Tools to try in 2015 - Promethean Active Inspire part 3 - supporting fine motor challenges

Tools to try in 2015: ActiveInspire

Here are a few more tools to try in ActivInspire software which support accommodating and differentiating student learning in the classroom.

Containers

Containers allow for spaces on the ActiveInspire flipchart page to be pre-programmed to accept certain objects and reject others. (Accepted objects can even be accompanied by a reward sound.) Creating containers on a flipchart page not only makes an activity fun, engaging and provides students with instant feedback but supports students with fine motor challenges. Incorrect answers bounce out of the wrong container, eliminating a step for the student to move an object out of a certain area. The reward sound is instant feedback so the student in not required to interact with more objects to be place on the page (like hidden hints or pull tags) but still support student independence and self checking. See how to create containers in the video: Creating Containers to Engage students with ASD and Developmental Disabilities Part 1

Marquee handles

Every object on the page has its own set of marquee handle icons which indicate how the object can be changed and manipulated. For some students interacting with the object is accompanied with too many distracting icons. The default standard set-up of marquee handles includes the ability to rotate and resize the objects, which can be challenging and frustrating to some students as they attempt to show their learning, but the object moves and resizes in a way that distracts from their solution.To support even one student that encounters this challenge, the marquee handles can be customized to provide as many or as few options to be used on an object. Each students' profile can be quickly saved so that each time they are at the board the objects' setting are appropriate for him/her.

Customizing the Marquee handles to support students with fine motor challenges

Restrictors

Using Restrictors supports students with fine motor difficulties as objects' motions can be restricted to move only in a particular direction. Movement of objects can also be controlled by blocking the actions of objects to move up to, but not past, certain areas on a page. See our video Using Restrictors to Support Fine Motor challenges.to see how restricting objects' movements in a lesson or activity can reduce students' frustration and allowing students to demonstrate their understanding.  (There's also a second video that shows that along with restricting movement, the resizing or the distortion of size of an object can also be prevented.)

For more information and examples of ways to use ActivInspire to meet the needs of exceptional learners visit our Teach and Special Ed YouTube channel.

Math & AT project: Using OneNote to support student communication of ideas - spotlight Scarborough Village A.S.

Students in Miriam Taylor's Home School Program at Scarborough Village Alternative School had a wide variety of opportunities to use technology to explore the concept of equivalent fractions during a recent co-teaching session. As part of the "I have Assistive Technology in the classroom, how do I use it for Math?" project. Ms Taylor and itinerant teacher Valia Reinsalu created a lesson which incorporated different software to support the students' learning styles and ability to communicate their understanding and thinking.

Minds On: Promethean Interactive Whiteboard flipchart

To start off the lesson, students revisited their understanding of identifying and naming fractions.

Ms Taylor during the Minds On portion of the lesson students used simple IWB tools to share their knowledge.

In one example students use the pen tool to complete the whole and name the fractional parts or divide a whole into fractional parts.

Action: OneNote
Scarborough Village is part of the AT team`s C.A.R.T. project this year (Curriculum and Resource Technology) so it`s a natural fit to get the laptops into the students` hands during the action portion of the lesson. Students picked up separate Microsoft OneNote page files from the school`s student shared folder and worked on the problems using OneNote tools as well as hands-on manipulatives.

Scarborough Village students represent fractions using various draw tools in OneNote.

Students in the triad use fraction circle manipulatives and computer to explore a problem about equivalent fractions (left). Without prompting one student quickly creates a vocabulary word list using Read and Write Gold to confirm his understanding of the word equivalent (right).

Consolidation: IWB and OneNote

As part of explaining their thinking, groups could choose to use the record video portion to orally explain and show why the two fractions represented were equivalent. Once all groups are finished Ms. Taylor will show each group's solution and play their embedded video from OneNote on the IWB. Students will have a chance to reflect and discuss answers for clarity and accuracy.

A OneNote solutions page. This group of students have responded to why the two fractions are equivalent by including an embedded video where they orally explain their answer.

The Individual Classroom Referral - one support to kick-start the year to embed A.T. in your special education classroom

A.T. team's Individual Referral

Are some of your goals this school year is to use new and varied differentiation strategies as well as technology to support your special education students? The A.T. team's individual classroom referral may be something that you are looking for.

Our team supports individual classroom special education teachers and their students in the model Job Embedded Professional Learning.

There are two parts to this referral. There is a session of co-planning which includes reflecting on your student's needs, conducting a survey of what technology you currently have access to as well as planning a lesson which embeds assistive technology to support your student(s) learning.
(When planning an A.T. support with the focus of Universal Design for Learning a tools or strategy which is essential for a few students, the classroom teacher will note that all students benefit.) The second part of the referral is job-embedded as the teacher puts the planned lesson or activity into action in the classroom with his/her students. The A.T. itinerant teacher is there to provide as little or much support as the special education classroom teacher requires; from modeling to co-teaching. Reflection is included in the second part of the referral to ensure the classroom teacher has clear and personalized next steps in his/her journey incorporating A.T.

Our referral is open to ISPs and HSP special education classrooms - elementary to secondary.Here are a few examples of referrals that were done last year. Click on the images to link to a few of our detailed blog posts which share more detailed information about just a few of our previous sessions.

Junior LD - Read and Write Gold & SMART Ideas

Embedding Read and Write Gold during a Biodiversity research project at Bowmore Jr & Sr P.S.

Primary HSP - IWB & peripherals

Reinforcing classroom learning using the IWB at Clinton Public School's Primary HSP.

Junior HSP - SMART Ideas & IWB

Using the IWB and graphic organizer programme SMART Ideas to support the writing process in a Junior HSP class at Forest Manor Public School.

Secondary DD ISP - IWB

Stay tuned to our blog to read more snapshots of our referrals. TDSB teachers can access the itinernal referral form by going to the SEA Information and Forms tab on the internal web site here.