of Contents

Access Center ContinuedAccess Center Continued• One area of this website that I found helpful is a One area of this website that I found helpful is a

brief that is based on the General Education brief that is based on the General Education Curriculum for Students with Significant Cognitive Curriculum for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities, which can be retrieved at the following Disabilities, which can be retrieved at the following link, link, http://www.k8accesscenter.org/documents/AccessGehttp://www.k8accesscenter.org/documents/AccessGenCurriculumBrief12006.pdfnCurriculumBrief12006.pdf. .

• Another area of this site that would be useful is Another area of this site that would be useful is http://www.k8accesscenter.org/index.php/category/chttp://www.k8accesscenter.org/index.php/category/computer-assisted-instruction/omputer-assisted-instruction/. It has briefs and discussed how to incorporate . It has briefs and discussed how to incorporate technology into lessons for reading, writing, science technology into lessons for reading, writing, science and math.and math.

Seismic charts from earthquake centers around the world show how the waves from the earthquake travel through the earth’s crust.

Real-time maps show how many earthquakes take place each day andwhere they were located.

Back to Table of Contents

Project ParticipateProject Participate• ““Project Participate Project Participate http://http://www.projectparticipate.orgwww.projectparticipate.org// provides provides

families, educators, administrators and therapists with simple families, educators, administrators and therapists with simple strategies to increase the active participation of students with strategies to increase the active participation of students with disabilities in school programs. Supported by a U.S. Department of disabilities in school programs. Supported by a U.S. Department of Education grant (H324M980258), Project Participate facilitates team Education grant (H324M980258), Project Participate facilitates team collaboration and promotes the appropriate uses of technology in the collaboration and promotes the appropriate uses of technology in the classroom” (Project Participate, Retrieved 7/18/2007) classroom” (Project Participate, Retrieved 7/18/2007)

• I especially liked the section called I especially liked the section called Curriculum CreationsCurriculum Creations. It gives . It gives you ideas by subject matter or assistive technology type to try out. you ideas by subject matter or assistive technology type to try out.

• If you click science, you can download the program which will allow If you click science, you can download the program which will allow you to develop special adaptive overlays for keyboards, switches, you to develop special adaptive overlays for keyboards, switches, communication boards to use with students with disabilities that may communication boards to use with students with disabilities that may need a special keyboard set-up or who have assistive technology. need a special keyboard set-up or who have assistive technology.

• Project Participate also has a section called Project Participate also has a section called Inclusion StrategiesInclusion Strategies, , which states which states “Inclusion is more than physical presence in the “Inclusion is more than physical presence in the classroom. classroom.

Students learn when they actively participate in the Students learn when they actively participate in the academicacademic lessons and interact with others.  lessons and interact with others. 

Back to Table of Contents

Ability Hub: Assistive Ability Hub: Assistive Technology Solutions Technology Solutions

• Ability Hub, Ability Hub, http://http://www.abilityhub.comwww.abilityhub.com// is a website I chose is a website I chose to review because it will help give teachers and supporters to review because it will help give teachers and supporters ideas about assistive technology and introduce them to ways ideas about assistive technology and introduce them to ways they can enhance their classroom for students with disabilities. they can enhance their classroom for students with disabilities.

• Assistive Technology for people with a disability who find Assistive Technology for people with a disability who find operating a computer difficult, maybe even impossible. This operating a computer difficult, maybe even impossible. This web site will web site will direct you to adaptive equipment and alternative methods direct you to adaptive equipment and alternative methods available for accessing computers” available for accessing computers”

(Ability Hub, Retrieved 7/19/2007)(Ability Hub, Retrieved 7/19/2007)

Back to Table of Contents

ConclusionConclusion• There are several adaptations and accommodations that There are several adaptations and accommodations that

can be made to assist a student with a disability be can be made to assist a student with a disability be successful in a general education classroom.successful in a general education classroom.

• Adapting curriculum does not have to be technical, Adapting curriculum does not have to be technical, expensive, or high-tech. It could be but does not have to expensive, or high-tech. It could be but does not have to be for success. Teachers need to be creative, observe be for success. Teachers need to be creative, observe their students and figure out what will work best for that their students and figure out what will work best for that individual student.individual student.

• Teachers need to make adaptations and accommodations Teachers need to make adaptations and accommodations on an individual basis. What will work for one, does not on an individual basis. What will work for one, does not always work for another and may not work long term. always work for another and may not work long term. Adapting and accommodating your classroom and Adapting and accommodating your classroom and teaching is an ongoing process that will change over teaching is an ongoing process that will change over time. Teachers need to be flexible in this sense and do time. Teachers need to be flexible in this sense and do not give up. not give up.

Back to Table of ContentsClosing Remarks

AppendixAppendix

• Address Book (IAB)Address Book (IAB)• Research ExcerptsResearch Excerpts• Research ReportResearch Report

Back to Table of Contents