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Source 1: Instruction for Students with High-Incidence Disabilities

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Source 1: Instruction for Students with High-Incidence Disabilities

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This website provides information about students with high incidence disabilities and includes the various types with strategies that teachers can use to benefit those learners in the classroom.

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Teaching Students with Higher-Incidence Disabilities

Speech and Language Impairment(18.7% under IDEA; 1.7% of school age)

Definition:

People who struggle (more than normal) with forming and producing sounds necessary for language and/or communicating ideas.
Examples/ Characteristics of Speech Disorder:
It exists as voice, articulation, or fluency disorder. Voice disorder: speech chronically hoarse, strained, breathy, nasal, or not present. Communication disorder: difficulty pronouncing words, including omissions, additions, distortions, and substitutions. Fluency disorder: interruptions in the natural flow or rhythm of speech.

Examples/ Characteristics of Language Disorder:

Problems in using or comprehending language (expressive or receptive). There may involve difficulties with phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, or pragmatics. Aphasia is a more severe LD which refers to difficulties in speaking or comprehending.
Causes:
Unknown for the most part. Some of the voice disorder can be caused by problems with the larynx.

Physical Environment

Have assigned seating in the classroom (near the front) and in the public areas. Look on p. 54

Materials

Allow students to use any technology that will aid their disability. ACC (Alternative and Augmentative Communication) is popular and available for the students. There are two different types: A ided communication- involved the use of some external device like handmade material or picture boards. Unaided communication- does not need anything except own body: sign-language, gestures, pointing, etc.

Instruction

The instruction needs to be organized and clear:

Facilitate Verbal Responding: One of the main things is to give the student time to communicate, and create an environment that will encourage the student to share. That can be practiced by not calling on the student when not raising his/her hand, or accepting a short response from the student. Another thing is using language cards with representational pictures for the student to express thoughts without the language being a rock.

Practice Oral Presentations: Allow the student practice one-on-one with the instructor or in a small group before the student has to give an oral presentation.

Enlist Peer Assistance: Sometimes peers tend to tease students with language impairment (especially stuttering). As a teacher, she/he is to meet privately with the student who is teasing the student, and brainstorm ways of how to respond or behave around the student.

Evaluation/ Assessment

The student will most likely need aid when taking a test whereas is extra time or assistance of readers or scribes.

Learning Disabilities(47.3% under IDEA; 4.3% of school-age)-Individuals with average or above-average intelligence--major factors to causes: organic, genetic, and environment

Language

This is not only speaking difficulty, but also reading and writing difficulty. Some examples for expressive and receptive language difficulty are: discriminating between sounds, misunderstanding grammar, etc. Also, a student can lack a phonemic awareness, which affects his/her speaking, reading, and writing abilities. A student may not be a fluent reader, or may encounter problems with handwriting, spelling, and writing composition (for example developmental reading disorder (or dyslexia)).

Math

2/3 of the students with learning disabilities have a math disability. This may be exhibited in having difficulty in learning math facts, rules, procedures, or concepts, or in personal math like managing money.

Attention and Memory

A more serious problem with attention is called Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Usually people with other disabilities have ADHD.

Some students may have deficit in both long and short-term memory. When it is short-term memory, the student will tend to struggle more in class to remember facts, rules, procedures in general. It may also present in not being able to simultaneously processing the same or other information. There may be memory problems.

Assistive Technology

This refers to supports that help individuals maintain, increase, or improve their capabilities.

An example is: for writing, Low technology examples are pencil grip, scribes, and some high technology are notebook computer and audio tape recorders.

Thinking and Reasoning

Some difficulties may include: abstract thinking, take longer to learn new tasks and information, organizing thinking, drawing conclusions, over-rigidity in thinking, and solving problems.

Instruction

The variability in instruction can help students with learning disabilities to learn more effectively. Some examples are:

Metacognition

Refers to the knowledge about one's own learning and understanding. Students that lack metacognitive skills appear to be disorganized and lack an understanding of what to do or how to proceed with academic tasks or assignments.

Social-Emotional Functioning

This includes social skill difficulties, low self-esteem, low self-awareness and self-perception, low self-concept, weak self-confidence, anxiety, or depression.

Generalization and Application

Have difficulty generalizing learned information to novel situations.

Peer Relationships

Careful monitoring can decrease the likelihood of such negative situations occurring and increase the likelihood that peer relations will be positive and productive.

Definition:

Refers to a number of different, but related, social-emotional disabilities. They meet at least one of the following:
Causes:
Biological factors, family factors, school factors, and/or environmental factors.
Characteristics: (does not apply to everyone)

Students must meet 6 of nine characteristics of inattentive, or hyperactivity/impulsivity before ADHD is diagnosed.
Inattentive:
-fails to pay attention

-Difficulty sustaining attention in tasks

-Does not seem to listen when spoken directly

-Does not follow through on instructions and fails to finish schoolwork, chores, duties

- often have difficulty organizing tasks and activities

- Often avoids, dislikes, or is reluctant to engage in tasks that require sustained mental effort.

- loses things necessary for tasks and activities

- has difficulty organizing tasks and activities

-Forgetful of activities
Hyperactivity:
- Fidgets with hands or feet or squirms in seat

- Leaves seat in classroom in which remaining in seat is expected

- often runs about or climbs excessively in situations in which it is inappropriate

- has difficulty playing or engaging in leisure activities quietly

- often on the go or acts as if driven by a motor

- often talks excessively
Impulsivity:
- Often blurts out answer before questions have been completed

- Often had difficulty waiting for a turn

- Often interrupts or intrudes on others.
Causes
-genetic, non-genetic, psychological, and neurobiological bases

Behavioral Interventions

They are first analyzed with respect to antecedent and consequent.

Then, strategies are implemented so that they can be effective and may meet the specific needs of problem behaviors.

Cognitive-Behavioral Interventions

It is similar to the behavioral interventions, but in addition self-instruction and self-monitoring is added.

Other commonly used cognitive-behavioral interventions involve the use of self-monitoring for on-task behavior and task completion.

Medication

Most students with ADHD take medication like Ritalin or Cylert to help control their attention and hyperactivity.

It is controversial.

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Instruction for students with High-Incidence Disabilities - Instructional Strategies in Special Education

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Teaching Students with Higher-Incidence Disabilities Speech and Language Impairment (18.7% under IDEA; 1.7% of school age) Definition: People who struggle (more than normal) with forming and producing sounds necessary for language and/or communicating ideas. Examples/ Characteristics of Speech Disorder: It exists as voice, articulation, or fluency disorder.

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Source 1: Technology for Learning Differences, ADHD, and Executive Function Challenges

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Source 1: Technology for Learning Differences, ADHD, and Executive Function Challenges

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This website provides teachers with steps of becoming familiar with assistive technology, its function in the classroom, and its significance.

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This 3-unit online course is part of UCSC Extension's Educational Therapy Certificate Program . The intended audience is teachers, learning specialists, educational therapists, and parents.

See the full course description on the registration webpage:
www.ucsc-extension.edu/courses/assistive-technology-for-learning-differences

My focus is technology for students with brain-based learning challenges - learning disabili ties, ADHD, executive functioning deficits, and issues with processing information and memory. You do not need to apply for admission to take UCSC Extension courses.

The 10-module course is largely asynchronous (self-paced) comprising reading materials, videos, self-guided activities, and threaded discussion groups. Live weekly Zoom sessions of up to 90 minutes supplement online instruction with class discussion and technology assistance.

For additional details including course outline, learning outcomes, and schedule, please visit www.AT4LD.net

Make Your Assistive Technology "Work"

Does your assistive technology "work"? That is, does it give you the results you want?

Assistive technology (AT) is more than just the tangible devices and software -- it's also the proper selection, training, application strategies, and technical support necessary to produce results. If your technology tools fall short of expectations, you may be missing one or more of the following services.

The bullet points below summarize AT services I provide in each area. Whether you need technology assistance or just want to discuss possibilities, please feel free to call or write - I'm always happy to help.

1. AWARENESS - Discover what's possible

To get the right answers, you need to ask the right questions. But what if you don't know what questions to ask? Free classes can provide you with valuable background information on "what's out there"; a personal consultation can provide more focused information.

AT awareness classes -- see Classes & Events for upcoming opportunities

Personal consultation in your home or school

2. ASSESSMENT - Select the right technology tools

Let's face it: you can pound in a nail with a screwdriver, but it's a lot easier with a hammer. You will get the best results with tech tools thoughtfully matched to the user's abilities, the particular task, and the environment or context in which they perform the task. See the Assessment tab for more detail.

Solutions customized to student's abilities, tasks, and learning environments

Formal AT assessments (including report) for learning issues

3. SUPPORT - Acquire and set up the tools

Nowadays, purchasing technology is only the first step - you also need to ensure compatibility with your system, and may also need to download it, install it on your computer, configure it to the user's needs, and verify that it works with other technology.

Expert guidance selecting and acquiring technology

Technical assistance with downloads, installation, and configuration of software and devices

4. TRAINING - Learn how to operate the devices or software

Hands-on training not only teaches the user how to operate the device or software in question: it also provides him or her with the confidence to use it. With the right training, students will know what features are available, what they do, and how to operate them.

5. STRATEGIES - Apply the tools effectively

Whereas skills training teaches "how do I operate the technology's features", application training teaches "how do I apply those features to become a faster reader, more effective writer, or better learner". Both are required to realize success.

Application strategies for various devices and software

Guidance matching the tools to the task

Collaboration with teachers, tutors, and learning specialists

6. IMPLEMENTATION - Integrate use into school and home

Implementation is "making it all happen" -- from planning training sessions to getting materials in alternative formats (electronic text, audiobooks) to dealing with the realities of actually using the recommended tools in class and at home. See the Integration tab for more detail.

Why assistive technology is important

Paraphrasing the legal definition, assistive technologies, or "AT", are tools (and associated supporting services) that help an individual work around the functional limitations imposed by a disability. AT for learning disabilities and learning differences includes not only computers and high-tech devices, but also innovative uses of everyday technology like voice recorders, cameras, and smart phones, and even low tech items like day planners, highlighters, and sticky notes.

Assistive technology can be a great equalizer, helping to level the academic playing field. The right technology tools can reduce the impact of learning barriers, leverage a student's strengths, or provide an alternative means to accomplish a task. And AT can provide greater self-confidence -- an "I can" attitude -- and thus improve self esteem and social life.

With the right supporting services, AT users can benefit from the full potential of their assistive technology, and perhaps achieve their own full potential as a result.

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Technology for Learning Differences, ADHD, and Executive Function Challenges

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This 3-unit online course is part of UCSC Extension's Educational Therapy Certificate Program . The intended audience is teachers, learning specialists, educational therapists, and parents. See the full course description on the registration webpage: www.ucsc-extension.edu/courses/assistive-technology-for-learning-differences My focus is technology for students with brain-based learning challenges - learning disabili ties, ADHD, executive functioning deficits, and issues with processing information and memory.

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Source 2: Supporting Students with High-Incidence Disabilities in U.S. Schools

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Source 2: Supporting Students with High-Incidence Disabilities in U.S. Schools

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This website with a free resource describes how teachers are told to support their students with high incidence disabilities but teachers are unable to do that, due to the lack of formal training, planning time, and resources in American schools.

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In this report, researchers explore the extent to which supports are available to both general and special educators who teach students with high-incidence disabilities. Research has established the importance of a supportive school culture, collaboration and planning time, resources and training, and data, but little is known about teachers' nationwide access to them and how school-level factors influence the prevalence of such supports.

Research Questions

1. To what extent do general and special educators in U.S. schools report that they have sufficient access to support for serving students with high-incidence disabilities including a supportive school culture, collaboration and planning time, access to data and tools for using data, and training and resources?

2. How does teachers' access to support for serving students with high-incidence disabilities vary by aspects of school context, particularly grade-levels taught?

The extent to which students with high-incidence disabilities (SWDs) are afforded effective and specialized instruction depends, in large part, upon the support their teachers receive. Certain teacher supports are essential for effectively serving SWDs, including a supportive school culture, collaboration and planning time, resources and training, and access to data and tools for using data. In this report, we explore the extent to which these supports are available to general and special educators, based on the results of the Measurement, Learning, and Improvement Survey to the RAND American Teacher Panel, a survey administered to a nationally representative sample of teachers. While research has established the importance of these supports, little is known about teachers' access to them on the nationwide level and about how school-level factors (such as grade levels served, percentage of minority students, and poverty level) influence the prevalence of teacher supports. Overall, teachers' access to support for serving SWDs varied by type of support, teacher role, and school level. General educators and teachers at the high school level were significantly less likely to report having sufficient access to support. Planning and release time were among the supports least often deemed sufficient by both general and special educators.

Key Findings

Teachers report that their schools have a culture of shared responsibility for serving students with disabilities, but they have less access to relevant training, resources, planning time, and student data

General educators were less likely than special educators to report having sufficient access to support for serving students with high-incidence disabilities (SWDs).

Most teachers reported that their schools had a culture of shared responsibility for the success of all students, but fewer reported sufficient leadership support for serving SWDs, particularly general educators.

Most teachers reported having access to staff with specific expertise regarding students with disabilities, but fewer - particularly general educators - believed that collaboration was emphasized in their school models or that they had sufficient time for planning.

General educators reported significantly less access than special educators to data and records for SWDs as well as tools for using data.

Both general and special educators reported relatively low access to training and resources for serving SWDs; general educators report significantly less access than special educators.

Educators were significantly less likely to report sufficient support for serving SWDs at the high school level.

Recommendations

Future research should explore the specific supports teachers need to effectively serve SWDs, particularly general educators and teachers in high schools.

Principals and district leaders should consider the needs of general educators - particularly related to training, materials, and time for planning - when designing and allocating teacher supports for serving SWDs.

Principals and district leaders should provide more opportunities for enhanced collaboration between general and special educators, related to issues of effective teaching and learning for SWDs.

State and local education agencies should consider investing in training and support for principals that would help them to improve teachers' working conditions for serving SWDs, and integrate supports for SWDs into existing school initiatives and frameworks.

The research described in this report was conducted by RAND Education and Labor and supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

This report is part of the RAND Corporation Research report series. RAND reports present research findings and objective analysis that address the challenges facing the public and private sectors. All RAND reports undergo rigorous peer review to ensure high standards for research quality and objectivity.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. All users of the publication are permitted to copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format and transform and build upon the material, including for any purpose (including commercial) without further permission or fees being required.

The RAND Corporation is a nonprofit institution that helps improve policy and decisionmaking through research and analysis. RAND's publications do not necessarily reflect the opinions of its research clients and sponsors.

Citation

Format:

Stelitano, Laura, Rachel Perera, and William R. Johnston, Supporting Students with High-Incidence Disabilities in U.S. Schools: National Findings from the American Educator Panels. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 2019. https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR2992.html.

Stelitano, Laura, Rachel Perera, and William R. Johnston, Supporting Students with High-Incidence Disabilities in U.S. Schools: National Findings from the American Educator Panels, RAND Corporation, RR-2992-BMGF, 2019. As of May 30, 2023: https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR2992.html

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Do Educators Have What They Need to Teach Students with Disabilities?

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To serve students with high-incidence disabilities, teachers need a supportive school culture, collaboration and planning time, resources and training, access to data, and tools for using data. Survey data sheds light on the extent to which these supports are available to general and special educators in U.S. schools.

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Source 3: Specific Learning Disability: Categories of Students with Disabilities

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Source 3: Specific Learning Disability: Categories of Students with Disabilities

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This video gives an overview of the categories for specific learning disabilities and ways that teachers can help support those students, the assistive technology, and attributes of those specific learning disabilities.

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Specific Learning Disability: Categories of Students with Disabilities

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Source 4: Students with ADHD: Teaching Strategies, Modifications, Accommodations

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Source 4: Students with ADHD: Teaching Strategies, Modifications, Accommodations

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This video discusses the various teaching methods and strategies teachers can utilize in the classroom to help their students with ADHD to ensure students with ADHD are successful.

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Students with ADHD: Teaching Strategies, Modifications, Accommodations

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Source 5: Effective Teacher Resources and Strategies for ADHD

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Source 5: Effective Teacher Resources and Strategies for ADHD

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This website describes teaching strategies to use with students with ADHD, where teachers are using empathy and creating an environment that is beneficial to all learners.

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ADHD Resources & Strategies For Effective Teaching With Empathy

Students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) often struggle to succeed at school. That's why it's so important to develop ADHD strategies for teachers.

Did you know there are at least 1 to 3 students with ADHD in every classroom of 30 students?

Understanding the struggles students with ADHD face

Imagine watching the season finale of your favorite TV show. Just when it starts to get good, someone changes the channel to NBC Nightly News for a few minutes. Then, they turn back to your TV show. Then to another channel and another channel, and then back to your show. How are you supposed to know what happened during the episode?

American Psychiatric Association experts say the scenario described above is what it feels like to have ADHD. Students with the condition say they get a lot of different thoughts at once and don't know how to sort or make sense of them.

Unfortunately, many students with ADHD are often stigmatized as difficult, defiant, or too demanding. Students with ADHD often struggle with symptoms, including:

Overactive behavior and hyperactivity

Impulsive behavior

Difficulty paying attention

ADHD affects each student in different ways and can even overlap with other learning and behavioral conditions. Some students may struggle with one of the symptoms while others struggle with a combination of all of them. These symptoms can present themselves in a number of ways:

Tendency to rock in their chair

Easy to distract or often distracts others

Turns in sloppy or unfinished work

Can act impulsively or recklessly

Loses things often

Sometimes forgetful

These uncontrollable traits can cause students with ADHD to stand out from their peers and struggle to "fit in." Oftentimes, these students end up getting bullied for being "different," causing feelings of low self-esteem.
Ultimately, the symptoms that come with having ADHD often create barriers for students living with the condition to become uninterested in school altogether. That's why it's so important to find ways to create a safe and supportive learning environment for students with ADHD.

Foundational strategies for teaching students with ADHD

Next to parents, teachers play one of the most impactful roles in shaping the success or failure students experience on a daily basis, especially if those students are living with ADHD. That's because students with ADHD typically require more attention than their peers. So, how do you find the balance between the two?

Being fair isn't about giving every student the same exact treatment; it's about giving every student what they need. Here are some strategies that can help you create an inclusive environment for all students, with or without ADHD:

Help everyone stay organized with rules and routines

Create a set of rules and routines that provide structure while leaving room for flexibility. Many students with ADHD don't know how to behave in new situations unless told. Classroom rules give everyone a shared understanding of what's expected. Oh, and make sure to post the rules in a visible place in your classroom. That way, you have a physical reminder to reference whenever anyone misbehaves or doesn't stay on task.

Another strategy you can use is dedicating a specific spot on the board as the place where all classroom and homework assignments are listed, along with due dates. Try reminding students to look at the board before and after class so they know what they should be working on or turning in-do this until it becomes routine.

Encourage students with ADHD to check in with you before the end of class to ensure they understand what's due and when. And make sure they feel comfortable asking questions if they're unsure of what they should be doing.

The ADHD Foundation suggests helping students with ADHD learn to perform tasks in three stages:

1. Stage One: Stop and Listen
Remind them the importance of listening. This will help them better understand what they're learning and keep track of any associated assignments.

2. Stage Two: Look and Think
Ask them to keep a close eye on peers for a reminder of what they should be doing. They can also look to the dedicated "assignment section" of the board for direction.

3. Stage Three: Decide and Do
From here, they can get to work. And encourage them to ask you questions if they ever feel lost.

The ADHD Foundation says to try taking situations stage by stage to help students with ADHD find their independence and learn to succeed using their own devices. The key is to reinforce instructions and stay positive every step of the way.

Students with ADHD feel more comfortable when they know what to expect. Routines and rituals like these help them become familiar with what they need to do every day. If there are any changes to the classroom's everyday routines, be sure to alert students with ADHD first.

Incentivize students using a reward system

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) experts say students with ADHD respond well to incentives tied to short-term goals. Try creating a reward system that encourages good behavior and discourages bad behavior through incentives like points, stickers, or merits. Below, see an example of creating a points-based reward system:

Turning in homework on time

+5 points

Disorganized and messy assignment

-5 points

Impeccable penmanship and organization

+2 points

Disorganized and messy assignment

-5 points

Helping a classmate understand a complex lesson

+2 points

Making fun of a classmate for getting an answer wrong

-5 points

That way, the whole class can enjoy a friendly competition working to win "good behavior" points. This also gives you an opportunity to recognize and praise students whenever they're doing something good. The ADHD Foundation warns that with students with ADHD, it's not just the reward that matters, it's who gives the reward to them.

Targeted teacher strategies for ADHD

As we mentioned earlier, students with ADHD feel more comfortable when sticking to a well-known routine. Here are some targeted strategies to help prevent situations from going awry:

Where to seat students with ADHD

Students with ADHD tend to get over-stimulated when working in large groups like a classroom. Try to seat students with ADHD near the front of the classroom or as close as possible to where you'll be standing while giving lectures. You can also prevent distractions by seating them away from doors and windows. Experts also recommend seating students with ADHD at single desks; at most, seat them at a two-person desk.

Try to also have a secluded workstation that faces a wall just in case a particular classroom setting gets too chaotic for students with ADHD. This work station should not be used as a disciplinary function but to help the student with ADHD better focus when working on a classroom assignment.

Pair students with ADHD with a peer mentor or buddy

Sometimes, it's tough to keep an eye on every student. This is where a buddy system can help you spread your attention where it's most necessary while also managing students with ADHD.

Consider pairing students with ADHD with a student they consider a positive role model and also known for following directions. Ask the peer mentor to help you keep their buddy on track by reminding them of classwork and homework. That way, the student with ADHD has an example to mimic or use for reference.

Helping students with ADHD organize their thoughts

Students with ADHD sometimes have trouble performing tasks in the right order. Try creating a specific sequence of events for every activity or assignment. Creating a clear step-by-step plan not only helps students with ADHD understand what they should be doing but also prepares them for what's coming next.

Help them stay on track by giving them an overview of the goal they're trying to achieve and why it's important. Describe the sequence of events necessary to achieve that goal. Then, have them repeat it back to you. You can even make it fun by asking them to describe every step in 30 seconds or less.

Use sticky notes, to-do lists, and flashcards as reminders

It's important to teach students with ADHD time management and planning skills. Help them color code their homework in a planner where you can also include reminders, notes, and to-do lists. Work with parents to create flashcards that will help students with ADHD remember these tactics.

Attach these reminders to relevant places like their book bag, inside the assigned reading, to a specific folder, or to their computer. These reminders can serve as memory prompts. And encourage students with ADHD to follow your lead by creating reminders for themselves and to not just rely on you to do it for them. Remember, they'll be out in the real world on their own one day. The tactics you teach them now can very well help them in the future.

Getting students settled after a recess or break

It's important to prepare students with ADHD for any kind of transition. Students with ADHD sometimes struggle to get back into gear after a break like recess or lunchtime. A few minutes before the break is over, you can help them wind down by asking them to assist you with an activity like cleaning the board before classmates return. Or, you can try a classroom breathing activity where every student takes a few deep breaths together before getting back into the swing of things.

Be as proactive (and less reactive) as possible. If students with ADHD continue to fidget, give them something to help them refocus their attention while still being able to listen to what's going on in class. Tangible objects like a fidget spinner or stress ball really help in times like these.

Preparing students with ADHD for homework

Did you know it takes a student with ADHD 3X as long to do an assignment at home compared to doing it at school?

Sometimes, it might be helpful to reduce or differentiate homework assignments for students with ADHD to only what's necessary or essential.

Here are a few ideas on how to do that:

Try a combination of one-word and multiple choice answers instead of essays.

Give them a choice between a written essay, oral report, a series of quizzes, or project.

Consider having the student complete all their homework at school before going home.

These ideas can help the student avoid at-home comforts from distracting them from what they need to do. Whichever tactic you choose, be sure to make sure the assignment and what's expected is clear to students with ADHD.

How to communicate effectively with students with ADHD

Feedback is essential to the success of students with ADHD. And be as specific as possible when giving feedback. Sometimes students with ADHD might be off task because they've simply forgotten what they're supposed to be doing. Instead of merely telling them to get back to work, tell them exactly what they should be doing. For instance, "Tawny, please finish your word problems silently."

The same goes for when they're doing something right or wrong. Tell them exactly what they are or aren't being praised for in specific terms. This will give them a better understanding of what kind of behavior is expected.

Here's an example:

When a student with ADHD calls out answers without raising their hand, remind the whole class this behavior is inappropriate. If the behavior continues, say something like, "It makes it difficult for the entire class to hear the lesson when people call out answers. Please try not to interrupt me unless you raise your hand and wait for your turn to contribute."

Here's another example:

Let's say a student with ADHD keeps bothering the person sitting next to them when it's time to be working. Say something like, "Tawny, please stop talking to Raphy and listen to me. Please finish reading Chapter 13 before your reading time ends."
And remember, praise the effort, not the ability. The most important thing is that the student with ADHD tries.
It's crucial to also communicate with both students with ADHD and their family as often as possible. Discuss strategies that work and don't work both at home and inside the classroom.

Pro tip: Praise students with ADHD for good behavior often; it's proven to improve their concentration skills.

Dealing with outbursts

The best strategy to prevent outbursts is to give students with ADHD plenty of warning before any kind of transition or change to a routine. Sometimes, students with ADHD get deeply focused in a particular activity or task they're interested in and have trouble shifting their focus.

But what do you do when life throws you a curveball and things don't go as planned? If a student with ADHD starts to get frustrated and begins acting out, the most important thing you need to remember is to stay calm and remain in control of the situation.

Instead of immediately reprimanding the student, ask them questions to help them remember how to behave. Ask questions like, "Is this a good or bad choice," or, "What should you be working on right now?" This will help them realize that their behavior might be inappropriate.

Another strategy you can use to help resolve an outburst is performing a physical activity where the student with ADHD mirrors your behavior or has to follow your directions. One way you can do this is asking the student to follow your finger with their eyes as you move it from side to side. Explore different strategies until you find one that works for your student.

Quick teacher tips to use for students with ADHD

Allow breaks or time to move and exercise

Try to always address the student by name

Speak as clearly and concisely as possible

Use an even tone and avoid showing emotions

Be specific whenever giving directions or instructions

Give instructions using a step-by-step process

Keeping a growth mindset toward students with ADHD

It's easy to feel flustered, frustrated, or even annoyed when dealing with students with ADHD. But the important thing to keep in mind is that they're not behaving the way they are on purpose. ADHD is a medical condition; the reality is that students who live with the condition require a different type of support than their peers, depending on how severe their symptoms display.
Empathy and acceptance are key to supporting students with ADHD, along with an openness to adapt your teaching strategies to help them learn more effectively.
American Psychiatric Association research tells us that students with ADHD often feel like they're in trouble. Experts say this makes it difficult for them to deal with criticism and can cause them to act out in defiant or hostile ways. That's why your reaction to this type of behavior is so crucial; it can impact their view of school and learning. It's important to ensure students with ADHD feel like education has not-and will not-give up on them.

Try to manage difficult situations with a positive attitude. And although it might not always be easy, it's important to the success of students with ADHD. Oftentimes, all you need to do is reframe your perspective. Here are a few examples of doing just that:

Instead of thinking of the student as easily distracted, think of them as having high levels of awareness.

Instead of thinking of the student as bored or restless, think of them as energetic.

When the student goes off into a tangent, see it as a form of individualism.

If the student interrupts you often, that probably means they're excited about what they're learning.

If the student is forgetful, try remembering it might be because they're getting lost in their thoughts and need help organizing them.

When letting a student with ADHD know their behavior is inappropriate, try to ensure they understand it's their behavior you don't appreciate, not the student as a person. And remember, other students will follow your lead. If you treat students with ADHD with compassion and understanding, other students are likely to do the same.

Keeping a growth mindset approach like this helps build positive relationships with students with ADHD. And hopefully, helps forge a pathway to success in school and wherever life takes them.

ADHD resources for teachers
Interested in looking for more ways to support your students with ADHD? Here are a few resources that can help:

ADHD Awareness Month
ADHD Awareness Month takes place throughout the month of October. The organization who started this movement also provides downloadbale resources vetted by national experts. You can print them out and start using them in your classroom and community now.

New Teacher Survival Guide ADHD in the Classroom
The Teaching Channel released this 11-minute video about how to teach students with ADHD effectively. But our favorite part about this resource isn't the video; it's the thread of comments that follow it. There are more than 100 comments of teachers sharing real-life moments they have with students who struggle with the condition. The teachers in the thread are constantly sharing new strategies, solutions, and advice.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The CDC provides countless fact sheets with everything from basic information about the condition to possible treatments and medication.

Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD)
CHADD's mission is to improve the lives of people affected by ADHD. If you scroll to the bottom of the link provided, you'll find resources specifically made for educators. These informational resources provide guidance on how to teach students with ADHD mather, reading, writing, and more. CHADD also offers a Teacher Training Program where teachers share strategies that help students with ADHD succeed.

The #1 ADHD resource for teachers are your student's families

One of the best resources you'll find that's not online are the families of students with ADHD. They often have insight that might be a game-changer in your classroom. Turn to them for an understanding of what your student needs to succeed. And remember, they are your greatest ally for doing exactly that.

Work together with families to create a treatment plan that works for the student. Keep families updated on what's due and when. Encourage them to enforce organizational strategies that keep the student on track at home, as well as in the classroom. Communicate regularly about problems and solutions. And most importantly, inform them of how ADHD can affect their student's education.
Have tips you didn't see here? Write a guest blog about the subject and we'll amplify it to our network of educators and community members working to #ReThinkHighSchool to better prepare students for the future.

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Effective Teacher Resources & Strategies for ADHD | Rethink Together

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Students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) often struggle to succeed at school. That's why it's so important to develop ADHD strategies for teachers. Did you know there are at least 1 to 3 students with ADHD in every classroom of 30 students? Imagine watching the season finale of your favorite TV show.

