1. AT TechNet Blog Providing Assistive Technology Support to Regional Teams Fran Smith, Susanne Croasdaile, Mona Pruett, Kelly Ligon, and Sharon Jones VDOE Training and Technical Assistance Center at Virginia Commonwealth University

2. What is a Blog? A blog is a website where entries are made in journal style and displayed in a reverse chronological order. Blogs often provide commentary or news on a particular subject, such as food, politics, or local news; some function as more personal online diaries. A typical blog combines text, images, and links to other blogs, web pages, and other media related to its topic. Most blogs are primarily textual although some focus on photographs (photoblog), videos (vlog), or audio (podcasting), and are part of a wider network of social media. The term "blog" is a portmanteau of "Web log." "Blog" can also be used as a verb, meaning to maintain or add content to a blog.photoblogvlogpodcasting Retrieved November 11, 2006 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blog

3. Why should anyone use a blog? “Public theatre” space –interactivity –interconnectivity –communication Share information in a timely manner A popular tool of the “Net Generation” Capitalize on style and idiosyncrasies –emerge in the course of writing entries and responding to feedback –add to the popularity of a blog

4. Our Blog Tool 

5. About the AT TechNet Blog http://blog.vcu.edu/ttac http://blog.vcu.edu/ttac Maintained by the VDOE Training and Technical Assistance Center (TTAC) at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU)TTAC Launched in February 2006 Intended as: – a place for sharing information and ideas about best practices in assistive technology (AT)assistive technology –a support for educators and AT teams in central Virginia

6. Where our AT teams are:

7. Why did we use a blog? Get the word out on new and existing technologies to help decision-makersnewexisting Get education professionals to build and share knowledgebuild and share knowledge Maintain “institutional memory” for ourselves and our consumersinstitutional memory Build an archive consumers can searcharchive Have fun with our work!

8. What did we have to learn? Getting on board and keeping up with content: From February 2006 to nowFebruary 2006now Learning to upload and personalizeupload and personalize Conquering the filters and blocksfilters and blocks Differences between content for the webpage, newsletter, e-news, and blogwebpagenewsletter e-newsblog Staying on the same page— as a writing team

9. What’s working? Positive responses to –Audio entries (“Podcasting”)Podcasting –Photo entriesPhoto entries –Links to resourcesLinks to resources Positive reinforcement –More likely to survive if recognized ad reinforced!

10. How do we “sell” the blog to AT team members in schools? Links to conferences that they need to know about Links to resources (handouts, guides, directions, etc.) needed for the team Links to online tutorials Links to other AT team info Links to recordings on best practices Much, much more! Links to “anytime/anywhere” information

11. Next steps… Posting conference materials Integrating reviews/ reports from other colleagues/ experts

12. What else in the blogosphere? National Writing ProjectNational Writing Project Student Tablet PC ProjectStudent Tablet PC Project Ed Technology Solutions – Teaching Every StudentEd Technology Solutions – Teaching Every Student Free Resources from the Net for (Special) EducationFree Resources from the Net for (Special) Education