Transcript AT Tools for Reading & Writing

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New Special Education Teacher
Webinar Series
• Series of 3 webinars
– November 19, 2014: Overview of Assistive Technology
– December 9, 2014: Assistive Technology Tools for ELA
– January 14, 2015: Assistive Technology Tools for Math
• 1 hour of CLU credit for each webinar attended
A Brief Look into
Assistive Technology
AT Tools for Reading, Writing and Math
Created by South River AT Center Facilitators
Sharon Edwards & Kristie Stapler
Hosted by
Considerations
• This webinar is being recorded and will be available for
viewing at www.laspdg.org under
Inclusive Practices
Webinars
2014-2015
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People First
Language
“People First Language puts the person before the disability and describes
what a person has, not who a person is.”
Kathie Snow. (n.d.) A few words about People First Language. Disability is Natural. Retrieved
August 1, 2012 from http://www.disabilityisnatural.com/images/PDF/pfl-sh09.pdf
Louisiana Assistive Technology
Initiative (LATI)
Louisiana Assistive Technology Initiative Regional Centers provide the following FREE services.
•
Professional Development - LATI provides in-depth training on specific areas of AT are designed for
newcomers as well as experienced professionals looking to expand their perspective of AT.
•
AT Assessment Assistance - LATI assists the school systems’ staff in conducting AT assessments through
job-embedded coaching and training.
•
Consultations - LATI provides consultative services to address AT issues on individual students or address
general classroom AT needs.
•
Technical Assistance - LATI provides technical assistance to school systems to address difficulties with AT
devices, hardware, and software.
•
Short-Term Equipment Loans - LATI provides a FREE short-term loan program to assist school systems in
conducting AT assessments and/or recommending assistive technology for students.
Assistive Technology Device
• An assistive technology device is any item, piece of
equipment, or product system, acquired commercially off the
shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to increase,
maintain or improve functional capabilities of individuals with
disabilities.
• Assistive Technology encompasses a broad range of devices
from very simple (low tech) to very sophisticated (high tech).
(IDEA, 20 U.S.C. Chapter 33, Sect. 1401)
Consideration
The IEP team shall…….
• Consider whether the child requires assistive technology
devices and services…..
IDEA ’97 300.346 (a)(2)(v)
• Consideration should be given for every student with a
disability who is eligible for an IEP…..
Bulletin 1508
AT Fosters Inclusion
• AT helps students who have disabilities learn the
material in a way that they can understand it
• AT helps eliminate barriers students may face that
prevent them from being at the same level as their
classmates
• AT must be used everyday so the student can
become a proficient user
AT Needs May Change
• As a student’s schoolwork gets more advanced, their
technology needs may change or increase
• New technology may become available that will
better meet the needs of the student
• As a student’s disability may change so must the
technology to meet their needs
Compensatory vs Remedial Approaches
• A compensatory approach might be when a student
listens to a digital version of the book for English
class to answer questions about it, with the goal of
bypassing a reading problem, not of learning how to
read.
• A remedial approach would be if the student listens
to the book or has a computer reading a scanned or
digital version of the book while following along with
the text and trying to learn unfamiliar words
designed to improve areas of deficiency.
Compensatory vs Remedial Approaches
• Using only the remedial approach can lead to
burnout.
• Discouraged students benefit more from immediate
solutions to particular problems.
o For example, it may be best to give up the goal of learning to spell, in
favor of using a “spell check,” so that a student can focus on getting
thoughts on paper and not mechanical details that can become
overwhelming barriers to self-expression.
What to do
BEFORE
choosing a Tool?
SETT Framework
• The SETT Framework is an organizational tool to help teams
create systems that foster the educational success of
students with disabilities.
• In order to develop an appropriate system of assistive
technology devices and services, teams must first gather
information about the STUDENT, the customary
ENVIRONMENT, and TASKS that are required for the
students to be successful active participants.
SETT Framework
• Student

What is the functional area(s) of concern? What does the student need to be
able to do that is difficult or impossible to do independently at this time?


