Downloaded 12 times
More Related Content
Tools You Have
- 1. Tools You Haveand Tools to Try: AT Features of Common Software that Any Teacher Can Use to Support Students
- 2. Why look attools you have? Assistive Technology in the era of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) More and more products are designed with needs of varied users/learners in mind You need tools to meet the needs of more and more diverse learners in your classroom.
- 3. You have toolsto help your learners access the curriculum Assistive technologies will always have a role in the education of learners with disabilities, and UDL will not eliminate the need for personal assistive devices. UDL curriculum materials assume diverse learner profiles, and therefore are designed with flexibility as their keystone.
- 4. You have toolsthat are flexible The cornerstone of UDL is flexibility. UDL leverages the inherent flexibility of digital media to support individualized learning. You have access to digital media every day.
- 5. You have toolsthat are research validated. “ Text Transformations” are technology tools that alter or add to the features of printed text Findings from an expansive survey of the peer-reviewed literature between 1980 and 2002, conducted in K-12 education settings, addressing the use of technology transformations to help overcome curriculum barriers that impede access to the general curriculum. National Center on Accessing the General Curriclum
- 6. Why look attools you have ? “ The least complex solution that will remove barriers to achievement should be the first consideration.” “ 10 Things Everyone Needs to Know About Assistive Technology in Schools in 2005”, Joy Zabala Your own data on the effectiveness of tools you have is an important step in the AT assessment process, and can point the team to other tools needed by a particular student.
- 7. Tools available toteachers Operating System tools Word Processors Talking Text Web Resources Tools to try (at no cost to you)
- 8. Operating System AccessibilityTools Allow adjustments for visual, auditory, and motor needs, as well as personal preferences Windows XP: Accessibility Options Start, Control Panel, Accessibility Options Start, All Programs, Accessibility, Accessibility Wizard Mac OS 10: Universal Access Apple menu, system preferences, Universal Access
- 9. Window XP: “AccessibilityOptions”
- 10. Mac OS 10:“Universal Access”
- 11. How to learnmore… Accessibility Options http://www.microsoft.com/enable/products/windowsxp/demos.aspx Universal Access http://www.apple.com/education/accessibility/technology/
- 12. Word Processors Mostcommonly available is Microsoft Word , but many of the same features apply to Appleworks, Word Perfect, etc Research validated Ability to manipulate text in various ways is beneficial Positive impact of writing/editing on overall writing quality and fluency
- 13. Text manipulation Font : Format- font Font Color : Format- font- color (or use Formatting Toolbar) Word spacing : Edit-Find- (replace space with 2 spaces) Line Spacing : Format- Line spacing Character Spacing – Format- font Highlighting – Option on Formatting Toolbar Background Color – Format - Background Zoom – Go to View – Zoom – choose %
- 14. Auto Summarize: Looks for keywords in document Can produce a summary or abstract Good for Pre-reading for meaning Post-reading to self-test or summarize Does well with reports, articles, scientific papers; not as well on fiction, correspondence How to: Tools-auto summarize Choose size of summary (in %) Layout of summary
- 15. Add Comments Goodfor: Providing built-in support or prompts to students Peer reviewing Student “notes-to self” Adding “Voice comments” to documents How to: Click on location for comment and go to Insert- comment Or, use icons in reviewing toolbar Looks like this!
- 16. Highlighting Text Good for Aiding recall of key information or vocabulary Providing cues to return to text later for clarification How to: View-toolbars-formatting When text is selected, clicking will highlight once. Otherwise, it is activated and click and drag over text will highlight .