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Source 6: Specific Learning Disabilities Inclusion

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Source 6: Specific Learning Disabilities Inclusion

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This website describes specific learning disabilities with examples and then gives teachers various strategies and ways that they can use in subjects like reading and language arts and math.

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SPECIFIC

LEARNING

DISABILITIES

What is a Specific Learning Disability?

A specific learning disability is defined as a disorder in one or more of the basic learning processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, that may manifest in significant difficulties affecting the ability to listen, speak, read, write, spell, or do mathematics. Associated conditions may include, but are not limited to, dyslexia , dyscalculia , dysgraphia , or developmental aphasia.​A specific learning disability does not include learning problems that are primarily the result of a visual, hearing, motor, intellectual, or emotional/behavioral disability, limited English proficiency, or environmental, cultural, or economic factors.

Visual Definition of Specific Learning Disabilities

Get to Know Your Students!

Here are examples of handouts that you can utilize in your classroom to learn more about how your students learn best.

Good Reading Material

Dr. Sheldon Horowitz (above) represents the National Center of Learning Disabilities and he is a pioneer in the field. You can learn more about him and the resources he shares HERE and HERE

​

In addition to the National Center for Learning Disabilities, LD Online is a fantastic resource for teachers. The link to LD Online is HERE

Would you like to learn more about Learning Disabilities? Visit the Learning Disabilities Association of America page for an easy to read overview on a variety of related topics: Learning Disabilities Association of America

Resources by Subject Area:

Newsela is FREE for teachers and contains a wide variety of reading material at various Lexile levels. www.newsela.com

​​

Read Works offers short, high interest articles and related comprehension questions. Click here to visit their website and sign in for free.

​

K-12 Reader has a library of supplemental activities that you could use to address IEP goals in ELA. The website is www.k12reader.com

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Mini-Offices for ELA can be a great resource to facilitate your students' ability to work independently on a task. You can locate mini-offices for math by clicking HERE

The Florida Center for Reading Research remains an excellent resource to support you with remediating your students with learning disabilities during DI time. Their student center activities can be located by clicking HERE

Samples of Sentence Frames that may be useful in your classroom can be found here: Sentence Frame Examples.docx​​

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Reading Rockets is an excellent resource. They have a "Classroom Strategies" page that offers a lot of helpful information. Click the logo to learn more.

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A resource that you may want to check out is TARHEEL READER. This website provides you with access to hundreds of short stories that you can use in your classroom to teach the Access Point Standards. It is important that you REGISTER so that you can gain access to the full collection of stories. Directions to register on Tarheel Reader are as follows:

1. Go to www.tarheelreader.org

2. Click on the icon located at the top left corner of the page

3. Click on "Login"

4. Click on "Register"

5. Enter your demographic information

6. Enter the registration code: Literacy! (case sensitive)

Once you have created your account, you may search for books by clicking on the icon located at the top left corner. To search for any book, click on "FIND A BOOK." To search for collections and short stories, click on "COLLECTIONS".

​

MATH

​

TouchMath is an excellent multisensory resource for teaching mathematics to SWDs. Click here to access resources that you can use in your classroom.

NCTM Illuminations offers interactive lessons and activities. Check it out by clicking HERE

Larson Mathematical Practices offers FREE math manipulative printables. Click ​ HERE
to go to their website.

The National Library of Virtual Manipulatives offers you free virtual manipulatives to use on your interactive board. You can select your grade level band and the math topic that you are teaching. Check it out by clicking HERE

Mini-Offices for Math can be a great resource to facilitate your students' ability to work independently on a task. You can locate mini-offices for math by clicking HERE.

Please read Weekly Briefing 22592 for information on how you can access Learning Ally for your students. Click on the Learning Ally icon to learn more about this audiobook program. Learn more.

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Specific Learning Disabilities | SLD/Inclusion

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What is a Specific Learning Disability? A specific learning disability is defined as a disorder in one or more of the basic learning processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, that may manifest in significant difficulties affecting the ability to listen, speak, read, write, spell, or do mathematics.

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Source 2: Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Foundation (PATF)

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Source 2: Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Foundation (PATF)

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This website provides information about the Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Foundation and how they can help Pennsylvanians access the assistive technology they need.

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Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Foundation (PATF) is a statewide, non-profit organization that helps individuals with disabilities and older Pennsylvanians acquire the assistive technology devices and services they want. PATF is a state and federally-certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) and is the Commonwealth's designated Alternative Financing Program (AFP) under the federal Assistive Technology Act. PATF is one of 42 AFPs and state financing entities in the U.S. and territories.

Mission

PATF provides financing opportunities, education, and advocacy for people with disabilities and older Pennsylvanians, helping them to acquire the assistive technology devices and services that improve the quality of their lives.

Who We Help

PATF programs are available to Pennsylvanians of:

All ages

All income levels

All disabilities and health conditions

We make every effort to make all of our materials accessible, including to non-English speakers.

What We Do

PATF offers:

Information and assistance about assistive technology, funding resources, and vendors

Financial education

Financial loans for the purchase of assistive technology

[ Read What We Do ]

Guiding Principles

Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Foundation (PATF) was founded as an option for individuals who want to pay for needed assistive technology devices themselves. PATF is not to be thought of as a program of last resort, meaning that all avenues of potential payers do not have to be exhausted before a loan application is considered. Key principles are:

Individuals with disabilities and/or family members make the decision to apply for a loan. It is one's choice to seek financing to purchase assistive technology and to select the assistive technology equipment and services needed.

There is no requirement that a loan applicant must have been turned down by other funding resources before s/he can apply for a loan.

Consumers can purchase the equipment and/or service s/he wants. The consumer also chooses the vendor or contractor with whom they want to work. PATF does not require multiple bids for goods and services.

PATF does not require that the applicant provide proof of disability. Applicants must describe how the device or service they wish to purchase is assistive technology.

PATF will provide services to all residents of Pennsylvania, regardless of disability diagnosis, age of onset, county of residence, age, or income level. A borrower must be willing and able to repay a loan.

In accordance with federal and state law, Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Foundation does not discriminate on the basis of race, disability, national origin, age, creed, color, sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression. To file a complaint of discrimination, write to Department of Treasury, Office of Civil Rights and Diversity, 1500 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. 20220 or call (202) 622-1160.

PATF believes in maintaining high standards of financial integrity. Our books are audited by an independent auditor on an annual basis and are available upon request by calling (888) 744-1938. Financial statements can also be found on www.guidestar.org.

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Who We Are | Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Foundation

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Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Foundation (PATF) is a statewide, non-profit organization that helps individuals with disabilities and older Pennsylvanians acquire the assistive technology devices and services they want. PATF is a state and federally-certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) and is the Commonwealth's designated Alternative Financing Program (AFP) under the federal Assistive Technology Act.

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Source 3: Assistive Technology in Action - Meet Mason

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Source 3: Assistive Technology in Action - Meet Mason

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This short YouTube video shows the real-life application of assistive technology in the classroom and how it helps a child named Mason to be successful in his daily life.

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Assistive Technology in Action - Meet Mason

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Source 4: Assistive Technology for Students with Learning Disabilities

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Source 4: Assistive Technology for Students with Learning Disabilities

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This brief YouTube video is about a teacher who discusses how she found a timer cube at Target, how she uses it as assistive technology in her classroom, and how it helps her students with disabilities.

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ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY for Students with Learning Disabilities

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Source 5: Blogging about the Web 2.0 Connected Classroom: A Blend of Technology and Education

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Source 5: Blogging about the Web 2.0 Connected Classroom: A Blend of Technology and Education

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This website discusses the use of technology in the classroom and its significance, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic and provides teaching strategies to use during virtual learning.

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In an ongoing effort to support Educators during the COVID-19 Pandemic Shaelynn Farnsworth and I continue to look for ways to use research-based instruction during remote, hybrid or face-to-face instruction. This week we look at Formative Assessment, how it works and why it can be a powerful tool no matter what your teaching and learning looks like.
One of the challenges many educators face during learning is understanding where students are on their path to understanding and how teaching can adjust. Traditionally, teaching has been a one-way enterprise with the teacher dispelling knowledge for a period of time and then assessing what the students know either through a quiz or test.

Formative assessment changes all that by providing small opportunities throughout a lesson to gauge where students are in their learning and make those subtle adjustments in the moment. There is no doubt this is easier to do when in the classroom face-to-face. Body language can tell you a lot. But also the ability to quickly and easily change instruction is just easier to do when we are are all together.

However, now we are in the midists of a global pandemic that sees many students learning remotely and the passionate educators who teach them trying to ensure they are doing just that: learning. Formative assessment can be an incredibly powerful tool to use during this time and can become a foundation to change teaching and learning far beyond these unusual times.

What Is Formative Assessment- There are many ways to describe formative assessment. Simply put, Formative Assessment is taking a pause in learning to ensure students are where they need to be for a particular lesson. The best formative assessments are subtle, giving teachers an overall picture of how students are learning and adapting to their immediate needs. Think of it as a GPS for the teacher-knowing where students are in their learning and where you should head in your teaching.

Formative Assessment could also look like "check-in" questions at the end of a lesson or class, offering valuable information on which direction to head next. Formative Assessments should not be graded assessments. At the end of the day, the goal is to get a pulse on what students know and how effectively the teacher is teaching the material.

But Why Formative Assessment-From the ASCD Book Formative Assessment Strategies for Every Classroom: An ASCD Action Tool, 2nd Edition, Susan Brookhart explains that:
Formative Assessment refers to the ongoing process students and teachers engage in when they:

Focus on learning goals.

Take stock of where current work is in relation to the goal.

Take action to move closer to the goal.

Students and teachers who are engaged in the Formative Assessment process are constantly examining how teaching and learning work as one. If we look at Hattie's Effect Size, or practices that best move student learning forward, Providing Feedback, Providing Formative Evaluation, and Self-Questioning had anywhere from a 0.64 to 0.68 effect size. What do these results show us? These studies show us that students and teachers who engage in the Formative Assessment process learn and retain more information compared to take-home homework.

Low-Tech Formative Assessment, Remotely- Technology can make the collection of data related to Formative Assessment easier, but it's not necessary. Especially now that many students are learning from home, it may seem counterintuitive to not lean on technology but technology fatigue is a very real thing and we need to be aware of the low-fi ways to not only continue to engage students but also understand where they are in their learning.

We've seen a variety of different low-tech ways to gauge student understanding:

Individual Student Check Ins-These can be great not only for formative assessment but also for the social-emotional wellbeing of students as well.

Breakout Rooms-Formative assessment can tell us a lot about what students understand the learning and which do. Now with breakout rooms in Zoom, Teams and Google Hangouts you can not only identify what students are in need but also provide more direct instruction to a smaller group.

Entry/Exit Tickets-Having a simple form that you can have students describe what they learned that day or what learning they are still having trouble with can be a valuable tool in remote learning.

Entry Ticket Ideas

Identify 3 points you remember from yesterday's lesson

The thing that has interested me most about this topic so far is__

Right now I'm feeling __ about this lesson because I ___

Exit Ticket Ideas

What 3 points are you taking away from today's lesson?

What are 3 things you are still uncertain about?

What are you hoping to learn in our next lesson?

Our Favorite Apps and Tools For Formative Assessment- We've talked about how Formative Assessment can be done without tech. However, when we add that layer into our teaching and learning, we can do so much more. Now we can not only provide both synchronous and asynchronous types of formative assessment but we can look at mastery and data over time making it much easier to make those changes to instruction that may be needed.

Nearpod- Create lessons and sync them across devices in the classroom, with built in tools for questioning, drawing, audio and video responses.

Synth- One of our favorite tools built for Formative Assessment. Available on any device, students can record their thoughts and feelings on any given lesson. There's also a questions tool where feedback can be posted.

EdPuzzle- Add an interactive layer to YouTube videos. Teachers can build in short questions at various points in the video to ensure students are getting what they need out of it. This is also great for data collection and seeing how students' progress over time.

Flipgrid- A very cool way to post video questions and gather responses. Videos can be shared so students can see where their peers are in their learning as well.

Padlet-A virtual board for multimodal sticky notes. Great for tickets out the door or reflection activities.

There are many (free!) apps and tools out there that achieve this. These are just a few of our favorites:

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Blogging About The Web 2.0 Connected Classroom

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This podcast talks about the various forms of assistive technology and how they can help students become independent and successful in the classroom.

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Welcome to Inclusive Technology 4 All. Each episode will bring you information about Inclusive and Assistive Technology to increase independence. Whether it's technology for inclusive classroom learning or tools for community success, inclusive technology has become more mainstream and available for everyone.

Want to share a comment or resource?
https://www.speakpipe.com/ITSpodcast
Hear it on HomePod and Google Home. Try saying "Hey Siri/Google, play the podcast Inclusive Technology 4 All."

Coming soon: Alexa Skill! Add this podcast to your Flash Briefing (check out the How-to)
Episode 40 (Listen)
Each episode of Inclusive Technology 4 All will bring you information about Inclusive and Assistive Technology to increase independence.

In this episode:
Music: The Main Monkey Business by Rush
OK - Let's go:

Microsoft has announced a toolkit for developers of Unity VR systems, which will provide 14 tools to support users with visual impairments while playing the VR games. Some of the features included in this toolkit include a bifocal lens, a magnifier, controls to adjust for brightness and contrast, and the ability to have objects in a scene described aloud. This toolkit is currently only available for Unity UR Developers but since the Unity system is so widely used, the toolkit is expected to be available everywhere before long.

I will include links in the show notes to a YouTube video that demonstrates the accessibility features in action.

Another device has arrived to provide alternative mouse access to the iPad and iPhone. The Sidekick from AbleNet will provide plug and play support for almost any USB mouse alternative. The device looks to be approximately 4 inches long and two inches wide with a lightning adapter on one side and a USB port on the other side to connect the external mouse device. The Sidekick is also equipped with a Lightning pass through port to facilitate device charging while connected. According to the Quick Start Guide on the website, the Sidekick is made for iPhone x, 8 and 8 Plus, iPad Pro 10.5, iPad Pro 12.9 (2nd Generation) and iPad (6th Generation)

The device is not expected to be released until the Fall of 2019 and the price listed on the AbleNet website for the Sidekick is $325. I will include a link to the product page and the Quick Start Guide in the episode show notes.

For those members of my PLN who like in the NJ tri-state area - I want to invite you to an amazing event. SpEdcampNJ happens on Saturday May 18, 2019 at Long Branch Middle School in Long Branch NJ. Modeled after the edcamp unconference model, this event focused on special education topics including inclusion, accessibility and assistive technology. I am sure most of you have been to an edcamp already - and if you haven't - what the heck are you waiting for! This is really the best kind of learning - participant driven, dedicated educators, tons of sharing and learning. It is the recipe for a perfect professional learning experience.

This is our 5th annual event and it is shaping up to be our best ever. To Get Your FREE Tickets, go to spedcampnj.org and click the registration link to secure your free tickets. I look forward to seeing you there.

Want to find other people interested in inclusive and assistive technology? Join us on Twitter every Wednesday night at 8PM eastern for #ATchat. Each week, Karen Janowski and myself lead an hour long discussion about tools and strategies for inclusion and accessibility for individuals with disabilities.

The topic for this week's ATchat was Breaking the Cycle of Dependency. Less focused on a specific type of AT, this conversation really broke down the ideas of facilitating independence for students with disabilities. There are many times that IEP accommodations actually promote dependence on adults which should not be our goal. Many chat participants shared experiences in their professional life where students weren't given opportunities to be independent. We also discussed some short and long term consequences of becoming dependent on others. People discussed how small short term missed opportunities loom large for students over time. Little missed opportunities for independence leads to learned dependence and lack of initiative to be more independent. This was a really great conversation - definitely check out the Wakelet link to read the entire archive at bit.ly/atchat041719 You will not be disappointed.

To stay current on all things Inclusive and Assistive Technology, follow me on Twitter @mmatp and visit my website at mmatp.com for Inclusive Technology resources and all the previous podcast episodes. Bye for now!
Episode 39 (Listen)
Each episode of Inclusive Technology 4 All will bring you information about Inclusive and Assistive Technology to increase independence.

In this episode:
Music: The Main Monkey Business by Rush
OK - Let's do it:

Superpower Glass is machine learning software designed for Google Glass. The software assists individuals with autism with social interactions through the use of emojis and audio. In order to assist with deciphering emotions, Superpower Glass displays an emoji that represents the emotion of the person they are looking at.

This software was used as part of a clinical trial at Stanford University. The study included 71 children with autism, which included 40 children who interacted with Superpower Glass in addition to their regular behavioral therapy sessions. These 40 children who used Superpower Glass demonstrated an increased ability to socialize versus the children who received standard therapy alone.

There were three activities included in the Superpower Glass software and the study participants completed three 20 minute sessions per week with their parents and one session per week with their therapist. The first activity cues the child to get a family member to show an emotion then review the results. Next, the family member acts out an emotion for the child to analyze and finally, the third activity is free play. The child interacts with someone in order to analyze their emotion.

One of the authors of the study, Dennis Wall, who is a professor of pediatrics and biomedical data science at Stanford, as well as the cofounder of Cognoa, described the next phase of the project. The company is planning to increase accessibility to the software by using it on a tablet or smartphone vs the Google Glass. The user would simply hold up the device to utilize the built in camera.

I will add a link to the journal article in the show notes for this episode.

Eye gaze continues to be in the news related to providing access to individuals with disabilities. This week saw the announcement of the Independence Drive, which enables users to drive their power wheelchair through tracking eye movement. Born out of a Microsoft Hackathon experiment by Microsoft employees back in 2014 who had been challenged by ex NFL player Steve Gleason to create an eye gaze wheelchair control system. Gleason has ALS and is a very vocal voice for inclusion and the use of assistive technology. The system incorporates a tablet and the user controls the wheelchair direction by looking at one of eight points on the screen. There is a safety feature built into the system that causes the wheelchair to stop if the user looks away.

The system was developed in partnership with Gleason's nonprofit, Team Gleason and a tech startup called Evergreen Circuits and Livid Instruments. The system will be distributed by Numotion and will sell for $5000 I will include a link to the YouTube video in the show notes.

Want to find other people interested in inclusive and assistive technology? Join us on Twitter every Wednesday night at 8PM eastern for #ATchat. Each week, Karen Janowski and myself lead an hour long discussion about tools and strategies for inclusion and accessibility for individuals with disabilities.

So this week saw another first for #Atchat. We took the Twitter chat off Twitter! We hosted our first video chat via Zoom Video Conferencing Tool. This provided us with an opportunity to have a free flowing face to face conversation about a wide range of topics. It felt more like an Open Forum but without the character limits of Twitter, people were free to provide more detailed comments. We even had a participant who explained she doesn't participate in the conversation on Twitter but felt comfortable enough with the video chat to join the discussion. This went well and we plan to do this again. To view the recording - go to the link bit.ly/atchat041019

Watch for an upcoming video chat and make sure to participate!

To stay current on all things Inclusive and Assistive Technology, follow me on Twitter @mmatp and visit my website at mmatp.com for Inclusive Technology resources and all the previous podcast episodes. Bye for now!
Episode 38 (Listen)
Each episode of Inclusive Technology 4 All will bring you information about Inclusive and Assistive Technology to increase independence.

In this episode:

HIPAA Compliant Amazon Alexa Skills

Save the Date! 3rd Annual NJ Assistive Technology Summit

#ATchat Zoom Video Meeting - 4/10/19

Topic: #ATchat Video Chat

#ATchat Archive for 2018-2019

Music: The Main Monkey Business by Rush
OK - Let's go:

I came across this interesting tidbit last week. Amazon announced the release of a set of 6 HIPAA compliant skills for the healthcare industry. Working with CIGNA and Boston's Children Hospital, the new skills will assist with tasks such as setting up doctor appointments, checking on prescriptions and even checking on the status of recent blood sugar reports.

One of the big concerns that healthcare and education have regarding the use of voice assistants is the privacy issue. This is an exciting first step in moving towards a secure voice assistant environment.

I will be keeping an eye on these developments for sure and will make sure to bring them to you as soon as I hear. What are your thoughts about using Voice Assistants in various environments, such as schools and healthcare? Leave a message via SpeakPipe at speakpipe.com/itspodcast I will include your thoughts in an upcoming episode

Thanks to Brian O'Neil from my Ramapo AT Masters class for sharing this tool with me. Synth is a podcasting platform that allows users to record 256 second clips of audio. Whether using the app or the website, users can follow an audio stream to listen to audio content. While a podcasting service is not necessarily new, the one feature that got me really excited was the automatic transcription of those audio clips. Now we can create audio clips that are accessible to all!

I have been playing with the app throughout this past week and I really like the simple interface. I am starting to think of all kinds of ways to use this tool. Now I can post an audio question in a class and have others respond via audio - with transcription! Very cool for sure. The service is still in Beta but check it out at gosynth.com or download the Synth app from the App Store or the Google Play Store.

Save the date! We have just locked in the date for the 2019 New Jersey Assistive Technology Summit. This will be our 3rd event and it is a fantastic opportunity to connect with your Assistive Technology PLN. For each of the past two years have had almost 200 participants each year - with over 20 concurrent sessions throughout the day. Plus breakfast and lunch - all for the unbelievable cost of $0! That's right - the AT Summit is still a free event.

So if you are close to NJ - or can get here! - I hope to see you on 9/24/19.

Registration will open April 1, 2019 but we are currently accepting proposals for sessions. Have an idea you want to share at the AT Summit? Fill out our Call for Proposals form at bit.ly/ATSummit2019CFP I will also put the link in the show notes.

Want to find other people interested in inclusive and assistive technology? Join us on Twitter every Wednesday night at 8PM eastern for #ATchat. Each week, Karen Janowski and myself lead an hour long discussion about tools and strategies for inclusion and accessibility for individuals with disabilities.

This past week we had an in depth conversation about a very important topic related to quality AT services - making great AT / AAC recommendations. People shared their tools they use to match a person's needs to features of technology. Some of the tools mentioned included the SETT Framework, the Innovator's Compass, and more. We also discussed topics related to trial periods and what happens when your recommendations don't align with a school and/or organization's technology initiative. Powerful stuff from outstanding AT integrators. Check out the Wakelet to read the entire archive at bit.ly/atchat040319

To stay current on all things Inclusive and Assistive Technology, follow me on Twitter @mmatp and visit my website at mmatp.com for Inclusive Technology resources and all the previous podcast episodes. Bye for now!
Episode 37 (Listen)
Each episode of Inclusive Technology 4 All will bring you information about Inclusive and Assistive Technology to increase independence.

In this episode:
Music: The Main Monkey Business by Rush
Are you ready? Let's go:

Last week I attended the AT Act Directors Leadership Symposium in Washington DC. Many of the topics of conversation focused on ways we could work more effectively at a state level to ensure access to assistive technology for anyone who needs it. One of my favorite parts of the Symposium is the One Good Thing sharing session. Each state gets an opportunity to share one exciting innovative thing they are doing in their state to promote AT use. While they were all great, I want to highlight two programs this week. Both MN and AZ worked to develop web modules to support a deeper community understanding of AT and disability.

The Minnesota STAR program developed this web based Guide to Assistive Technology to provide a deeper understanding of AT devices and services. The guide is divided into sections focused on AT for Learning, Working and Living. Then there is a module on Funding Strategies along with a directory of AT. This is an amazing free resource so make sure to share it with everyone. I will add the link to this Guide to Assistive Technology in the show notes.

The second resource I want to share this week is from Arizona's AT Act Program, AZTAP. They developed a web based resource titled Can You Hear Me Now? Understanding Hearing Loss. Divided into 3 lessons, this web based tool walks a user through Hearing Loss 101; AT for Hearing Loss; and, strategies to effectively communicate with an individual with a hearing loss. There are additional resources provided to support individuals with hearing loss. Another really important resource - make sure to share this far and wide. I will add the link in the show notes.

While there are many types of translation apps / services for languages, we are still waiting for a reliable system to translate sign language into text. This week I saw a YouTube video from the Connected Futures Prototyping and Talent Development program which is run by Verizon and NYU. One team has developed a prototype app that uses Augmented Reality to translate spoken language into sign language in real time. Simply speak into your smartphone and the user will see an image of a body producing the sign language superimposed directly over your body. The app will also translate sign language into text. Simply point your smartphone at the person producing the sign language and the text will appear on your screen above the person. While this app is still a prototype, it is a good indicator on the future of technology applications to remove barriers for all. I will include the link to the YouTube video in the show notes.

Want to find other people interested in inclusive and assistive technology? Join us on Twitter every Wednesday night at 8PM eastern for #ATchat. Each week, Karen Janowski and myself lead an hour long discussion about tools and strategies for inclusion and accessibility for individuals with disabilities.

This week was our monthly Open Forum. Always a favorite of mine, this type of chat has no structure, no pre planned questions or topic - just a free flowing sharing of ideas, resources and strategies. There is always a fear at the beginning of one of these Open Forums that nobody will share and then - the flood gates open and everyone starts sharing at once! So many topics were covered in the hour. We spoke about AT supports for higher ed, resources for classroom accommodations and we had a really interesting discussion about the use of monitoring tools for people with disabilities. I really appreciated the insights discussed during the chat from several AT users who shared their feelings about this type of tool. Check out the Wakelet archive at bit.ly/032719

To stay current on all things Inclusive and Assistive Technology, follow me on Twitter @mmatp and visit my website at mmatp.com for Inclusive Technology resources and all the previous podcast episodes. Bye for now!
Episode 36 (Listen)
Each episode of Inclusive Technology 4 All will bring you information about Inclusive and Assistive Technology to increase independence.

In this episode:
Music: The Main Monkey Business by Rush
Are you ready? Let's go:

I am recording this episode in Washington DC as I attend the Assistive Technology Act Directors Leadership Symposium this week. Capital Hill is the perfect location to share our first topic

Mark it on your calendar - March 27, 2019 is National Assistive Technology Awareness Day. The senate passed resolution 103 which commends

(A) assistive technology specialists and program coordinators for their hard work and dedication to serving people with disabilities who are in need of finding the proper assistive technology to meet their individual needs; and

(B) professional organizations and researchers who are dedicated to facilitating the access and acquisition of assistive technology for people with disabilities and older adults in need of assistive technology devices.

How are you going to raise awareness of the benefits of assistive technology? How about sharing some resources on your social media. Want a great place to start? Check out the Center on Technology and Disability AT 101 page. There are recorded webinars, fact sheets and more that could be useful for introducing the power of assistive technology. I added the link to the page in the show notes for this episode.

Another way to share the benefits of AT could be through consumers telling their stories. Nothing is more powerful than hearing first hand accounts of the power of technology to promote independence.

In a previous episode we discussed the use of eye gaze with iOS devices. Another one of those wishlist inclusive technology dreams has been to have the ability to plug an alternative pointing device into an iOS device and select items on the screen with a pointer. It looks like that device has finally arrived from a company called CSS Micro Systems. The AMAneo BTi is a bluetooth interface that connects to an iPhone 5s or higher, an iPad 4 or higher and the iPad Mini. Once connected via bluetooth, the touch pointer appears on the screen! Now plug any USB alternative pointing device into the device and you have mouse control on your iOS device.

Want to plug a head mouse into your iPad? No problem. How about an ergonomic mouse or joystick Sure go ahead that will work too. Combine the AMAneo BTi with the use of Assistive Touch via the Accessibility settings, and you can also now control the physical buttons on your iOS device.

According to the website, the device will provide 20 hours of operation on a single charge and also has a built in anti tremor filter, click delay and auto click. The website mentions that the device should be available for purchase in March 2019 but as of this recording the device is not available for purchase. When available, the expected price for the AMAneo BTi will be $350.00. I will be keeping my eye on this device for sure and hopefully will be able to get my hands on it for a trial. When I get to try it - I will share with you for sure. Check the show notes from this episode for the link to the website and the YouTube video that shows the device in action.

Want to find other people interested in inclusive and assistive technology? Join us on Twitter every Wednesday night at 8PM eastern for #ATchat. Each week, Karen Janowski and myself lead an hour long discussion about tools and strategies for inclusion and accessibility for individuals with disabilities.

This week saw two firsts for #ATchat. We had our first international chat and we held two chats in one day! We partnered with two guest moderators, Charlie Danger in the UK and Chris Bugaj in the US to deliver #ATchat at 8PM local time in each location. We had the same topic which was AAC and also the same questions. We continued the trend we started a few weeks back and we posted the chat questions on a Padlet prior to the chat so anyone could participate. I will drop the link to the Padlet in the show notes.

It was really exciting to participate in both chats and see how practitioners in the two countries view AAC supports and services. While some questions provided an opportunity to explore best practices for AAC implementation, such as What are the Most Important Factors to Consider when Determining how a User Might Access AAC?, other questions were designed to promote a deeper conversation. Charlie and Chris really shook up the chat with the question - Is Facilitated Communication a Viable Access Method for AAC? Lots of conversation there for sure! Finally we wrapped up the chat with a nod to the future and discussed How close are we to controlling speech generating devices with thought and what does the future of access look and sound like.

Almost 400 tweets across two different hours with many different countries represented. To read the entire archive of this #ATchat, and gather all the shared resources, visit bit.ly/atchat032019.

To stay current on all things Inclusive and Assistive Technology, follow me on Twitter @mmatp and visit my website at mmatp.com for Inclusive Technology resources and all the previous podcast episodes. Bye for now!
Episode 35 (Listen)
Each episode of Inclusive Technology 4 All will bring you information about Inclusive and Assistive Technology to increase independence.

In this episode:

Save the Date! 3rd Annual NJ Assistive Technology Summit
Music: The Main Monkey Business by Rush
Let's dive in:

How many times have we heard a story about robots coming to take your job or how advances in AI will be the downfall of humanity? While those things could be bad and still may happen - this week brought an exciting, positive development in the use of robots to support individuals with disabilities.

