Software

This week we discussed software that is available to purchase for classrooms and schools. We talked about many types of software (drill/tutorial, simulation, generative, diagnostic, teacher-productivity, and everyday applications), with a focus on the drill/tutorial, simulation, and generative software. We talked about the process of buying and evaluating the sofware, looking for items that have free trials, and determining whether the software is a good fit for our classes. Some of the popular software producers are Scholastic, Tom Snyder Productions, Riverdeep, and Sunburst.

We spent some time looking at the websites for these producers and choosing a piece of software that was drill, simulation, or generative and commented about them on the discussion board. We found some great programs (FASTT Math, BBC Science Simulations, and Neighborhood Map Machine 2.0), but some of them are rather pricy. It gets even more expensive when you want to purchase the software for many computers. If a school wanted to get a few programs for a lab, it would rack up quite a bill. I think that before doing something like this, the school teachers would need to get together and run demos/trials to determine which programs fit the most needs. Many of the programs have adaptive levels available, which are great for a school purchase to fit the needs of more classrooms.

After looking through the class' finds, I noticed that while many people did find the same packages, there are many types and levels of software available for classrooms. We were only given about 25 minutes to look through these sites for programs, and as a class we were able to come up with many. This tells me that with more time and consideration, we could look through and find some great programs that allow us to receive trials/demos to determine which ones are worth purchasing. I think that if the teachers can determine which programs are the best for them, it would be worth purchasing the larger package for the school.

Cognitive Technology

This week we presented in our groups to the class. Each group was assigned a different type of cognitive technology. We worked together to create a multimedia presentation to teach with. My group taught about cognitive technology devices, which help the user more easily remember, access, or process information. We used a child with ADHD as our example, who wears a watch to give him reminders of when to take his meds, turn in his homework, catch the bus, etc. The three main types of devices we talked about were watches, vibrating technology, and handheld computer devices. These devices are great for people with cognitive disabilities, but can also be used by others to help with daily reminders and tasks. Our main point was that devices should be chosen with the user and their individual needs in mind.

We learned about speech recognition software, which allows the user to convert speech into words. People who have trouble communicating can use these devices to clarify their thoughts orally to others. Some of these devices can also translate speech into other languages!

We learned about interactive white boards, or smartboards. These can be used in many ways to take notes on a board and save the notes and to make things clearer for children with disabilities. These boards seem like a lot of fun, allowing the user to use touch to create documents or move documents around.

Next we learned about AAC devices, or Augmentative and Alternative Communication devices. These devices are used by those who cannot use speech. We were able to examine some of these devices, including recorders, and key/picture pads that have pre-recorded phrases on them. A child with a disability can use this to touch a picture relaying their message without speech.

Lastly, we learned about text to speech technology. These programs allow the user to type a phrase or thought into the computer, and the program will then dictate the written language. This is also a good device for people who cannot use speech but have the ability to move their hands and type.

Overall, we learned today that there are many types and levels of technology available to help people with disabilities communicate and work more easily with others. These devices all relate to UDL and can help put all students on a more "level playing field".

Week 10

This week, we began class by meeting with our groups for our presentations next week. It was a good time for us to finish organizing and making decisions about our presentation. We were also able to ask any "last minute" questions while in class. We found it difficult to find very many times to meet outside of class, so this was helpful.
Next, we learned about Inspiration, a website we will use to summarize the content we present in our groups. We learned how to make outlines and diagrams and transfer our information into various types of documents. We also briefly discussed Kidspiration, a similar site that is more child-friendly. Although we were not able to see this in class, we heard about the speech that is available on this site, the colors, and many images that are available in this version of Inspiration.
Third, we discussed teaching Social Studies with technology. The three types of technology we discussed are digital primary sources, virtual field trips, and geographic information systems (GIS). We looked at a variety of sites that will allow students to get close to primary sources they may not normally be able to see, that zoom in on various locations showing landscaping, populations, etc., and look at some tours and trips of locations the students may not be able to travel to.

Many topics from this class session can be applied to the classroom when we are teaching. I think that either Inspiration or Kidspiration will be great tools to help students outline and organize their writing. It might also be used in vocabulary studies, creating a tree with synonyms or other anchor ideas to help a student remember the meaning of a word. This site will be very helpful and useful to use with children in various ways.
I also think that the various sites we examined for use in teaching social studies will be good tools to use in the classroom. It is easier and more meaningful for children to learn when they have more hands-on experiences. Since there are many places that the students will not be able to travel to, they can get this experience by using one of these programs. It would also help visual learners examine landscaping and geographical information across the world.

As of now, I do not have any questions about this lesson. Everything seems very clear from our initial investigations of the sites and tools. I hope that the presentations go well next week!