Is it true?

Technology in the Special Education Classroom Julie Lasserre Deanna Voelker SLOCOE Staff Development August 18, 2009

The wonder of it all…

Technology is everywhere!

Overview A blend of educational technology and assistive technology Demonstrations of our favorite Internet links and some new technology Lots of resources… no handouts as it’s all available online... The “Wiki” includes our growing collection of Internet links for teachers and students AND this PowerPoint

1963 “The times, they are a-changing.” 2009 “The times, they have a-changed.”

TEACHER TOOLS Your Own Computer!!! Website: SEN Teacher Website: Hearing Journey Website: Make Beliefs Comix Website: Earobics

MORE TEACHER TOOLS Website: Story Nory Website: Polyxo for Data Forms Website: ASL Guide & Courses Twitter Wikispaces

Shop your own computer… Internet links from colleagues – make folders to find them easily by category Microsoft Office Templates – you don’t need to be a designer to make it look good PowerPoint – make talking books & class photo albums PhotoStory – free download from Microsoft Boardmaker – much more than visuals

Make PECS without Boardmaker Quickly create visuals for a picture exchange communication system (PECS) The site uses Google and searches for selected words or topics Resizes pictures into standard size for PECS xhtmlhttp:// xhtml

Deanna’s Favorite – Hearing Journey Written for parents/teachers of children with cochlear implants Loaded with language activities, resources, parent information Select “The Listening Room” Then choose “Kids”

Make Cartoons Stories Need to make social stories? Create one easily by making your very own comic strip Lots of fun Other writing activities included

Earobics Interactive language/reading games in a format that is appealing to children mlhttp:// ml

Story Nory Interesting and fun stories that can be downloaded to your iPod or computer Can “burn” stories to CDs. Free weekly with new stories who-lost-her-spells/ who-lost-her-spells/

Data Collection Need a quick data form for tracking student progress?

Sign Language Quick reference guide for ASL Signing courses for people at different levels

Do you “tweet” on Twitter? What? Communication venue Why? Share information How? “Follow” and “Following” Don’t know how to start? Look for JulieOT

The “Wiki” we ALL know…

A Wiki for ME? What? Website software that allows users to freely create and edit content Why? Easy to create new pages and links to other Wiki pages or Internet addresses Who? Whoever you allow – no need to files back and forth with a project partner How? Use any web browser and make your own was our choice.

No Wiki? How about Moodle? Need ETC Portal membership to create a Moodle “course” Primarily a way to share and receive information, but there are provisions for having a very simple Wiki within Moodle Learn the basics in a beginning Moodle course sponsored by SLOCOE The course remains yours if working anywhere in SLO County

STUDENT TOOLS Assistive Technology – “Related Service” and Low or High-Tech Tools PixWriter Proloquo2Go & More with iPod Touch Tango AAC Point Scribe Zac Browser Bookshare & RFB&D

PixWriter Teachers make the word banks Students select words to make a sentence. For emerging writers the teacher can write a complete sentence for one picture Student puts sentences in preferred order It speaks the words and sentences!

In your pocket…

Proloquo2Go

Tango by Blink Twice Recently acquired by DynaVox Like other AAC devices, possibly funded by MediCal or private insurance if determined medically necessary Videos and PDF downloads twice.com/ twice.com/ Tango emulator twice.com//tryit/ twice.com//tryit/

AAC - Other Devices DynaVox “V”, “V-Max” & Eye Gaze addition DynaVox “X-Press” - smallest Go-Talk Springboard – ASC Eyegaze Edge Listen to Me: The Making of 1 Voice – Teenage Project in the UK

Point Scribe - Handwriting Use a touch screen or tablet PC notebook with a stylus Change size and width of track Motivational cues – visual and auditory – choose a preferred theme Program keeps detailed data about skill improvement

Cursive with Point Scribe

Zac Browser Designed for children with autism Highly visual, but simple interface Limits choices while browsing the Internet Child unable to go outside selected sites Full download or web-based use

Free Digital Books Grant funded for U.S. students through the U.S. Department of Education OSEP Student must have a qualifying “print disability” More than 50,000 digital books, textbooks, teacher-recommended reading, periodicals and assistive technology tools. Susanne Murphy – SLOCOE Coordinator

Readings for the Blind and Dyslexic Often used by our teachers for students with visual impairment Books available for students with a print disability Paid membership for organizations Free membership for qualified individuals

Exciting Times Ahead… Stay Current!

Extra Time??? backmanor.org/picturerecipes.htmlhttp:// backmanor.org/picturerecipes.html

Wrap-Up Hands-on: Internet links Hands-on: PixWriter - on selected lab computers Hands-on: AT devices Tango iPod Touch

And… Browse literature and catalogs on table for assistive technology resources Sample Materials on Display

To Do!!!! Sign up for additional learning opportunities on the legal sized sheets going around the room Raffle drawing for instructional unit (ocean) and more at break. Write your name on a bright green paper and put it in the basket! Evaluation of this presentation!