- 17. Spelling & GrammarRight click on misspelled word-possible word choices appear Right click on correctly spelled word to see choice for synonyms Spelling/Grammar preferences Readability statistics Under Tools Options click Spelling & Grammar Tab 26 fundamental rules Choose style of writing that Word grammar check will apply
- 18. Spelling & GrammarGood for Providing visual cues so student tries to fix spelling on his/her own Providing possible word choices (appear with right click) or synonyms (right click on correctly spelled word). Establishing Readability of text for students How to: Tools - Options , Spelling & Grammar Tab 26 fundamental rules Choose style
- 19. “Replace” as aSpelling Tool Create abbreviations “on the spot” When editing, replaced with the correct text. For example, a student could type “pht” during class and then use the Replace function to change all of those entries to “photosynthesis ”.
- 20. Readability Statistics Optionin Spellchecker Flesch-Kincaid Reading Grade Level Reading ease score # of passive sentences Text at higher reading level can be augmented with additional features such as images, guided notes, highlighting, or text-to-speech
- 21. Equation Editor: Supportfor Math in Word Type equations into Word and Excel using Equation Editor which comes free with the products. Recommended for Grades 4 and up; Allows you to build equations by picking symbols from a toolbar, as well as by typing numbers and variables
- 22. More Resources onWord http://www.westedrtec.org/techtips
- 23. Text-to-Speech Uses Toolfor supporting comprehension Proofreading tool in writing process Listening to text/menus across apps Listening to words that are difficult to decode, or to connected text above reading Availability Built in to Mac OS 10 Featured in some common applications and many “AT” apps Can be added via software Get headphones !
- 24. Text to SpeechMac OS 10 : Finder- system prefs-Speech- Spoken User Interface Software Downloads for Windows : Text Aloud ($29) at www.nextup.com Neurospeech IE Speaker (free), Word Speaker (purchase $12), or All-in-One Text to Voice ($29) at www.mycomputerspeaks.com
- 25. Text-to speech: Accessingthe world of digital text Web Options: Read the web with text-to-speech (Free E-text reader, with Multicolor highlighting http://www.premier-programming.com/elib/etext_reader.htm) Copy and paste into any talking word processor (or Word)and benefit from manipulating size, color, spacing, even summarizing and embedded supports
- 26. Links to DigitalTexts Digital Book Libraries (lists over 90 sites) http://www.ditext.com/etexts.html National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (extensive list of links)http://www.loc.gov/nls/index.html Bibiomania (2000 classic texts) http://www.bibliomania.com/
- 27.
- 28. Textbooks go digital Current offerings: Audio CD versions CD-based supplementary material National Instructional Material Accessibility Standard (NIMAS): Eliminate barriers to electronic textbooks
- 29. Other Web ResourcesMath websites National Library of Virtual Manipulatives http:// nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/vlibrary.html Webmath http://www.webmath.com/index4.html
- 30. Tools to Try (at no cost to you) PaTTAN Short Term Loan http://www.pattan.net/supportingstudents/shorttermloan.aspx
- 31. Tools to Try (at no cost to you) PIAT:PA Technology Lending Library http://disabilities.temple.edu/programs/assistive/atlend/index.htm
- 32. Graphic Organizers “flexibleand endless in application” Good for: Generating ideas Increasing recall Pre-reading device Integrating old/new info Teaching thinking strategies Common Apps Inspiration/Kidspiration Word PowerPoint Writers Companion Index of types and uses at http://www.graphic.org/goindex.html
- 33. References WestEd’s RegionalTechnology in Education Consortium : Handouts on “Technology Tips for Differentiated Instruction” www.westedrtec.org/techtips Knowledge Brief on Using Flexible Technology to Meet the Needs of Diverse Learners: What Teachers Can Do National Center on Accessing the General Curriculum “ Text Transformations” by Nicole Strangman and Tracey Hall http://www.cast.org/publications/ncac/ncac_textrans.html
- 34. Castellani, J., andJeffs, (2001). Emerging Reading and Writing Strategies Using Technology. Teaching Exceptional Children , 33(5), 60-67 Zabala, J. (2005). 10 Things Everyone Needs to Know About Assistive Technology in Schools in 2005. Presented at the National Conference of the Assistive Technology Industry Association, Orland , FL.