A research group at Georgia Tech developed a robot to assist individuals with significant motor impairments. The wheeled robot can manipulate many daily living aids such as washcloths, electric shavers, water bottles and hairbrush. The robot can be controlled by eye gaze and head tracking. Henry Evans worked with the research team throughout the process and used the robot to provide personal care for a week. He said, "The system was very liberating to me, in that it enabled me to independently manipulate my environment for the first time since my stroke,"

Phillip Grice, a PhD graduate and member of the team said: "Our results suggest that people with profound motor deficits can improve their quality of life using robotic body surrogates. We have taken the first step toward making it possible for someone to purchase an appropriate type of robot, have it in their home and derive real benefit from it."

The findings of the research were published in the scientific journal PLOS One. I will add a link to the journal abstract in the show notes.

Google announced this week the launch of a tool to promote great app accessibility. The open source project is called Accessibility Scanner for iOS. The tool is designed to promote greater accessibility within apps for individuals with hearing and visual impairments. The tool helps discover, debug and fix common accessibility issues in iOS codebases. The scanner's user interface is overlaid on the app and can be moved around the screen - which allows you to perform normal app functions and trigger the scan only when necessary.

I will put a link in the show notes to the Google Open Source Blog post.

Save the date! We have just locked in the date for the 2019 New Jersey Assistive Technology Summit. This will be our 3rd event and it is a fantastic opportunity to connect with your Assistive Technology PLN. For each of the past two years have had almost 200 participants each year - with over 20 concurrent sessions throughout the day. Plus breakfast and lunch - all for the unbelievable cost of $0! That's right - the AT Summit is still a free event.

So if you are close to NJ - or can get here! - I hope to see you on 9/24/19.

Registration will open April 1, 2019 but we are currently accepting proposals for sessions. Have an idea you want to share at the AT Summit? Fill out our Call for Proposals form at bit.ly/ATSummit2019CFP I will also put the link in the show notes.

Want to find other people interested in inclusive and assistive technology? Join us on Twitter every Wednesday night at 8PM eastern for #ATchat. Each week, Karen Janowski and myself lead an hour long discussion about tools and strategies for inclusion and accessibility for individuals with disabilities.

For this week's #ATchat, we had a guest moderator. Hillary Goldthwait-Fowles walked us through the Innovators' Compass. I had participated in a session Hillary facilitated at Closing the Gap 2018 about the Innovators' Compass. This is a powerful tool to assist us with many of the tasks we perform in our professional lives. Whether we use it to frame a conversation around an AT evaluation or to develop a strategy for delivering professional learning experiences, the questions of the Innovators' Compass can help us get unstuck. Developed by Ela Ben-Ur, the Innovators' Compass poses questions within an area of focus we can use to start a conversation. The question include:

Visit the website at innovatorscompass.org to read more about this process. Special thanks to Hillary for bringing this to the group and helping us change the way we think about problem solving

To read the entire archive of this #ATchat, and gather all the shared resources, visit bit.ly/atchat031319.

To stay current on all things Inclusive and Assistive Technology, follow me on Twitter @mmatp and visit my website at mmatp.com for Inclusive Technology resources and all the previous podcast episodes. Bye for now!
Episode 34 (Listen)
Each episode of Inclusive Technology 4 All will bring you information about Inclusive and Assistive Technology to increase independence.

In this episode:
Music: The Main Monkey Business by Rush
For this episode we are going to be talking about Makers and Assistive Technology.

First up, the Assistive Device Lesson Plan Project was released this week. Developed by PrintLab, in conjunction with Makers Making Change. The lesson plans walk students through the creation of several 3-d printed assistive devices that could be beneficial to individuals with disabilities.

PrintLab is a UK-based 3D printing curriculum developer and global distributor and Makers Making Change is run by the Research and Development Group of the Neil Squire Society. This initiative connects makers to people with disabilities to develop and create inexpensive open source AT solutions.

There are 5 lessons in the curriculum:

An introduction to 3D printed assistive devices through a series a case study videos

A skill-building session where students follow CAD tutorial videos to design a range of example devices

A hands-on activity where students test and analyse a range of example devices, which are created by the teacher prior to the lesson using STL files included in the lesson pack

A human-centred team activity where students identify a user and brainstorm the day-to-day challenges this type of person will face

Unique concept designs are then developed in response to the challenges and a 3D printed prototype is manufactured and tested

Students prepare and present their devices to the rest of the class and peer feedback is given

The assistive devices that are manufactured throughout the curriculum include: an assistive bag carrier, a bottle opener, a button assist, a soda can opener and a key turner.

Jason Yeung, Co-Founder at PrintLab said about the project, "... The Assistive Device Academy is particularly special because we are taking that extra step to encourage schools to connect with real people who have disabilities. There's no better way to bridge the skills gap than by asking students to solve real-world problems and we couldn't be more excited to do this in partnership with the Makers Making Change community."

For more info and a link to the project website, visit the show notes at mmatp.com/it4all

It's almost here - edcampAccess NJ!

EdCampAccess NJ is an unconference devoted to K -12 special education issues and ideas with a focus on assistive technology and reaching all struggling learners. This free event is not limited to special educators - all are welcome!

We expect to have some fantastic conversations around assistive and inclusive technology. Plus, we have some really great prizes to give away - including an adaptive Xbox controller donated by Microsoft! Hope you can join us on March 16, 2019.

In keeping with this week's focus of makers and AT, this week's Tool Time will highlight some of the creative 3-d printed solutions available on Thingiverse from our friend Bill Binko over at AT Makers.org

Included on the Thingiverse page are 24 designs that you can print to provide access to AT tools and supports. Some examples of the designs include a keyguard for an iPad mini to use in conjunction with AAC apps and several different kinds of switch mounts for existing AT switches such as the Jelly Bean, Big Mack, Micro Light and Candy Corn. If you want to take on a more involved project, there are designs to build your own AT switch and even electronics projects like a sip and puff interface. The AT Makers Thingiverse page link is in the show notes for this episode. Check it out and start printing your own AT today!

Want to find other people interested in inclusive and assistive technology? Join us on Twitter every Wednesday night at 8PM eastern for #ATchat. Each week, Karen Janowski and myself lead an hour long discussion about tools and strategies for inclusion and accessibility for individuals with disabilities.

For this week's ATchat we tried something a little different. Our goal is to engage as many people in the conversation as possible. We realize not everyone is on Twitter, or feels comfortable participating in the live Twitter chat. In order to facilitate sharing and conversation, we posted the ATchat questions to a Padlet prior to the live chat and asked people to add their thoughts at any time. We then went deeper on the topics during the live Twitter chat. Our topic this week was Inspirations. We asked a series of questions including:

I have said it before and I will say it again: these are my favorite types of chats. Not focused on tools at all but instead having conversations about the Why. Why do we do what we do and what influenced everyone to be better every day. A special thanks to everyone who participated - either in the Padlet prior to the chat or live during the Twitter chat.

To read the entire archive of this #ATchat, and gather all the shared resources, visit bit.ly/atchat030619. I will also add the link to the Padlet to the show notes for this episode.

To stay current on all things Inclusive and Assistive Technology, follow me on Twitter @mmatp and visit my website at mmatp.com for Inclusive Technology resources and all the previous podcast episodes. Bye for now!
Episode 33 (Listen)
Each episode of Inclusive Technology 4 All will bring you information about Inclusive and Assistive Technology to increase independence.

In this episode:
Music: The Main Monkey Business by Rush
Let's dive in:

Microsoft recently released a self paced web course called Dyslexia Awareness. This course, which was created in partnership with Made by Dyslexia, is designed to provide important insights into dyslexia. According to the website, the objectives for the modules are:

To empower teachers and parents to understand dyslexia, both it's strengths and challenges

To gain essential knowledge in how to recognize and support dyslexia

How to create a dyslexia-inclusive classroom

To know when and where to seek further help

The modules included in this web course are:

The course is available on the Microsoft website and should take approximately 1 hour to complete. I will add the course link in the show notes for this episode.

I tried out a new backchannel tool this week during a virtual presentation and I am happy to report that the tool was a success. I have been searching for a replacement to Today's Meet since that tool disappeared last year. While presenting, I always like to provide the participants with a space to add their thoughts, resources and insights. We all have something to share and back channel tools give everyone a voice.

The tool I explored this week is called Slido. This web based tool actually provides not only a back channel questions panel, but the speaker can also create polls. Create your Slido page and you will be given a four digit code. Simply go to slido.com and enter the 4 digit code and you are ready to participate!

Participants can post questions throughout the presentation and even give thumbs up to other comments. The polls worked really well too. Ask a question during the presentation and give people a place to leave their vote. I am using the Basic (free) account which allows audience members to ask questions and I can create 3 polls per event. Each event can have up to 1000 people log in simultaneously. The Teacher account costs $75 per year and allows you to create unlimited Polls and Brainstorming topics. In addition, you can create unlimited surveys, collect data, moderate questions and more. Go to the website at slido.com to learn more about this powerful tool for audience engagement.

Do you want to grow your PLN by connecting with like minded educators and participate in an organic participant led professional learning opportunity? If you are in the NJ area - Join us for the 6th annual EdcampAccess NJ in less than two weeks!

EdCampAccess NJ is an unconference devoted to K -12 special education issues and ideas with a focus on assistive technology and reaching all struggling learners. This free event is not limited to special educators - all are welcome!

We expect to have some fantastic conversations around assistive and inclusive technology. Plus, we have some really great prizes to give away! Hope you can join us on March 16, 2019. We look forward to learning with you.

As the Director of the Assistive Technology Advocacy Center, NJ's Assistive Technology Act Project, part of our mission is to share resources to expand consumers knowledge about AT. One way we are doing that is through our YouTube Channel. On this channel, you will find recordings of our Learning @ Lunch webinar series. We hosted a variety of speakers on a wide range of AT topics including Smart Home Technology, Robotics for Students with Disabilities and more. In addition, the YouTube Channel is now the home of the NJCART Hot Topics webinars. NJCART is the New Jersey Coalition for the Advancement of Rehabilitation and Assistive Technology. There have been three Hot Topics webinars, including the most recent webinar discussing AAC tools and implementation strategies. Check out the videos at bit.ly/watchatacnj

Want to find other people interested in inclusive and assistive technology? Join us on Twitter every Wednesday night at 8PM eastern for #ATchat. Each week, Karen Janowski and myself lead an hour long discussion about tools and strategies for inclusion and accessibility for individuals with disabilities.

This week's #ATchat was our first ever Virtual App Smackdown. For the uninitiated, during an app smackdown each person is given two minutes to share a tool they use and describe the features to the group. For our Virtual App Smackdown, we provided categories and people shared features of the tool and ways they have implemented the tool to support students. The categories were AT tools to support struggling readers, and writers, emergent readers and writers, tools for self regulation, content creation and tools to support students with cognitive challenges. This chat was even busier than recent conversations and we had almost 300 tweets for the hour!

Some tools that were mentioned included Seeing AI and Office Lens for on the fly OCR and TEXT TO SPEECH ; Immersive Reader for reading support; Clicker Connect for emergent readers and writers; Book Creator and so many more.

To read the entire archive of this #ATchat, and gather all the shared resources, visit bit.ly/atchat022719

To stay current on all things Inclusive and Assistive Technology, follow me on Twitter @mmatp and visit my website at mmatp.com for Inclusive Technology resources and all the previous podcast episodes. Bye for now!
Episode 32 (Listen)
Each episode of Inclusive Technology 4 All will bring you information about Inclusive and Assistive Technology to increase independence.

In this episode:
Music: The Main Monkey Business by Rush
Hey now! Welcome to Inclusive Technology 4 All. I'm Mike Marotta and each episode will bring you information about Inclusive and Assistive Technology to increase independence. Whether it's technology for inclusive classroom learning or tools for community success, inclusive technology has become more mainstream and available for everyone.

Let's dive in:

At the ATIA 2-19 App smackdown, I learned about the Vitals app. This app works to provide a communication platform between individuals with disabilities and first responders. The user creates an individualized profile that includes all the important information necessary for community interactions, including personal information and de-escalation techniques, which can include audio and video supports to facilitate successful interactions within the community. The goal of this free tool is to promote effective communication and reduce potentially dangerous situations in the community. To learn more about this important service, visit the website at thevitalsapp.com

Do you want to grow your PLN by connecting with like minded educators and participate in an organic participant led professional learning opportunity? If you are in the NJ area - Join us for the 6th annual EdcampAccess NJ! EdCampAccess NJ is an unconference devoted to K -12 special education issues and ideas with a focus on assistive technology and reaching all struggling learners. This free event is not limited to special educators - all are welcome!

Hope you can join us on March 16, 2019. We look forward to learning with you.

NJCART - the Coalition for the Advancement of Rehabilitation and Assistive Technology is hosting another Hot Topics webinar on 2/28/19. The focus of this webinar is AAC and will feature several AAC practitioners each sharing one tool and discussing how they have implemented this tool to effectively support an individual with a disability. Space for this live webinar is limited to the first 50 participants. Get your tickets at bit.ly/aac022819 If you are listening to this episode after February 28, 2019, go to the Assistive Technology Advocacy Center's YouTube channel at bit.ly/watchatacnj for the webinar recording.

Want to find other people interested in inclusive and assistive technology? Join us on Twitter every Wednesday night at 8PM eastern for #ATchat. Each week, Karen Janowski and myself lead an hour long discussion about tools and strategies for inclusion and accessibility for individuals with disabilities.

This week's #ATchat focused on supports for executive function. We started the conversation by asking everyone who are your influences in this area. The group shared some books that are the foundation for their approach in this area - including Executive Function and Child Development, Smart and Scattered Teens, The WATI AT Chapter on Executive Function, and a powerful Executive Skills Questionnaire by Peg Dawson.

We broke the conversation down into supports for different age groups (lower elementary, upper elementary, middle school and high school) - then we discussed areas of concern for each age group and possible solutions for support. This support was across the continuum - no tech strategies, low tech supports and high tech supports. We even had a discussion about tools for transition and providing supports and strategies that become accommodations for living independently.

To read the entire archive of this #ATchat, and gather all the shared resources, visit bit.ly/atchat022019

To stay current on all things Inclusive and Assistive Technology, follow me on Twitter @mmatp and visit my website at mmatp.com for Inclusive Technology resources and all the previous podcast episodes. Bye for now!
Episode 31 (Listen)
Each episode of Inclusive Technology 4 All will bring you information about Inclusive and Assistive Technology to increase independence.

In this episode:

Tool Time: Interpreter Mode on Google Assistant

Tool Time: Hawkeye Access app (eye tracking for iOS)

#ATchat Update: 2/6/19

Save the Date! 3rd Annual NJ Assistive Technology Summit

Music: The Main Monkey Business by Rush
Hey now! Welcome to Inclusive Technology 4 All. I'm Mike Marotta and each episode will bring you information about Inclusive and Assistive Technology to increase independence. Whether it's technology for inclusive classroom learning or tools for community success, inclusive technology has become more mainstream and available for everyone.

Let's dive in:

This week Google announced a Interpreter mode for the Google Assistant. This feature will translate conversations in real time in 26 different languages. To activate this feature on your Google Home, simply say: "Hey Google, be my Spanish interpreter." or "Hey Google, help me speak Spanish" Google has been refining this feature by using interpreter mode at busy hotels and attractions around the world where translation services are critical to provide quality guest services.

With the introduction of the True Depth camera on the latest iPhone, it was just a matter of time before we started to see applications that leverage this feature to provide alternative access for individuals with disabilities. I learned about one such application during the App Smackdown at ATIA 2019. Hawkeye Access provides eye control for web browsing. After completing the calibration, simply look at the desired location on the screen. Users can either smile, blink or dwell to select items. Scrolling is accomplished by looking at the side of the screen in the direction you want to scroll. To learn more about this app visit the website at usehawkeye.com

Save the date! We have just locked in the date for the 2019 New Jersey Assistive Technology Summit. This will be our 3rd event and it is a fantastic opportunity to connect with your Assistive Technology PLN. For each of the past two years have had almost 200 participants each year - with over 20 concurrent sessions throughout the day. Plus breakfast and lunch - all for the unbelievable cost of $0! That's right - the AT Summit is still a free event.

So if you are close to NJ - or can get here! - I hope to see you on 9/24/19.

Registration will open April 1, 2019 but we are currently accepting proposals for sessions. Have an idea you want to share at the AT Summit? Fill out our Call for Proposals form at bit.ly/ATSummit2019CFP I will also put the link in the show notes.

Want to find other people interested in inclusive and assistive technology? Join us on Twitter every Wednesday night at 8PM eastern for #ATchat. Each week, Karen Janowski and myself lead an hour long discussion about tools and strategies for inclusion and accessibility for individuals with disabilities.

Keeping with the trend from the last couple episodes, this week's #ATchat was all about ATIA 2019 reflections. We shared portions of the conference that really resonated with us: from interesting sessions, new / interesting items in the exhibit hall, and poster sessions. We also discussed - what is my personal favorite part of the conference - the extended activities which are EdcampAccess International on Friday night and AT Makers Day on Saturday morning. Both of these events give us an opportunity to apply the great information we learn throughout the week and solve problems. EdcampAccess gives us a chance to have conversations with others about HOW we are going to go back and use the information we gathered throughout the week to make change in our organizations. The AT Maker Day gives us a glimpse of problem solving and partnerships that we can foster in our communities to provide effective AT solutions for All.

To stay current on all things Inclusive and Assistive Technology, follow me on Twitter @mmatp and visit my website at mmatp.com for Inclusive Technology resources and all the previous podcast episodes. Bye for now!
Episode 30 (Listen)
Each episode of Inclusive Technology 4 All will bring you information about Inclusive and Assistive Technology to increase independence.

In this episode:
Music: The Main Monkey Business by Rush
Hey now! Welcome to Inclusive Technology 4 All. I'm Mike Marotta and each episode will bring you information about Inclusive and Assistive Technology to increase independence. Whether it's technology for inclusive classroom learning or tools for community success, inclusive technology has become more mainstream and available for everyone.

Let's dive in:

Wearables could be the next big thing in inclusive technology and recently GUS Communication Devices announced the first stand alone AAC smartwatch called the TalkTablet Speechwatch. This wearable communication device has a 2.2 inch touchscreen and does not need to be teathered to a smartphone in order to function. The TalkTablet AAC app comes pre configured with the device, but the communication boards can be customized via the TalkTablet app on a tablet. Simply make the changes to the communication board and wirelessly transfer the pages to the Speechwatch. The Speechwatch can be equipped with a SIM card to function like a smartphone, has access to the Google Play store to download apps, can be used for GPS navigation, email access, streaming music and more. Very impressive looking device and I hope to be able to get one to trial so I can report back on the functionality. The Speechwatch is currently being offered for an introductory price of $299.99. I will add the link to the website, along with a video demonstrating the Speechwatch in action.

Tiring and Inspiring. My two word summary of ATIA 2019! In this episode, I will share a couple resources from the week AND we will hear from two more friends who attended ATIA and left their reflections on the Flipgrid.

Two of the biggest sessions I participate in during the ATIA conference are the Smackdowns! The idea of a Smackdown is simple: audience members come up and are given a short time to share a tool strategy or resource. These are my favorite types of sessions: participant driven, tons of ideas are shared and everyone learns at least ONE new thing during the hour. There are two Smackdowns at the conference: the App Smackdown and the PD Smackdown.

This year's App Smackdown was bigger than ever. We were in one of the larger rooms and people were packed in. Some people were even in the hall trying to listen! Tons of ideas were shared and there is no way I can go through them all here. Instead, go check out the spreadsheet we compiled during the session. The link is bit.ly/appsmack19 Included in the spreadsheet are the names of tools, a short description, cost and a link to learn more.

The other Smackdown is the PD Smackdown - which might be my favorite session of the whole conference. The setup is the same: audience members sharing ideas for delivering effective professional development. We organize the session around the Four Phases of Learning described by Dave Meier in his fantastic book The Accelerated Learning Handbook. The four phases of learning are the Preparation Phase, the Presentation Phase, the Practice Phase and the Performance Phase. So many great ideas were shared via a Google Form and you can check out the responses at bit.ly/pdsmackdown19responses

OK - Enough from me, let's hear from Rachel and Charlie.

Thanks guys! Appreciate you sharing your thoughts about this amazing event. Want to share your conference reflection? Go to bit.ly/atia19reflections , leave a video and I will include the audio of your thoughts in an upcoming episode.

There was so much information at ATIA 19 that I think this will be a regular feature of the podcast for the next few episodes. Stay Tuned for more!

Want to find other people interested in inclusive and assistive technology? Join us on Twitter every Wednesday night at 8PM eastern for #ATchat. Each week, Karen Janowski and myself lead an hour long discussion about tools and strategies for inclusion and accessibility for individuals with disabilities.

This week's #ATchat had not one but two guest moderators. Our topic was Accessible Math Instruction and our guest moderators were Beth Poss and Tiffanie Zaugg. The group shared challenges with providing math instruction to students with disabilities and then shared tools, strategies and apps to make math accessible.

In addition, another topic of conversation was how communication plays a vital role in this process for ELL students as well as students with complex communication needs.

This week's chat did not disappoint, another example of powerful sharing among dedicated educators working tirelessly to meet the needs of students with disabilities. To read the entire archive of this #ATchat, and gather all the shared resources, visit bit.ly/atchat020619

To stay current on all things Inclusive and Assistive Technology, follow me on Twitter @mmatp and visit my website at mmatp.com for Inclusive Technology resources and all the previous podcast episodes. Bye for now!

#ATIA19 Transition Town Hall Bonus Episode - released 1/5/19 ( Listen)

Each episode of Inclusive Technology 4 All will bring you information about Inclusive and Assistive Technology to increase independence.

In this episode:

#ATIA19 Transition Town Hall Session

Panel Members

Sayard Bass - M.S. CCC-SLP/L - ATP, High School & Transition Assistive Technology Consultant; sayardbass@gmail.com

Janet Peters - Project Coordinator Assistive and Educational Technology, Great Lakes ADA Center; jpete@uic.edu ; @JanetLPeters

Dr. Ben Satterfield - Research Associate, Georgia Tools for Life/ Center for Inclusive Design & Innovation, Georgia Tech; rsatterfield8@gatech.edu

Transcript Coming Soon!

Episode 29 ( Listen)

Each episode of Inclusive Technology 4 All will bring you information about Inclusive and Assistive Technology to increase independence.

In this episode:

Transcript

Coming Soon!
Episode 27 (Listen)
Each episode of Inclusive Technology 4 All will bring you information about Inclusive and Assistive Technology to increase independence.

In this episode:

Hey now! Welcome to Inclusive Technology 4 All. I'm Mike Marotta and each episode will bring you information about Inclusive and Assistive Technology to increase independence. Whether it's technology for inclusive classroom learning or tools for community success, inclusive technology has become more mainstream and available for everyone.

Let's dive in:

There is still time to have your voice heard while helping to shape my ATIA 19 session. The session is called iPad vs. Chromebook: The 10 Round Main Event We are going to take these two platforms - and we are going to battle it out with a whole list of educational tasks that need to be accomplished. Then, the audience will help decide which platform may be best suited to that task. So we need your help- What sorts of activities or tasks would you like us to demonstrate in terms of their completion using either of the platforms.

We set up a Flipgrid for you to leave your ideas - it's bit.ly/atia19mainevent Thanks for your support and I hope to connect with you at ATIA 2019 in Orlando.

CALL Scotland has a wealth of free resources related to technology integration. Recently they released two new resources to support the implementation of effective selection of tools for individuals with disabilities.

Categories of apps represented on the wheel include Cognition, Emergent Literacy, Communication, Self Regulation, Creativity and more.

The second new resource is the Chromebook Accessibility and Learning Tools. This PDF Poster is an excellent companion to their Chrome App Wall which I collaborated on. This new resource highlights the updates to the built in Chrome OS accessibility features.

I will put the link to both of these resources in the show notes.

Instagram announced two new accessibility updates recently that will increase usability for individuals with visual impairments. The first feature is automatic alternative text. By using automatic object recognition technology, alt text is generated so the user can hear via a screen reader.

The second feature is custom alternative text. Users can now go into the post itself and customize the alt text that is presented. This feature is located at the bottom of the screen, under Advanced Settings, as you create a New Post. This will bring up the field where you can type in your customized alt text.

Save the date! We have just locked in the date for the 2019 New Jersey Assistive Technology Summit. This will be our 3rd event and it is a fantastic opportunity to connect with your Assistive Technology PLN. For each of the past two years have had almost 200 participants each year - with over 20 concurrent sessions throughout the day. Plus breakfast and lunch - all for the unbelievable cost of $0! That's right - the AT Summit is still a free event.

So if you are close to NJ - or can get here! - I hope to see you on 9/24/19.

Registration will open April 1, 2019 but we are currently accepting proposals for sessions. Have an idea you want to share at the AT Summit? Fill out our Call for Proposals form at bit.ly/ATSummit2019CFP I will also put the link in the show notes.

Want to find other people interested in inclusive and assistive technology? Join us on Twitter every Wednesday night at 8PM eastern for #ATchat. Each week, Karen Janowski and myself lead an hour long discussion about tools and strategies for inclusion and accessibility for individuals with disabilities.

The topic of this week's #ATchat was Promoting Independence. Topics focused on student's dependence on paraprofessionals & prompts - and more importantly strategies to break this dependence! We also discussed strategies for developing self advocacy skills and promoting student voice.

This was one of those topics I love - not necessarily focused directly on tech, instead focused on strategies and solutions to ensure student success.

To stay current on all things Inclusive and Assistive Technology, follow me on Twitter @mmatp and visit my website at mmatp.com for Inclusive Technology resources and all the previous podcast episodes. Bye for now!
Episode 26 (Listen)
Each episode of Inclusive Technology 4 All will bring you information about Inclusive and Assistive Technology to increase independence.

In this episode:

Hey now! Welcome to Inclusive Technology 4 All. I'm Mike Marotta and each episode will bring you information about Inclusive and Assistive Technology to increase independence. Whether it's technology for inclusive classroom learning or tools for community success, inclusive technology has become more mainstream and available for everyone.

Let's dive in:

Hey everybody, thanks for checking out our video. My name is Mike Marotta and I am an Assistive Technology Specialist and I have my own consulting company called Inclusive Technology Solutions. and I am Bob Cunningham and I am an Occupational Therapist and Program Director of the Occupational Therapy Programat Maryville University. I am also an ATP and I do Assistive Technology consulting.

Today we are going to tell you about a session we are doing at ATIA called iPad vs. Chromebook: The 10 Round Main Event We are really excited about this session-as you can tell. So, what are we going to do? We are going to take these two platforms, two devices - and we are going to battle it out with a whole list of educational tasks that need to be accomplished and to do that effectively, we need your help. Mike and I would like to know What sorts of activities or tasks would you like us to demonstrate in terms of their completion using either of the platforms.

Don't be constricted by the idea of devices and their native apps and extensions and the pieces that come with those. We'll be broad in our approach to this. We will look at the pieces that are part of the operating system We will look at apps and extensions that go beyond and add some flexibility to it. So really, the thing we are asking from you is just the task. What are things that students need to accomplish and you are not sure what device might be "best" I am going to "air quote" things a lot because "best" is all relative I think what we are going to find-if I could be someone that sees into the the future a little bit-is that we can do these tasks on both platforms. It's just the way they get done might be a little different. So that is going to be kind of exciting as we talk about it.

I think an important part to remember about that is that doing it one way might be better for somebody and So the idea is that we can share a variety of ways that the task might be accomplished and help you then make determinations about what platform you may want to get for people with whom you work.

Exactly! So, share your ideas. We want to hear them. We would love to find out things that are important to you. We set up a Flipgrid. You can reach out to that through the website I will give you a bit.ly - it's bit.ly/atia19mainevent We will put that in the show notes or the video notes as well. so you can reach out to that. Leave your idea Even if you aren't going to be at ATIA. Don't worry about it! We will find some way to share this information out after the conference so people that can't get to the conference. can experience what we looked at. That's it. That sounds great. That's what we are looking for. So help us make this session excellent by sharing your ideas with us. Thanks very much. Hope to see you at ATIA. See you there!

Want to find other people interested in inclusive and assistive technology? Join us on Twitter every Wednesday night at 8PM eastern for #ATchat. Each week, Karen Janowski and myself lead an hour long discussion about tools and strategies for inclusion and accessibility for individuals with disabilities.

The topic of this week's #ATchat was AT supports for writing. We started the conversation discussing characteristics of struggling writers and the types of writing tasks we ask students to complete. Want to see the results of this brainstorming? Check out the Padlet at padlet.com/mmatp/atchat010919

We discussed assessment supports for writing and two resources were shared from WATI - the Wisconsin Assistive Technology Initiative. From the Assessing Students Needs for AT Manual - we shared Chapter 5-AT for Writing, Including Motor Aspects and Chapter 6 AT for Composition of Written Work. I will include the link to both of these PDFs in the show notes.

As we discussed AT supports - we moved from low tech to high tech solutions for writing. Simple supports like writing checklists and personal white boards - all the way to complex writing solutions like speech to text. Our conversation about speech to text focused less on the technology and more on the implementation - specifically, how do we provide needed training to reduce abandonment of this tool.

It was another jam packed ATchat with tons of resources shared along with powerful strategies to promote student success.

To read the entire archive of this #ATchat visit bit.ly/atchat010919

To stay current on all things Inclusive and Assistive Technology, follow me on Twitter @mmatp and visit my website at mmatp.com for Inclusive Technology resources and all the previous podcast episodes. Bye for now!
Episode 25 (Listen)
Each episode of Inclusive Technology 4 All will bring you information about Inclusive and Assistive Technology to increase independence.

In this episode:

#ATchat Update: 12/19/18

Topic: The New Assistive Technology with special guest Chris Bugaj

Transcript
Hey now! Welcome to Inclusive Technology 4 All. I'm Mike Marotta and each episode will bring you information about Inclusive and Assistive Technology to increase independence. Whether it's technology for inclusive classroom learning or tools for community success, inclusive technology has become more mainstream and available for everyone.

Let's dive in:

Before we start this episode I just want to share a quick thanks. This is the last episode of 2018 and I wanted to take a minute to thank everyone who listens. I appreciate the messages on Twitter and the kind words when I am out presenting. I am glad that this information is helping to connect individuals with the technology tools they need to be successful. If you enjoy the podcast, please subscribe and leave a review!

