Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Effective Assistive Technology: Details and Demonstration
Donna Mawhorter
Jennifer CourduffEtiwanda School
District
In the beginning…
IDEIA 2004 – Assistive technology must be discussed at every IEP meeting The discovery of a critical need for training
in basic technology skills for special teachers in the Etiwanda School District
Three minds, together, developing a training and support plan
The challenge Running up against a common mindset
“To be honest, special education is such a small group of teachers that their needs are less important in the grand scheme of things when you look at the needs of an entire district” (ouch…)
Reality of certain critical elements Training = empowerment = technology
integration Ongoing support = follow through Celebration of every single success, no matter
how small = willingness and courage try new things
The challenge2
Reality2 – training in large groups is the least effective method for real learning to occur What is needed is a mix of small group, one
on one, face-to-face, online, in a lab, on site, planned, spontaneous, training sessions
This is a research-based model Hall & Hord: Concerns Based Adoption Model
(CBAM) (2002) Wenger & Lave: Communities of Practice (1991) Gardner: Multiple Intelligences (2006)
Details: Tier One
We can do it! Effortless assistive technology in the classroom
Structured as face-to-face monthly meetings Needs assessment surveys given at the
beginning of the year Fusion Writers and headset microphones
provided as incentives Training rule of thumb:
10 minute direct instruction 15 minutes hands-on activity
Demonstration: Tier One Fusion training – one new skill introduced
in each session Speech to text in SEIS, E-Mail, MS Word –
3 sessions MS Word is cumbersome, better options are
WordQ and SpeakQ by Quillsoft Accessibility tools in MS Word – 2
sessions Using UnitedStreaming with Special
Needs students – 3 sessions Adding voice narration to
PowerPoint/PhotoStory3
Details: Tier Two
A Community of Learners: E-Portfolio Basics
Digital Cameras provided as incentives Hybrid model
Face-to-face every other month Ongoing, online collaboration using
Airset.com
Demonstration: Tier TwoOnline
Introduction to Airset.com: Airset is a free online resource that
follows a cloud computing model.Self pageGroup page(s)
Discussion page Calendar Files resource page Web resource page
Demonstration: Tier TwoFace-to-Face
E-Portfolio training Purpose of an E-Portfolio
An electronic growth journal – a way for learners to take ownership of specific goals, document and reflect on personal progress toward the goal
Created in PowerPoint or other presentation software
Can include pictures, videos, scanned documents, voice narration, graphs/charts…
Artifacts
Artifact cycle: Selection – academic, social, physical…. Collection – work, videos, pictures… Reflection – identify artifacts that show
growth and needs Projection – update goals based on
growth and needs Presentation – create presentation that
includes artifacts in ways that show progress toward goals
Training
Creating the initial PowerPoint Student/teacher created digital
presentations using PhotoStory3 MS Word for writing samples/daily
entries/reflective pieces Scanned documents Student/teacher narrations as
reflective pieces/progress toward goal Student-led conferences
Details: Tier Three
Developing a Community of Practitioners
Continue the hybrid model introduced in Tier Two
Continue developing skills in E-Portfolio development and technology programs
Training specifics will be based on survey results from Spring 2009
Supplemental Documents
Cover sheet Training schedules One page of references For a complete copy of the plan, e-mail
Jennifer Courduff at [email protected]
