EDCI 5825 Final Questions

How your view of instructional technology has or has not changed over the course of the semester?

I have gained general experience and knowledge about the types of technology that is available and how it can be appropriately incorporated into the classroom. I feel more comfortable with challenging myself to use new technology. 

The quality and appropriateness of what you have learned/created this semester.

As I've mentioned in some of my rubric reflection questions, I think for the Special Education teacher specifically the tools we've utilized in this class will be particularly useful with language arts. The SMART board activities provide auditory, visual and kinesthetic experiences, which are essential to language learning. The class Wiki is also appropriate for us to use with our classes and to serve as a forum for parents.  

Evaluation of your comfort moving forward with technology.

I'm more confident than I was at the beginning of the semester, but I think the biggest challenge is the short timeframe of our classes. I would have liked to incorporate technology in a more meaningful way, but due to the semester being only 6 weeks long, it was difficult to spend the appropriate amount of time on each tool.

EDCI 5825 Week Six

I really enjoyed and benefited from reading the blogs of my peers, especially the "Good Teacher" post from last week's EDCI 5065 class.  While all of us had our own definitions of what makes a good teacher, common themes existed throughout our group.  Most of us mentioned how our own values play a huge role in the way we teach, how we are role models for our students, how we need to be inspiring and encouraging, how we need to value the backgrounds and needs of each individual, how learning should be meaningful and purposeful.  It is essentially important that we stimulate interest and elicit emotional responses from our students to optimally engage them in lessons (the idea of hot cognition).  Most importantly in my opinion is the notion that our attitudes define how our students perceive us, and how we perceive them: that modeling positivity and optimism have a tremendous impact on the classroom.  Kaitlyn's "Good Teacher" post describes this perfectly:


"A smile is a curve that often sets things straight. A good teacher always smiles because she wants to show that she is content to work with her students. Positivity. Optimism. She achieves the objectives for the day and provides a purpose for learning. She connects the curriculum with the students experiences in order to make the material relevant. "

EDCI 5825 Week Five

I explored most of the websites on the resource list and I think that many of them could be used in my future classroom.  However, there are three that I definitely plan to use. 

UConn Literacy & Technology Integration

On this site, I am particularly interested in the information on graphic organizers and subsequently the link to The Graphic Organizer.  This website has a variety of graphic organizer tools available for use as well as tools that provide help in creating one’s own.  As a Special Education teacher, my job will often require me to help students find tools to better organize and manage data.  Graphic organizers can serve as beneficial support tools to these students, particularly those with specific learning disabilities involving language, literacy and comprehension.  The organizers and concept maps found on this site “are powerful tools that can be used to enhance learning and create a foundation for learning” (The Graphic Organizer, 2010). 

Netiquette

Due to the nature of my classes, I will probably incorporate a good deal of internet safety, responsible behavior/online decorum information into my lessons as many of them will involve interacting with classmates and peers online.  This site is a web-version of Netiquette by Virginia Shea that shares guidelines and suggestions for online interaction and proposes the best ways to present oneself in web forums, both for business and social purposes.  This book could be referenced not only for lessons on internet safety, but also throughout the school year when students are 1) collaborating online for projects, 2) interacting with other classrooms and 3) during self-advocacy practice when students are learning the best ways to communicate with future peers and how to seek resources and assistance. 

Internet4Classrooms

The last site that is of particular interest to me is internet4classrooms.com.  As I browsed around the site, I found a link to lesson plans and resources focused on students with special needs, including gifted and talented.  Also many of the lesson plans are adaptable and easy to modify as needed.  Throughout the TCPCG program to date, it has been difficult to find plans adapted specifically for Special Education purposes.  Resources that I’ve come across tend to be narrow in focus and limited to students with certain disabilities.  On this site, the plans can easily be manipulated to accommodate students with special needs, including those that are gifted.  Because I will be instructing students in a number of different content areas, this tool is helpful because the lesson plans are easy to find, easy to modify and also there are templates included on the site to assist in new lesson plan creation.  

