the promise of assistive technology for english language learners
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The Promise of Assistive Technology for English Language Learners. Carol Berndt ESL Specialist Calgary Board of Education cjberndt @cbe.ab.ca. Success for all Students. Alberta Education’s Vision:. “Success for Every Child” - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
The Promise of Assistive Technology for English
Language Learners
Carol BerndtESL Specialist
Calgary Board of [email protected]
Success for all Students
““Success for Every Child”Success for Every Child”
Adopting an approach to designing Adopting an approach to designing education, based on the concepts education, based on the concepts
of universal design, that will of universal design, that will anticipate and provide support for anticipate and provide support for the diversity of learners in today’s the diversity of learners in today’s
classrooms.classrooms.Alberta EducationAlberta Education
Alberta Education’s Vision:
Context
Increasing diversity Increasing complexity in learner profiles 21st Century Learner – Global digital age Inclusive philosophy Universal design principles Accountability for academic success
CBE: Student Profile
Total Students CBE 92 000
Total Number Special Needs 16 996 18.5%
Mild/Moderate 11 120 12.1% Gifted & Talented 2 426 2.6% Severe 3 450 3.8%
Total Number of ESL Students 21,349 23% ESL Students
with Special Education Code 1,876 9.2%Grades 1 – 12
Student Services Support Department ProfileSeptember 2006
Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
has origins in architectural studies
challenged architects to become innovative, to design buildings which provide access for all
is a result landmark legislation which has increased usability for everyone
examples: ramps, elevators, automatic doors, curb cut and closed caption TV
Universal Design Principles CAST Organization Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is an approach to
designing course instruction, materials and content to benefit people of all learning styles
It provides equal access to learning byremoving barriers
Allows the student to control the methodof accessing information withoutadaptation or retrofitting
http://www.cast.org/teachingeverystudent/ideas/tes/Teaching Every Student in the Digital Age: Universal Design for Learning
David H. Rose & Anne Meyer ASCD, 2002
UDL is the Educational Extension of the Universal Design Movement
Incorporating the principles of UDL will offer broader access to the curriculum for all students by providing flexible means of:
representing information in multiple formats and media. providing multiple pathways for students’ action and expression. providing multiple ways to engage students’ interest and motivation.
Students will have options for how they: respond to lesson content demonstrate their learning learn
Assistive Technology for Learning (ATL)
“the devices, media and services used in learning environments to overcome barriers for students with physical, sensory, cognitive, speech, learning or behavioral special needs to actively engage in learning and to achieve their individual learning goals”
ATL Continuum: ATL devices and media range from “low tech” tools
such as pencil grips and large print books . . . . . . to “high tech” systems such as speech recognition
computer systems to screen reading technologies.
All technology can be considered Assistive Technology
The lines between educational technology, instructional technology and assistive technology continue to blur
Digital technologies, assistive technologies and the creative utilization of existing technologies all offer potential solutions that can provide access to information and the curriculum for students who may not otherwise be able to obtain it
Technology Enhanced Solutions Portable Laptops Dedicated Word Processors (Alpha Smarts, Neo, Dana) Specialized Portable Hand-held Devices PDA’s,Mp3 Players, (iPod), Cell Phones, Key to Access Interactive White Boards (Smart Boards & Smart
Software) Concept Mapping Software (Inspiration, Kidspiration,
Smart Ideas, interactive response systems) e-Books/audio books/digital repository of curricular
resources Digital Game Based Learning Digital Video Closed captioning on TV
Implications for ESL Multimedia; animation – receptive and
productive Language mediation Modified and differentiated curriculum materials Translation tools Computer assisted language learning software