And with that ..... on to Episode 25 of Inclusive Technology 4 All.

For this episode's Tech Tool Spotlight, I have two tools I recently used to support individuals.

First up is the Aida Reminder app. I know what you are thinking - another reminder app, there must be thousands of them. What makes this one different? Well it's all in the features!

The Aida Reminder app allows you to schedule an array of reminders, including recurring reminders, snooze reminders, even Auto Snooze reminders where the app will automatically repeat an alarm at regular intervals. The features that sold me on this tool for the person I was working with allowed us to attach pictures to reminders. This individual is a non reader so when a notification pops up on his phone, he sometimes doesn't know what the reminder is for. Now he gets a visual cue along with the reminder. The second feature we really found powerful was the ability to connect audio to the reminders. Now we can record a voice and connect that audio file to a reminder for added support. The app is currently only available for iOS devices and costs $.99. I will put the link to the website in the Episode 25 show notes.

This past week, I was working with a school based team helping identify Chrome supports that the student could use on a Chromebook to help with research activities. Part of their research involved watching a video and then adding notes to a shared Google Doc. This student was struggling with moving between two open tabs in the browser. I introduced the team to Tab Resize as a solution!

The Tab Resize extension lets a user split the screen in a variety of formats and have multiple pages visible simultaneously. While the student I was working with needed two screens side by side, other formats include two screens stacked on top of each other and a four screen split. This free extension was exactly what we were looking for and the student is now using it successfully to complete his research project. I will put the link to Tab Resize in the show notes.

For this episode I have two resources to share in order to learn more about Assistive and Inclusive Technology.

First up is the new Explore AT website from the AT3 Center. The purpose of the AT3 Center, according to the website, is: to provide training and technical assistance for all AT Act Section 4 State and Territory AT Programs to support quality implementation of state level and state leadership activities and to support a national assistive technology internet site that makes general AT information available to the public and other stakeholders.

The Explore AT website is a clearinghouse for an array of resources in the following categories: Computer Access, Daily Living, Environmental Adaptations and Controls, Hearing, Recreation, Seating, Positioning and Mobility, Speech Communication, Vehicle Modifications, Vision, Reading, Writing, Math and Organization. This website will continue to evolve as more resources are added. Visit exploreat.net to learn more.

For professional learning about Assistive and Inclusive Technology, AbleNet offers an amazing free resource called AbleNet University. This resource consists of live and recorded webinars on an array of topics, presented by leaders in the field. New live webinars happen almost every week and by creating a login on the AbleNet website, you will have access to the whole catalog of recorded webinars. Learning about topics that matter to you - on your schedule! I will put the link to the AbleNet University website in the show notes.

Want to find other people interested in inclusive and assistive technology? Join us on Twitter every Wednesday night at 8PM eastern for #ATchat. Each week, Karen Janowski and myself lead an hour long discussion about tools and strategies for inclusion and accessibility for individuals with disabilities.

The topic of this week's #ATchat was The New Assistive Technology. We were thrilled to have a special guest Chris Bugaj. We had a Flipgrid for people to leave questions for Chris prior to the chat and #Atchat co-moderator Karen Janowski left this message for Chris.

Chris well thank you for being willing tomorrow at our chat tonight. I have a couple of questions you are the expert when it comes to District level AT implementation you have written two awesome books so I can put the technology what have you seen that the change for the positive over the years that you've been in the field what are what are some of the things that you've seen that you're disappointed in or your wish that they used some of the things that you wish to change up until this point what trends do you see for our future and of course I always love to hear what would you change what would you change about if you could wave the magic wand at the national level how you would change how a tea is written in IDEA and I know that you are dying to change the name of our field so I'd love to hear what you have to say about any of these things and I'll see you online

Great questions from Karen and Chris shared some thoughts about this including posing one of Karen's questions back to the group. What are some positive changes you have seen in the last 20 years in our field?

Many answers came in - including my answer: We have seen a trend towards built in accessibility features in all our devices. That has been a catalyst for more inclusive opportunities for all.

Judie Schoonover said: I think the most positive thing that resonates with me is that the lines are blurred between assistive and technology, and we're just looking at solutions and bridges to circumvent barriers for all learners. A lot of demystifying has occurred

And finally Shawn Pearson said:

Now I haven't been around for 20 years (I am not THAT old) but in the last 5 or 6 years there is definitely a greater awareness for what AT can do and its benefits in education!

We appreciate Chris spending some time with us to answer questions from the #ATchat community. Check out his podcast Talking with Tech wherever you listen to podcasts!

To stay current on all things Inclusive and Assistive Technology, follow me on Twitter @mmatp and visit my website at mmatp.com for Inclusive Technology resources and all the previous podcast episodes. Bye for now!
Episode 24 (Listen)
Each episode of Inclusive Technology 4 All will bring you information about Inclusive and Assistive Technology to increase independence.

In this episode:

Tech Tool Spotlight: Google for Education Updates

#ATchat Update: 12/12/18

Topic: AAC Issues and Trends w/ special guest Carole Zangari

Hey now! Welcome to Inclusive Technology 4 All. I'm Mike Marotta and each episode will bring you information about Inclusive and Assistive Technology to increase independence. Whether it's technology for inclusive classroom learning or tools for community success, inclusive technology has become more mainstream and available for everyone.

Let's dive in:

The latest edition of the Google for Education newsletter had some interesting pieces of info that can support all learners. One piece that caught my eye was the ability to lock students into a Google Form so they are unable to navigate away on a Chromebook. Similar to the Guided Access feature on iOS devices, we can use this to focus students on the task at hand. This feature is currently in Beta testing phase AND only available on managed Chrome accounts. I have included the link to sign up for this Beta testing program in the show notes. This beta test also includes a Gradebook feature for Google Classroom.

The other piece is a programming lesson you can use to insert a progress bar on Google Slide presentations. This could be a powerful support for individuals to provide cues to determining completion of an activity. This programming lesson is designed for Middle and High School students and should take approximately 45-90 minutes to complete and teaches the skills of coding, using the script editor and code scripting. I will post the link to the lesson in the show notes. I can't wait to try this out!

I have to recommend a webinar recording I watched this week that was sent to me by Nancy Shepardson. The webinar, titled Are Apps Manipulating Kids, was hosted by the Children's Screen Time Action Network. The speakers were from the Institute for Public Representation at Georgetown University. The focus of the webinar was ways that app developers manipulate young children into watching ads and making purchases. The webinar also included some discussion about privacy policies, COPPA compliance and ways practitioners can protect children from these practices. I will post this link to the YouTube recording of the webinar in this episode's show notes.

Want to find other people interested in inclusive and assistive technology? Join us on Twitter every Wednesday night at 8PM eastern for #ATchat. Each week, Karen Janowski and myself lead an hour long discussion about tools and strategies for inclusion and accessibility for individuals with disabilities.

The topic of this week's #ATchat was AAC Issues and Trends. We were thrilled to have a special guest Carole Zangari. We had a Flipgrid for people to leave questions for Carole prior to the chat and friend of the podcast, Cassie Frost, left this question for Carole.

Carole had two suggestions in response to Cassie's question. One involves using goals and the other involves recognizing what it takes for people to actually change their behavior.

Another suggestion from Carole was: One idea is to embed the supportive strategies (like ready access to AAC devices & strategies like aided language input) directly into the IEP goals. Some ppl like to do that in the Accommodations section. I also embed them into goals.

From Twitter use @endeverstar came this response:

"my suggestion on that first q is to make sure teachers have a chance to listen to actual aac users talk about what it feels like to have our device/picture cards/etc taken away or inaccessible

they need to understand the importance of having comm supports at all times"

This was an amazing hour long conversation with tons of great resources. Check out the full archive at bit.ly/atchat121218

Next week's #ATchat will be another Ask the AT Thought Leader discussion. For 12/19/18 we have Chris Bugaj joining us to discuss ideas from his new book The New Assistive Technology: Making Learning Awesome for All. In order to maximize our learning, we will be asking you to submit questions you would like to ask and Chris will answer during #ATchat. So start thinking!

Check the show notes for the link to the Flipgrid and make sure to join us for the chat on 12/19/18!

To stay current on all things Inclusive and Assistive Technology, follow me on Twitter @mmatp and visit my website at mmatp.com for Inclusive Technology resources and all the previous podcast episodes. Bye for now!
Episode 23 (Listen)
In this episode:

Tech Tool Spotlight:

#ATchat Update: 12/5/18

Topic: Moving Beyond Technology for Reward and Reinforcement

Hey now! Welcome to Inclusive Technology 4 All. I'm Mike Marotta and each episode will bring you information about Inclusive and Assistive Technology to increase independence. Whether it's technology for inclusive classroom learning or tools for community success, inclusive technology has become more mainstream and available for everyone.

Let's dive in:

This past week I have been in Laredo TX working with educators to use Google Chrome as Assistive & Inclusive Technology in the classroom in order to support all learners. As we were exploring Google Docs Add Ons we came across Story Speaker.

This Google Docs Add On allows you to create interactive, talking stories that can be read aloud with a Google Home device or any device with Google Assistant!

Following the formatting described in the help document, you can create a story that can take listeners down different paths. By using commands like "If you say right" , you can program audio responses from the Google Home device. These responses will provide different audio cues depending on what you say. You can basically create your own Choose Your Own Adventure stories that can be read aloud!

I have included the link to the Help Document in the show notes. Install the Add On today and start creating. If you make a story and publish it, let me know so I can promote your stories to other users.

A research team at Boston Children's Hospital Labs of Cognitive Neuroscience have developed an app that is designed to identify students at risk for reading disabilities. The team hopes this app will reduce the amount of lost time that students experience before being diagnosed with a reading disability, which leads to delays in receiving effective reading intervention strategies. Led through a virtual theme park, children are faced with a variety of challenges designed to assess skills related to six early literacy milestones:

Phonological awareness (the ability to manipulate the sounds of language)

Phonological short-term memory

Rapid automatized naming

Knowledge of letter names and the sounds they make

Vocabulary

Oral listening comprehension

The app moves beyond a screener by providing additional "evidence based responses to screening" that can aid students in areas of reading weakness. The app will be piloted in schools starting in Fall of 2019 and is expected to be released to all the following year. A link to the article is provided in the show notes.

Want to find other people interested in inclusive and assistive technology? Join us on Twitter every Wednesday night at 8PM eastern for #ATchat. Each week, Karen Janowski and myself lead an hour long discussion about tools and strategies for inclusion and accessibility for individuals with disabilities.

This weeks #ATchat topic was Moving Beyond Technology for Reward and Reinforcement. We discussed issues surrounding using iPads, for example, as a reward for earning points on a behavior chart. While these devices can be motivating for students, are we sending the wrong message about technology. Is this causing students to see the technology only as a device for play versus a tool for independence? We had alot of conversation about classroom management and how educators approach the use of these tech tools. We also discussed the barriers we face when trying to support educators who are supporting students with technology. All in all - another important conversation about technology implementation. To catch up on the whole conversation, read the archive at bit.ly/atchat120518

For the next two weeks, we are going to try something a little different with #ATchat. We have lined up two thought leaders in the field of AT, Carole Zangari and Chris Bugaj. In order to maximize our learning, we will be asking you to submit questions you would like to ask and Carole and Chris will answer during #ATchat. So start thinking! Carole is scheduled for 12/12/18 and Chris is scheduled for 12/19/18.

Watch the #ATchat hashtag in the coming weeks for a link to leave your questions. Then make sure to join us for the chats!

To stay current on all things Inclusive and Assistive Technology, follow me on Twitter @mmatp and visit my website at mmatp.com for Inclusive Technology resources and all the previous podcast episodes. Bye for now!
Episode 22 (Listen)
Each episode of Inclusive Technology 4 All will bring you information about Inclusive and Assistive Technology to increase independence.

In this episode:

Hey now! Welcome to Inclusive Technology 4 All. I'm Mike Marotta and each episode will bring you information about Inclusive and Assistive Technology to increase independence. Whether it's technology for inclusive classroom learning or tools for community success, inclusive technology has become more mainstream and available for everyone.

Let's dive in:

This week I traveled to Indianapolis to participate in the PATINS Access 2 Education conference. This two day event is attended by hundreds of educators from throughout Indiana and they learn together how to best meet the unique needs of all students in the classroom.

I presented four sessions throughout the conference, but I want to focus on the session I presented with Beth Poss and Mystie Rail. It was titled The Write AT & Apps for Notetaking.

We discussed some of the struggles individuals face with notetaking. From the mechanics of writing to organizing information in order to effectively retrieve the info. We also discussed how processing speed can dramatically impact a persons ability to listen to information, recognize the importance, and then write it down in a timely manner. So what can we do to help people? We looked at 3 main areas of focus: Chrome Extensions, Apps and Creative Tools. A couple of the Chrome tools included Google Keep (of course! I can't do a session and NOT mention Keep!) We also discussed creative ways to use Google Slides as a Note taking tool. Another powerful Chrome notetaking tool is Mic Note. This Chrome app provides a platform for classroom audio to be synced to typed notes. Now I can go back and review specific sections of notes AND hear the audio from that moment of the class.

Some of the apps we explrored included Notability and Good Notes 4. We tried to highlight apps that would provide an array of features that would provide support to all unique learners. For example, using the text to speech feature in Notability or creating sketchnotes using an Apple Pencil. Notetaking apps have really evolved into powerful supports for all learners.

Our last focus area was what we called Creative Tools. This includes tools like the Livescribe Pen and the Rockebook. For those not familiar with the Rocketbook, it consists of a notebook and a special pen. After writing notes on the paper, there is a QR code on the page. Taking a picture of this page will automatically store the page in your selected location - whether that is Google Drive or One Drive or any other supported application. Once the pages are stored digitally, I can erase the book and start again. The Rocketbook Wave erases by heating it in a microwave and the Rocketbook Everlast erases with water.

Want to find other people interested in inclusive and assistive technology? Join us on Twitter every Wednesday night at 8PM eastern for #ATchat. Each week, Karen Janowski and myself lead an hour long discussion about tools and strategies for inclusion and accessibility for individuals with disabilities.

This week was our monthly Open Forum. I always enjoy this free flowing conversation about all types of topics related to AT and inclusive technology. This week some of the topics included using eye gaze for AAC, tools for reading support, and more. Check out the archive at bit.ly/atchat112818

Coming up in the next couple weeks, we are going to try something a little different with #ATchat. We have lined up two thought leaders in the field of AT, Carole Zangari and Chris Bugaj. In order to maximize our learning, we will be asking you to submit questions you would like to ask and Carole and Chris will answer during #ATchat. So start thinking! Carole is scheduled for 12/12/18 and Chris is scheduled for 12/19/18.

Watch the #ATchat hashtag in the coming weeks for a link to leave your questions. Then make sure to join us for the chats!

To stay current on all things Inclusive and Assistive Technology, follow me on Twitter @mmatp and visit my website at mmatp.com for Inclusive Technology resources and all the previous podcast episodes. Bye for now!
Episode 21 (Listen)
Each episode of Inclusive Technology 4 All will bring you information about Inclusive and Assistive Technology to increase independence.

In this super sized episode:

Hey now! Welcome to Inclusive Technology 4 All. I'm Mike Marotta and each episode will bring you information about Inclusive and Assistive Technology to increase independence. Whether it's technology for inclusive classroom learning or tools for community success, inclusive technology has become more mainstream and available for everyone.

Let's dive in:

Working with digital materials for students and adults with disabilities sometimes involves using different file formats. Depending on the person's needs and the tools they are using, a certain file format may be necessary. But where to turn to find out about tools that can help with formatting materials? I found a really nice resource on the Make Use Of website. I will make sure to add the link in the show notes.

The eBook Conversion Guide includes desktop tools, apps and web services that can be used to provide supports with materials. One tool mentioned in the guide is Calibre. This free tool is extremely helpful when looking to change a file format. The tool supports many different file formats and can be used as an effective tool for ebook file management too.

I will often work with teams to create ePub documents from PDFs and websites. ePub is a flexible accessible file format that can support various user needs, including multimedia embedded supports. Many times I am creating ePub files that consumers can use on an iOS device and specifically use in iBooks.

This past weekend was a big one here in NJ for professional learning - it was Edcamp NJ. For people who have never attended an edcamp - pause the episode right now and visit the Edcamp Foundation website at edcamp.org to find one near you. I promise you will not be disappointed. This participant led, organic learning experience will revitalize you and remind you why you do this. A crowd sourced session board filled with engaging conversations on a wide array of topics. Not "sit and get" presentations but conversations involving everyone - what's not to love about that!

Back to Edcamp NJ. With over 800 educators registered for the event, this has to be one of the biggest edcamps and this year it got even bigger - two locations to better meet the needs of educators. The New Brunswick Edcamp consisted of 14 simultaneous conversations across 6 sessions. The Egg Harbor Edcamp had 7 simultaneous conversations across 4 session times. With this many session times, there was for sure something for everyone. I attended the South Edcamp in Egg Harbor and it was a fantastic event. Special thanks to all the organizers - you guys did an amazing job.

One of the things I love about edcamps is how freely resources are shared. Edcamp NJ does a nice job of posting their session boards on line with a shared notetaking document for every session. Now I can review the conversation even if I didn't make the session. I put the links to both session boards in the show notes so you can check out the resources.

Want to find other people interested in inclusive and assistive technology? Join us on Twitter every Wednesday night at 8PM eastern for #ATchat. Each week, Karen Janowski and myself lead an hour long discussion about tools and strategies for inclusion and accessibility for individuals with disabilities.

Last year's shortened Let's Give Thanks chat consisted of 3 questions:

Who is one person you would like to thank for being a mentor? Who was an inspiration to you? Recognize them here.

What are you MOST proud of doing/accomplishing so far this year? Personal or professional.

What was the best training, PD, workshop, or other new "thing" you discovered this year, and who would you like to thank for it?

I asked you to share your best "thing" and who you would like to thank via Speakpipe and you did not disappoint. Let's hear from you!

[Interview Transcription Coming Soon]

When I think about what I am most thankful for - you just heard 5 examples of it. I am most thankful for my PLN. People like Maureen, Chris, Beth, Michael and Hillary - people who make me better every day. Thanks guys!

To stay current on all things Inclusive and Assistive Technology, follow me on Twitter @mmatp and visit my website at mmatp.com for Inclusive Technology resources and all the previous podcast episodes. Bye for now!
Episode 20 (Listen)
Each episode of Inclusive Technology 4 All will bring you information about Inclusive and Assistive Technology to increase independence.

In this episode:

PD on the Go: The Power of Podcasts

Tech Tool Spotlight: Wonderscope AR iOS App

Hey now! Welcome to Inclusive Technology 4 All. I'm Mike Marotta and each episode will bring you information about Inclusive and Assistive Technology to increase independence. Whether it's technology for inclusive classroom learning or tools for community success, inclusive technology has become more mainstream and available for everyone.

Let's dive in:

Even though we are all busy, we still need to carve out some time to learn. For PD on the Go, I have become immersed in the world of podcasts - both as a creator and consumer. I have really enjoyed creating this podcast each week and I hope that you are finding the information valuable. As I develop my plan for each week - I work to explore all areas related to inclusive technology. I have been very deliberate in my strategy to focus on both tools AND implementation. We all know it isn't all about "stuff" but also how we use the "stuff" to meet the unique needs of each individual.

I recently had the honor of being interviewed on two different podcasts related to assistive technology and people with disabilities.

First I was a guest on the Assistive Technology Update podcast from the Indata Project. Led by Josh Anderson, this podcast focuses on all areas of AT. We spent our time discussing AT service delivery and a new project I am working on with a local school district and Raspberry Pi.

Next, I was a guest on the LOMAH Podcast. I spoke with Kim Albrecht about opportunities to learn and grow in this ever changing world of AT. Kim titled the episode Pep Talks and Twitter Chats - and I feel very happy about that description of our conversation.

I added the links to both these episodes in the show notes. If you haven't listened to these podcasts, I can't recommend them enough. Speaking of listening to podcasts ...

Want to learn more about AAC? Check out the new website from PRC-Saltillo Explore AAC. In addition to walking you through a roadmap towards AAC Implementation, including a section where you can download some low tech AAC boards and explore AAC through an interactive web based module. Check it out at exploreaac.com

There has been lots of talking recently about Augmented Reality and now we have the Wonderscope AR app for iOS. This interactive story book app unfolds with characters coming to life in front of you. While this alone would make this a pretty engaging tool, the company also announced that they are planning to release a development tool called Storymaker. This tool, when released, will allow anyone to create their own Augmented Reality stories. This is the really exciting part for me - giving anyone the opportunity to create and tell stories with AR components.

The app is free and comes with one book, A Brief History. A second book is available now called Little Red and costs $4.99. Other titles will be released in December. Check out the show notes for a link to the website and a video showing the augmented reality portions of the book.

Want to find other people interested in inclusive and assistive technology? Join us on Twitter every Wednesday night at 8PM eastern for #ATchat. Each week, Karen Janowski and myself lead an hour long discussion about tools and strategies for inclusion and accessibility for individuals with disabilities.

This week's #ATchat topic was Tech for Students with Intellectual Disabilities. Some of the topics we discussed included tools we use to cognitively rescale materials and strategies people use to modify/develop and create flexible curriculum to support all learners. As with every chat - tons of info was shared. Both suggestions for tech tools to support learners and resources to learn more information.

Want to read the archive of this week's #ATchat - go to : bit.ly/atchat111418

To read all the #ATchat archives from this entire school year, go to bit.ly/atchat18-19 or Check out the show notes for the link to the spreadsheet.

Do you have an idea for an #ATchat topic, or do you want to moderate the chat? Drop me a line and let me know. We love learning from each other and are always excited to have new voices in the chat.

To stay current on all things Inclusive and Assistive Technology, follow me on Twitter @mmatp and visit my website at mmatp.com for Inclusive Technology resources and all the previous podcast episodes. Bye for now!
Episode 19 (Listen)
Each episode of Inclusive Technology 4 All will bring you information about Inclusive and Assistive Technology to increase independence.

In this episode:

Hey now! Welcome to Inclusive Technology 4 All. I'm Mike Marotta and each episode will bring you information about Inclusive and Assistive Technology to increase independence. Whether it's technology for inclusive classroom learning or tools for community success, inclusive technology has become more mainstream and available for everyone.

Let's dive in:

Are you using video to promote digital storytelling? Have you tried We Video? This web based video editor is perfect for use with a Chromebook and has plenty of features to help your vision become a video reality! This tool is really powerful - in fact, it has become my video tool of choice for creating and editing accessible video projects.

We Video has just announced a new digital storytelling toolkit to help promote creativity in the classroom. According to the WeVideo website, the toolkit includes:

The toolkit is free and I will include the link to sign up in the show notes.

Have you used digital storytelling to promote inclusion and accessibility? Share your story via SpeakPipe at speakpipe.com/ITSpodcast and I will feature you on an upcoming episode.

Time management. Just the thought of it can make people start to sweat! How can we best manage our time effectively and provide flexible supports that are helpful for all - whether it is a paper or digital calendar. Enter the Slice Planner. This schedule planner offers the best of both worlds. This paper planner allows you to visually organize your schedule in a paper notebook and then sync that information with your digital calendar app.

The analog component of this package is a small notebook that is approximately 8" x 6". Open the book up, write your appointments on the left page, and add additional notes on the right page. The Slice Planner app with sync that information directly into your calendar app for you and set reminders or alerts. Check this tool out at sliceplanner.com or visit the show notes for links to the webpage and a YouTube video showing the Slice Planner in action.

Want to find other people interested in inclusive and assistive technology? Join us on Twitter every Wednesday night at 8PM eastern for #ATchat. Each week, Karen Janowski and myself lead an hour long discussion about tools and strategies for inclusion and accessibility for individuals with disabilities.

This week's #ATchat topic was the AT + Maker Connection. We discussed ways AT professionals can get back to our roots as Makers! Tweeters shared creative solutions they recently created to meet a unique need - such as keyguards for tablets, 3d printed pencil holders, battery interrupters and much more.

Bill Binko from AT Makers shared some of their recent updates including a 3d printed, Adafruit interface for using AT switches on the computer. The best part about this solution - it only costs $12 to make! I will include a link to the directions and a YouTube video in the show notes.

We also had a great conversation about strategies to connect with High School STEM / Robotics clubs to create AT Solutions. Partner with these creative students who are searching for problems to solve. Sounds like a perfect partnership between Makers and AT professionals. Want to read the archive of this week's #ATchat - go to : bit.ly/atchat110718

To read all the #ATchat archives from this entire school year, go to bit.ly/atchat18-19 or Check out the show notes for the link to the spreadsheet.

Do you have an idea for an #ATchat topic, or do you want to moderate the chat? Drop me a line and let me know. We love learning from each other and are always excited to have new voices in the chat.

To stay current on all things Inclusive and Assistive Technology, follow me on Twitter @mmatp and visit my website at mmatp.com for Inclusive Technology resources and all the previous podcast episodes. Bye for now!
Episode 18 (Listen) Episode 17 (Listen)
Each episode of Inclusive Technology 4 All will bring you information about Inclusive and Assistive Technology to increase independence.

In this episode:

Hey now! Welcome to Inclusive Technology 4 All. I'm Mike Marotta and each episode will bring you information about Inclusive and Assistive Technology to increase independence. Whether it's technology for inclusive classroom learning or tools for community success, inclusive technology has become more mainstream and available for everyone.

Let's dive in:

Let's talk about the Shortcuts app from Apple. This app, while not marketed as an accessibility tool, really fits nicely into our world of inclusive technology.

This app is designed to be a productivity support by automating certain actions in iOS. Think about the series of actions you need to string together to perform certain tasks on your iOS device. Now you can complete these tasks with one single tap instead of multiple steps. A big plus in our world of inclusive technology - this app is fully VoiceOver compatible!

The app comes with a Gallery of pre-made shortcuts such as Email Schedule to Yourself or Remaining Reminders. How about listening to a playlist? Simple, just activate the shortcut. Another powerful feature is the ability to run shortcuts in other apps.

Download this app today and start playing around with shortcuts. Did you find a solution to promote accessibility? Leave me a message via SpeakPipe at speakpipe.com/ITSpodcast and I will feature you on an upcoming episode.

I was working with a school based team this week and was asked a familiar question. Is there an Android version of iOS Guided Access? We were working with a student using an Android tablet and we needed to lock him into a screen so he would complete his task. After some research, and some trial and error downloading of many apps! - I found one that worked for us.

Touch Blocker is a free app that will prevent unwanted touches on the screen. Open the desired app, swipe down to access the notifications panel and activate Touch Blocker. Now the user will be unable to exit the app until you unlock the app. This solution will really be helpful in this classroom because there are only 2 ipads with Guided Access. Now, the teacher can use the other 3 Android tablets and provide the same level of support to students.

Check out the Episode 17 show notes for a link to the Google Play Store to download this app. Do you have another Android app you use for this function? Leave me a message via SpeakPipe at speakpipe.com/ITSpodcast

Want to find other people interested in inclusive and assistive technology? Join us on Twitter every Wednesday night at 8PM eastern for #ATchat. Each week, Karen Janowski and myself lead an hour long discussion about tools and strategies for inclusion and accessibility for individuals with disabilities.

This week's #ATchat was live from the International Dyslexia Association Conference which was held at Foxwoods Resort in CT. Karen and I, along with Jamie Martin and Jackie Hersh, presented a full day workshop on AT tools for students with dyslexia. We also participated in an AT Lab set up in the exhibit hall to give conference attendees a chance to get their hands on AT.

With that as our backdrop, the topic of the chat this week was highlights from the conference, along with a conversation about tools and strategies people have used to support individuals with dyslexia. Part of the chat focused on educating professionals on the power of AT and dispelling the myth that AT is somehow cheating or would reduce student's desire to learn to read. These statements continue to pop up and we need to be strong in our message that AT is not cheating! AT does not make students lazy! In fact, during the chat Hillary came up with what I think will be our AT chat slogan: Until Remediation Clicks, AT Sticks. Love it! The second part of the chat focused on some examples of tools that people use to support students with dyslexia.

To read all the #ATchat archives from this entire school year, go to bit.ly/atchat18-19 or Check out the show notes for the link to the spreadsheet.

Do you have an idea for an #ATchat topic, or do you want to moderate the chat? Drop me a line and let me know. We love learning from each other and are always excited to have new voices in the chat.

Thanks for listening. If you enjoy the podcast, please subscribe and leave a review! Do you have an idea for a future episode? Leave an audio message via SpeakPipe at speakpipe.com/ITSpodcast with your suggestion. It may just appear on an upcoming episode. To stay current on all things Inclusive and Assistive Technology, follow me on Twitter @mmatp and visit my website at mmatp.com for Inclusive Technology resources and all the previous podcast episodes. Bye for now!
Episode 16 (Listen)
Each episode of Inclusive Technology 4 All will bring you information about Inclusive and Assistive Technology to increase independence.

In this episode:

Hey now! Welcome to Inclusive Technology 4 All. I'm Mike Marotta and each episode will bring you information about Inclusive and Assistive Technology to increase independence. Whether it's technology for inclusive classroom learning or tools for community success, inclusive technology has become more mainstream and available for everyone.

Let's dive in:

Released last week from the Google Accessibility team, Voice Access is a new Android app that provides hands free access to your Android smartphone and tablet. Users can navigate through apps, enter and edit text, and much more. Voice commands let you achieve greater control over apps and functions - like scrolling through app screens and access to app control buttons - all hands free. For access to apps with multiple text fields, the app will display numbers next to each text field. Simply announce that number and start dictating text directly into that text field.

Check out the Episode 16 show notes for a link to the Google Keyword Blog article about the Voice Access app as well as a link to the list of commands available within the app.

Accessibility at a Glance is a series of videos produced by Microsoft that promote the creation of inclusive, accessible digital experiences for people with disabilities.

