Joe, Director of Professional Services and Professional Development

Smart Technologies

important: effective use, therefore TRAINING USABILITY

giant touch screen, longing for touch and finger grease, can write with anything, head, elbow, finger

drivers come with the board, Teqsmart, program for SMART NOTEBOOK
Lessons are now digital, any accessibility adjustments can be done at any moment

translation, text to speech, writing can be converted into text, keyboard can be used and text dragged into screen, apparently... you can do anything with this thing

we need context, we need to learn to use effectively

all contact makes mark on board, one tool at a time, board is really strong... Joe punched it

boards will get larger and larger and become the chalk board, right now about $4000 per classroom for everything needed: screen, projector, programs

TURN IT ON so it is ready for action at any point in the day

can go back to previous pages, can use controller for class response , can program identities ie. for pre-assessment , teacher can get pie graph on response to group question

increased attendance in studied high schools which began using SMART BOARD

Jargon

W3C (world wide web consortium): about access and creating standards, since early 80s

Authoring Software

WebQuests: inquiry oriented lesson format in which most info comes from web, free, open source (ie. wikipedia, but not peer reviewed...therefore open to anyone's opinion)

Search Engines: a program that searches specific key words and provides a list of these (ie. google, yahoo)

Computer use in special ed check them out from black board

Assistive Technology to Enhance Communication ch. 4

Often times, the inability to speak is equated to the inability to think

Assistive Technology Providing a voice
augmentative communication system = alternative to speech for people who cannot talk
unaided, always available in any environment: sign language
aided, involving the used of something external: alphabet board
Necessary: 1. Training 2. Support 3. Practice
Assistive Technology for hearing impairment
smoke detector indicator, shaking alarm clocks, baby cry signaler, door beacon, strobe door chime, super phone ringer (see pg. 100)
cochlear implant
hearing aid
for lecture:
ALDs (assistive listening devices) - minimize background noise, reduces effects of bad acoustics, used in conjunction with hearing aids. types:
FM system: amplifies teacher voice, transmitter, student wears receiver and coupling device (headphones), teacher wears mic
Infrared system: need direct line of sight between transmitter and receiver, but better audio quality
Induction Loop system: electromagnetic waves for transmission, wire looped around perimeter, sounds picked up by mic, amplified, and transmitted to hearing aid
Soundfield Amplification System: broadcasts teachers voice through loudspeakers mounted on walls
internet resources
Autism and Communication
www.autismnetwork.org/modules/comm/aac/index.html
Perspectives of Augmentative Communication Users
www.anthonyarnold.net
www.aacinstitute.org/Resources.Prentkelecture/1997/GusEstrella.html
www.aacinstitute.org/Resources.Prentkelecture/2004RickCreech.html
Cochlear Implants
www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/coch.htm
Hearing Assistive Technology
www.soundbytes.com/Visual_Altering_Systems.html
Assistive Learning Devices
www.comtek.com/assistive_Listening.html
www.williamsound.com




Dell, A.G., Newton, D.A., & Petroff, J.G. (2008). Assistive technology in the classroom. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Merril Prentice Hall.

Assistive Technology to Support Writing ch. 2 Assistive Technology in the Classroom

writing = a complex problem solving activity iknvolving thinking, planning, decision making, and transcription
(Flower and Hayes)
cognitive process model emphasizes underlying thinking and 1. the task environment 2. the writer's long term memory 3. the writing process
steps
1. "planning" = prewriting before anything is put on paper, planning, generating ideas 70% of writing process
2. "translating" = drafting
3. "reviewing" = reread and evaluate
4. "editing" = revising drafts
after completed students share and publish

Problems for Students with Disabilities
avoidance
difficulty planning
spelling difficulties
physical problems with actual production of letters
handwriting
notetaking
Low-tech adaptations
pencil grip, purchased or made with clay
slanted board
raised or bold lines on paper to guide writing
rubber stamps
Tools for prewriting
graphic organizers
outlining software, DraftBuilder
www.ldresoucres.org
think sheets
templates to help with scaffolding ideas
http://www.inspiration.com/resources/index.cfm
Tools for Drafting
typewritter
word processing software: Microsoft Word
word prediction software: Word Q, Quillsoft
custom dictionaries, phonetic dictionary, Co: Writer, Auto correct, Auto Text by Microsoft Word
Speech Recognition Software: Dragon Naturally Speaking (Nuance), Speak Q by Quillsoft
only recommended for students who: 1. are computer savvy 2. have strong oral language skills and understand differences between spokena nd written language 3. individual and family recieve extensive training on tool 4. are highly motivated to make it work
Tools for Reviewing
talking word processing
text-to-speech = reads aloud whatever student writes, highlighting feature allows for reading an reevlauting what has been written
Tools for editing
spell-check
phonetic dictionary spell check
talking spell check
talking dictionary
thesaurus
grammar checkers
Note taking tools
laptop (battery life is a drawback)
portable word processor
portable note taker
ie. The Neo, The Dana, Alpha Word, Braille Note, QWERTY, SMART Board

