Final Post!

WoW! What a great couple of weeks this has been!

I have been very impressed with all of the material we have looked at in relation to assistive technology. My opinions and thoughts have certainly changed over the past two weeks. I was amazed to learn about how difficult and how many processes actually go into reading and writing. It gives me a new appreciation for the task and I believe will help me be more patient and understanding with students who are struggling. It has been great to see so many different applications that are available to assist students in this area of student. As a consultant for the board, I often hear from teachers who have students struggling in these areas and are looking for ideas to help. I now feel that I can at least point them in a few directions that I was unable to do in the past. I by no means feel I am an expert in the field but am now more comfortable addressing the issue and working with teachers to find solutions.

Teaching is a difficult task and must be approached in a variety of different ways. The use of assistive technology helps teachers differentiate their teacher and provide students with the means to achieve their goals. Assistive technology helps students reach a level playing field and provides them with the independence they need to thrive and succeed in school.

I am very glad that I decided to take this course as an end to my masters. I felt that many of the courses I have taken have had central themes that overlap and began to become redundant. This course provided me with information, methods, and ideas that are new to me and useful in my career. Finishing with this course reminded me of why I enrolled in a masters degree in the first place, to help the students.

Thank you Barb for this wonderful experience!

Wednesday July 16th

Today we looked at the writing process online through blackboard collaborate. I have done meetings online before so was aware of how this process would go. I don't mind online meetings and I can certainly see the advantage of having one but still think that face-to-face is much better.

In terms of the writing process.....wow. When we looked at the reading process I was amazed as to how much actually goes into it. I am blown away by how much more in depth the writing process is in comparison. Looking at all of the processes and skills that are required to work together in order for an individual to write makes it so much more clear as to why it can be a problem.

After looking at the process itself we then looked at forms of assistive technology that exists. I find it interesting to look at the low tech forms of assistive technology as many people do not usually think of them as being "assistive technology". In a previous blog post, I shared some images of low tech as well as some higher tech assistive technologies. 

I was also very interested in the fact that posture can have such a great effect on the writing process. This was not something that I really thought about. When it comes to typing, I do know that posture affects your ability to do so but never connected that back to writing by hand. 

We finished the day by talking about a few apps that we will experiment with tomorrow. 

I liked the idea of cowriter and its ability to predict words that will be used. I would like to investigate this app further on my own to gain a better understanding of its capabilities. 

UDL & AT

Universal design for learning and assistive technology go hand in hand. The article describes universal design as "a process for designing general products or structures in such a way as to reduce barriers for any individual and to increase opportunities for the widest possible range of users." It is important to realize that UDL takes place in the planning process and is not done after the fact. Assistive technology on the other hand can be incorporated into the planning stage but can also be added into the mix at any time. Assistive technology takes over when UDL begins to fall short for some students.

As you can see from the diagram used in the article, there certainly is an overlap between the two systems but UDL is from the beginning. UDL is a process in which assistive technology can be used to help progress.

The following video explains UDL in detail. It really shows that UDL is an approach to education to challenge a variety of diverse learners with or without disabilities. UDL can certainly incorporate assistive technology to to do but is definitely a separate concept.

Take The Pencil Out Of The Process/ AT and Writing / Dysgraphia

The idea that modifications should be made in a classroom so that all students have equal access to learning seems to make sense to me. Clearly this is not the case in general. The fact that this article exists proves just that. I don't understand why students would not be given the assistive technology to perform a task that otherwise cannot be pro formed. To me this brings up the question of what are we really teaching and why are we doing it. Are we teaching students that the writing process must be learned/completed at some point using a pencil? Why? If education is preparing students for the real world then why would we place this stipulation in the process?

Is there really a difference in this picture? Does the use of the tools on the left make you more proficient in literacy? Why do we treat our students as if it does?

The second article discusses the use of assistive technology in writing. The article mentions that there are different degrees of AT to use in the writing process depending on student need. Low tech solutions modify the writing process by making the traditional methods more accessible.

Mid to high tech solutions incorporate the keyboard and computer assistive technology to aid the student through the process.