Check out the Episode 16 show notes for a link to the YouTube Playlist of all the Accessibility at a Glance videos. Each short video focuses on another aspect of accessible, inclusive digital design. From captioning, to text alternatives, to a 4-part series on User Interface Automation - this video series offers powerful information in a short, easily digestible format.

One video I really enjoyed was the Inclusive Presentation Skills video. It started with the essential question: Is my presentation accessible to everyone? Several tips included: providing audio cues to support visual items, and the effective use of accessible multimedia within a presentation. We must ensure that our presentations are inclusive to all participants and this is a great place to start.

Want to find other people interested in inclusive and assistive technology? Join us on Twitter every Wednesday night at 8PM eastern for #ATchat. Each week, Karen Janowski and myself lead an hour long discussion about tools and strategies for inclusion and accessibility for individuals with disabilities.

The topic for this week's #ATchat was Designing for Accessibility with POUR. Our special guest moderator for the chat was Luis Perez from the National AEM Center.

Think about all those educator created materials - how do we ensure that they are accessible. That's where POUR comes in! POUR is an acronym for Perceivable, Operable, Understandable and Robust. Let's dig into each area a bit.

Perceivable focuses on making content accessible visually and or auditorily for all. Fonts sizes and styles, colors, audio cues, captions for videos all fall into this area.

Operable focuses on the ways learners interact with the content and does it provide structure / support throughout the learning experience.

Understandable focuses on providing cues and supports to ensure that all learners can move through the materials successfully through directions and learning models.

Finally, we have Robust which focuses on the ability of your content to be used with current, and future, technologies that the learners may employ during the learning experience.

We had a lively conversations about tools and strategies related to POUR and providing an inclusive learning experience to all students. To read the archive of this week's #ATchat, go to: bit.ly/atchat101718

To read all the #ATchat archives from this entire school year, go to bit.ly/atchat18-19 or Check out the Episode 16 show notes for the link to the spreadsheet.

Do you have an idea for an #ATchat topic, or do you want to moderate the chat? Drop me a line and let me know. We love learning from each other and are always excited to have new voices in the chat.

To stay current on all things Inclusive and Assistive Technology, follow me on Twitter @mmatp and visit my website at mmatp.com for Inclusive Technology resources and all the previous podcast episodes. Bye for now!
Episode 15 (Listen)
Each episode of Inclusive Technology 4 All will bring you information about Inclusive and Assistive Technology to increase independence.

In this episode:

Hey now! Welcome to Inclusive Technology 4 All. I'm Mike Marotta and each episode will bring you information about Inclusive and Assistive Technology to increase independence. Whether it's technology for inclusive classroom learning or tools for community success, inclusive technology has become more mainstream and available for everyone.

Let's dive in:

A couple episodes back I mentioned that auto captioning feature for Google Slides that is coming in an upcoming Chrome OS update.

For this episode, let's talk about Presentation Translator for Powerpoint from Microsoft. This add in provides real time captions which are displayed directly on your slides. As a presenter - you can speak in any of the 10 supported languages - Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish - and provide subtitles in any one of over 60 text translation languages.

I will add a link to the information in the Episode 15 show notes. Once you try it out, let me know what you think. Let's talk about ways you could use this. Share your ideas via SpeakPipe at speakpipe.com/ITSpodcast and I will include them in an upcoming episode.

When we think about inclusive technology tools, look no further than your smartphone! So many features are already embedded into your phone to provide accessibility and promote inclusion. For this episode, I thought I would share the audio from a video I created with the Cerebral Palsy Foundation to encourage everyone to use what they already have to promote accessibility. Enjoy!

Want to find other people interested in inclusive and assistive technology? Join us on Twitter every Wednesday night at 8PM eastern for #ATchat. Each week, Karen Janowski and myself lead an hour long discussion about tools and strategies for inclusion and accessibility for individuals with disabilities.

The topic for this week's #ATchat was Curriculum, Modifications and Accommodations. What made this conversation so powerful was the fact that many of the ideas shared were not about tools but instead about strategies which will lead to student success. We also had a conversation about the important difference between Modifications and Accommodations. These two terms are not interchangeable. I will share a link to the show notes to a post from Understood.org that talks about the differences. Some of the tools mentioned included Readtopia from Don Johnston, News 2 You, and MeVille to WeVille from AbleNet.

To read the archive of this week's #ATchat, go to: bit.ly/atchat101018

To read all the #ATchat archives from this entire school year, go to bit.ly/atchat18-19 or Check out the Episode 15 show notes for the link to the spreadsheet.

Do you have an idea for an #ATchat topic, or do you want to moderate the chat? Drop me a line and let me know. We love learning from each other and are always excited to have new voices in the chat.

To stay current on all things Inclusive and Assistive Technology, follow me on Twitter @mmatp and visit my website at mmatp.com for Inclusive Technology resources and all the previous podcast episodes. Bye for now!
Episode 14 (Listen)
Each episode of Inclusive Technology 4 All will bring you information about Inclusive and Assistive Technology to increase independence.

In this episode:

#ATchat Update: 10/3/18

Topic: If I Could Change One Thing About ...

#ATchat Archive 10/3/18 - bit.ly/atchat100318

Transcript
Hey now! Welcome to Inclusive Technology 4 All. I'm Mike Marotta and each episode will bring you information about Inclusive and Assistive Technology to increase independence. Whether it's technology for inclusive classroom learning or tools for community success, inclusive technology has become more mainstream and available for everyone.

Let's dive in:

I am excited to share today's podcast episode with you. This was part of a keynote panel that was presented at the 2018 New Jersey Assistive Technology Summit. Just a little background - in addition to the consulting I do with my company, Inclusive Tech Solutions, I am also the Director of the New Jersey Assistive Technology Act Project. Under that position, we created and deliver an annual assistive technology conference. So at this year's conference, we has three users of assistive technology share their story as part of our keynote. So today I am going to present to you one of those stories. I am going to share with you the story from Nick Foley. Nick is an 11th grade high school student with dyslexia and he was able to share some really great information about how he uses assistive technology to be successful. I especially like the questions the audience asks at the end and how Nick steps up and gives some fantastic answers about AT. Enjoy!

Hi, I'm Nick. I'm 16 years old and I'm a junior. I am a Learning Ally YES Ambassador. YES stands for Youth Example for Self Advocacy.

I knew I was different when I was in third grade because I always needed extra help. In 5th grade, I never read any of my library book. I would always put them in my backpack and pretend to read them. I would always try to find books with audio to them. I found out I was dyslexic in the third grade. When I found out I was dyslexic I was confused. I didn't know what dyslexia was. So my parents and my teacher explained dyslexia to me.

Dyslexia doesn't mean that you're dumb or stupid. It means that it takes longer for you to process information. You might need a little extra help. But but you can do what everyone else can do. The easiest way for me to learn is by doing things hands on. That is why I really like science.

I learn how to take better notes a couple years ago and now I use those notes to study in class. I use Quizlet which is an app with digital flashcards. So it's easier for me to go over my notes. I have to find ways to make the information stick and I need extra time to have the information click in my head. Instead of having it go right through.

The accommodations I use on my iPhone and my laptop. My Learning Ally audiobooks. I get extra time on tests and assignments if I need it and I have questions read out loud to me if I need it. Assistive Technology I use on my laptop and iPhone apps are Learning Ally Audiobooks and my Google Classroom and Google Extensions. The assistive technology I use are Quizlet, Grammarly and sticky notes. Other apps are used by other students are Mic Note and the Livescribe Pen. I hope to use these this year in school. I hope to use them in college.

Being a dyslexic is like going to Cape May. Most people take the Garden State Parkway which is a pretty easy and free way to get there. There might be few traffic jams during the busy times this summer. But it is a pretty easy and free way to get there. That's how most kids learn. In school they might have a couple bumps in the road along the way but it is a pretty easy. It's pretty easy in school.

Being a dyslexic is like going to Cape May with my grandparents. Instead of taking the Garden State Parkway which is an easy way to get there, we take a lot of stops and it takes us twice as long. I get really frustrated because I just want to get the Cape May. But we go to new places and learn new things. That's just like being dyslexic. I don't get the same place as everyone else because it takes me a little longer. But I make new stops and pick new things up other people probably don't know. For example, I know a lot more about assistive technology and what works best for me. In the end I get to Cape May and I have a great time. So it doesn't matter how long it takes me to get there. I feel the same way about how I learn. It might take me a little longer and I might not get to the same place as everyone else at the same time. But in the end I get there and I have a great time.

Does anybody have any questions for Nick?

Thanks Nick. A question about your Learning Ally Audiobooks. Do you use a synthesizer or do you use human read Audiobooks and does it make a difference?

Learning Ally has the biggest selection of human read books, over 80,000. I use for my school work, my required reading and my textbooks. So it is all human read and you can change the voice and the speed and everything if you want. It helps me better instead of sounding like a robot or automated. You have a real human reading it out loud. Honestly, it works better for me. I am not sure about other people but it's more real so you understand it. Not like a robot reading it to you. It's fluent and you can understand the information easier.

Hi Nick. That was really great. My grandparents took me to Cape May that way too. I really like that. You mentioned a couple of apps I heard you mention a pen. Could you describe them a little bit more?

So the Livescribe Pen works with special paper that has really small dots on it. You can use that pen to, say you are in a class in his lecture. You can use up his record your teacher and write down whatever your teacher is writing down. You can write key words that your teacher wrote down. Then you can go back and click on that word and it will go back to the exact part where your teacher was talking. My teacher was talking about a homework assignment and we had to do 3 paragraphs. He was telling us to write down a bunch of notes on the screen. So I can just sum it up in a couple words and sentences and have the teacher be recorded by what they are saying when explaining it. Then I can go back later and listen to what the teacher was saying so I can listen to the teacher in real time and then later go back and listen to my notes. Instead of only focusing on my notes. So it works with special paper that has small dots on it and then the pen records the teacher.

So I have a question in relation to that. When my son was in school, we had difficulty with our school district because the teachers didn't want to be recorded. I am wondering if that is something you had to deal with and how you dealt with that.

So far I haven't used the Livescribe Pen in High School or in Middle School because I have things on the laptop like Google Classroom. So I can go back home and it is all there. I did email my case manage and my teachers about a policy if I am allowed to record them in class. I have other friends in different schools that have used the Liverscribe Pen, the other Ambassadors, and they have signed a contract. It is a non- disclosure contract about they only use that information for school work. So they can't share that with anyone else. So it is strictly just for school. If they are recording a teacher, they are the only ones who are allowed to use that recording and it is not spread to anyone else.

So Nick. This is great. Can you share with us how you learned about all these different tools? How were you able to get these tools that are helping you. Have you ever needed the purchase any of these on your own?

Luckily, I have a great support team and a great family who is able to, and willing to, help me any way they can. It started - my grandma she had a little reader. I am not sure what they call it. They go through the paper and read it out loud to you. My mom and dad looked at Learning Ally and she downloaded that for me in third or fourth grade. Then I finally started to listen to books, read books and understand them. From there, my mom and dad found different tools that would help me in areas of school. I use Quizlet now which is a digital flash cards I get on my laptop or iPhone and you can ear read and eye read at the same time. So you can look at the flashcards and it reads them out loud to you. That is one I really like and I was able to use that.

Others I use are sticky notes just like any application on the laptop that you can get. I use those for reminding and. I use a bunch of other ones. I know other Ambassadors use different ones like the Livescribe Pen. Some use the Mic Note. So I just had to find one that fit me - and we have gone through a lot that I haven't used, I have used. Like Dragon Dictation - we had that, we tried it out and it didn't really work. But then we found, when I have to type up essays I just use the microphone on my iPhone and I just say whatever I want. That's like a free one on your iPhone. I say whatever I want and it types out for me. Then I can go back and edit it.

My mom and dad also got me an iPad and a laptop. So I can use my laptop in class, or my Learning Ally, for typing up essays. My iPad I used a long time ago for Learning Ally and different stuff. So my parents didn't have to buy that stuff themselves. Some schools do give out laptops, depending on what school district you are in. My school didn't do that so we got our own but I guess if I asked I would have been able to.

Want to find other people interested in inclusive and assistive technology? Join us on Twitter every Wednesday night at 8PM eastern for #ATchat. Each week, Karen Janowski and myself lead an hour long discussion about tools and strategies for inclusion and accessibility for individuals with disabilities.

This week's #ATchat was called If I Could Change One Thing About. Participants shared their thoughts about making changes to: school,

IDEA, AT Consideration, your role in schools, how educators integrate technology into the classroom, and changes to delivery of professional development. Finally, we discussed if you could change the term Assistive Technology, what would it be?

Such an interesting conversation. To read the archive of this week's #ATchat, go to: bit.ly/atchat100318

To read all the #ATchat archives from this entire school year, go to bit.ly/atchat18-19 or Check out the Episode 14 show notes for the link to the spreadsheet.

Do you have an idea for an #ATchat topic, or do you want to moderate the chat? Drop me a line and let me know. We love learning from each other and are always excited to have new voices in the chat.

To stay current on all things Inclusive and Assistive Technology, follow me on Twitter @mmatp and visit my website at mmatp.com for Inclusive Technology resources and all the previous podcast episodes. Bye for now!
Episode 12 (Listen)
Each episode of Inclusive Technology 4 All will bring you information about Inclusive and Assistive Technology to increase independence.

In this episode:

Accessible Educational Materials (AEM)

National Center on Accessible Educational Materials
Designing for Accessibility with POUR

Want to share an idea/strategy? Leave a message via www.speakpipe.com/ITSpodcast

Transcript
Hey now! Welcome to Inclusive Technology 4 All. I'm Mike Marotta and each episode will bring you information about Inclusive and Assistive Technology to increase independence. Whether it's technology for inclusive classroom learning or tools for community success, inclusive technology has become more mainstream and available for everyone.

Let's dive in:

With the school year underway, it is a good time to discuss accessible educational materials.

According to the National Center on Accessible Educational Materials, " Accessible educational materials , or AEM, are materials and technologies usable for learning across the widest range of individual variability, regardless of format or features. Whether a material or technology is designed from the start to be accessible for all learners or is made accessible for learners with disabilities, it is considered AEM"

AEM includes instructional materials provided in specialized formats and accessible digital materials and technologies.

For specialized formats, many educators will utilize Bookshare or Learning Ally for qualified students. Each of these services is available to individuals with a print disability. What about students that don't qualify? Check out other available services like Project Gutenberg (for digital text to use with text to speech tools) and Librivox (for human narrated audio books).

With the explosion of digital creation tools, educators are making more of their own materials than ever before. When creating these materials, we need to make a conscious effort to ensure that the materials are accessible to everyone. The National Center on Accessible Educational Materials recently released "Designing for Accessibility with POUR".

The acronym POUR highlights the accessibility of a learning experience.

Perceivable focuses on making content accessible visually and or auditorily for all. Fonts sizes and styles, colors, audio cues, captions for videos all fall into this area.

Operable focuses on the ways learners interact with the content and does it provide structure / support throughout the learning experience.

Understandable focuses on providing cues and supports to ensure that all learners can move through the materials successfully through directions and learning models.

Finally, we have Robust which focuses on the ability of your content to be used with current, and future, technologies that the learners may employ during the learning experience.

Check the show notes for a link to the POUR information on the National Center for AEM website.

The State Educational Technology Directors Association recently released a web based technical assistance manual called Guide to Quality Instructional Materials. According to the website,

"This guide provides guidance to state, district, and school level leaders in the selection of high quality instructional materials that are aligned to standards, address education goals and are accessible for all students."

The topic areas with in the guide include:

Under the Considerations section, there are some resources shared related to accessibility of digital materials.

For more information, visit mmatp.com/it4all for the Episode 12 show notes and a link to the guide.

Want a resource for integrating Open Educational Resources into your teaching AND want to relive the glory of the 80s? Check out the guest post on Matt Miller's Ditch that Textbook website written by Stephanie DeMichele.

The post is titled, Mixtape Your Curriculum: Using Open Education Resources to Customize Your Teaching and Their Learning. The idea of a mixtape fits nicely when we consider our approach using UDL and providing options for learners. A mixtape can be a very personal solution, providing customized learning experiences focused on meeting that student's specific learning need. Stephanie breaks this process down into three steps.

1. Curate your tunes. This is where we explore online resource repositories to find materials. For OER materials, check out oercommons.org. Want more? Check out the show notes for a reference site from the University of Pittsburgh titled the OER: Big List of Resources. Remember accessibility during this discovery phase. Make sure that the materials you select will work with any specialized technology tools the student uses to aid in their learning process.

2. Record your music. In this phase we deliver the content to the student. What tools do you use to deliver content? Google Classroom, Schoology, Pear Deck are just a few of the options.

3. Get Your Listener's Reaction. What strategies do you use to give and get feedback? Utilize something like Google Forms or Flipgrid to provide options to amplify student voice.

The link to the full post is included in the Episode 12 Show Notes. Follow Stephanie on Twitter @sdemichele or on her website stephaniedemichele.org .

Want to find other people interested in inclusive and assistive technology? Join us on Twitter every Wednesday night at 8PM eastern for #ATchat. Each week, Karen Janowski and myself lead an hour long discussion about tools and strategies for inclusion and accessibility for individuals with disabilities.

This week's #ATchat was monthly Open Forum! It was a wide ranging conversation covering many different topics - including updates to Bookshare, developing AT Implementation plans with district teams, using Raspberry Pi as an AT support and more.

To read all the #ATchat archives from this entire school year, go to bit.ly/atchat18-19 or Check out the Episode 12 show notes for the link to the spreadsheet.

Do you have an idea for an #ATchat topic, or do you want to moderate the chat? Drop me a line and let me know. We love learning from each other and are always excited to have new voices in the chat.

To stay current on all things Inclusive and Assistive Technology, follow me on Twitter @mmatp and visit my website at mmatp.com for Inclusive Technology resources and all the previous podcast episodes. Bye for now!
Episode 11 (Listen)
Each episode of Inclusive Technology 4 All will bring you information about Inclusive and Assistive Technology to increase independence.

In this episode:

IEP in the Workplace (that's Inclusive Employment Practices!)

#ATchat Update: 9/12/18

Topic: Siblings and Peer Support for AT

#ATchat Archive 9/12/18 - bit.ly/atchat091218

Transcript
Hey now! Welcome to Inclusive Technology 4 All. I'm Mike Marotta and each episode will bring you information about Inclusive and Assistive Technology to increase independence. Whether it's technology for inclusive classroom learning or tools for community success, inclusive technology has become more mainstream and available for everyone.

Let's dive in:

Two weeks ago, I had the privilege, for the 3rd straight year, of participating in the Arizona Dept of Ed, Exceptional Student Services Transition Conference. This annual event, which has over 700 participants, focuses on strategies and tools to promote successful transition. The theme for this year's event was Ignite the Future! Transition Resources to Spark Engagement.

I presented two sessions focused on integrating technology supports into transition services. One on those sessions focused on IEP in the Workplace. I know what you are thinking, IEPs don't apply to employment. And you would be right! I was speaking about Inclusive Employment Practices in the Workplace.

The focus of the session was design - specifically inclusive design - both architecturally and with the addition of assistive technology tools. Using the 7 principles of Universal Design from Ron Mace as a jumping off point, we discussed tech solutions (both low tech and high tech) that can make the workplace more accessible to individuals with disabilities. Let's explore the 7 principles and some quick examples.

Principle 1: Equitable Use. The design is useful and marketable to people with diverse abilities.

While there are many examples of this from a physical access perspective, with tools such as standing desks, I shared the example of Google Chrome meeting this principle. With the development of browser extensions, we no longer have to be tied to a specific computer to access tools we may need to be successful. Now we can log in to any computer and our specialized tools come to us. This makes EVERY computer our computer.

Principle 2: Flexibility of Use. The design accommodates a wide range of individual preferences and abilities.

This principle is showing up in classrooms all the time in the form of flexible seating. Providing different options for workstations for task completion - find the one that works for you! I shared an example of a worksite accommodation I created for a young lady working at a fast food restaurant. She uses a manual wheelchair for mobility and was not able to reach the tabletop. A sliding shelf was built and installed to provide her an appropriate height work surface. Well, guess what happened. It became a favorite workstation for many employees who could not comfortably use the existing table! So much so that the restaurant built sliding shelves for every table to provide flexibility

Principle 3: Simple and Intuitive Use. Use of the design is easy to understand.

Think about it - you get a new phone. Did it come with directions? Probably not. Thanks to intuitive design you were able to get up and running in no time at all because the designer eliminated unnecessary complexity. How about the built in accessibility features available in every device we use today? Whether it's voice input for dictation, Siri to answer questions, or listening to text read aloud - our technology tools have become easier to use and more flexible to meet the unique needs of each individual.

Principle 4: Perceptible Information. The design communicates necessary information effectively to the user, regardless of ambient conditions or the user's sensory abilities.

We see this principle represented in multiple modes of relaying information through design. Picture, audio, text - provide options to ensure that information is conveyed to each individual. Now we have apps, like Seeing AI from Microsoft, that allow us to take pictures in our environment and the app will relay information back to the user. This free app can read text, identify money and colors and also describe a person to you.

Principle 5: Tolerance for Error. The design minimizes hazards & the adverse consequences of accidental or unintended actions.

For individuals with disabilities, this is where bad design can become dangerous. Make sure that any potential hazards are removed in order to provide access. This could be an area where Virtual Reality crosses into the world of AT. Think about offering a virtual training experience to an individual with a disability so they can move through an environment and navigate hazards without the risk of being hurt. This type of training tool could better prepare individuals for the workplace and potentially reduce the need for job coaching, making them more independent quicker.

Principle 6. Low Physical Effort. The design can be used efficiently and comfortably, and with a minimum of fatigue.

For this principle, I showed a job accommodation I created for a lady working in an office environment as an Information & Referral Specialist. She takes phone calls all day and provides callers with information to assist them. She is very petite and uses a wheeled walker for mobility. She needs to have a reclining chair to support her while using the phone and computer. Her employer purchased a VERY nice electric reclining office chair - and the matching power desk. This allowed her to position herself in a comfortable spot to complete her work. The issue was that her chair was very heavy and did not have a rotating base so once she was positioned in the chair, she was unable to independently move the chair to get out!

The solution was to take a non-rotating chair and make it rotate! An industrial size lazy susan was purchased and attached to a plywood base that was customized to support the chair. Now, by released a lever, the chair would rotate 90 degrees and lock in place to enable her to get up and move around the office. Once she returned to the chair, the lever was released again and the chair would rotate back under the desk. A simple solution to provide a workable job accommodation.

Principle 7: Size and Space for Approach and Use. Appropriate size and space is provided for approach, reach, manipulation, and use regardless of user's body size, posture, or mobility

This principle brings me back to the concept of flexible seating and workstations. Providing options allows everyone to find a spot that works for them. Think about providing adjustable shelves and worktables. Employ an open concept workspace to accommodate mobility devices. Look at alternative computer access tools like adaptive keyboards and mice. Different sizes, shapes can provide equal access to everyone.

This was just a sampling of the tools and strategies we discussed during the session. For more information about this session including a link to the presentation slides, visit mmatp.com/it4all for the Episode 11 show notes.

Want to find other people interested in inclusive and assistive technology? Join us on Twitter every Wednesday night at 8PM eastern for #ATchat. Each week, Karen Janowski and myself lead an hour long discussion about tools and strategies for inclusion and accessibility for individuals with disabilities.

To read all the #ATchat archives from this entire school year, go to bit.ly/atchat18-19 or Check out the Episode 10 show notes for the link to the spreadsheet.

Do you have an idea for an #ATchat topic, or do you want to moderate the chat? Drop me a line and let me know. We love learning from each other and are always excited to have new voices in the chat.

To stay current on all things Inclusive and Assistive Technology, follow me on Twitter @mmatp and visit my website at mmatp.com for Inclusive Technology resources and all the previous podcast episodes. Bye for now!
Episode 10 (Listen)
Each episode of Inclusive Technology 4 All will bring you information about Inclusive and Assistive Technology to increase independence.

In this episode:

Quality Indicators for Assistive Technology Services

#ATchat Update: 9/5/18

Transcript
Hey now! Welcome to Inclusive Technology 4 All. I'm Mike Marotta and each episode will bring you information about Inclusive and Assistive Technology to increase independence. Whether it's technology for inclusive classroom learning or tools for community success, inclusive technology has become more mainstream and available for everyone.

Let's dive in:

Are you still looking for a replacement to Today's Meet? That replacement tool may have arrived. Yo Teach! From Palm provides a backchannel location to share resources or ask questions. With Today's Meet, we could only insert 140 characters of text, with Yo Teach! that limit has increased dramatically. Not sure how much text you can insert in a note, but I was able to copy/paste the entire transcript of this episode into one note!

In addition to text, we can also insert pictures and drawings into notes. After creating a room, add a password to activate the Admin controls. You can manage notes by muting the speaker or removing the posts, download the entire chat to a PDF, and delete the room.

This looks like a powerful tool and I am excited about trying this in my next training. Want to try it out? Visit the link in the show notes to access the room I created for the podcast. Leave a comment and share an idea of how you might use this tool in your practice.

For more information about Yo Teach! and a link to create your own rooms , visit mmatp.com/it4all for the Episode 10 show notes.

With the start of another school year upon us, it is a good time to review our procedures to make sure that we are providing quality Assistive Technology services for all students with disabilities. A powerful resource available to teams is the Quality Indicators for Assistive Technology Services.

For those not familiar with QIAT, the Quality Indicators for Assistive Technology Services is a grassroots organization comprised of hundreds of professionals who continually develop a set of Indicators that school based staff can use to provide effective AT services to students with disabilities. These indicators, available on the QIAT website at qiat.org, provide guidance throughout the entire process to ensure that quality services are being delivered to students with disabilities.

The indicators available include:

Consideration of AT Needs; Assessment of AT Needs; AT in the IEP; AT Implementation; Evaluation of Effectiveness of AT; AT in Transition; Administrative Support for AT; and, AT Professional Development.

These best practices indicators can help guide teams throughout the process, plus there is a matrix for each indicator area that allows teams to evaluate where they are in the process.

If you haven't explored the indicators, take them for a test drive with your team and see how you can improve AT service delivery for students in your school.

For more information and a link to the QIAT Indicators, visit mmatp.com/it4all for the Episode 10 show notes

Want to find other people interested in inclusive and assistive technology? Join us on Twitter every Wednesday night at 8PM eastern for #ATchat. Each week, Karen Janowski and myself lead an hour long discussion about tools and strategies for inclusion and accessibility for individuals with disabilities.

This week's #ATchat focused on AT supports for students who have a 504 plan. Keeping with the theme of this episode, we framed the conversation around the recently released QIAT Indicators for 504 Plan AT Services. The areas of focus for the 504 Indicators include:

Awareness of Reasonable 504 AT Accommodations; Determination of AT Needs as an Accommodation; Plan and Implementation; Evaluation of Effectiveness; Administrative Support; Professional Development and Training; Student Instruction about AT

The link to the Indicators is included in the show notes for this episode.

To read the archive of this week's #ATchat, go to: bit.ly/atchat090518

To read all the #ATchat archives from this entire school year, go to bit.ly/atchat18-19 or Check out the Episode 10 show notes for the link to the spreadsheet.

Do you have an idea for an #ATchat topic, or do you want to moderate the chat? Drop me a line and let me know. We love learning from each other and are always excited to have new voices in the chat.

Thanks for listening. Make sure to follow me on Twitter @mmatp to stay current on all things Inclusive and Assistive Technology and visit my website at mmatp.com/it4all for all episodes of Inclusive Technology 4 All. Bye for now!
Episode 9 (Listen)
Each episode of Inclusive Technology 4 All will bring you information about Inclusive and Assistive Technology to increase independence.

In this episode:

Start the School Year by Thinking Inclusive
Transcript
Hey now! Welcome to Inclusive Technology 4 All. I'm Mike Marotta and each episode will bring you information about Inclusive and Assistive Technology to increase independence. Whether it's technology for inclusive classroom learning or tools for community success, inclusive technology has become more mainstream and available for everyone.

Let's dive in:

The podcast is back after a summer break and I am looking forward to diving into new episodes. The focus of this episode is Back to School & starting the year off right with inclusive practices.

In fact, I recently wrote an article for edsurge.com titled "Tips, Tricks and Tools to Build Your Inclusive Classroom Through UDL" In the article, I shared some practical ideas for promoting an inclusive environment via the UDL principles of Multiple Means of Engagement, Representation, and Action & Expression. I will add the link to the article in the show notes for this episode.

One area of focus in the article was the fact that building an inclusive classroom for all learners doesn't have to be a daunting task. There are simple steps we can take to promote learning, both with and without technology. Provide text to speech support for all students to promote reading via audio. Encourage students to use Voice Typing in Google Docs to complete a writing assignment. Provide opportunities for students to engage in conversations about learning and empower them through self advocacy to learn in ways that work for them.

While I will discuss this week's #ATchat coming up in a later segment of this episode, one of the exchanges relates to this topic. We discussed the idea of Accessible instruction and the fact that people sometimes mean different things when they say accessible. When discussing accessible, some people really mean available. As in, electronic copies of materials are available. We need to continue to remind all educators: Digital makes it available; Usable by ALL makes it accessible.

I wrapped up the article talking about immediate steps you can take to promote an inclusive learning environment: Be intentional as you design learning experiences. Ask yourself: Am I providing options during this learning experience? You won't be able to infuse all areas of UDL into every lesson. That's OK. Start small. Find ways to infuse UDL into learning activities. Build on your successes. And keep moving in a positive direction and watch your students succeed.

Do you have an inclusive strategy you want to share? Share your expertise via Speakpipe. This web based tool allows you to record audio I can use in future episodes. Go to speakpipe.com/ITSpodcast to leave your ideas.

The Center on Technology and Disability recently announced the availability of the AT Keyring. Share these with co-workers, parents, and employers to demonstrate the range of assistive technology, from no tech to low tech to high tech, that is available to support people with disabilities. The AT Keyring is free and available by completing the form on the CTD website.