TECHNOLOGY WILL ONLY BE SUCCESSFUL WHEN PARIED WITH GOOD TEACHING

Links:
Writing
www.readwritethink,org
graphic organizers
www.inspiration.com.resources/index.cfm
word processing
www.ldresources.org/?p=171
word prediction
www.donjohnston.com/products/cowriter/index.html
www.wordq.com
www.texthelp.com
speech recognition
www.nuance.com/naturallyspeaking/home/
www.wordq.com
www.macspeech.com
www.306.ibm.com/software/voice/viavoice
text-to-speech
www.readplease.com
www.nextup.com
www.wordq.com
www.texthelp.com
www.intellitools.com
www.donjohnston.com/products/write_aloud/index/html
www.microspft.com/education.atschool.mspx
Digital Storytelling
www.storycenter.org/index1.html
www.adobe.con/education/digkids/
www.coe.uh.edu/digital-storytelling
Portable Notetakers
www.alphasmart.com
www.humanware.com/products/notetakers/braillenoteqt.asp



Dell, A.G., Newton, D.A., & Petroff, J.G. (2008). Assistive technology in the classroom. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Merril Prentice Hall.

Snapshots on Second Life

This first picture is of Nixie and Peppercorn (that's me) trying to drive the amazing cars at TC island. Well, first, even sitting in the cars was difficult. The snapshot shows Nixie sitting on the car, rather than in. After all of the effort, we could not figure it out.




Another Avatar caught our virtual eyes, so we went to check him out. He was sleeping, so we whistled, laughed, and yelled to no avail.
However, through the process, I found out that I have a man voice, awesome.

Second Life tricks to remember

Tricks to remember:
Running Ctrl-R plus direction keys
Jump E or page up
Crouch C or page down
Sit right click on mouse

anyone within 30 meters can see what you say
shout button for 100 meters

/ silences your type sound

Assistive Technology Key Terms and Definitions + access to computers

Ch. 1
IDEA defines an assistive technology device as any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of a child with a disability.


IDEA defines an assistive technology service as any service that directly assists a child with a disability in the selection, acquisition, or use for an assistive technology device.

Technology is not enough. Students must have teachers who are on top of student's assistive technology and follow a curriculum which supports all need. (UDL)

Ch. 6

Flexibility Features on Computers

(all of the listed items can be accessed through the accessibility options icon in the control panel for the windows operating system or through universal access on Macs)

*sticky keys: allow students to press keys sequentially to execute a function

*slow keys: increase the amount of time a key must be pressed before registering keystrokes

*mouse keys: number pad can be used as arrow keys to replace the mouse

*soundsentry: can be used to generate a visual cue in place of a warning that would typically be auditory

*visual options: can be used to change the font size, type, and color as well as background color




Dell, A.G., Newton, D.A., & Petroff, J.G. (2008). Assistive technology in the classroom. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Merril Prentice Hall.

Universal Design for Learning notes to self

Key Points:
Flexibility in methods
Flexibility in materials
Flexibility in assessment
Flexibility in goals

respects that individuals have multiple intelligences
respects that individuals have multiple sensory receptors


- Figure 4.3 -Principles of the UDL Framework
Principle 1:
To support recognition learning, provide multiple, flexible methods of presentation
Principle 2:
To support strategic learning, provide multiple, flexible methods of expression and apprenticeship.
Principle 3:
To support affective learning, provide multiple, flexible options for engagement.
(Teaching Every Student in the Digital Age: Universal Design for Learning David H. Rose & Anne MeyerASCD, 2002)

Origins in Universal Design
-Architectural movement ensuring access to all...universal
-included curb-cuts, elevators, ramps, automatic doors

resources and products:
http://www.cast.org/products/index.html

My expectations

Well, I expect to learn more about assistive technology. I expect to learn ways to incorporate assistive technology into everyday classroom life other than making visual schedules. My knowledge of assistive technology and what is available is limited to Boardmaker and Writing with Symbols, two programs that essentially do the same thing, and I know there is more out there. I expect to find that in this course.

$1 assignment

I chose to share something which I have used before with early readers but could be extremely useful to any reader who finds a challenge in focusing on one of many lines of writing.

For $.10, I purchased a piece of cardstock from the print shop. I then cut a straight strip from the card stock the approximate depth and width of my chosen book's typed lines.

The sheet can be moved up or down to isolate any given line of text in the book.