Effective Assistive Technology: Details and Demonstration Donna Mawhorter Jennifer Courduff Etiwanda 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

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

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 challenge 2 Reality 2 – 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)

Reality 2 – 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

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

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

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 Two Online Introduction to Airset.com : Airset is a free online resource that follows a cloud computing model. Self page Group page(s) Discussion page Calendar Files resource page Web resource page

Introduction to Airset.com :

Airset is a free online resource that follows a cloud computing model.

Self page

Group page(s)

Discussion page

Calendar

Files resource page

Web resource page

Demonstration: Tier Two Face-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…

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

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

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

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_address]

Cover sheet

Training schedules

One page of references

For a complete copy of the plan, e-mail Jennifer Courduff at [email_address]

Questions? Contact information: Donna Mawhorter [email_address] Jennifer Courduff [email_address]

Contact information:

Donna Mawhorter

[email_address]

Jennifer Courduff

[email_address]