Special needs
Current abilities
• Environment

Arrangement, Support, Materials and Equipment, Access Issues, Attitudes
and Expectations.
• Tasks


What SPECIFIC tasks occur in the student’s natural environments that
enables progress toward mastery of IEP goals and objectives?
What SPECIFIC tasks are required for active involvement in identified
environments? (related to communication, instruction, participation, productivity,
environmental control)
Types of Reading Difficulties
• Struggling readers often have difficulty in one or more
of the following areas:
o Phonemic awareness - ability to focus on and manipulate
phonemes in spoken words.
o Phonics - ability to associate sounds with letters and use these
sounds to form words.
o Vocabulary - identifying the meanings of words
and using those words appropriately within
context.
o Comprehension - complex cognitive process
involving the intentional interaction between
reader and text to convey meaning.
o Fluency - Fluency is the effortless, automatic
ability to read words in connected text.
Types of Writing Difficulties
Struggling writers often have difficulty in one or more
of the following areas:
o Handwriting
o Writing process
o Conventions of writing
To provide appropriate supports, we must
determine the types of difficulties the student is
experiencing
Success in Math
Students need to be able to:
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Read
Write
Draw
Compute
Compare
Measure
Problem solve
Understand time
Types of Math Difficulties
• Persons experiencing difficulty with math may have problems
in one or more of the following areas:
o Calculation
o Visual-spatial skills
o Organization
o Problem Solving
• To provide appropriate supports, we must determine the
types of difficulties the student is experiencing.
Now We Can Look at the Tools
Tools include devices, services, and strategies…
• Analyze the information gathered on the Student, Environment, and the
Tasks:
o Is it expected that the student will not be able to make reasonable progress towards
educational goals with out AT devices and services?
o If yes, describe what a useful system of AT devices and services for the student would be
like.
o Brainstorm Tools that could be included in a system that addresses student needs.
o Select the most promising Tools for trials in the natural environments.
o Plan the specifics of the trial (expected changes, when/how tools will be used, cues, etc.)
o Collect data on effectiveness.
AT Tools for Reading
• Page Up
• Page Fluffers
• Reading Filters
• Word Identification Aids
• Bookshare - www.bookshare.org
• Word Talk - www.wordtalk.org.uk
• PowerTalk - www.oatsoft.org
• SymWriter - www.widgit.com
• Kurzweil
AT Tools for Writing
• Slant Board with Dry Erase
• Letter Tiles
• Specialized Pens / Pencils
• Special Paper
• Voice Recorder
• Live Scribe
• Co:Writer
• Speech Recognition
AT Tools for Math
• Manipulatives
• Reference/Study Guides
• Step Pad
• Calculators
• Adapted Rulers
• Math Processing Software
• National Library of Virtual Manipulatives
http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/
Determining The Optimal Tool(s)
•
Student abilities and needs
•
Required tasks / job
•
Available supports
Benefits of AT
• Productivity
• Independence
• Achievement
Things to Remember
• Technology is no substitute for good
instruction
• Technology should be used in conjunction with
other available supports
• Technology used should be monitored and
changes made as needed
South River AT Center
Sharon Edwards
[email protected]
Kristie Stapler
[email protected]
611 North Burnside Avenue
Gonzales, LA 70737
(225) 391-7278 or 7279
www.lati3.com
Hours of Operation: 7:30 – 3:00 M-F
Building Capacity
• When you leave today, what will you do
with this information?
• How will you share it with others in your
district?
• When will you share it? (Timeline)
To learn more about the Louisiana State
Personnel Development Grant, visit
www.laspdg.org
Access to
free
resources,
webinars,
and other
valuable
information
REMINDER: CLU Credit
• If you have not already done so…..
• In order to receive a certificate of
participation for today’s webinar (1 CLU credit
contingent upon the approval of your
employing school system) you will need to
type the following information into the chat
pod at this time:
– First and last name (if you did not specify
this when you logged into the webinar)
– Parish you are representing
– Your complete email address
• Your certificate will be emailed to you within
1 week; if you do not receive it, please email
Wendy Allen [email protected]
Join us for the rest of the series!
– December 9, 2014: Assistive Technology Tools for ELA
– January 14, 2015: Assistive Technology Tools for Math
• 1 hour of CLU credit for each webinar attended
Questions & Answers
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The contents of this PowerPoint presentation were developed under a grant from the US Department of
Education, #H323A110003. However those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the US
Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.