The point to me is that the technology exists and has been created to aid students in the literacy process and not take over the process for them. Students will still learn the importance of literacy and obtain the skills required to progress through the process.....in their own way.

The final paper discusses dysgraphia and some interventions that can be taken. The basis of the article is that writing disorders exist and assistive technology has been developed to help combat the problems. It is our job as educators to show our students that options do exist and that they are capable of being successful. They just need to find their own way of doing things.

Monday July 14th

Today we looked deeper at some of the apps discussed in Friday's webinar. It was great to see the apps being used first hand and get a chance to play with them ourselves. Readiris was my favourite in conjunction with ClaroPDF. Together these two apps open up so many doors for students with a variety of learning difficulties. They allow students to become more independent, gain a better understanding of their work, and improve their self esteem. To me that is a win-win-win.

We finished the class by beginning to look at our iTunes U course. It seems like there is going to be a lot of work but it will be great to investigate some more of the great apps that are out there for literacy.

iPads As Instructional Tools

This action research project further supports the idea that iPads, when used correctly, can greatly improve the learning environment for students in the classroom. The article points out that one of the biggest problems with iPads in the classroom is teacher's reluctancy to use them. The article goes on to suggest that teachers need PD based around the iPad and time to "play" with them before the students have access. I completely agree with these points. All too often in our educational system, new initiatives are rolled out but teachers are not given the time nor proper PD to truly appreciate what they are being given. This is what has been happening with the iPad. I know of one school in my school board in which every teacher was given an iPad this year. I have heard many of them complain about the waste of money as they have no idea what they will or can do with an iPad. The problem here is that they were given the iPads and no further instruction. The teachers want to help the students the best way they can but do not understand how this technology can aid in that goal. Professional development is needed in order for tho initiative to be successful.

The article points out a lot of positives that can come from using the iPad with students. The key is to find and use apps that will assist a student overcome their difficulties. For a teacher, this again comes with PD.

Here is a great video that I came across presented from the point of view of a teacher.

Friday July 11th

Executive Functioning

Driven by frontal lobe

Responsible for behavioral regulation and time management

Set of processes

Stop and think, look at choices and decide on one, then act

Self awareness, self evaluation are EF processes

Impact

Deficiencies in Frontal lobe functions are evident in every psychiatric disorder (ADHD, ODD, ASD for example)

Students demonstrate knowledge used executive functions – this is where a deficiency can cause a big problem

Students are inconsistent with their performance

EF is woven into every process in the act of reading, writing, and math

APPS

Tools4Students – pre made graphic organizers to use on the iPad

Reminders – create reminders on any calendar date and choose when to be reminded by a sound on the iPad

Take A Chill – helps to reduce stress and get you grounded before you begin a task – need good reading ability to use the app

Let Panic Go – Good reading ability and working memory needed – helps calm down students by providing calming activities

Sound curtain – helps to sustain attention – adjusts sound depending on ambient noise – use with headphones – app tries to mask ambient sound

iBooks – regular books and interactive books and activities (enhanced textbooks)

Visual Timer –

StudentLife Organizer – calendar to schedule list of events etc, can also add courses and group things in each course (homework etc)

iRewards – set to one child or use for multiple – keep track of reward points and use to cash in for rewards chosen from a list you create

pictello – mobile powerpoint – create a story using pictures, videos, etc

Sosh – shredder – type negative thoughts etc and sent them through the shredder

Inspiration – graphic organizer

Worksystem – visual schedule

Sock puppets- create a story using puppets

ReadIris – document scanner – scans documents and converts them to editable files

vBookz PDF Voice Reader – As it sounds (reads PDF files)

prizmo – take a picture of a document, whiteboard, etc , converts the document to text to read aloud or edit

Puffin – allows access to flash applications (web browser)

Qwiki – search for information and have it read aloud with visuals etc

Learning From text

The first quote that stood out to me from this text was "How much failure data is needed document the fact that a student can't do a given task?". I immediately relate this question to the one raised in class today about when to implement AT. I think this is a difficult question to answer in some aspects but easy in others. My immediate reaction is if a student shows failure, immediate action should be taken. We should look at finding the root of the problem and aiding the student the best we can. When these simple methods don't work, look at the use of assistive technology for answers.

