Professional DevelopmentProfessional Development How Assistive Technology Can Help EducatorsHow Assistive Technology Can Help Educators

Chelsea SlocumChelsea Slocum

CEP 840CEP 840

March 15March 15thth, 2010 , 2010

Timeframe Timeframe

First half of day: speed day scheduleFirst half of day: speed day schedule Afternoon: Professional development Afternoon: Professional development

roughly 2.5-3 hour timeframe. roughly 2.5-3 hour timeframe. I would lead an assistive technology I would lead an assistive technology

workshop for all Social Studies and workshop for all Social Studies and English teachers in the 10-12 English teachers in the 10-12 building (roughly 50 personnel) building (roughly 50 personnel)

This would take place in the media This would take place in the media center. center.

Materials Needed Materials Needed

Access to computers. Teachers can Access to computers. Teachers can be paired if needed. be paired if needed.

Projector screenProjector screen Slides share and Slides share and

Teachertube/Youtube internet accessTeachertube/Youtube internet access Speaker system capability Speaker system capability

Make Up of Audience and School Make Up of Audience and School

Little to no background surrounding Little to no background surrounding assistive technology.assistive technology.

School consists of 40-50% at risk School consists of 40-50% at risk students. students.

Considered a “low income school” by Considered a “low income school” by the Department of Education. the Department of Education.

Both subject areas share one Both subject areas share one computer lab. computer lab.

What do we have? What do we have?

Access to variety of different copies, Access to variety of different copies, which and differ in size, color, and which and differ in size, color, and texture. texture.

One computer, printer, and projector One computer, printer, and projector with screen for every classroom. with screen for every classroom.

White boardWhite board DVD/VCR player DVD/VCR player

Outline for the rest of the Outline for the rest of the presentation presentation

Goals of the workshop. Goals of the workshop. What is Assistive Technology? What is Assistive Technology? Why is it important for educators?Why is it important for educators? What do we already possess? What do we already possess? Assistive Technology for reading. Assistive Technology for reading. Assistive technology for writing. Assistive technology for writing. Time to playTime to play Wrap Up and AssessmentWrap Up and Assessment

Goals Goals Make information more readily available to Make information more readily available to

students with learning disabilities and our students with learning disabilities and our increasing ELL population. increasing ELL population.

Increase our education tool kit to give all Increase our education tool kit to give all students the opportunity to succeed inside and students the opportunity to succeed inside and outside of the classroom. outside of the classroom.

Help educators realize the potential of already Help educators realize the potential of already existing technology in their classrooms existing technology in their classrooms

Give educators an arsenal of FREE assistive Give educators an arsenal of FREE assistive technology software for use in their subject technology software for use in their subject areas. areas.

Jefferson Parish Assistive Technology Jefferson Parish Assistive Technology

““Assistive technology is technology used by Assistive technology is technology used by individuals in order to perform functions that individuals in order to perform functions that might otherwise be difficult or impossible. might otherwise be difficult or impossible. Assistive technology can include mobility devices Assistive technology can include mobility devices such as walkers and wheelchairs, as well as such as walkers and wheelchairs, as well as hardware, software, and peripherals that assist hardware, software, and peripherals that assist people with disabilities in accessing computers or people with disabilities in accessing computers or other information technologies.” (See notes)other information technologies.” (See notes)

In My LanguageIn My Language

What is Assistive Technology? What is Assistive Technology?

Other examples of assistive Other examples of assistive technologytechnology

Telephones, Telephones, CalculatorsCalculators

Wheelchairs, Wheelchairs, Ramps, WalkersRamps, Walkers

Glasses, ContactsGlasses, Contacts Pulleys, wrenches, Pulleys, wrenches,

cartscarts Even Lighting!Even Lighting! Can you think of Can you think of

any others? any others?

What types of assistive technology What types of assistive technology are pictured here? are pictured here?

How about this one?How about this one?

Why is assistive technology Why is assistive technology important for education? important for education?

““Technology is a leveler.” (Notes) Technology is a leveler.” (Notes)

““When a school or a teacher denies technology When a school or a teacher denies technology to students, they are limiting success to the to students, they are limiting success to the few, the gifted, and the entitled.” (Notes)few, the gifted, and the entitled.” (Notes)

““Students with LD often experience greater Students with LD often experience greater success when they are allowed to use their success when they are allowed to use their abilitiesabilities (strengths) to work around their (strengths) to work around their disabilitiesdisabilities (challenges). AT tools combine the (challenges). AT tools combine the best of both of these practices.” (Notes) best of both of these practices.” (Notes)

How does assistive technology help How does assistive technology help students? students?

SupportSupport• Reading toolsReading tools• OrganizingOrganizing• Support for background informationSupport for background information• StudyingStudying• Scaffolding Scaffolding

CompensateCompensate• Bypass reading & writingBypass reading & writing

MotivateMotivate

What do we already possess? What do we already possess? Can you think of any assistive Can you think of any assistive

technologies we already use in the technologies we already use in the classroom? Let’s make a list. How do classroom? Let’s make a list. How do you use them? you use them?

Example: The zoom button on the Example: The zoom button on the projector remote allows me to make projector remote allows me to make the text bigger on the screen for the text bigger on the screen for those who need that those who need that accommodation. accommodation.

The Internet! Teachertube, Youtube, The Internet! Teachertube, Youtube, etc. etc.

Assistive Technology for ReadingAssistive Technology for Reading

Predominately uses voice technology Predominately uses voice technology along with written words. along with written words.

Changing the size or shape of the Changing the size or shape of the words. words.

Using colored paper or highlighted Using colored paper or highlighted words. words.

Following slides show some different Following slides show some different formats for AT Reading. formats for AT Reading.