For more information and a link to the form, visit mmatp.com/it4all for the Episode 9 show notes

Want to find other people interested in inclusive and assistive technology? Join us on Twitter every Wednesday night at 8PM eastern for #ATchat. Each week, Karen Janowski and myself lead an hour long discussion about tools and strategies for inclusion and accessibility for individuals with disabilities.

This week was the first #ATchat of the new school year and the topic was Welcome back! We had a spirited conversation about summer learning and plans for starting the year in a positive direction. There were many powerful ideas about ways to start the school year and this thought was from co-moderator Karen Janowski. "Embed UDL principles. Make the technology available to all. Build students' metacognitive skills so they can identify what they need for independence and success."

To read all the #ATchat archives from this entire school year, go to bit.ly/atchat18-19 or Check out the Episode 9 show notes for the link to the spreadsheet.

Do you have an idea for an #ATchat topic, or do you want to moderate the chat? Drop me a line and let me know. We love learning from each other and are always excited to have new voices in the chat.

Thanks for listening. Make sure to follow me on Twitter @mmatp to stay current on all things Inclusive and Assistive Technology and visit my website at mmatp.com/it4all for all episodes of Inclusive Technology 4 All. Bye for now!
Episode 8 (Listen)
Each episode of Inclusive Technology 4 All will bring you information about Inclusive and Assistive Technology to increase independence.

In this episode:
Transcript
Hey now! Welcome to Inclusive Technology 4 All. I'm Mike Marotta and each episode will bring you information about Inclusive and Assistive Technology to increase independence. Whether it's technology for inclusive classroom learning or tools for community success, inclusive technology has become more mainstream and available for everyone.

Let's dive in:

Looking for a way to engage learners with audio? Have you wanted to create your own podcast? Join me and use Anchor to create podcasts on the fly. It is a simple tool that allows users to record sections, upload audio, add transitions and, most importantly, distribute your podcast across multiple platforms. This simple, free tool got even better this week with updates for the iPad app.

Some of the new features include new audio editing tools. Trim and split audio files to customize clips. Split view allows users to keep recording notes visible on screen while recording. But the most powerful new feature is the ability to drag and drop audio files from any app that supports split view on the iPad.

We all have something to share-take the plunge and start your podcast today. Anchor makes the whole process so simple. If you create your own podcast, let me know so I can highlight it here. Leave an audio comment via SpeakPipe at speakpipe.com/ITSpodcast

For more information about Anchor, visit mmatp.com/it4all for the Episode 8 show notes

Microsoft made big news this week on two fronts. First, they acquired Flipgrid and promptly made the service FREE! If you haven't heard of Flipgrid, you must not be on Twitter! This student video response tool has been been all the rage this past year with educators catching "Flipgrid Fever". I have used this tool throughout the past year from two perspectives. I really like this as an option for learners who struggle with writing. Now they can respond via video and demonstrate their knowledge of a subject. I have also found Flipgrid to be a simple tool to use for reflection and group activities during educator professional learning experiences. For more info, check out flipgrid.com

The second bit of news this week from Microsoft is their continued commitment to the inclusive technology field with the creation of the Inclusive Classroom Microsoft Community. This community aims to connect educators with Microsoft engineers and product managers to foster conversation about strategies to meet the needs of all learners. Join the conversation and work collaboratively to effectively meet the needs of all learners.

For more information, visit mmatp.com/it4all for the Episode 8 show notes

Big news! This summer we are proud to announce that the #ATchat crew will be leading not one but two Book Chats. We will change our traditional chat schedule for the summer and move to a Twitter Slow Chat. Instead of meeting every Wednesday night at 8PM eastern, we will post one question per week on a Monday morning and people can share responses throughout the week.

So what are we reading? For the month of July, we will be reading The New Assistive Tech: Making Learning Awesome for All by Chris Bugaj. For August, we will be reading Dive into UDL: Immersive Practices to Develop Expert Learners by Luis Perez and Kendra Grant.

We have also heard from the authors and are happy to report that they have all agreed to participate in the chats! We are really excited about this opportunity to learn with our ATchat family throughout the summer. Hope you will join us.

For more information about the books and how to order them, visit mmatp.com/it4all for the show notes

Are you in the NJ tri-state area? Do you want to increase your knowledge about AT and network with other professionals? Well do I have the event for you! I am happy to announce tickets are now available for the 2nd Annual New Jersey Assistive Technology Summit on September 20, 2018. Sponsored by The Richard West Assistive Technology Advocacy Center, this FREE event will offer over 20 concurrent sessions and an opportunity to connect with almost 200 AT professionals from the tri-state region.

For more information and a link to get your FREE tickets, visit mmatp.com/it4all for the show notes

Finally, a quick preview of next week's episode. I was fortunate enough to participate in #picademy this week in Jersey City, NJ. Sponsored by the Raspberry Pi Foundation, this experience brought together dozens of educators for two days of hands on learning about physical computing and the use of the inexpensive Raspberry Pi computer to teach computer science. Next week we will dive into Raspberry Pi and more importantly, hear from some of my colleagues who have completed the course and are now Raspberry Pi Certified Educators.

Thanks for listening. Make sure to follow me on Twitter @mmatp to stay current on all things Inclusive and Assistive Technology and visit my website at mmatp.com/it4all for all episodes of Inclusive Technology 4 All. Bye for now!
Episode 7 (Listen)
Each episode of Inclusive Technology 4 All will bring you information about Inclusive and Assistive Technology to increase independence.

In this episode:
Transcript
Hey now! Welcome to Inclusive Technology 4 All. I'm Mike Marotta and each episode will bring you information about Inclusive and Assistive Technology to increase independence. Whether it's technology for inclusive classroom learning or tools for community success, inclusive technology has become more mainstream and available for everyone.

Let's dive in:

Apple introduced some updates to the Pages iOS app this week that could be beneficial for creating engaging materials for all learners.

Users can utilize pre-made templates to create interactive ePub books. Similar to iBooks Author, this app now gives users some powerful features for engaging their learners. Now users can record, edit and play audio directly in the book. This feature can support struggling students by providing additional support for text. Pair this audio with the built in iOS Speak Selection or Speak Screen feature, and learners now have auditory access for the entire book. New annotation features, along with Apple Pencil support, gives users another way to infuse creativity into their books. If you haven't tried free this app yet, download it today from the app store.

For more information, visit mmatp.com/it4all for the Episode 7 show notes

Want to learn about Open Educational Resources and how you could create a open course? Check out the Making Sense of Open Education course. This course is available on the Open Learn Create platform and consists of 15 learning modules covering everything from Types of OER, How To Search for OER, Inclusive Design and Anatomy of an Open Educator. This course was developed as part of a research project and had a synchronous component, which unfortunately has concluded. However, participants can still access the course materials.

For more information and a link to the course, visit mmatp.com/it4all for the Episode 7 show notes

Want to find other people interested in inclusive and assistive technology? Join us on Twitter every Wednesday night at 8PM eastern for #ATchat. Each week, Karen Janowski and myself lead an hour long discussion about tools and strategies for inclusion and accessibility for individuals with disabilities.

This week was the last #ATChat of the school year. We typically take the summers off to recharge and regroup! This chat focused on a really important topic: AT tools and Student Data Privacy. Our guest moderator this week was Kelly Fonner and she led the group through a series of questions related to using apps and browser extensions that safely manage student's data. Other questions focused on the system that schools put in place to protect data. Many participants commented that they didn't really have a system in place and they were searching for guidance on how to build that system. Tons of resources were shared and more importantly, thanks to Elisa Wern, we started a collaborative Google Sheet to document AT tools that are in compliance with COPPA and FERPA. This real time collaboration showed the true power of Twitter. Check out the Episode 7 show notes for the link to the spreadsheet. To read the archive of the entire chat, go to: bit.ly/atchat061318

To read all the #ATchat archives from this entire school year, go to bit.ly/atchat17-18

Big news! This summer we are proud to announce that the #ATchat crew will be leading not one but two Book Chats. We will change our traditional chat schedule for the summer and move to a Twitter Slow Chat. Instead of meeting every Wednesday night at 8PM eastern, we will post one question per week on a Monday morning and people can share responses throughout the week.

So what are we reading? For the month of July, we will be reading The New Assistive Tech: Making Learning Awesome for All by Chris Bugaj. For August, we will be reading Dive into UDL: Immersive Practices to Develop Expert Learners by Luis Perez and Kendra Grant.

We have also heard from the authors and are happy to report that they have all agreed to participate in the chats! We are really excited about this opportunity to learn with our ATchat family throughout the summer. Hope you will join us.

For more information about the books and how to order them, visit mmatp.com/it4all for the show notes

Thanks for listening. Make sure to follow me on Twitter @mmatp to stay current on all things Inclusive and Assistive Technology and visit my website at mmatp.com/it4all for all episodes of Inclusive Technology 4 All. Bye for now!
Episode 6 (Listen)
Each episode of Inclusive Technology 4 All will bring you information about Inclusive and Assistive Technology to increase independence.

In this episode:

Transcript

Hey now! Welcome to Inclusive Technology 4 All. I'm Mike Marotta and each episode will bring you information about Inclusive and Assistive Technology to increase independence. Whether it's technology for inclusive classroom learning or tools for community success, inclusive technology has become more mainstream and available for everyone.

Let's dive in:

For more information, visit mmatp.com/it4all for the Episode 6 show notes

I just installed a powerful new Chrome Extension called Lip Surf. Once activated, users can now navigate around the browser window through voice commands. Offering similar support to Dragon Naturally Speaking Mouse Mode, this extension can provide a hands free browsing experience. There are currently 3 plugins: Reddit, Google, and Browser. With over 50 voice commands, users can open a tab, scroll up and down the page, click links, play video and more. But the most valuable voice command is Annotate. Say that command and instantly, every clickable item on the page is highlighted with a two letter code. Now just say the code and that item will be activated. Wow. Hands free access to the Chrome browser. The LipSurf Pro extension is currently a Beta version. After the 1 month trial of the Pro version there will be a free version, but not sure which features will remain free. Stay tuned for updates!

For more information and a link to download the extension from the Chrome store, visit mmatp.com/it4all for the Episode 6 show notes

Now for a PD tool! I have been searching for a replacement to Today's Meet for some time and I explored the use of Dotstorming with several groups this week and had great success! With Today's Meet closing down on June 16, 2018 - this search was becoming critical. I needed a tool that was easy to use, provided a forum for back channel discussion and was FREE. Dotstorming checked all the boxes and more! Simply sign in using a valid email address and you can start creating boards. Not only is there a back channel chat feature, you can also create cards to post information to a wall, similar to padlet. Participants can comment on each card, which is a nice way to engage participants while organizing the conversation threads.

I used this tool twice this week and the reviews were all positive. The chat feature, along with the ability to provide discussion prompts via cards makes this tool a big win. Check it out for your next PD event.

For more information, visit mmatp.com/it4all for the Episode 6 show notes

Want to find other people interested in inclusive and assistive technology? Join us on Twitter every Wednesday night at 8PM eastern for #ATchat. Each week, Karen Janowski and myself lead an hour long discussion about tools and strategies for inclusion and accessibility for individuals with disabilities.

This week's chat focused on Inclusive Strategies for Year End Reflections. Questions focused on tools and strategies professionals use to enable all students to reflect on their learning AND for their own professional reflection. Other questions focused on moving from reflection to action and providing feedback to administration on your own progress throughout the year. Want to catch up? Check out the link bit.ly/atchat060618 For the archive. To read all the #ATchat archives from this entire school year, go to bit.ly/atchat17-18

Big news! This summer we are proud to announce that the #ATchat crew will be leading not one but two Book Chats. We will change our traditional chat schedule for the summer and move to a Twitter Slow Chat. Instead of meeting every Wednesday night at 8PM eastern, we will post one question per week on a Monday morning and people can share responses throughout the week.

So what are we reading? For the month of July, we will be reading The New Assistive Tech: Making Learning Awesome for All by Chris Bugaj. For August, we will be reading Dive into UDL: Immersive Practices to Develop Expert Learners by Luis Perez and Kendra Grant.

We have also heard from the authors and are happy to report that they have all agreed to participate in the chats! We are really excited about this opportunity to learn with our ATchat family throughout the summer. Hope you will join us.

For more information about the books and how to order them, visit mmatp.com/it4all for the show notes

Thanks for listening. Make sure to follow me on Twitter @mmatp to stay current on all things Inclusive and Assistive Technology and visit my website at mmatp.com/it4all for all episodes of Inclusive Technology 4 All. Bye for now!
Episode 5 (Listen)
Each episode of Inclusive Technology 4 All will bring you information about Inclusive and Assistive Technology to increase independence.

Show Notes: In this episode:

Hey now! Welcome to Inclusive Technology 4 All. I'm Mike Marotta and each episode will bring you information about Inclusive and Assistive Technology to increase independence. Whether it's technology for inclusive classroom learning or tools for community success, inclusive technology has become more mainstream and available for everyone.

Let's dive in:

Researchers at Carnegie Melon University demonstrated a process called Electrick which turns any item into a touchscreen. By applying Conductive spray paint to any surface and then connecting electrodes to the item - researchers were able to sense a finger touch on the surface. This technique is called electric field tomography. At this point, they have gotten the accuracy to within one centimeter which is accurate enough to activate buttons or slider control. This technique could have positive applications for individuals with disabilities as an alternative access solution.

For more information, visit mmatp.com/it4all for the Episode 5 show notes and a link to learn more about this research project.

The Office of Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Education announced a new technical assistance initiative to assist schools, districts, state education agencies, libraries, colleges and universities aimed at making their websites and online programs accessible to individuals with disabilities. Through a series of webinars, information will be shared about website accessibility, including accessibility tips for online programs.

For more information about signing up for these webinars, visit mmatp.com/it4all for the Episode 5 show notes

This week, I finished teaching a yearlong hybrid learning experience called Spreading the Word about AT and UDL with Jennifer Edge-Savage. We worked with 30 educators from Massachusetts and New Hampshire to expand their knowledge about AT devices and services, UDL and Accessible Educational Materials. This course consists of 3 full day in person training experiences, synchronous webinars throughout the year, application projects customized to meet the needs of each participant and personalized coaching to cement the learning.

In future episodes, I will highlight some of the exit reflections from course participants. But for this episode, I wanted to quickly share a couple tools I learned about during our final class meeting.

First up is Flippity. Flippity is a tool that takes any Google Spreadsheet and turns it into a set of online flashcards. Some of the templates available on the website include a trivia game show, a random name picker, a memory game and mad libs. There is also an add-on for Google Sheets. Check out flippity.net for more info.

Touch and Learn Emotions is an app to support students with learning about emotions. Several faces are shown and the person must identify the emotion listed on the screen. While the app comes with over 100 pictures of various emotions, users can insert their own pictures in order to provide concrete examples for students to use. This app works on iPhones or iPad and costs $1.99
For more information about the tools described above and to see the flyer to sign up for the 2018/2019 Spreading the Word About AT and UDL course, visit mmatp.com/it4all for the Episode 5 show notes

Want to find other people interested in inclusive and assistive technology? Join us on Twitter every Wednesday night at 8PM eastern for #ATchat. Each week, Karen Janowski and myself lead an hour long discussion about tools and strategies for inclusion and accessibility for individuals with disabilities.

This week's chat was led by our guest moderator, Chris Bugaj. Our topic was Designing Educational Experiences to Make Learning Awesome for All. So many great ideas were shared throughout the hour - check out the chat archive at bit.ly/atchat053018

Want to catch up on all the chats from this year? Check out the link bit.ly/atchat17-18 For the archive

Big news! This summer we are proud to announce that the #ATchat crew will be leading not one but two Book Chats. We will change our traditional chat schedule for the summer and move to a Twitter Slow Chat. Instead of meeting every Wednesday night at 8PM eastern, we will post one question per week on a Monday morning and people can share responses throughout the week.

So what are we reading? For the month of July, we will be reading The New Assistive Tech: Making Learning Awesome for All by Chris Bugaj. For August, we will be reading Dive into UDL: Immersive Practices to Develop Expert Learners by Luis Perez and Kendra Grant.

We have also heard from the authors and are happy to report that they have all agreed to participate in the chats! We are really excited about this opportunity to learn with our ATchat family throughout the summer. Hope you will join us.

For more information about the books and how to order them, visit mmatp.com/it4all for the show notes

Are you in the NJ tri-state area? Do you want to increase your knowledge about AT and network with other professionals? Well do I have the event for you! I am happy to announce tickets are now available for the 2nd Annual New Jersey Assistive Technology Summit on September 20, 2018. Sponsored by The Richard West Assistive Technology Advocacy Center, this FREE event will offer over 20 concurrent sessions and an opportunity to connect with almost 200 AT professionals from the tri-state region.

For more information and a link to get your FREE tickets, visit mmatp.com/it4all for the show notes

Thanks for listening. Make sure to follow me on Twitter @mmatp to stay current on all things Inclusive and Assistive Technology and visit my website at mmatp.com/it4all for all episodes of Inclusive Technology 4 All. Bye for now!

Each episode of Inclusive Technology 4 All will bring you information about Inclusive and Assistive Technology to increase independence.

In this episode:

Virtual training opportunity from The National Center on Accessible Educational Materials

New apps from Google to support individuals with disabilities

#ATchat update

Announcing the 2nd Annual New Jersey Assistive Technology Summit

Show Notes

Transcript

Hey now! Welcome to Inclusive Technology 4 All. I'm Mike Marotta and each episode will bring you information about Inclusive and Assistive Technology to increase independence. Whether it's technology for inclusive classroom learning or tools for community success, inclusive technology has become more mainstream and available for everyone.

Let's dive in:

The National Center on Accessible Educational Materials is offering a five module virtual training opportunity, titled Making Your Everyday Curriculum Materials More Accessible for All Learners. This course is designed to improve your knowledge and skills for increasing curriculum access for all learners, including students with disabilities.

The modules include:

Module 1, Introduction to Accessible Educational Materials and Technologies

Module 2, How to Make Your Documents Accessible

Module 3, How to Locate Captioned Videos and Make Your Own

Module 4, How to Find Specialized Formats of Print Materials

Module 5, How to Select Accessible Digital Materials

Registration is open from 5/1/18 to 2/5/19

For more information, visit mmatp.com/it4all for the Episode 4 show notes

At the recent Google i/o event, several products were announced focused on providing support to individuals with disabilities.

Lookout is an Android app designed to provide auditory cues about objects, people and even text. By using the camera on a Pixel device, the user can independently move through a space using auditory announcements. The app uses AI to bridge the virtual and physical world. One important feature of the app is that the core experience is processed on the device, which means the app can be used without an internet connection.

Another highlighted tool was the addition of Morse code access to the GBoard virtual keyboard. Developed in partnership with AT user Tania Finlayson, who has been using Morse code as a computer input method, this feature provides a unique access solution for individuals with alternative access needs. This feature works in conjunction with the Android built in accessibility features Switch Access and Point Scan.

One other announcement at Google i/o was increased features available for developers to produce accessible experiences via You Tube Live Automatic Captions.
For more information and links to these tools, visit mmatp.com/it4all for the Episode 4 show notes
Want to find other people interested in inclusive and assistive technology? Join us on Twitter every Wednesday night at 8PM eastern for #ATchat. Each week, Karen Janowski and myself lead an hour long discussion about tools and strategies for inclusion and accessibility for individuals with disabilities.

This past week's chat was titled: If You Could Change One Thing. Questions included- If you could change one thing about IDEA, what would it be? This question brought out lots of conversation! Participants were very interested in changing the term and / or definition of Assistive Technology and finding a way to be more inclusive with the term.

Another question was If You Could Change One Thing About Built in Accessibility Features, what would it be? Many ideas were shared about adding additional features and settings, but the one response that really struck a nerve with me. Make these features ON by default! Wouldn't it be nice to have these features providing support right out of the box.

Read the whole conversation at: bit.ly/atchat051618

Want to catch up with other #ATchat conversations? Check out the link bit.ly/atchat17-18 For the entire archive

Are you in the NJ tri-state area? Do you want to increase your knowledge about AT and network with other professionals? Well do I have the event for you! I am happy to announce tickets are now available for the 2nd Annual New Jersey Assistive Technology Summit on September 20, 2018. Sponsored by The Richard West Assistive Technology Advocacy Center, this FREE event will offer over 20 concurrent sessions and an opportunity to connect with almost 200 AT professionals from the tri-state region.

For more information and a link to get your FREE tickets, visit mmatp.com/it4all for the show notes

Thanks for listening. Make sure to follow me on Twitter @mmatp to stay current on all things Inclusive and Assistive Technology and visit my website at mmatp.com/it4all for all episodes of Inclusive Technology 4 All. Bye for now!
Episode 3 (Listen)
Each episode of Inclusive Technology 4 All will bring you information about Inclusive and Assistive Technology to increase independence.

In this episode:

Global Accessibility Awareness Day

Bookshare introduces Word format downloads

Tobii leads way for plug and play eye tracker hardware

Show Notes:

Transcript:

Hey now! Welcome to Inclusive Technology 4 All. I'm Mike Marotta and each episode will bring you information about Inclusive and Assistive Technology to increase independence. Whether it's technology for inclusive classroom learning or tools for community success, inclusive technology has become more mainstream and available for everyone.

Let's dive in:

May 17th 2018 is Global Accessibility Awareness Day and there are many opportunities for learning about digital accessibility. Some highlights include:

The Great Lakes ADA Center is hosting a free webinar on Using WordPress for Accessible Web Development May 17th at 2PM Eastern.

The ISTE Inclusive Learning Network is hosting a free webinar featuring an international panel of inclusive technology experts on Handmade Learning Materials For Students with Disabilities on Thursday, 5/17/18 at 8PM ET.

Also on Global Accessibility Awareness Day, Microsoft will release a short film titled Empowering Every Person: Reimagining Accessibility. The film highlights ways to ensure productivity for your diverse workforce or to increase your organization's reach and provide services to customers with disabilities

For registration links to these events, visit mmatp.com/it4all for the Episode 3 show notes and make sure to follow the #GAAD hashtag on May 17th for all things digital accessibility.

Bookshare is a repository of digital books available for students with print disabilities. This week it was announced that members can now download books in Word format. Now students can open their book directly into Word and use the built in Learning Tools to provide accessibility support. From changing the visual display of text to using text to speech support for reading, this new format provides another option to provide accessible text to students with print disabilities.

To learn more about Bookshare visit bookshare.org

Once an expensive alternative access method, Eye tracking is moving towards the mainstream. Tobii is leading the way, along with support from Microsoft, Intel and Eyetech DS, and eye trackers have been approved for a USB Human Interface Device standard. This is the same standard used for modern gaming mice. This will lead to simple plug and play hardware that doesn't rely on specific vendor supplied software drivers.

For more information, visit mmatp.com/it4all for the Episode 3 show notes

Want to find other people interested in inclusive and assistive technology? Join us on Twitter every Wednesday night at 8PM eastern for #ATchat. Each week, Karen Janowski and myself lead an hour long discussion about tools and strategies for inclusion and accessibility for individuals with disabilities.

Want to catch up? Check out the link bit.ly/atchat17-18 For the archive

Thanks for listening. Make sure to follow me on Twitter @mmatp to stay current on all things Inclusive and Assistive Technology and visit my website at mmatp.com/it4all for all episodes of Inclusive Technology 4 All. Bye for now!
Episode 2 (Listen)
Each episode of Inclusive Technology 4 All will bring you information about Inclusive and Assistive Technology to increase independence.

In this episode:
Microsoft introduces AI for Accessibility
Google Docs add-on Kaizena
#Atchat update

Show Notes:

Transcript:

Hey now! Welcome to Inclusive Technology 4 All. I'm Mike Marotta and each episode will bring you information about Inclusive and Assistive Technology to increase independence. Whether it's technology for inclusive classroom learning or tools for community success, inclusive technology has become more mainstream and available for everyone.

Let's dive in:

Microsoft announced this week a $25 million investment in a program called AI for Accessibility. The goal of the initiative, according to the website, is

Amplifying human capability

AI can empower people with disabilities with tools that support independence and productivity, as technology rapidly changes the way we live, learn, and work.

The Program aims to provide seed grants to developers, universities, inventors and NGOs. The focus of their projects needs to be on "creating solutions that will create new opportunities and assist people with disabilities with work, life, and human connections."

For more info, visit mmatp.com/it4all for the Episode 2 Show Notes

Next up, a slick add-on for Google Docs. We all love the collaborative features of the G Suite tools, especially the ability to add comments into documents. Now there is an add-on that allows us to leave Audio Comments in Google docs. Check out Kaizena, available in the add-ons store for Google Docs. Activate this add-on and a side panel will appear to let you record audio and leave comments directly into the doc. A really simple way to leave feedback and engage all learners in the writing task.

For more info, visit mmatp.com/it4all for the Episode 2 Show Notes

Want to find other people interested in inclusive and assistive technology? Join us on Twitter every Wednesday night at 8PM eastern for #ATchat. Each week, Karen Janowski and myself lead an hour long discussion about tools and strategies for inclusion and accessibility for individuals with disabilities.

Thanks for listening. Make sure to follow me on Twitter @mmatp to stay current on all things Inclusive and Assistive Technology and visit my website at mmatp.com/it4all for all episodes of Inclusive Technology 4 All. Bye for now!
Episode 1: Introduction (Listen)
Each episode of Inclusive Technology 4 All will bring you information about Inclusive and Assistive Technology to increase independence.

In this episode:
What to expect with this podcast
#Atchat update

Show Notes:

Transcript:

Hey now! Welcome to Inclusive Technology 4 All. I'm Mike Marotta and each episode will bring you information about Inclusive and Assistive Technology to increase independence. Whether it's technology for inclusive classroom learning or tools for community success, inclusive technology has become more mainstream and available for everyone.

Let's dive in:

My goal with this podcast is to create short 3-4 minute episodes that keep you up to date with the ever changing world of inclusive technology. Each episode will highlight 2-3 resources to provide support for individuals with disabilities. From education to work to community living - technology tools and strategies can benefit everyone!

Want to find other people interested in inclusive and assistive technology? Join us on Twitter every Wednesday night at 8PM eastern for #ATchat. Each week, Karen Janowski and myself lead an hour long discussion about tools and strategies for inclusion and accessibility for individuals with disabilities.

Thanks for listening. Make sure to follow me on Twitter @mmatp to stay current on all things Inclusive and Assistive Technology and visit my website at mmatp.com/it4all for all episodes of Inclusive Technology 4 All. Bye for now!

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Welcome to Inclusive Technology 4 All. Each episode will bring you information about Inclusive and Assistive Technology to increase independence. Whether it's technology for inclusive classroom learning or tools for community success, inclusive technology has become more mainstream and available for everyone. Be part of the episode!

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Source 7: Assistive Technology: Resource Roundup

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Source 7: Assistive Technology: Resource Roundup

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This website describes the various resources for teachers and parents to utilize and provides background information about the importance of assistive technology.

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Discover websites, blog posts, articles, and videos related to understanding, selecting, and assessing assistive technology.

Getting Started

Whether low-tech, high-tech, or somewhere in between, assistive technology and related services play an important role in reducing barriers to learning for students with a variety of special needs and challenges. Before exploring the resources below, watch VideoAmy's " Five-Minute Film Festival: The Power of Assistive Technology," to better understand how technology can empower kids and help them build independence.

For Educators

Assistive Technology Module: To review the basics, check out this great overview of assistive technology for classroom teachers. (IRIS Center/Vanderbilt University)

Assistive Technology: Find general information on assistive technology and accessible educational materials, including relevant federal laws. Assistive Technology Resources is a comprehensive list of national organizations, conferences, state resources, and transition resources. (National Center on Accessible Educational Materials)

AEM Navigator: Explore a decision-making tool -- designed for use by Individualized Education Program teams -- that can help determine the need, selection, acquisition, and use of accessible educational materials. (National Center on Accessible Educational Materials)

For Parents

Finding Assistive Technology

Explore the following websites for information about specific technologies and guidance on finding appropriate tools.

For Educators

TechMatrix: Search a database of over 400 assistive and educational technology tools and resources. The products are searchable by content area, grade level, IDEA disability category, and type of instructional support. (U.S Department of Education/American Institutes for Research)

Consumer Guide for School Administrators: Download TechMatrix's useful consumer guide for guidance on technology purchases. Also available are research articles on the theory and practice of using technology to improve student learning. (National Center for Technology Innovation and the Center for Implementing Technology in Education)

For Parents

Tips and Tools

Social-Emotional Apps for Special Ed: Find apps to help students of all ages build emotional literacy, learn self-regulation, and focus on problem solving and task planning. (Edutopia, 2015)

Apps to Support Diverse Learners in the Classroom: Find apps to help diverse learners gamify tasks, learn social cues, prioritize, strengthen math skills, and sharpen language abilities. (Edutopia, 2015)

It's a Snap! 4 Ways to Use Music With Special Needs Students: Discover ways to supplement visuals with music, teach through students' favorite songs, emphasize rhythm, and generalize lessons into non-musical settings. (Edutopia, 2014)

Creating a "Least Restrictive Environment" with Mobile Devices: See how mobile devices can help create a "least restrictive environment," not only for students with disabilities, but for everyone else as well. (Edutopia, 2013)

Dictation Technology Will Change Writing Instruction: Consider this thoughtful examination of how dictation technology is likely to change the future of writing instruction. (Edutopia, 2013)

Resources to Address Specific Challenges

Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

What is UDL?: Understand the basics of universal design for learning. (National Center of Universal Design for Learning)

UDL and Technology: Read about the relationship between UDL and technology. UDL strategies do not replace the need for AT, but UDL and AT can be complementary. (National Center of Universal Design for Learning)

Universal Design for Learning: What It Is and How It Works: Explore key takeaways for parents, including information about advocating for children. (Understood.org)

Was this page helpful? Are you familiar with other useful resources? Please share your feedback in the comments, and let us know if you'd like to see other types of resources included on this page.

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Discover websites, blog posts, articles, and videos related to understanding, selecting, and assessing assistive technology.