I liked the fact that the author mentioned that we should change context when looking at compensating with assistive technology. The author makes specific mention to the fact that we consider looking up answers on the internet to be cheating but an employer would value an individual's ability to find necessary information.

I also found it interesting that the article shows the majority of etchers will jump to compensation as a fix to a problem instead of trying all of the potential remediation. This certainly makes me wonder why we wait until the problem progresses before we introduce assistive technology into the picture.

I thought the table of modifications was also interesting but could probably be updated significantly as assitive technology has certainly progressed in the past few years. 

I think the big take away for me is the fact that all students have a different approach to learning and reading. When a student struggles, we must find a strategy that suits the individual student's needs instead of grouping them into a section of a chart. Assistive technology allows us to do this if we are willing to put in the time and effort to support the individual student's learning. 

Thursday july 10th

I really thought going through the reading process was interesting. I never really considered how intricate the process actually is as I guess I have always taken the fact that I can read for granted. Looking at all of the processes that are involved makes it pretty clear why so many people have trouble with the process. The key thing I took away was that an issue with something that may not seem totally related could be the cause of a reading issue. Each problem must be assessed and treated differently depending on what part of the process is being affected.

Looking at the apps developed to aid students with reading was great. There seems to be so many wonderful applications out there that are designed to help in so many ways. These apps are relatively inexpensive and help to make the learning experience fun. If we can get students engaged while treating the problem they are having then it is a win/win situation. I really look forward to working on our second assignment and investigating some of these apps myself.

Process Of Reading Task Analysis

I used an online flow chart to organize my thought on the reading process. I then took a screen shot of the flow chart to include in my blog.

Myth Of Average Takeaways

Here are my notes from the video today.

Video – The Myth of Average – Todd Rose

What good is the best technology if you can’t reach – 1:40

Design one cockpit to fit the most by designing to fit the “average pilot”

Study of 4000 pilots and measured on 10 dominions of size. How many are average on all 10 dimensions? 0 – no such thing as an average pilot

Found every pilot had a jagged size profile – no one is the same on every dimension

Designing on average is really designing for no one – air force banned the average – refused to buy jets where the cockpit was designed for the average and asked for them to be designed to fit the edges of the profile (build a flexible cockpit)

Air force improved performance of current pilots and expanded the talent pool. Many of the best today would never fit in the average cockpit.

In school –

Spending more money but getting less results

Dropout rate – 6:40

Our learning environment is designed for the average person – age appropriate

Students vary on many dimensions of learning – just like size every student has a jagged learning profile

If you design the learning environment on average it is designed for no one – they can’t possible nurture individual potential

The average huts everyone – even the best and brightest – destroys talent and potential

Average does not allow for challenge, students get board, and many drop out

Average means your weakness makes it hard to see your talent

Talent in science is masked by weakness in reading

Technology changes and we can do more but do not realize it – that is where we are today

Education has gone digital – US school are one of the largest buyers of iPads in the world

The question is what do you want the technology to be.

We have a change to create flexible learning environments to nourished the talents of every individual using technology using simple solutions (inexpensive)

Simple solutions have big impacts on the lives of individuals

New digital science lesion was not fancy but did not assume each student was at the same level

Teacher hates technology but is willing to go through the study in the hopes that it would help one child in the class

Improved performance using technology

The weakest science student became the strongest science student by the end of the study 14:10

Nurturing individual potential is what it is all about

Simple solutions can have a profound impact on individuals

What if we ban the average and demand the companies that provide resources design them for the edges instead of the averages.

Many students cannot be reached because we design to the average

Presenter is a high school drop out that is now faculty at Harvard – living example

3 key takeaways – put in an app, post to blog

· 

What is my adjustable seat?