References

Graphic.org.  (n.d.) The graphic organizer.  Retrieved from http://www.graphic.org/

Internet4Classrooms.com. (2010). Lesson plan resources K-12. Retrived from http://www.internet4classrooms.com/lesson.htm

Shea, Virginia (2004). Netiquette. Retrieved from http://www.albion.com/netiquette/book/0963702513p4.html 

EDCI 5065 Week Five T2P

If teachers understand the relationship of the cognitive and physiological functions involved the exhibition of teenage behaviors, they are better able to provide meaningful instruction and appropriate behavioral supports.  Teachers that are able to see the connections between a student's behavior and the potential physiological activity occurring will be able to assess how to best help the student manage that behavior, which will in turn result in a more positive learning experience.  Daniel Goleman says that managing ones emotions, and understanding the emotions of peers results in more meaningful learning, increased interest in the school environment and decreased high-risk activity (i.e. unprotected sex, drug abuse, violence, bullying, etc.).  When a teacher fully understands the underlying causes/triggers of a student's behavior, and he/she responds appropriately, that teacher is exhibiting empathy and providing a model to that student of how to value the feelings of others.   As a result of feeling valued, the student is more likely to have positive engagement in school activities and less likely to exhibit the undesirable behaviors mentioned above.  

A Good Teacher...

A good teacher is someone who exhibits fairness, honesty, compassion and empathy.  She is flexible and adaptable and willing to stray from "the plan" when lessons aren't engaging students.  She is truly interested in learning about her students, their interests and their goals, then structures her lessons and classroom activities around those interests.  She is able to address state and district standards while still maintaining an environment that fosters critical thinking, openness, autonomy and respectful debate.  A good teacher also recognizes when a student is struggling and intervenes as soon as possible to ensure that student maintains a sense of purpose and accomplishment in class.  She creates connections between students and their peers, and connections between content and prior knowledge.




Revised Week Four T2P 

(1) If there is an expectation that students are intrinsically motivated to learn,(2) then instructional practices can lend themselves to students' freedom to research and seek information independently (3) because the teacher is creating an environment in which it is encouraged.  (4) Through independent, self-directed research, students gain competency as well as autonomy because their actions are valued by the teacher.  In the case of Vicki Davis, she not only encourages her students to look up information that they do not know (or that will enhance their educational experience), she had made it clear by her actions that she expects them to take the initiative to do so.  In relation to self-determination theory, the elements of high-level motivation that she is fostering, will lead to enhanced performance, curiosity, critical thinking and problem solving skills.  Students who are curious, critical thinkers will be more likely to be socially responsible as they progress into adulthood. By preparing students to question, interact and actively seek information, they will be better able to make informed decisions as adults.

1) If statement

2) Then statement

3) Because statement

4) Evidence/Relation to theory

5) Moral implication

6) Additions in Week 5 

EDCI 5825 Week Four

I benefited greatly from researching the assigned websites this week, because I hope to have the opportunity to use most of this technology as an educator of students with special needs.  Of particular interest to me are the speech generating devices (SGD) and Alternative and Augmentative Communications (AAC).  This technology allows students to communicate in alternative means when they are unable to communicate effectively through traditional methods. For example, a student with autism may be unable to verbally communicate their thoughts and needs.  With the help of AAC, students with autism are able to use symbols and pictures in lieu of written or spoken words.  ACC programs and applications are readily accessible and can be added to iPhones, iPads and other handheld devices, making them affordable and portable. “These AAC apps come with pre-installed symbols with messages and allow the user to add pictures and messages. Some use text to speech and others use recorded audio” (Wikipedia, 2011). 

A student with a hearing impairment would benefit from the use of speech-to-text software.  As the teacher speaks aloud, the speech is translated into text and can be read by the student.  Again, there are programs/applications available on iPhones, iPads, and other eReaders that make this technology portable and accessible.