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This website provides videos about UDL and its three categories of representation, action and expression, and engagement to help teachers use it in their classrooms.

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This is another website that is a resource for teachers who want to use UDL in their classroom with tools and lessons and blogs for teachers to read through.

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Welcome to the UDL Project!

By Jana Nicol
​
It started as an action research project on Universal Design for Learning by a team of teachers at Island View School in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada...

...and has since become a place to learn about UDL, find useful tools to facilitate its implementation, and share ideas

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This website is dedicated to Universal Design for Learning (UDL). It is made by teachers, for teachers. our aim is to provide teachers with inspiration, practical ideas, and materials to implement UDL in their classrooms.

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Source 3: 7 Ways to Introduce UDL into Your Classroom

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Source 3: 7 Ways to Introduce UDL into Your Classroom

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This website describes seven ways to introduce UDL into the classroom to help teachers do it effectively with the website having a speak option to have the article read aloud, further demonstrating UDL in action.

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1. Know your students' strengths and barriers

All students are unique, and the way they learn best can be as individual as a fingerprint. Some students learn best by reading and working independently, while others excel by watching videos and working in groups. The goal is to understand their strengths and barriers, and to use that when designing lessons.

Determining strengths and barriers can be as simple as asking students their learning preferences, or observing them over time and keeping notes on which methods work best for which students. There are also many surveys that can help you learn more about individual strengths and barriers. One caveat is that asking students their preference doesn't always equate to what's best for them. For example, just because a student says he prefers watching videos doesn't mean that is actually how he learns best.

You should also be prepared to create an individual education plan for students requiring specific accommodations.

2. Use digital materials when possible

Although things are changing, I find that many classrooms still use paper-based materials. I'm not opposed to paper (I still buy real books from Amazon), but digital materials can make implementing UDL in a classroom much easier.

With digital content you can increase font size, easily look up definitions, use text-to-speech to read text aloud, and link out to more detailed information on almost any topic imaginable. This is particularly useful for students needing dyslexia-friendly reading tools, or translation.

If your current classroom materials are not in a digital format, consider ways you can change this. For example, you could replace outdated content with more up-to-date, digital content available online, or use tools like OrbitNote to convert paper-based materials to digital, accessible materials.

3. Share content in a variety of ways

In addition to having content available in a digital format, it's also important to share that content in a variety of ways. This can help ensure it fits with students' strengths and barriers discussed above.

For example, if you're teaching a unit on area and perimeter, you may know that some students will do well simply reading the textbook, while others would benefit from watching a video or listening to a hiphop version of the lesson on Flocabulary. Once they've got the concept down, let everyone get their hands dirty by working with manipulatives on their own or in a group to solve a real-life problem.

Offering multiple means of representation ( UDL's first principle) helps to ensure that students who struggle in one area do not automatically fall behind their peers.

4. Offer choices for how students demonstrate their knowledge

Sharing content in a variety of ways is only half the battle. Engaging students by giving them access to audio, video, digital text, and interactive sites, only then to hand out a paper and pencil quiz at the end of the day isn't ideal.

Obviously some of this is out of your control as standardized testing is a necessary part of education. When possible however, do your best to give students options for how they share their knowledge. This could be a demonstration, slideshow, speech, essay or video. Even using simple free tools like Google Forms provides an upgrade to standard multiple choice tests by making it digital and helping you to streamline grading.

5. Take advantage of software supports

Technology plays an important role in supporting Universal Design for Learning (UDL). The number of apps, extensions, sites, and built-in supports available to students today is nearly infinite. If you have a student who needs support with reading, writing, math, history, chemistry, or any other subject, chances are, software exists to help.

Allowing students to take advantage of these supports is critical. Not only does it give them the ability to succeed independently both inside and outside of the classroom, but it also frees up your valuable time to help even more students.

A great example of a support from Texthelp that's helping millions of students worldwide is Read&Write. Our handy extension for the Google Chrome web browser allows anyone with a Google account to have access to reading and writing supports on the web, in Google Docs, Slides, Forms and more.
Watch the video below to see how one district is benefiting from Read&Write.
As you can see, tools like Read&Write are a great way to provide on-demand support when and where students need it. And one of the great things about modern apps and extensions is their ease of use. Many times students simply discover these apps on their own after they are deployed. If not, usually a quick overview at the beginning of a class is all that's needed.

6. Low and No Tech options do exist

Even though I've been talking about the importance of digital content, software supports, and other technology-related tools, it's important to know that technology is not required to implement UDL. Sure, it can help, but if you're in a classroom with little to no technology, that doesn't mean you can't implement UDL.

UDL is all about removing barriers. As mentioned, one way to do this is by providing a range of options when presenting content or asking students to demonstrate their knowledge. Instead of using technology you can still offer multiple means of representation with things like graphic organizers and handheld whiteboards that students can use as response cards. The goal is just to make sure that all students have a way to participate and learn.

7. Learn from others

Universal Design for Learning isn't new. There are loads of resources available online that can help you get started. You can start by heading over to the UDL Center's website to learn more about the topic and the research behind it. You can check out our dedicated UDL guide for educators which can help you determine each learner's needs and create a personalized learning environment in your classroom.

Just remember to start small. Implementing the principles of Universal Design for Learning doesn't happen overnight. For example, begin by taking one lesson and consider ways to represent the content in multiple ways to reduce barriers and help increase student comprehension. Then for another lesson, offer students multiple ways to demonstrate their knowledge. Or maybe create a short quiz in Google Docs instead of paper and demonstrate how students can use a tool like Read&Write to help with reading and responding to the questions.

By tackling UDL one step at a time, you can see what works and what doesn't for your unique students and classroom.
Editor's Note: This article was originally published in May 2017 and was updated in December 2022.

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7 Universal Design for Learning Examples and Strategies for the Classroom

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While UDL is a common phrase in many schools today, it can be difficult to practically implement in the classroom. To help with this, I've put together a list of 7 ideas to make introducing Universal Design for Learning into the classroom just a bit easier.

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This website provides free resources for teachers who want to use UDL in their classrooms and provides tools for text to speech, audio books, graphic organizers, storytelling tools, study skills tools, literacy tools, research tools, writing tools, and math tools.

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This website is all about UDL and provides options for each category. For example, representation has options for hearing text, videos, references, and infographics.

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"Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework for designing curricula that enable all individuals to gain knowledge, skills, and enthusiasm for learning. UDL provides rich supports for learning and reduces barriers to the curriculum while maintaining high achievement standards for all." (CAST)

UDL Explained by Chris Bugaj

Digital tools facilitate flexibility, offering multiple ways

Each individual needs to assemble a set of
learning tools to meet his or her unique needs.

"Toolbelt Theory" is based around the idea that as humans we are tool users, and that we choose tools most effectively when that choice begins with the Task at hand, and then considers the Environment in which that task must be performed, the Skill set of the individual (the tool chooser), and the Tools which are available (Thus the acronyn TEST)." --Ira Socol

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"Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework for designing curricula that enable all individuals to gain knowledge, skills, and enthusiasm for learning. UDL provides rich supports for learning and reduces barriers to the curriculum while maintaining high achievement standards for all."

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Source 6: Universal Design for Learning - Defiance City Schools

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Source 6: Universal Design for Learning - Defiance City Schools

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This website includes examples of UDL in action in grades K-12, introducing it, and including a growth mindset as well.

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A Conversation with Allison Posey from CAST

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Source 7: Universal Design for Learning (UDL): What You Need to Know

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Source 7: Universal Design for Learning (UDL): What You Need to Know

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This website provides background information about UDL and how it is designed to help all students by making learning accessible, adapting information to the learner’s advantage, providing more than one way to interact with the material, and reducing the stigma of exclusion.

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Universal Design for Learning (UDL): What You Need to Know

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Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a way of thinking about teaching and learning that helps give all students an equal opportunity to succeed. This approach offers flexibility in the ways students access material, engage with it and show what they know.

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This website gives an overview of information about IEPs, the process, the meetings, and keeping up with it to ensure that progress is being made.

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This video describes how to write an IEP and what is in it and other tips to help teachers successfully write an IEP.

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Source 3: Understanding an IEP for Your Child

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Source 3: Understanding an IEP for Your Child

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This website is a good resource to give to parents to understand IEPs and to help them know what exactly to expect throughout the process.

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Learn about the Individualized Education Plan or Program for disabled children who require special-education services.

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Source 4: Ultimate IEP Guide: Everything that an Educator Needs

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Source 4: Ultimate IEP Guide: Everything that an Educator Needs

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This website is a good resource for teachers to get a better understanding of who qualifies for an IEP, what goes into it, and the teachers role in the IEP process.

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IEPs are a essential component for children with disabilities and their educators. They are designed according to the individual's need; so, teachers need to be careful about Individualized Education Plans and here is the guide:

The Ultimate IEP Guide for Teachers

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a law that ensures that students with disabilities within the public school system are provided appropriate and free special education. A child with a disability that has been shown to impact his or her ability to learn is eligible for an Individualized Education Plan (IEP).

This guide outlines what teachers need to know about IEPs. Creating and implementing an IEP can seem like a long and daunting operation (and IEPs themselves are usually long documents). The process is multi-layered and involves a team of other individuals, from parents to school officials to healthcare providers.

It is important to note that IEPs will vary in format, length, and information included based on not only the individual students but also on the State and local school districts. Some schools may require information that other schools do not; there is some flexibility in design from state to state. However, the overall purpose and goals of an IEP are consistent: to facilitate effective teaching, promote learning, and to achieve better results for children with disabilities.

What is the Purpose of an IEP?

IEPs are provided to children who are eligible for special education within the public school system. These plans are designed with the needs of each student in mind and with the purpose of providing services, accommodations, modifications, and equal opportunities for children with disabilities. IEPs are tantamount to creating the best possible school conditions in which a child can learn, grow, and reach his or her full potential.

It takes a village to create an effective IEP. Parents, teachers, school staff, and other professionals come together and analyze the student's unique needs. With their knowledge and experience in tow, these people devise an educational program that will help the student participate and progress in the school curriculum. IEPs determine precisely which special education services the student receives, depending on the specific nature of the disability.

Who Qualifies for Special Education and an IEP?

Candidates for special education are usually first identified by either their parents or teachers. Parents or teachers can request that the student undergo an evaluation by the school in order to determine if he or she has a disability that qualifies him or her for special education services under IDEA. Currently, there are 13 categories under which a child is eligible:

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Deaf-blindness

Deafness

Emotional disturbance

Hearing impairment

Intellectual disability

Multiple disabilities

Orthopedic impairment

Other health impairment

Specific learning disability

Speech or language disability

Traumatic brain injury

Visual impairment

It is important to note that not all students with disabilities require special education or related services. It must be shown that the disability negatively affects the student's ability to learn.

In the case of learning disabilities, teachers are often first to notice if a student is struggling academically and whether or not this indicates a more serious issue. KidsHeath has compiled a list of signs that may indicate the presence of a learning disability. They include :

Consistently getting poor grades, despite putting in the effort

Needing step-by-step guidance, sometimes repetitively

Having trouble understanding the logic behind problem-solving tasks

Having a poor memory or written or spoken material

Having trouble learning new tasks

Forgetting skills

Significant difficulties with reading, writing, or mathematics

Demonstrating communication problems

Becoming extremely frustrated with school and homework

For public school students with disabilities, IDEA stipulates that they are provided the following:

Access to a free appropriate public education that emphasizes special education and related services designed to meet their unique needs and prepare them for further education, employment, and independent living

Protection of the rights of children with disabilities and the parents of said children

For local governments and agencies, IDEA promises the following:

Assistance for States, localities, educational service agencies, and Federal agencies to provide for the education of all children with disabilities

Assistance for States in the implementation of a statewide, comprehensive, coordinated, multidisciplinary, interagency system of early intervention services for infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families

For schools and educators, IDEA ensures the following:

Educators and parents should have the necessary tools to improve educational results for children with disabilities by supporting system improvement activities; coordinated research and personnel preparation; coordinated technical assistance, dissemination, and support; and technology development and media services

IEP Overview

IEPs are a crucial component for children with disabilities and their educators. Under an IEP, teachers are provided with tools, accommodations, and modifications to improve teaching, and the students should show improvement in learning and academic results. Each IEP is individualized; there is no "one-size-fits-all" program.

Before any mention of an IEP, a child must be identified and evaluated for the possibility of needing special education and its related services. Parents or caregivers can request an assessment for their child. Teachers can also refer students for evaluation, but this usually occurs only after attempts have been to remedy the issues within the regular classroom. Once a student has been referred for evaluation, qualified professionals assess the results and make the final decision as to whether or not the child has a "disability" as defined by IDEA. Once a child is determined to be eligible for special education and related services, the school will notify the parents (and student, if applicable) and schedule an IEP meeting.

During the IEP meeting, parents must, first and foremost, give consent for their child to receive special education and related services. If the parents disagree with the evaluation or IEP at any point, they are eligible for mediation via their state's education agency.

Once an IEP is drafted and approved, special education is provided immediately. This includes all accommodations, curriculum or schedule modifications, and extra support as outlined within the IEP.

Teachers and school administrators will regularly assess the student's progress and report back to the parents. After one year (and annually, continuing forward), IEPs are reviewed and tweaked based on the child's overall progress, whether or not goals have been met, and suggestions from teachers and parents. After three years, children are reevaluated to make sure they continue to qualify as having a disability defined under IDEA. Additionally, they are evaluated for any changes to their educational needs. These "triennial" evaluations continue until the child finishes school or is deemed ineligible.

The IEP meeting is not the only time that teachers get to work face-to-face with parents and other professionals regarding their students' special education needs. IEPs are "works in progress" that are reassessed annually; depending on a variety of factors-including teacher input-IEPs can even be modified throughout the school year.

What Goes into an IEP?

By law, the IEP must include certain information about the student and should present an educational strategy that takes into account his or her disability and particular needs. In a nutshell, this information is:

The IEP will include the following:

Current performance (also known as Present levels). This is an overview of how the child is doing currently. This information is gleaned from the student's grades, test results, performances on assignments or projects, classroom behavior, attention, habits, and observed skills. Using measurable baseline data, this section assesses how the student's disability affects his or her progress and involvement in the school's general curriculum.

Goals. IEP Goals are a measure of the student's progress and act as target points for academic, behavioral, social objectives. Goals are broken down into smaller, achievable parts, which allows teachers to easily monitor and measure how the student is progressing. Goals are reassessed annually during the IEP review.

Offer of Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE). IEPs painstakingly detail the individualized special education and services that are to be provided. This includes supplementary aids, modifications, and accommodations. Teachers can use the general rule-of-thumb to distinguish the between a modification and an accommodation: If the teacher changes the work (an assignment or a test) or changes the level of work, then this counts as a modification; if something (a device, for example) helps the student to complete work at the same level as the other students, then it is an accommodation.

Participation. The IEP outlines if the student will participate in a regular classroom-either full- or part-time-or if he or she is to be placed in small-group instruction. The IEP may recommend that a student not participate with non-disabled children in particular activities. Additionally, the IEP will describe when and how (or even if) a student takes achievement tests. It will also specify there need to be any modifications during district-wide testing.

Transition services. Once a student has reached age 16 (sometimes younger), the IEP includes goals that will help the student once he or she transitions out of school.

The Teacher's Role in an IEP

Teachers, parents, school representatives, and other professionals are all key members of the IEP team. Parents offer personal insight into the strengths of their child, as well as other aspects and skills that they have observed at home. School representatives are informed about the breadth of services and accommodations available, and they are responsible for ensuring that the outlines of the IEP are met. Other professionals might include healthcare providers (like psychologists, speech/language therapists, or occupational therapists) or translators.

Teachers are vital to the IEP and the child's success. One or more of the child's regular teachers will be invited to participate in drafting the IEP. The teacher provides insight into and recommendations based on the overall curriculum in the regular classroom. He or she offers advice about the types of services the child may require and may suggest changes to the curriculum that will help the child learn and progress. He or she may also implement strategies for problematic behavior, if that is an issue. At the meeting, the teacher will bring test results, behavior charts, math scores, writing samples, or any other demonstrative samples that illuminate problematic areas.

In most cases, IEP services can be provided in regular education classrooms. Sometimes, IEP services are provided in separate resource classrooms or even separate schools, but this is determined by the student's needs and the school district's resources.

Regular classrooms are the least restrictive for students with disabilities. For those students whose IEPs stipulate regular classroom attendance, it is important for teachers to be familiar with the student and the services, accommodations, or modifications stipulated in the IEP.

Sometimes students with IEPs will join small-group instruction. This usually takes place in a separate learning support classroom under the guidance of a certified special education teacher. Special education teachers are well-versed in how to teach children with disabilities. Their unique training provides insight into how to modify curriculums to help children learn, offers supplemental aids and services that promote success, and modifies testing conditions and exams so that the student can demonstrate what he or she has learned. Special education teachers may work with students individually as well. These meetings ensure that the student's specific needs are being met and that he or she is making sufficient progress toward the goals identified in the IEP. Special education teachers also meet with the student's regular teachers and other school staff to offer expertise.

Students who need intense intervention, however, may be taught in a special school environment. These schools generally have fewer students per teacher, which allows for individualized attention. Teachers in these schools usually have specific training in helping students with specific special educational needs.

Conclusion

Special education provides students with disabilities the opportunity to learn and grow. IEPs are an essential component of special education. Creating effective IEPs that provide a foundation for student success involves numerous players, steps, and considerations. IEPs are collaborative efforts, and teachers are a pivotal component in their drafting and implementation.

Sources

https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/iep-teachers.html https://sites.ed.gov/idea/ https://www.specialeducationguide.com/pre-k-12/individualized-education-programs-iep/the-iep-process-explained/ https://www2.ed.gov/parents/needs/speced/iepguide/index.html#process

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Ultimate IEP Guide: Everything that an Educator Needs | Otsimo

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IEPs are crucial for children with disabilities and their educators. In this guide, you can get tips and tricks for IEP meetings.

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Source 5: The IEP Meeting Toolkit | A Comprehensive Kit for Teachers with Mrs. D's Corner

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Source 5: The IEP Meeting Toolkit | A Comprehensive Kit for Teachers with Mrs. D's Corner

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This YouTube video is by a teacher who designed a toolkit about various resources she uses for her IEP meetings to make all of the information easy to understand for everyone involved.

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The IEP Meeting Toolkit | A Comprehensive Kit for Teachers - with Mrs. D's Corner

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Source 6: Taking Parent Fear and Anxiety out of the Evaluation and IEP Process

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Source 6: Taking Parent Fear and Anxiety out of the Evaluation and IEP Process

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This website includes methods for teachers on how to work with parents who have children with IEPs and best practices to offer them support and understanding.

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Talking with numerous educators over the years, I have heard many colleagues express significant concern regarding how anxiety- and fear-provoking the initial special education evaluation and IEP development process can be for parents and caregivers, especially when the area of autism is being considered. Instead of focusing on the hope that comes with the collaboration between home and school and improving specific communicative skills, educators often feel like they are walking on eggshells around parents and caregivers when it comes to the initial evaluation process and IEP development for autism.

According to Rethink Ed, even though students with autism make up only 9% of all students with disabilities, they account for 25% of all due process hearings in special education. With this statistic in mind, it is no wonder that educators run into parents and caregivers who are experiencing a variety of negative emotions when they first hear the word autism. In some cases, the emotions are so intense that I've even heard educators question, "Should I even bring up the 'A-word' to the parents?"

What is amazing is the stark contrast in how educators view these same students being evaluated for autism. Educators see:

Strengths that the students possess and how the IEP team can build upon these strengths

Unlocked potential that they cannot wait to tap in to

And, most of all, hope for a promising future

So as educational leaders, how can we flip the script and take parents' and caregivers' focus away from fear and anxiety and guide them towards strengths, untapped potential, and hope for a promising future? Simply put, the answer lies within how we assess our students with autism and how we interact with their families throughout the evaluation and IEP process.
Avoid Subjectivity
When parents and caregivers are first learning about autism or even hear an educator refer to autism, they may see their child in a much different light than other members of the IEP team. The key in the evaluation process for educators is to take the subjectivity out of the eligibility determination and take the focus off the differences in perception between home and school. If the differences between home and school become the focus, the natural result more often than not is an adversarial relationship. In other words, if the parents emotions are already running high and they are not 100% trusting the educators evaluating their child, then any differences in perception of their child will only exacerbate the relationship between home and school.

Instead of falling into this trap of perceptions, educators should focus on providing objective data that compares the student with autism to his or her same age peers. Rating scales and models such as Social Communication Emotional Regulation Transactional Supports (SCERTS) yield objective data that compare students' communicative skills to those of other students their age. This takes the subjectivity out of the conversation and supplies parents and guardians with a better understanding of what communicative strengths their child has and what areas call for specially-designed instruction. This shift naturally takes IEP teams away from the "us versus them" mentality and places the focus on skill development and goal attainment.
Communication is Key
Not only should educators focus on objective rating scales and data to compare students to their peers, but educators should also open the lines of communication with parents at the beginning of the evaluation process and continue that communication all the way through the initial IEP meeting. It often helps to know the "why" behind parents' and caregivers' reservations and concerns. Sometimes a listening and available ear can go a long way in reducing these concerns. On a regular basis, it also strengthens the relationship between home and school.

Strategies to help improve communication between home and school while navigating the initial evaluation for autism could include:

1. Asking parents and caregivers if you could either stop by their home or meet them for coffee at a local cafe - this shows that their concerns matter to you and that you are willing to meet them in a location that they are comfortable with to hear about them.

2. Offering to connect the parents and caregivers to other parents and caregivers who have gone through the initial evaluation process for autism (make sure you obtain consent of the other family before offering this up) - this shows that you are acknowledging the challenges and the variety of emotions that they are experiencing, and that they are not alone in this journey.

3. Giving parents and caregivers an opportunity to talk with both general and special education teachers about their expectations for a student who receives special education services in the area of autism - this shows parents and caregivers that educators focus more on a student's disability area needs and goals and NOT on labels.

4. Remind parents and caregivers that the emotions that they are experiencing are common and that it may be beneficial to bring in either a family friend and/or parent advocate to help them separate the emotions from the issues - this shows that you are willing to work with them no matter who is at the table.

5. Encourage the parents and caregivers to meet with the IEP team after three or four weeks of services being delivered - this shows parents that you value their feedback and are open to making adjustments to programming based on this feedback.

What is a common theme throughout all of the aforementioned recommendations is that parents and caregivers see you and the IEP team members as having a vested interest in the relationship and wanting to work with them for the benefit of their child. In the end, parents and caregivers want to know that their child is receiving the assistance that they need and are being supported by educators who truly care for them. Hopefully these recommendations and talking points help your IEP teams reduce fear and anxiety and create a strong foundation for your relationship with them for years to come.

John Peterson serves as the Director of Special Education for the Hamilton School District in Sussex, Wisconsin and has served as a special education administrator for a total of 15 years. John has previously served as the president of the Wisconsin Council of Administrators of Special Services (WCASS) and has been in leadership roles on their board of directors since 2006. John also helps mentor aspiring special education administrators by serving as a University Supervisor for Cardinal Stritch University (Milwaukee, WI) and has presented on a variety of special education-related topics at both state and national conferences.
Rethink Ed's Skills Success platform supports educators in developing and delivering quality IEPs, addressing many of the instructional challenges currently present in special education including. Find out more.

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Taking Parent Fear and Anxiety out of the Evaluation and IEP Process - Rethink Education

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by John Peterson Talking with numerous educators over the years, I have heard many colleagues express significant concern regarding how anxiety- and fear-provoking the initial special education evaluation and IEP development process can be for parents and caregivers, especially when the area of autism is being considered. Instead of focusing...

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Source 1: Supporting Parents of Students with Special Needs

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Source 1: Supporting Parents of Students with Special Needs

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This resource describes the importance of making teachers aware that problems to them may not be seen the same to parents, which is why teachers can redirect parents to resources like the Center for Parent Information and Resources.

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There's often a rift in communication between educators and parents who suspect their kids have special needs. A parent describes the support that would have helped her initiate an assessment.

©Shutterstock/Africa Studio

Even as young children, we're able to identify a behavior that is not the norm for our peer group-the one kid in the class who seems a little more agitated than the rest, a little more loud and unruly. Across the room is a scared child. Another struggles with reading.

All of this may also be evident to a teacher, who can compare one child with his or her peers. But it may not be evident to the parent, who does not experience a whole classroom of children.

To the parent, a particular behavior may not seem beyond the norm. The first thing we parents observe is that our child is shy, or picky, or argumentative. We don't observe that behavior and diagnose our child as anxious, having a sensory disorder, or oppositionally defiant. We see behaviors that we seek to modify, not categorize.

A Gap in Experience and Understanding

This opens up a rift in experience, understanding, and communication between parents and educators. Education specialists may speak in professional jargon that parents don't always understand. An educator's perspective on how a student's behavior differs from that of his or her peers and on the demonstration of behaviors can be helpful to parents.

Parents are most often not mental-health experts, but they are experts in knowing their children. When they feel that something isn't right, there's reason to investigate. But most parents who have shared their experiences with me about asking for help for their children have not received it initially. Pediatricians may tell parents to be better disciplinarians. Teachers may say, "He doesn't qualify for services."

Many disabilities-most learning disabilities, most mental health disabilities, and many physical health disabilities-are hidden. A hidden disability is by its nature difficult to observe. Only someone trained in psychological assessment, using prescribed evaluation methods, can determine such a disability-educators generally don't have this qualification.

State departments of education have standards for assessing and evaluating a child for special education services, yet being denied this assessment and evaluation is quite common. A discussion between the parent and teacher or principal may result in an evaluation, but parents are often forced to make repeated requests to push the issue. Parents may also not understand that requests for evaluation must be in writing.

Parents new to the individualized education program (IEP) process are then confused and angry. Worse yet, some parents accept the initial denial, and then the child does not receive an evaluation.

These problems generally occur because educators lack knowledge. In preparing general education teachers, most education programs don't require a class on children with exceptional needs (gifted, special education etc.). States have tests and other assessments to evaluate the knowledge of an education program graduate, but even so, a teacher may not be able to recognize special needs or have knowledge about state regulations.

Parents look to teachers and principals to be experts. Not knowing what to do when a school declines to evaluate a child is a common dilemma for parents of children who are struggling. Advocacy groups may help, but a parent would need to understand that external help is available before they would seek it out. Many parents don't understand the obligation of the school to evaluate their child, and they may not know how to push through a request for evaluation when facing resistance.

Directing Parents to Organizations That Can Help

It would be helpful if school staff referred parents to the appropriate state advocacy organization listed by the Center for Parent Information and Resources. This would steer parents toward a group that could help them to find answers.

In Kansas, our parent group, Families Together, answers questions, holds informational and training sessions for parents and education advocates, and shares documents to inform parents. No one in the school environment let my family know that this group existed, and it took us several years to find it. During that time, we felt isolated and confused. If only a teacher, principal, or district staff member had shared this information.

Hopefully a parent can initiate an assessment and evaluation. He or she will then be accosted with a host of acronyms and other special terms such as IDEA, IEP, BIP, and 504.

My personal experience has been that at no time were the evaluation process or special terms like IDEA, IEP, or 504 explained to me, and I have yet to encounter a parent for whom this did occur. The process of getting help for a struggling child is bureaucratic and complicated, and for the most part educators don't mentor parents through it.

If they haven't located an education advocacy group for assistance, parents usually lack the understanding needed to represent their children well through this process. Following an assessment and evaluation of a child, which requires special services to support that child's education, the next step should be educating the parents about this process. Even a district FAQ website would be helpful. Parents should be part of their child's education team, yet how can one contribute without a good understanding of the framework for special education services and an understanding of how accommodations can be implemented to help a child succeed?

Some educators and schools are amazing. But as a college professor and a parent of a child with an IEP, I have met students who have not been supported through the K-12 years or who received only minimal support to get them through the system. We can do better, starting from the first time a parent approaches a teacher and says, "I'm worried that Olivia seems to be struggling."

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Supporting Parents of Students With Special Needs

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There's often a rift in communication between educators and parents who suspect their kids have special needs. A parent describes the support that would have helped her initiate an assessment.

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Source 2: Family Engagement: Supporting Students with Disabilities During COVID

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Source 2: Family Engagement: Supporting Students with Disabilities During COVID

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This resource describes how teachers and families can support children with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic, resources that can be provided to parents, plans teachers can make with families, communicating those plans with them, and setting parents up with training.

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Source 3: Working with Families of Children with Special Needs

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Source 3: Working with Families of Children with Special Needs

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This website is a good resource for teachers to learn about how to work with families of students with disabilities by establishing positive relationships, helping to diffuse situations, and making families feel welcome to input their feedback with the teacher’s.

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Explore own assumptions about working with families of children with special needs.

Identify variables that may challenge or support family-centered practice.

Choose effective ways to support families of children with special needs.

Know

Families of Young Children with Special Needs

Preschoolers with special needs are members of our communities, programs, and families and it is our responsibility to provide high-quality, inclusive support and care for these children and their families. While these families often experience additional challenging situations and stressors, they have hopes, dreams, and goals for their children just like other families. You can positively impact families with a preschooler with a disability by empowering them with knowledge, empathizing with their feelings, and collaborating with other support professionals in their lives.

Within the VLS, the terms special needs and disability are often used interchangeably. It is important to note that while the two terms have similar meanings, the word disability is generally used to refer to a long-term condition or impairment that impacts the way a child or youth learns, participates, or interacts with the world around them. The term special needs often refers to additional supports or assistance a child or youth may need within an educational, developmental, behavioral, or health context. Language is a powerful tool that can create a sense of identity, purpose, and pride and is particularly important to consider when working with children and families. One critical way to empower families of children with special needs is to have a dialogue with them around their preferred language when referring to their individual child's unique needs and abilities.

