My eyes have been opened this week to assistive technology (AT) and the abundance of resources that are available to support educators and families of children with disabilities. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments of 1997 defines assistive technology device as "any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of a child with a disability." I have browsed through several online AT training tutorials, listened to a webinar about NIMAS and the NIMAC library, visited the Johns Hopkins University Center for Tech in Education (CTE), and found three more online sources that I thought provided helpful information. I am going to share the Johns Hopkins site with the special education teachers on my campus. I think it would be useful to them since the site can assist with developing IEP's. It also addresses the legal requirements behind NCLB and IDEA.
One of the additional resources I found is the North Central Regional Educational Laboratory. The website included a table of assistive technology equipment. The table is broken down into five categories: AT for vision, AT for communication, AT for access, AT for hearing, and AT for learning and studying. While the table is not prescriptive or inclusive, it does list a wide range of AT equipment available.
Another online website I located is AbleData. It is a project funded by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabiliation Research of the U.S. Department of Education. Their most significant resource is the AbleData database of assitive technology, which provides information on more than 36,000 assistive products! The site does not sell the products, but it does provide a detailed description of the product's functions and features, price information, and contact information for the manufacturer or distributor.
I also went back to Education World this week after visiting the site a couple of weeks ago for lesson planning assistance. I really like this website because it is teacher-friendly and includes information on a diverse range of topics. As far as assistive technology, this site contains articles and links to online resources as well.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Friday, October 9, 2009
Tech Skills Outcomes
Well, it is now October, and I am wrapping up week 6 of my technology course that I am currently enrolled in to complete my Masters degree. This posting is more reflective in nature--a great practice to see progress being made. I have commented before about how poor my technology skills are, but at this point, I wouldn't say that I am in last place in the technology race. I never thought I would ever be blogging!
My tech skills coming into the class were very basic. I knew how to operate in Word and email as well as create a Power Point with embedded video. I have acquired some skills since the beginning of the course. I know how to add text bubbles in Word to make corrections or suggestions to a document. I also learned this week, by trial and error, not to press the refresh button while taking a quiz in Blackboard! My husband and I just purchased Office 2007, and it has been fun playing around with the new features that were not available in Office 2003. The fact that I have even had a conversation about software with a classmate and my husband is a huge step for me!
The Atomic Learning website has been a valuable tool. I have utilized this website to help me create a Table of Contents in Word as well as a spreadsheet. I know I will be visiting the site in the next few days for help in creating a database. I have no idea where to even start with that assignment! Knowing that online tutorials are available is comforting in a distance learning course where you are responsible for your own learning.
I feel my level of comfort with technology changing a bit. While I don't incorporate technology into every daily lesson plan yet, I am much more aware of the fact that it is available and how it can help enhance my reading instruction. I am looking forward to incorporating a lesson I found on rubistar that will help my students summarize text features by creating a web in Inspiration.
My tech skills coming into the class were very basic. I knew how to operate in Word and email as well as create a Power Point with embedded video. I have acquired some skills since the beginning of the course. I know how to add text bubbles in Word to make corrections or suggestions to a document. I also learned this week, by trial and error, not to press the refresh button while taking a quiz in Blackboard! My husband and I just purchased Office 2007, and it has been fun playing around with the new features that were not available in Office 2003. The fact that I have even had a conversation about software with a classmate and my husband is a huge step for me!
The Atomic Learning website has been a valuable tool. I have utilized this website to help me create a Table of Contents in Word as well as a spreadsheet. I know I will be visiting the site in the next few days for help in creating a database. I have no idea where to even start with that assignment! Knowing that online tutorials are available is comforting in a distance learning course where you are responsible for your own learning.
I feel my level of comfort with technology changing a bit. While I don't incorporate technology into every daily lesson plan yet, I am much more aware of the fact that it is available and how it can help enhance my reading instruction. I am looking forward to incorporating a lesson I found on rubistar that will help my students summarize text features by creating a web in Inspiration.
Ed. Tech. Journal Post 3: The Prevalence of Online Cheating
Because I am a reading teacher and pull 8 small groups each day, I do not utilize technology as much as a regular classroom teacher. For this post, I am commenting on an article I read in OJDLA regarding the prevalence of online cheating--"The New (and Old) News about Cheating for Distance Educators." The topic of online cheating has recently received a lot of attention at professional conferences because there has been a dramatic increase in online distance learning participation. In addition, Congress reauthorized the Higher Education Act with an inserted provision about distance education. Cheating for distance educators represents a "formidable challenge" to ensure the identity of test takers and integrity of exam results since students are physically removed from the classroom.
I am amazed that cheating has become an industry and a lucrative business! The article quoted an ABC news story stating that "an estimated 2/3 of all high school students admit to 'serious' academic cheating." Likewise, the Wall Street Journal reported a business graduate paying $3,000 for a sit-in test taker! In addition, cheating companies gross an estimated 10 million annually. Braindump was a new term for me--active businesses that provide online study "services."
New terminology has even been created to described the act of cheating or the people who participate. Words such as "invigilator" and "organized cheating." Some jargon terms that are used are proxy, impersonator, and "gunmen and hired hands."
Traditional methods of cheating are still used although they have become much more perfected than what I remember being done when I was in junior high or high school. I read about students turning a soda bottle wrapper into a cheat sheet. Technology advances have been discovered as a means for cheating as well--mobile phones, ipods, braindumps, ebay (tests being auctioned for sale!), organized cheating, wireless ear pieces, and cheat sites to name a few.
I know I am naiive about things like this, but I was floored by some of the statistics and information. I am hearing the words of my dad echo in my mind as I type this, "What is this world coming to?"
I am amazed that cheating has become an industry and a lucrative business! The article quoted an ABC news story stating that "an estimated 2/3 of all high school students admit to 'serious' academic cheating." Likewise, the Wall Street Journal reported a business graduate paying $3,000 for a sit-in test taker! In addition, cheating companies gross an estimated 10 million annually. Braindump was a new term for me--active businesses that provide online study "services."
New terminology has even been created to described the act of cheating or the people who participate. Words such as "invigilator" and "organized cheating." Some jargon terms that are used are proxy, impersonator, and "gunmen and hired hands."
Traditional methods of cheating are still used although they have become much more perfected than what I remember being done when I was in junior high or high school. I read about students turning a soda bottle wrapper into a cheat sheet. Technology advances have been discovered as a means for cheating as well--mobile phones, ipods, braindumps, ebay (tests being auctioned for sale!), organized cheating, wireless ear pieces, and cheat sites to name a few.
I know I am naiive about things like this, but I was floored by some of the statistics and information. I am hearing the words of my dad echo in my mind as I type this, "What is this world coming to?"
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