A student with low vision would benefit from the use of two technologies: the E-reader, and Digital Accessible Information Systems (DAISY).  An E-reader has several functions that can aid a student with visual impairments, including adjustable text sizes and grayscale and text-to-speech.  However, the user is limited in that these accessibility features do not extend to the menu functions (Wikipedia, 2011).  DAISY books, or talking books, are suitable for students with more severe visual impairments because not only does the text-to-speech function allow them to read, they are also capable of navigating menu functions.  Also, an added benefit to DAISY books is that any Microsoft user can save their files in a DAISY-compatible format.

If a child has a physical disability that limits the use of the hands or arms (such as a broken arm), Speech Recognition Software can be helpful in producing typed materials, managing software programs, and doing online research.  The child is able to speak verbally, and the software will transcribe the words to text.  A limitation of this software is that because the “nature of narrative dictation is highly interpretive [it] requires judgment that [must] be provided by a real human” (Wikipedia, 2011).  In order for the transcription to be an accurate display of the spoken word, it must often be revised by another person.  It is also a time-intensive process to train the software to recognize the tone and intonation of a particular person.

Overall, these technologies have impacts that are far-reaching, and are beneficial for use with students with disabilities. 

Reference

Wikipedia. (2011). Assistive technology in education.  Retrieved from http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Assistive_Technology_in_Education

EDCI 5065 Week Four

Expansion of Week Three T2P Statement: 

(1) If students are actively engaged in a group activity where they share prior knowledge and unique approaches to a similar task, (2) the sharing of those perspectives can facilitate learning among the group. (3) Each group member can enrich the discussion by sharing, and also by questioning the other participants. In this situation, the students themselves are guiding the learning process, and the instructor serves as the facilitator/moderator when support is needed. (4) Vygotsky's theory of social-cultural learning supports this small-group instructional model and suggests that each member of the group contributes to the learning process by acting as the more knowledgable other (MKO) to the other group members.  (5) In this setting, the teacher is creating an environment where individual perspectives are valued and considered to be an essential contribution to the learning process, and as a result students gain confidence, self-worth and are more likely to feel comfortable participating productively in group activities. 


1) If statement
2) Then statement
3) Because statement
4) Evidence/Relation to theory
5) Moral implication




T2P Practice - Self-Determination


(1) If there is an expectation that students are intrinsically motivated to learn, (2) then instructional practices can lend themselves to students' freedom to research and seek information independently (3) because the teachers is creating an environment in which it is encouraged.  (4) Through independent, self-directed research, students gain competency as well as autonomy because their actions are valued by the teacher.  In the case of Vicki Davis, she not only encourages her students to look up information that they do not know (or that will enhance their educational experience), she had made it clear by her actions that she expects them to take the initiative to do so.  In relation to self-determination theory, the elements of high-level motivation that she is fostering, will lead to enhanced performance, curiosity, critical thinking and problem solving skills.  

1) If statement

2) Then statement

3) Because statement

4) Evidence/Relation to theory

5) Moral implication

T2P Reflection
The activities we did and the discussion we had for the beginning portion of the class today served as clarification for us (students) on the expectations of our T2P statements.  It was evident by the current state of our T2P posts that further explanation was need, so the instructional plan for today's class was modified to accomodate the time needed for this activity.  Even though content needed to be pushed back to next week's class, it was incredibly beneficial to us all to have this extra discussion to alleviate the collective confusion.  After a clear framework was presented, it became much easier to focus on the meaning of our T2P statements rather then the convention.  By including this discussion in today's class, GNA demonstrated that she wanted us to feel more confident in our posts while still being challenged to stretch ourselves to gain a deeper sense of our own pedagogy.  It is clear that this experience was mutually beneficial to us as students, and to GNA as our instructor, and supports that GNA's pedagogical framework includes creating an environment where her students can feel free to acknowledge when they are struggling, and know that they have support if needed.