I guess for me my adjustable seat would be the Options and Opportunities program that I coordinate. This program is designed for all types of learners and embraces their needs. It provides students with an experiential type of learning in which they not only research careers in which they have interest but they also get to go out and do placements in this field of work. This allows for students to experience different types of work until they really hzne in on what they are truly passionate about. 

Wednesday July 9th

I felt that the app smash presentation done today were a great display of the use of several different educational application. Each group provided more insight into the use of these apps while putting their own spin onto its use. Several groups used the same applications multiple times. I thought that this was great as it gave us a chance to not only see the app being used but to see it being used in different situations and ways. This provided me with more insight as to the capabilities of several of the applications. I think my personal favourite is tellagami. As I mentioned in a previous blog, I can see the appeal for students and how this app could really aid in a nervous student's presentation.

Presentation Notes: (ignore some spelling as this was taken quick)

Ashley & Ainsley

theme – curly hair

imovie for introduction trailer

index

sock puppets to explain presumed competency 

convergency of technology – hair curling products

UDL – telegami to accommodate many types of curly hair

Disruptive technology – tooncamera………again curling products

Ends with key term wordle

Shauna & Liz

Intro pic collage

Video scribe to introduce assistive technology – “super” video

Used an ipad to record a youtube video then placed in the presentation

Disruptive technology – typed in book creator, added image and sound

UDL – video created in imove – pen and paper vs technology

Created a wordle for UDL

Tech conv – image college

Presumed com – telegami

Mar & Darah

Assistive technology - Strip design includes definition and two images

Used a video of another screen playing a video to describe assistive tech

Conv of tech – teligami to describe

Wordle (wordcloud app) for terms

Video to show images converging (using videoscribe)

Presumed comp. – word poetry

Video of kindergarden cop

Image incorporated into tooncamera – cat looking in mirror – lion

Video – believe in your students

Strip design

Disrupt tech – intro by piccollage

Wordpoto

Video using tooncamera

UDL – telegami to introduce

Stripdesign

Greg & Kate

Stripdesign for intro

Ass tech – cloudart for intro

Telegami to describe

Conv tech – wordpoto

Piccollage and recorded voice

Presumed comp – imove & kidart

Video of garbage cans – no labels pop down top and ta da! Labels

Disrupt tech – image and sound clip

UDL – video clips – imove before and after

Janet & Lindsay

Video for introduction – boat load of apps – tooncamera – dubbed over in imovie

Conv of tech – def with voice over

Video using imovie – trailer

Presumed com – tellagami

UDL – wordcloud with voice over

Kidsperation – wordmap with voice over

Assistive tech – stripdesign with voice over

Disrupt tech – picplaypost images with voice over

Eleanor & Simon

-exploration of apps

-garage band intro

-technology as stimulation vs old school pen and paper

- iTrailer

- wires and connections

-“popplet”- better for high school “less juvenile looking” – doesn’t have word “kid” in it

-stephen hawking video “everybody technology”

-tools to communicate efficiently

-“prolo quo” – augmentive communication tool for non verbal

- take course “assistive tech for learning and leisure”

-voice command for apps

- doodle buddy

Ashley F & Natalie

Intro video

Assistive tech – tellagami

Presumed comp – wordart

Explain everything app – records what is on your iPad screen

Conv of tech – union to put photo over photo with voice over

Disrupt tech – stripdesign into picplaypost

UDL – educreations – import images, draw, record sound while you are drawing

Candice & Meaghan

Telligami – introduction

Assistive tech – piccollage with voice over for definition

Video to talk about assistive tech

UDL – used colorsplash on image to showcase color on the learning part….

Presumed comp – tooncamera on the image

Video from youtube

Telligami to produce quote from a blog about their autistic child

Conv of tech – kidsperation for def

Disruptive tech – image taken in and then used video from youtube cut down using imovie

Christie

Intro video using kidspiration

Presumed comp – stripdesign – prof. Douglas Biklen – advocate

UDL – stripdesign with voice over

Converge tech – kidspiration image with voice over

Assistive tech – cloud art image

Telligami put into picplaypost with other images

Disruptive tech – intro video and image