Optical Character Recognition Optical Character Recognition Written words are Written words are

scanned and scanned and processed by the processed by the computercomputer

The computer The computer recognizes the words recognizes the words and reads them aloud and reads them aloud to the studentto the student

The student reads The student reads along using the along using the written words on the written words on the screen.screen.

Screen Readers and Audio BooksScreen Readers and Audio Books Screen ReadersScreen Readers

• This program reads information that is on the This program reads information that is on the screen. Students are able to type in words, use screen. Students are able to type in words, use scanned words or words that are pulled up on scanned words or words that are pulled up on the computer screen. The screen reader will the computer screen. The screen reader will read each of these formats. This can be read each of these formats. This can be beneficial to those who have difficulties beneficial to those who have difficulties reading and writing.reading and writing.

Audio books, not just for fun! Audio books, not just for fun! • Can be used with cassette, CD, mp3, or other Can be used with cassette, CD, mp3, or other

electronic device. Imagine a student listening electronic device. Imagine a student listening to a book on tape using his/her I touch to a book on tape using his/her I touch following along with the rest of the class. following along with the rest of the class.

Examples of AT Resources for ReadingExamples of AT Resources for Reading Literacy Access Online: Literacy Access Online: http://http://

www.literacyaccessonline.comwww.literacyaccessonline.com//. This site . This site provides stories and reading activities provides stories and reading activities designed to help children with reading designed to help children with reading difficulties, their parents, and their difficulties, their parents, and their teachers.teachers.

Adobe Acrobat Reader with Speech (v. 9.x Adobe Acrobat Reader with Speech (v. 9.x or 8.x): or 8.x): http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/rehttp://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html adstep2.html

Virtual Screen Magnifier Virtual Screen Magnifier http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_Magnifhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_Magnifying_Glassying_Glass

More….More….http://www.awesomehighlighter.com/http://www.awesomehighlighter.com/

Natural Reader, Free Version Natural Reader, Free Version http://www.naturalreaders.com/ http://www.naturalreaders.com/

http://www.ghotit.com/home.shtml http://www.ghotit.com/home.shtml (For ELL students) (For ELL students)

http://www.wordtalk.org.uk/http://www.wordtalk.org.uk/Free text-to-speech plugin that works with Free text-to-speech plugin that works with

all versions of Microsoft Word (from Word all versions of Microsoft Word (from Word 97 and up). It speaks and highlights the 97 and up). It speaks and highlights the text of the document when it is used. text of the document when it is used.

Assistive Technology for WritingAssistive Technology for Writing

Student’s who struggle with writing Student’s who struggle with writing may exhibit the following problems:may exhibit the following problems:• generating ideas, organizing ideas, generating ideas, organizing ideas,

finding the right words to convey ideas, finding the right words to convey ideas, using correct grammar, punctuation, using correct grammar, punctuation, and spelling, and handwriting. and spelling, and handwriting.

Assistive Technology Writing ToolsAssistive Technology Writing Tools GeneralGeneral

• Resources used to help students with minor Resources used to help students with minor disabilities (language production problems, disabilities (language production problems, difficulties transferring thoughts to paper, difficulties transferring thoughts to paper, poor spelling, illegible handwriting, etc) poor spelling, illegible handwriting, etc)

• These tools would apply to the majority of These tools would apply to the majority of students with disabilities in a general students with disabilities in a general education classroom. education classroom.

• Example of general technology writing tools.Example of general technology writing tools.

Specific Specific Tools for physical and sensory Tools for physical and sensory

disabilitiesdisabilities• larger keyboard that allows a person larger keyboard that allows a person

with movement disabilities to type, to a with movement disabilities to type, to a computer-generated voice (called computer-generated voice (called synthesized speech, or text-to-speech, synthesized speech, or text-to-speech, TTS) to read back what was written for TTS) to read back what was written for an individual who cannot see the screen, an individual who cannot see the screen, etc etc

Specific Writing Tools Continued..Specific Writing Tools Continued..

Tools to create and review text Tools to create and review text • Word prediction or speech recognition Word prediction or speech recognition

software to create text.software to create text.• Text to speech software to read back Text to speech software to read back

what was written and help in revising what was written and help in revising sentences etc. sentences etc.

Examples of AT Resources for WritingExamples of AT Resources for Writing CMU SphinxCMU Sphinx

• http://cmusphinx.sourceforge.net/http://http://cmusphinx.sourceforge.net/http://cmusphinx.sourceforge.net/cmusphinx.sourceforge.net/

Yak it To MEYak it To ME• http://www.yakitome.com/cgi-bin/input.pyhttp://www.yakitome.com/cgi-bin/input.py

Spoken TextSpoken Text• http://www.spokentext.net/http://www.spokentext.net/

AudacityAudacity• http://audacity.sourceforge.net/http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

Click SpeakClick Speak• http://clickspeak.clcworld.net/downloads.htmlhttp://clickspeak.clcworld.net/downloads.html

Slide ShareSlide Share

Working with a partner, take the next Working with a partner, take the next 30 minutes to use Slide Share and 30 minutes to use Slide Share and access this PowerPoint online. access this PowerPoint online.

Take some time to click through the Take some time to click through the links posted and see what you think. links posted and see what you think. This is your time to explore. This is your time to explore.

Wrap Up and AssessmentWrap Up and Assessment Combine partnerships into group of four. Combine partnerships into group of four. You will receive four different student You will receive four different student

profiles on a sheet of paper. profiles on a sheet of paper. Read each profile together and list what Read each profile together and list what

types (if any) assistive technology could types (if any) assistive technology could be used to make that student more be used to make that student more successful in class. successful in class.

Group discussion and closure. Group discussion and closure. Video: A vision of students todayVideo: A vision of students today