More T2P Practice

(1) If students require additional information regarding expectations, guidelines or conventions of completing a task, (2) then spending extra time and resources to work through this need are well spent and more meaningful learning can occur. (3) Students are better able to focus on the task at hand because a reasonable framework as been provided and the instructor can better assess the needs of the group and direct the instructional plan to utilize class time where it is needed most.  (4) There are elements of Vygotsky's social cultural learning in this statement, including the role of the teacher in ensuring that independent and group work is most productive by providing support and guidance when needed.  Also, David Hansen's theory of moral appraisal and mutual respect relate to GNA's desire to ensure all students are confident in their interpretations of the content covered, and willingness to adjust the lesson to include additional supports.  The actions being modeled by the instructor create an environment of mutual respect between teacher and students. 

1) If statement

2) Then statement

3) Because statement

4) Evidence/Relation to theory

5) Moral implication

Learning Theories Spreadsheet (work in progress) 

EDCI 5825 Voki

EDCI 5825 Week Three

Using Collaborative Projects in the Classroom

After exploring this week’s sites, videos and reading, I’ve had a few ideas of ways to incorporate collaborative projects into the classroom. Since my certification will be in Special Education, my classroom experience with students will vary based on content area and student needs, but one topic that applies to all students is internet safety. I will use this topic as the content area for the purpose of my specific examples here.

One way to incorporate collaboration into the classroom for this topic would be to create a class wiki. Students can research internet safety tips, informational videos and clips, etc. that they can share by posting to the wiki. They could also discuss their findings right on the page and respond to the comments of their classmates. Since there could potentially be new resources to post throughout the school year, the wiki is a great place to maintain this history, As the year progresses and new resources are added, students can continue to have a dialog about the topic. This topic can also be expanded to include other pertinent and related content like cyberbulling, responsible use of the internet, and the consequences of publishing content to the public. The discussions that correspond to this topic have the potential to be extremely relatable to children based on their previous experience and prior knowledge. The role of the teacher as a moderator in this process is essential to monitor content “so concerns about inaccuracies will be taken care of as part of the teaching and learning process” (Levin & Schrum, 2009, p. 50).

Another collaborative way to encourage students to explore this topic would be to make a video, SMARTboard presentation or podcast about a relevant issue. A predetermined set of choices can be given (similarly to our experience in EDCI 5825 for our video editing project) in order to keep the content focused on a particular topic and still allowing for choice based on student interest. The group dynamic will provide students with the opportunity to create one final project compiled from their multiple perspectives and approaches to the task. As a result, there will be multiple final projects that can be shared on the class wiki that has been created over the course of the school year. As an instructor, I would probably show a few examples of appropriate videos that are already in existence, like the ones on NetSmartz.org. These videos showed examples of real stories that are relatable and will encourage students to think about their own experiences, and to role play as to how they might behave in a similar situation. One particular example that has currently been in the news recently that might resonate with students is Your Photo Fate, which warns against putting your photos in the hands of others (NetSmarts.org). This site was very effective in delivering the message of the importance of internet safety and is something I will definitely use in my teaching experience.

With the two examples mentioned above, students are not only learning about the topic that they are researching but also gaining experience using the technology associated with the wiki itself, video editing, creating presentations, the use of the SMARTboard, web cams, etc. Hands on experiences with these forms of media will give students a chance to explore the various ways of sharing information and collaborating with each other.

References

Your Photo Fate. (n.d.).NetSmartz. Retrieved June 14, 2011, from
http://www.netsmartz.org/RealLifeStories/YourPhotoFate

Schrum, L., & Levin, B. B. (2009). Leading 21st century schools: harnessing technology for engagement and achievement. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.

EDCI 5065 Week Three T2P

This week we were given the opportunity to research theorists independently, then share with a group of students who researched the same theorist, then finally share in learning triads comprised of students who researched two other theorists. By researching independently and creating lists of the most meaningful concepts we discovered, we were able to bring our own perspectives to the table when discussing in our "like" group.

