Case Study Presentation Day

Today was Case Study Presentation Day and our final day together as a whole group.  We started almost 2 years ago as a group of 20. Although  new members have been welcomed to our cohort, the core group has remained the same. 

We all presented our students and their cases, trying to improve that student's life and learning in one way or another. Everyone spoke with such passion about their students who we attempted to further assist in their learning and development. We all spoke of of high and low technologies that best met the needs of our students. Very informative for the future as we try to problem solve to best meet the needs of our students.
In case you are interested in viewing any blogs of my classmates to see their take on Assistive Technology, below I'll list their links. Enjoy!

tnoseworthyed5173.blogspot.com Tiffaney Noseworthy 

BelliveauMaureen.blogspot.com Maureen Belliveau

http://sbailey5173.blogspot.ca/ Stephanie Bailey

http://educ5173rd.blogspot.ca/ Reanne

maryemacdonald.blogspot.com Mary Macdonald

www.laceyteach2.blogspot.com Lacy Cyr

http://www.talesfromgradesix.blogspot.ca/ Stephanie Meisner

marthajlee.blogspot.ca Martha Lee

maoleary.blogspot.com Melanie OLeary

http://equalaccessassistivetechnology.blogspot.ca/ Gillian Costelo

http://assistivetech2emgabe.blogspot.ca Emily Gabriel

http://makikochiasson.blogspot.ca/ Makiko Chiasson

Dumay5173@blogspot.com Karen Dumay

http://nmcleod51732013.blogspot.ca/ Nancy Mcleod

http://assistivetech2bymandy.blogspot.ca Mandy

http://gdentre.blogspot.ca/ Gerri Dentremont

Understanding AT - Simply Said

Interesting youtube...

Another day, more Apps

We really do make the best with what we have to work with. Because we don't really have another choice. 

Boardmaker vs Pic Collage

• PEC Picture Exchange Communication is a picture communication system used for non verbal children. Introduced in six phases, beginning with learning how to exchange a picture for an item they really want, to phase six where they are putting together simple sentences. There is no doubt that it is time consuming in constructing the traditional boardmaker cards/boards from start to finish. I've had some experience, and I've used hours creating VERY basic boards used in labelling my classroom. 

Some items to consider...

• Cost factor of one program verses the other
• visual schedule  - easy to change/add to throughout the day as the day changes
• digitizing information, less time consuming
• only as limited as your imagination - so true!
• used for visual schedules, calendars, graphic organizers, labeling activity
• possibility to buy thematic sticker packs. 
• use camera to take pictures - real pictures with meaning to the student verses traditional Boardmaker boards
• ability to get online and search

Piccollage - It's free and super easy to use. I've now downloaded it to our iPad, I love it. I've even added it to Emma's mini. So easy to navigate.We were first introduced to this app during our summer course, but at the time we didn't have an iPad, now we have 3 in the house! It's kind of like a virtual scrapbook page maker. It allows you to create collages using pictures (your own or from the web), stickers, borders, and text. There are a variety of  backgrounds, font styles and colors to choose from. 

Emma's 1st attempt @ a collage. We just downloaded it and I gave her a 3 minute lesson how the "how to" and voila. Grampa was most impressed.

Another really great app we explored today was Book Creator. This is an inexpensive app ($4.99) that gives the user creative freedom to create a book and share it with friends! You are able to import your own photos and videos, and also can record your own voice! These books can be published to iBooks to be shared with others. Here are some creative ways you could use Book Creator in your classroom:

• Social Stories - I've never had the experience in writing one, but I hear that they can be interesting. With Gerry, Emily and I worked on one for a studnet who likes to shred paper. A social story on an iPad would prevent the student from shredding it!
• Story writing - fairytales - Emma's class is using Power Point to present their fairytales. BooK Creator seem more fun, interactive, authentic and modern.
• Using a Venn Diagram or T-chart students could sort numbers in their various forms in to categories. 
• Biographies
• Dictionaries for any subject
• Personal Encyclopedias
• Study notes
• Journalling

and so much!

Anything that a student would want to create a book about, you can do that using Book Creator. It is just much more engaging using technology!

  

One last note for today....

Dr. Ruben Puentedura is the Founder and President of Hippasus, a consulting firm based in Western Massachusetts, focusing on transformative applications of information technologies to education. If you have some time, check out the following link.

http://www.hippasus.com/rrpweblog/

No or Low Tech Suggestions from an OT

After watching some of these videos, I think...how simple, why haven't I or one of my colleagues thought of this? It also reinforces the notion of the Dollar Store being a teachers best friend

No or Low Tech solutions from an OT

 "Noodles and Things"



   "Multiple uses for contact paper"

Apple Store Class Trips

The Apple Store at the Halifax Shopping Centre has just started offering computer field trips for schools.  This is a great way to have kids use latest technology and get great training. The field trips are free. I'm not sure if there is a limit to the number of times a school can participate, but it's certainly worth asking.  

 

Yes, there is certainly corporate branding, but .... the content is excellent.

 

 

The contact at the store is Cam and his contact information is below.

http://www.apple.com/ca/retail/fieldtrip/

Apps For Special Education

Each time I take some time to really look around the App store I am amazed at how many exist. The possibilities are endless. I find it difficult to sort through which ones are worth it, even when they are free. I find it interesting how many free Apps are out there. I always feel there has to be some gimmick to suck you in and eventually make you play. For instance I was really enjoying Candy Crush Saga. I was free and I was an addict. Then I reached Level 33 and it needed me to pay to continue. I was sucked in. The girls just downloaded their first "paid" Apps over the weekend. They had itunes cards, so it's not like it really cost them anything. Still they took time to decide on how to spend it. 

On to the webinar... 

Science 360: This App has a bank of science videos on a  variety of topics.  It seems easy to use, just use your finger to scroll through the videos until you come across you are interested in for pleasure or for school work. This App would be a great motivator for anyone. Sometimes, especially in early elementary our science units are the most interesting.  It would also be good for those students who need enrichment. I really see this being useful for older grades. I decided to try it out on Emma. She's hooked! It provides hundreds of science videos. Obviously some of the topics are over her head, but she was really impressed with the ocean videos. She was exploring and learning but didn't feel it was work because it was so engaging. 

Dragon Dictation: I can remember Emily W.-F. bringing up Dragon Dictation in one of our early course. Of course this was pre-iPad for me. This voice to text App lets you speak to your iPad and then the iPad converts your spoken words to text.  A great tool for students  who struggle with written output. There's no typing, or fine motor coordination involved, just being able to speak. I do question how clear one might have to speak into the program to have the dictation be exact. I know that with Siri, she rarely understands what Spencer is saying, and struggles to answer Emma's questions. 

NASA:  First of all, I find many, not all things, but many things NASA interesting. I've visited both the Johnson Space Center (at 5 years old) and the Kennedy Space Centre (several visits) and have seen a shuttle take off twice in Florida. Right now I love following the Twitter posts from Commander Chris Hadfield. The images he's taking from the International Space Station are amazing! The NASA App HD allows you to discover a wealth of NASA information. It's not a game, and it's not as interactive as many other apps, but there are beautiful images of and from space and a wealth of information from and about NASA. Great tool for space units. 

Google Glasses

Last month my Internet Marketing brother was in New York on business anh had the opportunity to take some seminars at the Google HQ in NYC. He came home raving about Google Glasses. He tried to describe them to me, but they sounded complicated, creepy and exciting all in the breath. Below is a newly released YouTube video showing their potential.Check it out!