Download Understanding and Implementing Assistive

Teacher Assistant
Professional Development
Day
Understanding and Implementing
Assistive Technology
H. Trelane Schlenker and Kristen Kasha
October 20, 2014
Common Board Configuration
Date: 10/20/2014
Bell Ringer: Imagine how technology could
solve problems at your school.
Learning Goals: Teacher Assistants will be
able to increase student independence and
learning by maximizing the benefit from
Assistive Technology (AT) devices used in the
classroom.
Benchmarks: Domain 2.2 Planning and
Preparing for the Use of Materials and
Technology.
Objective: Teacher Assistants will learn about
the different types of AT that may be used in the
classroom, as well learn strategies for correct
implementation.
Essential Question: How can I help students
get the full benefit of their AT devices?
Common Language:
Assistive Technology (AT)
Agenda:
I DO Provide information about AT devices.
WE DO Explore ways to implement different
kinds of AT into our classrooms.
YOU DO Reflect on how AT is used at your
school.
Summarizing Activity: What kinds of AT
devices are used at your school? Which devices
do you wish you understood more completely?
Next Steps: Choose an AT device that you
want to know more about, and explore
resources about it.
Lake County Schools
Vision Statement
•
A dynamic, progressive and collaborative learning community embracing change and
diversity where every student will graduate with the skills needed to succeed in
postsecondary education and the workplace.
Mission Statement
•
•
The mission of the Lake County Schools is to provide every student with individual
opportunities to excel.
Lake County Schools is committed to excellence in all curricular opportunities and
instructional best practices. This focus area addresses closing the achievement gap,
increased graduation rate, decreased dropout rate, increase in Level 3 and above scores
on the FCAT, achieving an increase in the number of students enrolled in advanced
placement and dual enrollment opportunities and implementing the best practices in
instructional methodology.
Lake County Schools
College and Career Readiness
Instructional Framework
Key Performance
Indicators
School Improvement
Plan
Florida
Standards
Professional
Learning
Community
FCIM
MTSS
LESSON
STUDY
Personalized
Learning
Desired Student
Outcomes
Statement of
Work
Content
Cultural
Behavior
Process
Interventions
Capacity
Building
Autonomy of
Learning
The School Improvement
Plan (SIP) is the written
plan of how we will reach
our goals each year. The
critical elements include:
Organize:
Stakeholders plan and
assess needs based on
data.
Plan:
Stakeholders set goals and
objectives, identify
strategies and measures of
success.
Implement:
Implement activities and
monitor progress.
Sustain:
Identify success of current
plan, evaluate and adjust
to sustain growth.
Florida Standards are a
set of high-quality
academic standards in
mathematics and
English language
arts/literacy (ELA).
These standards outline
what a student should
know and be able to do
at the end of each grade.
6 Key Elements for
Instruction:
1. Knowledge and Use
of Florida Standards
2. Common and
Collaborative Planning
Time
3. Interdisciplinary
Content Integration
4. Frequency of ProjectBased Learning
5. Student Collaboration
6. Integrated
Technology
The guiding
principles of
Professional
Learning
Communities (PLC)
govern the behavior
of our school
professionals. The
big ideas are:
Multi-Tiered System
of Supports is a
problem solving model
that represents the
integration of MTSS for
academics and MTSS
for behavior into a
unified model of
service. The basic
problem-solving
components include:
1. Problem
Identification
2. Problem Analysis
3. Intervention Design
4. Response to
Instruction/ Intervention
Lesson Study provides
a structure for teachers
to collaboratively plan
lessons share, observe,
record and analyze
data to improve
instruction.
The key concepts are:
1. Collaborative
Planning
2. Lesson Observation
by Teachers
3. Data Collection and
Analysis Guided by
Student Thinking,
Learning, Engagement
and Behavior
4. Reflection,
Refinement and Reteaching as Necessary
Personalized
Learning (PL) is a
system that cultivates
independence and
self-governance of
learning expectations
through the
expansion of choice
and inclusion of
voice in a flexible
learning
environment.
PL Key Elements:
1. Student-directed
Learning
2.Learner Profiles
and Paths
3. Competency-based
Learning
4. Flexible Learning
Environments
5. Structures of
Accountability,
Continuous
Improvement and
Innovation
1.Increase proficiency rates
on FLKRS/ECHOES &
FAIR (PreK - 2nd grade)
2.Increase proficiency rates
on ELA and Math FL
Standards Assessment
3.Increase proficiency rates
on FCAT 2.0 Science
4. Increase proficiency rates
on EOC’s Algebra 1,
Geometry, Biology, Civics
and US History
5. Increase participation and
performance in rigorous
course work (Honors,
Advanced Placement, Dual
Enrollment and Industry
Certification)
6. Increase participation
and performance on PERT,
SAT and ACT
7. Increase AMO
percentages for all
subgroups (Achievement
Gap)
8. Increase the graduation
rate
9. Increase attendance rate
10. Decrease disciplinary
infractions
The Florida’s
Continuous
Improvement Model
(FCIM) is a systematic
process for planning,
teaching, assessing and
re-evaluating results. It
is the road map that
directs our actions.