The experience of sharing our findings with each other provided evidence that we each not only interpreted the task itself differently, but we also interpreted the source material in differing ways. Through our discussions we were able to build upon our own experience through learning the perspectives of our peers, and as a result, gained a more comprehensive and enriched experience.

It is important to note the role of the instructor during this exercise. On more than one occasion, clarification was needed when a group member was describing a specific concept in relation to the overall theory. The instructor employed the role of a moderator in these cases and through additional questioning allowed us to work through the best way to describe the concepts. This series of inquires facilitated an opportunity for us to think more critically about the components of the theory.

The learning triad groups gave us practice at presenting a theorist on our own without the support of our other group members. Since we all read the same article with the more broad, general information of the theories, we approached this teaching experience with a prediction of the current knowledge of our fellow triad members and could tailor our presentations accordingly to include what we perceived to be the more pertinent information.

T2P Statement Week Three:
If students are actively engaged in a group activity where they share prior knowledge and unique approaches to a similar task, the sharing of those perspectives can facilitate learning among the group. Each group member can enrich the discussion by sharing, and also by questioning the other participants. In this situation, the students themselves are guiding the learning process, and the instructor serves as the facilitator/moderator when support is needed.


*Week Two Revised T2P (present/positive):
If students are given the opportunity to process and interpret information in their own unique ways without being bound to a specific set of rules (i.e. scientific method) then learning can occur. By interpreting information individually, they are actively learning rather than just memorizing. The more students are able to process and reflect, the more able they are to make content more meaningful.

EDCI 5065 Week Three LT1

1) Apply Skinner’s model of behaviorism to Jerrid Krause’s statement that behavioral learning theorists say that the “mind is a black box”

This question is labeled level 3 or Application which I would agree with. The author is asking me to use my knowledge of Skinner’s behavioral learning theory and apply it to the statement by Jerrid Krause.

The “mind as a black box” in the context of Skinner’s behavioral learning theory means that learners can be conditioned to produce desired responses through the use of stimuli and reinforcement.

2) Create a hypothesis which resembles that which Skinner attempted to convey in his experimentation.

This question is labeled level 5 or Synthesis, which I would agree with. By asking to create a hypothesis, the author is asking the learner to use their existing knowledge to build and predict.

An example of a Skinnerian hypothesis would be:
If a student is exhibiting a positive behavior that the teacher would like repeated, rewards are given to encourage that behavior. Rewards can be objects, praise, attention, etc.

3) Create a mathematical question that a person who is past their formal operational stage of Piaget’s stages could correctly answer.

This question is labeled level 6 or evaluation. I would probably label it as level 5 because it focuses more on creating and less on debating, judging, and critical thinking.

A math question that uses formal operation skills is:

3, 7, 19, 55, ___, ____
Solve for the value of the next two numbers in the sequence and create a formula for solving.
Answer: 163, 487 Formula Multiply previous number by 3 and subtract two.

EDCI 5825 Week Two

Models of Internet Use

The four instructional models of Internet use are Internet Workshop, Internet Project, WebQuest and Internet Inquiry. They are all similar in that they require the student to be hands-on participating in the activity whether individually or collaboratively. All four require student access to the internet and rely on the sharing of information collected.

An Internet Workshop activity allows students to collaborate with each other within the classroom, while an Internet Project allows students the opportunity to collaborate with students in another classroom (either across the school or across the globe). An Internet Workshop activity might be helpful in preparing students for an Internet Project. With the majority of interaction occurring within the classroom, a teacher would be better able to facilitate the process of an Internet Workshop before opening up the experience to include external classrooms.

WebQuests and Internet Inquiries differ in that a WebQuest will utilize the Internet as a medium for research based on the curriculum or specific task directed by the instructor. An Internet Inquiry relies on the students’ interests as a being the topic of research. Students are tasked with answering a question or solving a problem that is of interest and that is important to them, rather than researching a topic that is assigned. Both models give students the opportunity to develop program solving and critical thinking skills, but an Internet Inquiry tends to be more individualized.

