Introduction Leslie A. Barreras EDU 620 Instructor Melissa Phillips 13 October, 2015

About my specialization… After earning a double major in Applied Behavior Science and Early Childhood Education from Ashford University, I decided to stay in school and I am currently pursuing a graduate degree in Education with specialization in Special Education Services. I hope to use this degree in order to continue my work with children with special or unique abilities in our schools and community.

My future goals… Throughout my educational journey I have taught preschool, Kindergarten and substituted for many grades all the way through high school. In each classroom experience I have gained more knowledge of the unique challenges children with unique abilities face every day in school. I have not been touched more than by my latest endeavor as an RBT (Registered Behavior Technician), working in an autism intervention clinic. In my current job I provide 1:1 Applied Behavior Analysis therapy to children and adolescence between the ages of 3 and 14 years of age. I currently have 3 clients that I provide therapy for. Earning this degree will help me to better serve these children as well as open doors for me to become a credentialed Behavior Analyst. My goal is specifically, to earn this graduate degree and fulfill the great need that there is for qualified, compassionate individuals serving in the special education field.

Consideration of the course learning outcomes… Outcome 1: Evaluate how the purposeful integration of technology in instruction and assessment supports student acquisition of 21st-century skills. The understanding of how technology based instruction and assessment as it applies to special education and learning in the 21 st century will be of great use to me in the future especially as it applies to children with special needs like autism. Outcome 2: Evaluate a variety of digital and assistive technologies for supporting diverse learners. Being able to use and evaluate the digital world to aide in the education of diverse learners offers me immeasurable opportunities for students advancement in the classroom or during intervention services because it is measurable and allows for me as the teacher to differentiate learning in an inclusive environment. Outcome 3: Apply the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in the design of instruction and assessment. Differentiating assessments for all students across the special education field is often times difficult to achieve when given an array of different abilities. Gaining instructional approaches and techniques that identify UDL in practice is essential to an inclusive classroom or a therapy session. Outcome 4: Analyze the impact of technological competency on professional advancement. Perhaps the most important component to the course learning outcome is the building of my own professional competency in this field. Because technology based learning is now the norm in many classrooms it is essential that I am both adequately knowledgeable as well as experienced in design.

About the final project… What role will you select when preparing this project (educator or community center representative)? My role in the final project will be that of an educator. Because of my current job I feel that this most closely aligns with building awareness of how technology helps children with unique abilities and sets the foundation for enabling them to be life long learners thus building our communities up to be progressive and tolerant of all abilities. What about this project is exciting to you? I feel that the idea of being on a side that closely aligns with my own personal feelings is the most exciting thing for me. I have seen first hand how technology changes education and how it allows for everyone to be an active learner. This is both important to me as a teacher but most important to me as a therapist as well. What concerns you and why? My only concern in consideration of the final project is the ability to convince the audience that this is important. In real life it would be much harder because most of the people in this course are familiar with how technology works and influences education but if I’m writing to a general audience- will they understand? How might your participation in this project further support what you will be learning about technology integration and potentially add to your professional knowledge and/or skill? There is an immeasurable amount of knowledge and skill that this course offers me. I believe that in order to work and function in the 21 st century we must acquire the skills that most of our students already have. Professionally this means becoming highly qualified in this area.

A final thought…