 Participants will leave knowing how to determine if Kurzweil is appropriate for your students.  Participants will begin the discussion of how to balance the integration of software into the classroom while still providing instruction to all students.  Participants will learn ideas and strategies for implementing Kurzweil into their classroom for their struggling readers.  Participants will learn how Kurzweil can increase student independence within their classrooms.

 Answer the following questions for your special education students….  Does the student have a reading goal?  If the student does have a reading goal, will the student still be below grade level if the current reading goal is achieved?  Does the student understand grade-level reading materials when it is read to him/her at a significantly higher level than when he/she reads it independently?  Does the student have accommodations listed in their IEP that require an adult reader at specific times (e.g. testing, worksheets, chapter books, etc.)?  Students may read near grade level. HOWEVER, the time required for use of the text is substantially longer than same-grade peers to the extent that it may interfere with access and engagement with core-related materials.  Is text-to-speech software listed on page F of the student’s IEP? While considering your students: If you answer ‘yes’ to two or more of these questions than it is recommended to have the student complete the uPAR assessment to gain knowledge on their optimal reading conditions.

 Screening tool used to determine a student’s optimal reading method  Reading material is offered through  Student read aloud  Adult Reader  Text-reader  Optimal reading methods are determined through the student’s ability to answer related comprehension questions

 Does the student understand grade level curriculum when they read or listen to it?  Which accommodation do students preform better with; reading to self, adult reader, and/or text-to-speech?  What is the best way to get students to be as independent as possible in gaining access to grade level curriculum?

 Analysis: (1) Student does not independently read at their benchmark level of 4.0 (2) Student is able to listen to an adult read materials, and comprehend, at the 6 th grade level (3) Student is able to listen to and comprehend with a text reader (with highlighting of text) at their grade level. Note….Within the uPAR, 75% is considered to be proficient.

 This means that when reading aloud to the student in this report, materials need to be adjusted to a 6th grade level to ensure comprehension of the subject.  However, if materials are provided via a text reader, the student will be independent with accessing and comprehending grade level materials.

When considering Kurzweil for students, our first question should always be: Does the text reader help the student listen and comprehend grade level materials? In the student example provided, the results indicate that they do indeed comprehend grade level materials with the text reader. So now what??? 1)Information about grade level materials (textbooks, novels, supplemental materials such as handouts, quizzes, and tests) would be gathered. 2)The student and teacher would be set up with a Kurzweil account. 3)The student would begin a trial with Kurzweil with support from the school based team. 4)After the completion of the trial the school based team, along with the assistive technology specialist, would analyze the data (number of times student has logged on, number of files student has accessed, reports from teachers and student about usage) to determine if Kurzweil should be added to the student’s IEP or 504 Plan.

 Accommodate a broad range of physical, language, and learning challenges such as dyslexia and dysgraphiadyslexiadysgraphia  Support inclusion in the classroom  Integrate English language learning and incorporate sheltered instructionEnglish language learning  a set of teaching strategies that lower the linguistic demand of the lesson without compromising the integrity of the subject matter.  Differentiate instruction without differentiating curriculum  Promote independent reading, writing, and learning  Teach and support effective research, study skills, and writing strategies  Manage anytime, anywhere access to content and tools  Track usage to inform instructional decisions  Provide test taking accommodationstest taking accommodations

 Videos to help us brainstorm ideas on how to integrate Kurzweil into the classroom:  elementary.html elementary.html  ue&width=700&height=450 ue&width=700&height=450  Turn to your neighbor(s) and discuss what you saw in the videos and brainstorm ideas on how you could integrate Kurzweil into your classroom.  Whole group discussion

 Balancing the integration of the software and still provide instruction:  How to incorporate Kurzweil into the classroom to support struggling readers:  How to increase student independence: 10 minutes

 Kurzweil is a powerful tool that allows students to independently access to their grade level materials across all classes.  Integration of the Kurzweil software will take patience, time, and practice for both student and teachers.  Integration of Kurzweil can actually make teaching easier as it will free up time spent on reading materials to individual and/or groups of students.

 The built in features of Kurzweil allow students to interact with the curriculum by:  Multi-Sensory User Interface provides students with exposure to academic language and content material in an interactive mode. Text-to-speech and word highlighting help students connect the written and the spoken word.  Read Aloud and Highlighting let students read, re-read and listen to material as many times as needed to gain comprehension and language fluency, while word/phrase/sentence highlighting aid in learning syntax and language structure.  Review Supports such as embedded Voice Notes and Bubble Notes in question-and- answer format can enable teachers to monitor students' comprehension, quickly assess and address areas of confusion, or in the case of speech, help correct issues such as pronunciation and syntax.  Extract Text, Outlines and Graphic Organizers enable teachers and students alike to quickly and easily create study guides by distilling complex information into smaller, more manageable chunks that aid in student comprehension.  Kurzweil can follow students beyond high-school into post-secondary education and the workforce.

Should questions arise, feel free to contact your Assistive Technology Team member for assistance. /