I would like to try using Internet Inquiries when appropriate with my students. By allowing them to research a topic or question that they are interested in would give them more motivation to accomplish the task. Sharing their findings would give them a great opportunity to work on their oral and written communication skills as well, which is an area that many students with special needs have challenges with. By incorporating individual research with group sharing, as a class we can learn about each others' interests as well as about the content presented. This generation's students value fun, collaboration and "want to work with people they click with" (Schrum & Levin, 2009, p.36).

Schrum, L., & Levin, B. B. (2009). Leading 21st century schools: harnessing technology for engagement and achievement. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.



Access to Technology for Student Teaching Experience

Although we do not have a SMARTboard in the room where we do the majority of our instruction, my cooperating teacher and I will have access to one for specific lessons in an adjacent classroom at times. Although my cooperating teacher teaches Special Education, her focus at NBHS is primarily reading and literacy. After the first few days of the TCPCG program, I already have some practical ideas of how to integrate technology into lessons and how to use tools to create resources for students (and parents) via blogging, social bookmarking, wikis, etc. I also am particularly interested in the exploring the use of social networking to develop reading and language skills.

EDCI 5065 Week Two (continued)

WEEK TWO T2P STATEMENT:
If students are given the opportunity to process and interpret information in their own unique ways without being bound to a specific set of rules (like the scientific method word-for-word) then learning can occur. Without being being able to interpret information individually, a student would be using recall and memorization skills rather than truly learning and constructing meaning. If they are able to interpret, they will be able to make the information more meaningful to them individually.

WEEK TWO OBSERVATIONS:
This week I was feeling more confident in the way the class was structured as far as feeling more comfortable with feedback in regards to discussions. By reading the articles (Yero & Hansen) I was able think a bit more critically at some of the ways that teachers have behaved around me in the past and could better relate my own educational experiences. As we watched video clips of various teaching styles, my opinions of the teachers' methods changed the more we deconstructed them. This really made me believe that in order to fully (or MORE fully) understand something, I need to reflect and process that information and create my own opinion (or meaning) from the experience.

After this week, I am better able to identify the perceived beliefs of teachers based on the way they deliver their instruction. This will be useful as I begin to teach and become atuned to the needs of my students. I was impressed with our group when we compared our content maps from this week to last week and it became evident that our understanding of the material is becoming more meaningful. We all contributed to our maps differently, but grew in our understanding of the material. Being able to see this growth from last week was encouraging.

EDCI 5065 Week One

Observations of Our First Class

Class Structure:
I responded with to the semi-structured interconnected activities. It made me better able to grasp the larger concepts we discussed. Also, they made the six-hour time block fly by.

Instructor Style:
Moving around the room, speaking to us a peers (to some extent) made GNA very relatable and approachable. For me personally, understanding that questioning, elaborating and challenging as a larger part of this class than in my previous experiences will take some getting used to. I am very accustomed to structure, rules, etc and this format is new.

Group Work:
I very much enjoy working in a group when there is mutual respect and that was the case today. Being able to speak freely with constructive (but respectful) feedback from group members to challenge and encourage me to expand my thoughts is helpful.

Activity:
The concept map was helpful for me to visualize a lot of the ideas we will be discussing over the next few weeks. Because I am very visual, I retain information well when I can map everything out graphically.

General:
I like the open discussion portions of the class the best because it gives us the opportunity to hear the perspectives of our classmates. There are so many portions of the article we read that I didn't choose for my reflection, so I am glad that I got to hear more about it from the other students. Similarly, being able to view each other's concept maps helped us understand that there were many different approaches to the same assignment. We all generated different word associations for what learning meant to us. This is a strategy I'd like to employ as a teacher.