and devices (CALL) Speech to Text and Text to Speech software Webcasts and podcasts
Understanding Assistive Technology Telus 2 Learn: assistive technology tools
http://www.2learn.ca/teachertools/Assistivetech/assisttools.html
Adaptive Technology Resource Centre
(U of T): Glossary
http://atrc.utoronto.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogsection&id=4&Itemid=9
Grammatical Support Tools
http://atrc.utoronto.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=37&Itemid=9
Optical Character Recognition/Reading
http://atrc.utoronto.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=41&Itemid=9
Speech to Text/Voice Recognition
http://atrc.utoronto.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=50&Itemid=9
http://atrc.utoronto.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=48&Itemid=9
Text to Speech
http://atrc.utoronto.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=48&Itemid=9
C.B.E. Initiatives: Assistive Technology and mLearning:
Supporting English as a Second Language Learners
http://projects.cbe.ab.ca/sss/ilscommunity/learningspaces/assistive-mlearning.asp
AlphaSmart Neo Project http://projects.cbe.ab.ca/sss/ilscommunity/learningspaces/assistive-alphasmart.asp
Assistive Technology Toolkits
http://projects.cbe.ab.ca/sss/ilscommunity/learningspaces/assistive-toolkit.asp
Software Pilots: Dynedhttp://www.dyned.com/education/
Let’s Go
http://www.dyned.com/products/lg/ First English
http://www.dyned.com/products/fe/ English for Success
http://www.dyned.com/products/efs/ English by the Numbers
http://www.dyned.com/products/ebn/
Software Pilots
Rosetta Stone Azar Interactive Read and Write, Gold
Generic “Must haves” Word processor with spell checker,
grammar checker, accessibility tools Internet browser Typing / computer familiarity program Institutional instructional management
courseware (e.g. Blackboard, Desire 2 Learn)
Utilizing Features Within Microsoft Word Spelling and Grammar Language tools (thesaurus) AutoCorrect Word Count Background/Text color AutoText Templates (letters, table of contents) Readability Statistics Customize Toolbars Formatting Options Right Click (spell check/synonyms) Auto Summarize Markup
Microsoft Office Word 2003.lnk
Accessibility Options Accessibility options within Windows computers
(Programs, Accessories, Accessibility)- Accessibility Wizard allows individualize set up to address vision,
hearing and mobility needs- Microsoft Magnifier – Text Size, Display Settings, Screen
Resolution- Microsoft Narrator - Text-to-Speech Program - On Screen Keyboard – mobility impaired user
http://www.microsoft.com/enable/
Accessibility options within Macintosh computers(System Preferences, Universal Access)
- Seeing – Zoom, Background- Hearing – Text-to-Speech- Keyboard – Numeric Keyboard instead of mouse- Mouse – Speed, Sticky Keys, Slow Keys
http://www.apple.com/accessibility/
Universal Access
Pod Casts
Audacityhttp://audacity.sourceforge.net
Audioizehttp://www.magnetictime.com/mtl_overview.shtml
Ghost Readerhttp://www.assistiveware.com
Telecollaborative Projects
http://members.shaw.ca/priscillatheroux/about_projects.html
http://www.2learn.ca/Projects/Together/curricul.html
Curriculum Resources
Berit’s Best Sites for Children
www.beritsbest.com Enchanted Learning
www.enchantedlearning.com Teacher Tools: Curriculum Sites
http://www.teachertools.org/index.html Discovery School
http://school.discoveryeducation.com/
Web Quests
WebQuest.Org
http://www.webquest.org/index.php Best Web Quests
http://bestwebquests.com/
Language Learning Software Developmental Scope and Sequence Language strands: L,S,R,W Networked and online versions Learning management systems Authoring capabilities
Software Suppliers
NAShttp://www.nas.ca/elem.htm http://www.nas.ca/sec.htm
ESL.Nethttp://www.esl.net/software_schools.html
Linguatronics ESL Softwarehttp://www.eslsoftware.com/
Reviews
Learn English Software Reviews (top ten)http://esl-software-review.toptenreviews.com/
Learn to Read Software Reviews (top ten)http://learn-to-read-software-review.toptenreviews.com/
Learn Vocabulary Software Reviews (top ten)
http://vocabulary-software-review.toptenreviews.com
/
Recommendations (Deborah Healey)
A Place to Start in Selecting Software
http://oregonstate.edu/~healeyd/cj_software_selection.html Software for Children
http://oregonstate.edu/%7Ehealeyd/table1.html Software for Teens and Adults
http://oregonstate.edu/%7Ehealeyd/table2.html
CALL-IS Software List (Elementary)
http://oregonstate.edu/dept/eli/softlist/elementary.html