Plan

Do
Check
Focus on Learning: 
Act
All students can learn 
and we are
PDCA Instructional Cycle
responsible to ensure
PLAN
DO
learning occurs.
Focus on
Collaborative
ACT
CHECK
Culture:
Time is specifically
reserved for
collaboration on
teaching and learning.
Focus on Results:
Effectiveness is
measured by results,
not intent.
• Data Disaggregation
• Calendar Development
• Direct Instructional
Focus
• Tutorials
• Assessment
• Enrichment
• Maintenance
• Monitoring
21st Century Skills
Tony Wagner, The Global Achievement Gap
1. Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
2. Collaboration and Leadership
3. Agility and Adaptability
4. Initiative and Entrepreneurialism
5. Effective Oral and Written Communication
6. Accessing and Analyzing Information
7. Curiosity and Imagination
Bell Ringer
• Think of the students you know. Are any of them having
trouble fully participating in the classroom? What would
these students need in order to do so?
• Discuss in small groups, then share with whole group.
What Is Assistive Technology?
Devices
Assistive
Technology
Services
What is an Assistive Technology
Device?
•
The term “assistive technology device” is defined in Rule 6A6.03411(1)(b), Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.), 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 student with a disability.
What is Assistive Technology
Service?
•
The term “assistive technology service” is defined in Rule 6A6.03411(1)(c), F.A.C., as any service that directly assists a child with a
disability in the selection, acquisition or use of an assistive technology
device.
Services
1. Evaluation of the student’s environment.
2. Purchasing, leasing or otherwise providing for the
acquisition of assistive technology devices by students
with disabilities.
3. Selecting, designing, fitting, customizing, adapting, applying,
maintaining, repairing or replacing assistive technology devices.
4. Coordinating and using other therapies, interventions or services with assistive technology
devices, such as those associated with existing education and rehabilitation plans and
programs.
5. Training or technical assistance for a student with a disability or, if appropriate, that child’s
family.
6. Training or technical assistance for professionals.
Summary Of Services
• We believe the definition is clear that an assistive
technology service is any service that helps a student
with a disability select an appropriate assistive
technology device, obtain the device, or train the
student to use the device. (34 CFR 46548)
Range Of Assistive
Technology
Ranges
Low-Tech
Mid-Tech
High-Tech
Low-Tech
Mid-Tech
High-Tech
It’s how you use it!
Avoiding “Learned Helplessness”
• Give the student opportunities for success
• Make sure tasks are not too difficult or too easy
• Find activities that are naturally reinforcing
System of Least to Most Prompts
Have Patience
• Give time to learn and adjust
• Regularly monitor their progress
• Regularly reconsider the level of prompts
Don’t Give Up Too Soon!
Patience is a Virtue, But…
• Minimize time for set-up
• Minimize time wasted on technical difficulties
How does it fit in to the Classroom?
• Location, location, location!
• Independent work time versus group time
• Minimize social isolation
How does it fit into the
Individualized Education Plan?
• Goals?
• Accommodations?
• Services?
• Supports?
I am not an expert on AT devices…
… but I am an expert on my student’s AT devices
• Ask for the time
• Ask for the training
Examples of AT in Action
• Adaptations for Writing
• Ipads
• Software
• Switches
Examples of AT in Action
• Meet Elle
• Elle is currently a fluent and successful AT user. What
struggles did she, her parents, and the education team
have to go through to get to that point?
Examples of AT in Action
What do my students need to access this activity?
Resources
• http://www.closingthegap.com/solutions/search
• http://techmatrix.org
• http://www.gpat.org/Georgia-Project-for-AssistiveTechnology/Pages/default.aspx
• http://www.ocali.org/center/at
• Assistive technology vendor websites
References
•
•
•
FCTDvideo. “Assistive Technology in Action - Meet Elle.”
YouTube. Retrieved on 10/04/2014 from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8VuA8yVBv8
The IRIS Center for Training Enhancements. (2010). Assistive
Technology: An Overview. Retrieved on 10/02/2014 from
http://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/module/at/
Reed, P. (Ed). (2003) Designing Environments for Successful Kids.
Retrieved on 10/04/2014 from
http://wati.org/content/supports/free/pdf/DESKDec08.pdf
Ticket Out the Door
•
•
•
•
Think of the AT devices used at your school.
Write one of the devices you would like to know more about on
a post-it note, and sick it on your desk before you leave.
If there is a device an overwhelming number of you want to
know more about, we will cover it in our next presentation!
For now, you can use one of the websites on the References
page to learn more about your chosen AT device.
Course Evaluation
Please complete our course
evaluation.
Thank you for joining us today!