WEEK ONE T2P STATEMENT:
If students feel comfortable and emotionally safe in the learning environment, then learning can occur through their active questioning and interpreting of information because they will be less inhibited by worrying about rules or conventions placed on these activities by the teacher or institution.

EDCI 5065 Week Two

Florida Center for Reading Research - Student Center Activities and Instructional Routines Search Tool

The Florida Center for Reading Research provides this search tool for teachers to share resources that address specific issues relating to written language development. Dr. Ruby (EPSY 5113) shared this to the Special Education cohort last week. When we explored this tool, I immediately began thinking about how this could be used with my future students, because although I’ll most likely work with high school students, many will not have mastered literacy skills on the third – fifth grade level. The reason this tool in particular seemed to be so useful is that it provides a large number of potential activities and lessons focused on each skill which are useful for appealing to students’ various learning styles. As a special educator, I know that I will need to be flexible and adaptable in order to prepare lessons that best address the content that each student needs on an individual basis. Activities that promote active learning will vary in effectiveness from student to student in a general education classroom, and these differences will be even more apparent in a special education setting based on the varied needs of each student. In this case, a “good teacher” is able to distinguish between the mode of instruction which he or she believes to be the best based on previous experience or preconceived notions about the student, and be open to using a variety of methods and potentially modifying those methods as needed throughout the instructional process.


Wrightslaw

During the spring semester, in a Policy, Law and Ethics class, I learned the importance of self-advocacy for students with Special Needs. In general, students who are able to advocate for themselves are better able to gain access to services and supports they need, and are better able to live independently after their high school experience. However, when I began to research activities related to self-advocacy (and self-determination) I had a difficult time finding comprehensive resources that included ways to incorporate these skill sets into the classroom. As it is difficult (by a “standards” perspective) to quantify these skills, I believe they are best modeled and encouraged by educators similarly to the way classroom decorum was implied by the educators in the article from last night’s reading (Hansen, Teaching and the Moral Life of the Classroom). In these instances, the way the teacher presented her/himself initially gave the students implicit ideas that the classroom and content were worthy of attention and respect. Questioning and most importantly expression of individual learning styles was fostered and encouraged rather than expecting the students to follow arbitrary rules about who is leading the discussions. Self-advocacy values can be incorporated into the classroom environment in much the same way. If a teacher allows a student to speak up for him or herself, then those needs should consistently be addressed rather than discouraged. The resources I found varied greatly by disability (and by the agencies who posted them), so I selected one that could apply to all students with disabilities, and be a resource to parents as well. When I selected the Wrightslaw website, I had the intent of choosing a resource that would provide me, the teacher, with some ideas to incorporate into the classroom, but also that would provide parents with information that could use to encourage growth in self-advocacy skills at home. It also provides information about IDEA and the legal rights which their children have in the educational setting.

iPad iPhone iPod Touch Applications for Special Education

I found this list (and many others) of iPad and iPhone applications targeted for students with special needs. Similar applications also exist on the DROID platform as well. I thought this might be a valuable resource to share with parents and students. In my opinion, “good teachers” make an effort to present students with the opportunity to learn through media that they are already interested in. In my experience, most of the students I’ve been exposed to are very interested in their smartphones (and tablets if they have them) and by giving them the opportunity to utilize them in an educational setting, students would be more engaged in the task. They are tailored specifically to target skills needed by students with specific disabilities such as communication tools (speech to text, text to speech) visual and auditory tools, and speech/language development. Many of the language “games” include multi-player or multi-user functions that can be used to “play” against classmates or members of the public also using that app. It brings an element of fun to learning, which I think is important for students to be engaged. These devices provide a multi-sensory experience that few other technological aids can provide. This would be helpful to appeal to a variety of learning styles.

A little video about me...

Intro

My name is Erin and I am earning my teaching certfication/Masters degree in Special Education. I gained experience working with technology in various ways while working for a local non-profit for the last seven years. My hobbies include reading, running,and spending time with my husband, son and Boston Terrier, Beans.