Working with Families of Children with Special Needs

Establishing meaningful relationships with families is a critical part of your work, and your communication is especially important when working with families with preschoolers with special needs. Some preschool children will enter your program with a known disability, and other families will learn that their child has a disability or is delayed while enrolled in your program. You may even be one of the professionals that assists in identifying an area of concern or delay. Families with eligible preschool-age children may receive special education services and have an individualized education program (IEP). Others may only receive support from a medical center, and some families will be involved with multiple systems of support. Regardless, families can be overwhelmed by what feels like a constant flow of suggestions, therapies, and appointments to help their child learn and develop. These families may need more help supporting their children and may turn to you, or others in your program, for assistance with connecting to services or agencies outside of your program. It may be helpful to form relationships with outside agencies so you, or trainers and administrators in your program, have up-to-date information on how to make a referral and the types of services offered and available. Positive interactions with families and other professionals can decrease families' stress and improve their well-being, as well as improve their confidence in you as their child's early care and learning program.

Families with preschoolers with special needs may go through various evaluation processes and may ask you to complete questionnaires or provide input at the request of a doctor, specialist, or teacher. Other professionals rely on this input, especially when they have limited amounts of time with children compared to program staff who often spend many hours each week caring for, educating, and observing children. This information can be used to determine if a child has a specific condition, support the child outcomes summary (COS) process, determine eligibility for specific services, and develop goals for an individualized education program (IEP). You, or a trainer or administrator from your program, may be asked to participate in an IEP review, a time when the team of professionals and families come together to assess progress, create new outcomes, and determine needed services. Preschool children with IEPs may attend your program and their local education agency (LEA). Services on an IEP may only be provided at the LEA, or interventionists and related services personnel may "push in" and provide services within your program. Regardless of how special education services are delivered, working with professionals from outside agencies helps things run smoothly for families and ensures that all of the professionals and caregivers in a child's life are communicating. This lessens family stress by reducing the need for primary caregivers to act as the in-between messenger of important information.

Families with preschoolers with disabilities may go through various evaluation processes and may ask you to complete questionnaires or provide input at the request of a doctor, specialist, or teacher. Other professionals rely on this input, especially when they have limited amounts of time with children compared to program staff who often spend many hours each week caring for, educating, and observing children in their daily routines. This information can be used to determine if a child has a specific area of need, support the child outcome summary (COS) process, determine eligibility for specific services, and develop goals for an individualized education program (IEP). You, or a trainer or administrator from your program, may be asked to participate in a family's IEP review, a time when the team of professionals and the family come together to assess progress, create new outcomes, and determine needed services. Preschool children with IEPs may attend your program and their local education agency (LEA). Services on an IEP may only be provided at the LEA, or interventionists and therapists may provide services within your program. Regardless of how these services are delivered, working with professionals from outside agencies helps things run smoothly for families and ensures that all of the professionals and caregivers in a child's life are communicating. This lessens family stress by reducing the need for primary caregivers to act as the in-between messenger of important information, goals and expectations.
Effective Practices
The first step in establishing strong relationships with families of children with special needs is to spend time discussing and learning their wishes and concerns for their children and to learn about the meaningful activities and routines they participate in at home. Maintaining this communication throughout a child's time in your program is essential. Ask questions to learn about strategies that work at home and consider using them in your classroom. Through your interactions you can build trust so both you and families feel comfortable sharing children's strengths and if there are concerns (Sandall, Hemmeter, Smith, & McLean, 2005). Before communicating concerns with families, it may be helpful to discuss with a coach, trainer, or administrator your plan to share this information using family-centered practice. Be prepared for families to react in a variety of ways, and know how you can offer support if they seek assistance from other agencies and resources. For families already receiving support from other professionals, ongoing communication with both families and professionals is critical to maintain consistency between program and home environments. When all the caregivers and professionals in a child's life are consistently using the same, effective strategies to promote development and outcomes, children are more likely to benefit and learn new skills.

In your collaboration with families, it is important to acknowledge and respect their strengths and unique background, while realizing their ability to make decisions that are right for them (Hanson & Lynch, 2004). This means that when a family's wishes and decisions are different from what you would recommend, you respond to the family's decisions with respect. Ultimately, meaningful communication and relationship-building will enrich the process for both yourself and the families you serve.

Take a look at the following guidelines that reflect family-centered practice. You may remember some of these from Lesson 1. Then, think about which of these you can use in your work with families of children with special needs (Turnbull, Turbiville, & Turnbull, 2000):

Recognizing the family as a constant in the child's life; caregivers and service systems may often change

Facilitating collaboration between families and professionals

Honoring and respecting family diversity in all dimensions (cultural, racial, ethnic, linguistic, spiritual, and socioeconomic)

Recognizing family strengths and the different approaches that families may use to cope

Sharing unbiased and honest information with family members on an ongoing basis

Encouraging family-to-family support and networking

Acknowledging and incorporating the developmental needs of the child and other family members into your practice

Designing and implementing services that are accessible, culturally and linguistically respectful and responsive, flexible, and based on family-identified needs

See

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Watch this video to learn about addressing the needs of families who have children with special needs.

Do

There are many ways you can demonstrate respect and consideration for families of children with special needs or disabilities in your classroom. Consider the following:

Acknowledge that families know their child best and ask them questions about services, resources, or typical routines that may be helpful to you.

Establish ongoing communication between home and school. Communication journals are a great way to maintain communication. These are usually sent home with the child and returned the next day. Teachers can share noteworthy observations, events, or daily challenges and families can respond to those or share their own news or reflections. While communication journals can be used with families of all children in your classroom, they can be an especially valuable tool in establishing consistency between home and school environments for children with special needs.

Incorporate children's books in your classroom library that reflect consideration of multiple abilities and differences.

Modify daily activities so that all children can participate in their own way.

Invite families to talk about their child. For example, a family member may come in your classroom and talk about their child's use of adaptive equipment (e.g., braces, wheelchair, or a communication device). The family member may explain the use of equipment, which can help children and other families understand aspects of their life. This also promotes acceptance of differences.

Be a team player! Work collaboratively with families and other professionals who may be involved in the delivery of services to children with special needs.

If disagreements or miscommunication arise, consider the following:

Remind yourself that your role is to support families' hopes and dreams for their child.

Be patient. Dealing with a child with a disability may be challenging at times, and family members need time to navigate this experience at their own pace.

Avoid making judgments of families and their children.

Consider difficult times as opportunities to build trust between yourself and families.

Question your assumptions about working with families of children with disabilities or special needs and urge other professionals you know to do the same.

Talk with your trainer, supervisor, or coach when in doubt about any aspect of your work with families.

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Watch this video to hear a family of a child with special needs share their school experience.

Barrera, I., & Corso, R. M. (2003). Skilled Dialogue: Strategies for responding to cultural diversity in early childhood. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes Publishing.

Center for Parent Information & Resources. (n.d). Supporting the Parent Centers Who Serve Families of Children with Disabilities. Retrieved from https://parentcenterhub.org/

Hanson, M. J., & Lynch, E.W. (2004). Understanding Families: Approaches to diversity, disability, and risk. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes.

Harry, B., Kalyanpur, M., & Day, M. (1999). Building Cultural Reciprocity With Families: Case studies in special education. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes Publishing.

Harry, N., Rueda, R., & Kalyanpur, M. (1999). Cultural reciprocity in Sociocultural Perspective: Adapting the normalization principle for family collaboration. Exceptional Children, 66(1), 123-136.

Howard, V.F., Williams, B.F., Port, P.D., & Lepper, C. (1997). Very Young Children With Special Needs: A formative approach for the 21st century. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill.

Johnson, B. H. (1990). The changing role of families in health care. Children's Health Care, 19(4), 234-241.

Kalyanpur, M., & Harry, B. (1999). Culture in Special Education: Building reciprocal family-professional relationships. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes Publishing.

Lynch, E. W., & Hanson, M. J. (2004). Developing Cross-Cultural Competence: A guide for working with young children and their families, 3rd ed. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes.

National Association for the Education of Young Children (2011). NAEYC Position Statement: Code of ethical conduct and statement of commitment. Retrieved from http://www.naeyc.org/positionstatements/ethical_conduct

National Association for the Education of Young Children. Engaging Diverse Families.

Peck, A., & Scarpatti, S. (2002). Special Education around the world. Teaching Exceptional Children 34(5).

Poston, D., Turnbull, A., Park, J., Mannan, H., Marquis, J., & Wang, M. (2003). Family Quality of Life: A qualitative inquiry. Mental Retardation, 41(5), 313-328.

Salend, S. J., & Garrick-Duhaney, L. M. (2002). What Do Families Have to Say About Inclusion? How to pay attention and get results. Teaching Exceptional Children, 35(1), 62-66.

Sandall, S., Hemmeter, M. L., Smith, B. J., & McLean, M. E. (2005). DEC recommended practices: A comprehensive guide. Longmont, CO: Sopris West.

Trivette, C. M. & Dunst, C. J. (2005). DEC Recommended Practices: Family-Based Practices. In S. Sandall, M. L. Hemmeter, B. J. Smith, & M. E. McLean (Eds.). DEC Recommended Practices: A comprehensive guide for practical application (pp. 107-126). Longmont, CO: Sopris West.

Turnbull, A. P., Turbiville, V., & Turnbull, H. R. (2000). Evolution of Family-Professional Partnerships: Collective empowerment as the model for the early twenty-first century. In J. P. Shonkoff & S. J. Meisels (Eds.). Handbook of Early Childhood Intervention (pp. 630-650). Cambridge, United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press.

Turnbull, A., Turnbull, R., Erwin, E. J., & Soodak, L. C. (2006). Families, Professionals, and Exceptionality: Positive outcomes through partnerships and trust. 5th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education Inc.

Consider your view on families of children with special needs and think about your role in their lives

Consider how much information a family is comfortable sharing about their child's needs

Use these resources to learn more about families with children with special needs

Understand the emotional impact a family can experience when they learn about their child's disability

Create a list of resources to support children with disabilities

This activity is required for the CDA Professional Portfolio and should be completed by CDA candidates only.

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Working With Families of Children With Special Needs

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Explore own assumptions about working with families of children with special needs. Identify variables that may challenge or support family-centered practice. Choose effective ways to support families of children with special needs.

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Family Engagement and Children with Disabilities: A Resource Guide for Educators and Parents

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Source 4: Family Engagement and Children with Disabilities: A Resource Guide for Educators and Parents

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Source 4: Family Engagement and Children with Disabilities: A Resource Guide for Educators and Parents

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This website includes resources for educators and parents of students with disabilities and the importance of involving the families as equal contributors in the education process.

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SERC is a quasi-public agency established to serve the Connecticut State Board of Education in supporting educational equity and excellence.

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Source 5: 8 Tips for Working with Parents of Special Needs Children

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Source 5: 8 Tips for Working with Parents of Special Needs Children

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This website includes eight pieces of advice when working with parents who have students with disabilities, with the most emphasis being on communication and what to never mention to parents.

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Knowing how to work with parents of students with special needs is just as important as knowing how to help the students. Robin Hartman, educator and mother of a son with Autism, says, "I know I am a difficult parent to deal with which is why I thought I would give some tips on how to deal with the parents of children with special needs because we are super sensitive about our children." Read her story below where she lays it all on the line and shares her concerns, fears, and respect for those teachers who make a difference in the lives of students with special needs.
by Robin Hartman, Guest Author
As I take education courses, I feel myself at odds with some of the information because I look at things as a parent. I look at the needs of my child first, even when sometimes his needs could hinder the academic progress of the class by causing disruptions. However, as I parent, I view his disruptions as an indication that his needs not being met. Granted, this is an issue because this places no responsibility on the child for not choosing the appropriate behavior. I also realize I tend to find fault with the teachers simply because I probably could have or would have handled the situation differently. However, I can honestly say that the teachers have helped me immensely with raising my child with Autism. It has taken me awhile to trust their judgment.

Originally, I failed to remember that the teacher has a role, they are a specialist in the field, and my child is not the only student he or she is dealing with in the classroom. The teachers are there. They have the full picture of the situation. But, as a parent, I will also look at things as though my child, because he is my child, will be the most important student in the teacher's classroom.

I know I am a difficult parent to deal with which is why I thought I would give some tips on how to deal with the parents of children with special needs because we are super sensitive about our children.

8 Tips for Working with Parents of Special Needs Children
1. Open up communication before a situation arises.
As a parent, I will not trust a teachers' judgment until I get to know them. I view myself as being on the teacher's side once I know the person. But if I see them as a stranger who is being mean to my baby at our first meeting, there may be a problem. If I have to come to the school because of my child's inappropriate behavior or their lack academic successful and this also happens to be the first time I have spoken directly to the teacher, I am not sure whether my child is at fault.

Also, if I have to come to school to address a particular situation I was completely unaware of, I would feel that I should have been contacted before the situation became a huge issue for everyone, before the situation has crippled my child's grades or hindered your classroom's behavioral compliance.

I am the kind of parent that likes to hear updates about my children as much as possible. I want to know what he or she is struggling with, what they are excelling at, and what they are enjoying. Remember, sometimes the communication from the teacher is the only window into the child's school day because children with special needs (well even typically functioning children) do not share information about their day with the parent.
2. When opening up communication, always start with a compliment about their child.
Parents will not get tired of hearing how awesome their child is. A teacher should never begin the discussion about how the student is struggling with decoding and compliance until he or she has given an overview of how absolutely adorable the parents' child is and maybe even start with a cute story.

I always enjoy hearing little funny stories about my child, especially if it is something that I can identify as his behavior but never experienced that particular situation. This helps me know that the teacher knows my child and found his behaviors a refreshing gift, something charming and cute, rather than a strange abnormality that needs to be trained out of him.

For example, he once yelled at his teacher for not writing their math textbook. They were not sure why he got upset about it but he was convinced she was stealing. She had to talk him through the situation, explaining how teachers order textbooks for the classrooms that everyone uses based on the district's curriculum to insure that everyone learns the same material.

Considering I teach writing courses, I think he overheard a discussion I had about plagiarism.

I knew that based on the story, the teachers could handle him and truly loved him. They showed true patience with the situation by talking him through the logistics of his assumption; however, someone else may have just silenced him in order to move ahead.
3. Do not tell a parent to teach the child to behave.
I always work with my child's school to make sure there are at home consequences for inappropriate school behavior. Make sure you work with a parent to institute some type of communication and consequence arrangement.

Telling a parent simply to talk to your child about this or that behavior is not appropriate. It shows that the teacher did not deal with the situation, cannot deal with the situation, and believe the parent can magically with a simple discussion make the child act appropriately when the parent is not present.

I am a pretty good parent, but I do not have that kind of authority over my child when I am not present. Many parents with children with special needs will struggle connecting the talk or correction with the inappropriate school behavior that more than likely the child cannot remember demonstrating. Do not leave every correction up to the parent. The teacher needs to be given the authority to correct the child's behavior. Reminding and connecting the at home consequence with the behavior at school while the child is illustrating that particular behavior helps quite a bit. Thus, the teacher has the authority over the situation. The parent does not step in to have to take care of the situation.

Also, when asking a parent to discipline their child it could also imply that the teacher feels disciplinary actions are being made at home. As a parent with a special needs child, you would not imagine how horrible people can be about my child's behavior. I feel the looks when he acts up. Unlike other disabilities, you cannot see Autism written across my child's face, and while I am happy that disability is not what people immediately see when they look at my child, some adults do not sympathize with what I am going through at first glance because a melt-down looks so similar to a tantrum. Many people, from a distance, just see a bratty kid throwing a fit because a parent fails to parent. Parents of children with special needs are treated like this all the time; people even get vocal about their disapproval of other parents. Teachers should avoid the "parent your child", "make them behave" bandwagon advice pile on.

That does not mean parents should not be open to advice about how to deal with a particular difficult situation. Just wait for a parent to ask. I have learned so much about when it is and is not acceptable to baby or comfort my child and when to be stern in order to push him to complete tasks that are new and frustrating.
4. Educate the parent.
If you are helping parents understand their child's disability, it is helpful to make sure they have access to plenty of information: handouts, websites, reading material or lists of reading recommendations about the disability. Remember, you are a professional with vital information.

It would also help to remind the parent about your expertise, what you studied, your qualifications, your teaching experience, and so forth. While you do not need to go into your whole resume, it is helpful to remind a parent their child is in strong, capable, well-educated, and well-experienced hands. I have recently gotten into the habit of asking the educators their background. It makes me feel better.

Also, know that someone outside of education is not fluent in the same terminology. I remember how inept I felt being at a teacher meeting hear the educating team discuss ARCs and IEPs. It is helpful to explain the common concepts that you know that are new for the parent. It makes us feel in the loop and a part of the educating team.
5. Never mention medication!
A teacher may have experience with similar children but he or she should never directly state that someone's child needs to be put on medication. If you think the child should be on medication, you need to request a counselor/specialist who will observe the child and make the appropriate recommendation.

That does not mean that medication is off the table. Just go through the appropriate avenues and show the parent the accommodations and behavioral interventions you have tried and the multiple observations made by various specialists before coming to the conclusion that medication is necessary.

The request for medication should never come directly from the teacher because the parent will feel like you do not want to deal with the child; you just want the child to shut up and stop being a problem.
6. Never mention new labels.
That is great that the teacher has an understanding of disabilities. But make sure the teacher does not mention five or six new disabilities which will be used to label their child. Many disabilities have similar traits.

For example, my child is Autistic; he is not depressed. He is having self-esteem issues now that he is old enough to perceive his differences. He does not have AD-HD; He does not want to focus on the writing assignment because he struggles with decoding and he is getting frustrated about that. My child is not Oppositional Defiant. If my son is refusing to do his work, there could have been a break in his routine, something could have happened with another student or maybe the class is loud resulting in his desire to shut down.

Do not try to diagnosis or RE-diagnose a child. A parent will eat you alive. I know I would.
7. NEVER make a joke about a person's child and always use the appropriate language.
This should be a given but I would like to address this situation anyway because I once had a person ask if I talk. I did not understand what she meant at first because her question was so incredibly strange. She laughed and went on to say that she wondered if I talk because my son did not. She was not a teacher, and I would prefer not to state her position as to not stereotype those in her situation. I made sure I understood whether she was aware of his disability before getting upset.

This is when I discovered that some people are skeptical that disabilities exist. Based on ignorance or stubbornness, they do not see that other people are different if they do not look different. They just see a bad kid who will not behavior. When making jokes about someone else, it only shows the person's ignorance and lack of compassion.

Showing compassion in the language also helps. Try to avoid stereotyping a behavior and using terms like "That's Aspy" or "A Downs Kid" because it shows that the teacher defines the child by their disability. Get in the habit of using child first language like child with Autism, Student with special needs, and child with Down syndrome.
8. Keep the child around capable and trained individuals: teachers, substitutes, bus drivers, student aids, assistants, and volunteer parents.
I like to meet every single person who has contact with my child, because I have a fear that someone will be mean to him, someone will not talk to him appropriately, or they will say something that he does not understand and expect him to comply with instructions that do not compute. Fortunately, his education team surrounds him with the most compassionate people.

When there is something that gets him upset, his educating team and I try to figure out the function of his behavior which includes an overview of everyone he works with, when his behavior changed, and who observed it. I am comforted that every person he has contact with understands his triggers, works with him to keep his day smoothly transitioning, and they all love him. I put him on the bus each day knowing that no authority figure will hurt him, dismiss him, or bully him.

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8 Tips for Working with Parents of Special Needs Children

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Knowing how to work with parents of students with special needs is just as important as knowing how to help the students. Robin Hartman, educator and mother of a son with Autism, says, "I know I am a difficult parent to deal with which is why I thought I would give some tips on how to deal with the parents of children with special needs because we are super sensitive about our children."

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Source 6: 12 Ways to Support Families of Students with Disabilities

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Source 6: 12 Ways to Support Families of Students with Disabilities

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This website provides a variety of ways that teachers can utilize to support families of students with disabilities and make sure to include all family members who want to be involved.

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Families are the ones who know your students best-their strengths and needs, their likes and dislikes, their hopes and dreams. And the more effectively you work with and support the families of your students, the more your students will benefit.

It's important to form powerful partnerships with all families, but today's post focuses on building a supportive relationship with families of children with disabilities. Excerpted and adapted from Eight Paths to Leadership by Belva C. Collins, these 12 practical suggestions will help you gain new insight into families' needs, connect them with valuable resources, and welcome them as respected members of their child's school team.

Conduct a reflection exercise. Reflect on the last educational planning meeting you attended as a teacher. What do you think went right in the meeting? What specific things could have improved it? Write down your responses and use them as a guide to improve your next meeting.

Interview a family. Conduct an interview with a family of a child with a disability. How do the family members feel about the educational process for their child? Do they see their relationship with the teacher as a true partnership? Why or why not? Use the insights you uncover to strengthen your work.

Learn more about the effects of poverty. Socioeconomic status can affect the performance of students with disabilities and the educational participation of their families. Do some internet research on the various ways poverty may affect the families in your community. Find data on the prevalence of poverty in your community and demographics about who is affected. Have the prevalence and/or demographics changed in the past 10 years? If so, how? Find and read literature on educating students who experience poverty, such as this free resource from the National Education Association .

Make IEP meetings a positive experience. Are your IEP meetings as comfortable and welcoming to families as they could be? Here are some things to do:

Provide a summary or an agenda ahead of time

Create an IEP draft that includes goals that the family values

Meet in a setting that's comfortable for the family and greet them warmly on arrival

Arrange seating so that all parties have equal status

Provide an interpreter, if necessary, who is familiar with the family's culture, language, and any jargon that may be used in the meeting

Hand out helpful supplementary materials-a chart to summarize the discussion, a "cheat sheet" of terms

Follow up afterward to see if the family has additional thoughts or questions

Communicate regularly. Families often express frustration when they're not kept in the loop about their child's progress. Be sure to communicate often with families, and ask them which mode they prefer-telephone calls, letters, email, or occasional face-to-face meetings. If one mode isn't working well, give another one a try. And when you communicate, challenge yourself to listen as much as you speak, so that families know you respect their views and knowledge about their child.

Make it easy for family members to get involved. Share information with families on how to become involved in school activities and take on leadership roles. Point them to resources on how to join and participate in the PTA, volunteer activities, and family councils.

Offer families evidence-based practices (EBPs). Tell families how important and beneficial it is to use EBPs with their children, and ask family members if they'd like you to share these practices with them. Explain that consistently using the same strategies at home and school can help their children learn faster and apply their new skills in environments where they are needed. (Be careful not to pressure families to use EBPs.)

Help families find high-quality resources. Some of the resources that families find on their own may not reflect best practices. Make a list of legitimate websites and other trusted resources that present EBPs, so you can easily share reliable information with families. Directing them to online learning modules, for example, can save families the cost, time, and travel associated with face-to-face training.

Point families to support groups. Use the internet to find professional organizations (e.g., The Arc, Autism Society, Down Syndrome Society, TASH) that offer support groups for families. Are support groups affiliated with these organizations offered in your community? Is support offered online (e.g., through discussion groups)? Create a list of valid support group networks to share with families and help them benefit from these valuable connections.

Think beyond parents. Remember that many families consist of more than the child's parents. When you're developing family partnerships, make an effort to include siblings, extended family members, and other caregivers who wish to be involved. (This gives you some starter suggestions for involving siblings.)

Respect each family's culture. There are complex issues at play in the lives of each of your students. Recognize that each family is unique, even within a specific culture. Instead of making generalizations and assumptions, use data on each individual family to guide you in your work. Respect the position of families who cannot or choose not to be involved in their child's school.

Set an example. Lead by example in your school-model positive ways of speaking with and interacting with families, so that other teachers and staff members will follow suit.

In this empowering professional development resource, Belva Collins shows special educators how they can pursue eight different paths to leadership so they can make a powerful difference in schools, communities, and the lives of their students. Explore the description, reviews, and table of contents for Eight Paths to Leadership !

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12 Ways to Support Families of Students with Disabilities - Brookes Blog

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Families are the ones who know your students best-their strengths and needs, their likes and dislikes, their hopes and dreams. And the more effectively you work with and support the fami­lies of your students, the more your students will benefit. It's important to form powerful partnerships with all families, but today's post focuses on building [...]

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This website provides a variety of behaviors and how teachers can support children with those behaviors, including children who have a lack of social skills.

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PBIS World | A Complete Tier 1 Through Tier 3 Positive Behavior Interventions & Supports System

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PBIS World is in no way affiliated, associated, or connected with any other website, entity, organization, or federal, state, local, or other government agency, department, program, policy, organization, or initiative.

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This website provides information about strategies for crafting instruction, classroom management, and technology. It also includes a podcast as another way to present this information, which includes experiences from educators, students, administrators, and parents to highlight various perspectives.

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Source 2: Instructional Strategies List for Teachers

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Source 2: Instructional Strategies List for Teachers

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This website provides a wide variety of strategies for teachers to use in their instruction to help them differentiate it and experiment with what works best for that teacher and group of students.

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Instructional Strategies List | Helping teachers to reach students since 2012

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A BIG List of Instructional Strategies for Teachers I've decided to create an instructional strategies list for teachers. There are plenty of teaching textbooks meant to provide instructional strategies for teachers. There are also huge lists of definitions available. This site strives to be more. I am updating this page...

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Source 3: Strategy Instruction: What You Need to Know

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Source 3: Strategy Instruction: What You Need to Know

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This website provides an overview about strategy instruction and how it benefits both students and educators.

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Strategy instruction is a teaching practice that shows students how to learn the content or skills they need to acquire. It provides students with clear strategies (such as note-taking or thinking aloud) to help them process, remember, and express the information they learn.

Think back to the last time you made a checklist for yourself, took organized notes during a meeting, or made up a mnemonic to memorize important information. Whether you knew it or not, you were using cognitive and metacognitive strategies. Those same strategies can help students become independent learners.

Strategy instruction is all about teaching students how to learn. They need strategies that help them acquire information (like how to ask questions), remember information (like note-taking ), and express information (like creating an outline).

In other words, you teach students the what of your content-area curriculum - math facts, grammar rules, and so on. Strategy instruction is how students learn, remember, and use that information. These are strategies that students can use throughout their lives.

Of course, students don't just magically acquire these strategies. They must be explicitly taught. You can do this by explaining the strategy, modeling the steps in the correct sequence, and then allowing students to practice. This kind of explicit instruction is especially important for students who learn and think differently. But it can also help all students be effective, flexible, self-reflective learners.

Strategy instruction is a powerful, lifelong tool that boosts students' cognitive and metacognitive abilities. It also boosts their confidence as learners. Here are some reasons why you might want to try it in your classroom.

It can help English language learners (ELLs) learn content. English language learners face the challenge of learning content and language at the same time. Strategic instruction can help them access, organize, and synthesize new information, freeing up space in the brain to learn content in the new language.

Strategy instruction can help students learn important social-emotional skills. Just as you can teach content-area strategies, you can also teach social strategies such as listening and interpreting nonverbal signals .

There are two main types of strategies you can teach students: cognitive and metacognitive. Cognitive strategies are the tools students can use to acquire, remember, and express information, such as note-taking , mnemonics, or using a checklist. Metacognitive strategies are tools students can use to "think about their thinking," or understand the way they learn. These tools can vary from self-assessments to self-regulation techniques.

Students use cognitive strategies to reach a learning outcome, such as solving an addition problem. They use metacognitive strategies to determine how to approach a learning goal, if they were successful in reaching it, and what they did to make that happen. Students typically use metacognitive strategies before or after a cognitive strategy.

What it is
Helps students reach a learning outcome (like solving a math problem)

Helps students to think about their thinking

Examples

Organization, like teaching students how to use an academic planner

Note-taking and study skills, like creating outlines and making drawings of the content

Advanced thinking, like organizing information sequentially or finding the cause and effect

SEL skills, like the active listening strategy called SLANT

Self-assessments, like reflecting on what they've learned

Self-instruction, like thinking aloud or modeling a process

Self-monitoring, like using a rubric to self-access whether they have completed all the expectations of the assignment

Strategies in the content areas

Reading: Determining the main idea and supporting details

Writing: Developing and organizing an outline in response to a prompt

Math: Using tools like a fraction number line

Science: Using a mnemonic to remember the order of the planets

Reading: Self-monitoring by asking, "Did I understand what I just read?"

Writing: Self-editing using a checklist

Math: Thinking aloud while doing a math problem with a peer

Science: Self-reflecting on what they learned during a lab and what is still unclear

Using strategy instruction in your classroom requires some planning. Whether you're focused on helping your students use cognitive strategies, metacognitive strategies, or both, there are five main components to putting them into practice.

3. Explicitly and sequentially model the strategy. Introduce the strategy to students and briefly describe its specific steps. Explain why it can help them so that they're motivated to learn the strategy. Then, model each step using explicit instruction .

As you model, name, and explain each step, do a think-aloud of what's going through your mind. For students who learn and think differently, it's helpful to break the strategy into parts and practice each part separately. This reduces the likelihood of overwhelming students.

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) note: Model the strategy using multiple forms of representation, like creating a visual to go along with your think-aloud. Make sure to also invite students to express their understanding of the strategy in varied ways, like doing a call-and-response chant, creating a song, or drawing their own visual.

For instance, you might extend your mnemonics strategy to science and ask students to come up with their own sentence to memorize the order of the planets. As they practice, provide quick feedback that is specific, positive, and corrective to help students become fluent with the strategy. You can also ask students to reflect on and assess their use of the strategy.

5. Support the strategy. Teaching the strategy once won't be enough for some students. Plan to reteach, remodel, and remind students about the steps involved in the strategy. Continue to give corrective feedback. At this point, you might also talk about ways to use the strategy in other subject areas or in general life tasks.

Actively encourage students to use the strategies for various activities and assignments. That way, you'll help them transfer the strategy in different learning and life situations.

Watch this video of a student using a self-monitoring strategy he learned. Think about these guiding questions as you watch:

What tool is he using to self-monitor?

What do you notice about the tool?

What steps do you think his teacher took to explicitly teach this strategy?

There are many ways families can support strategy instruction at home - even if they don't use the technical term "strategy instruction." You can suggest different ideas at parent-teacher conferences or by email or phone call.

Create a homework editing checklist for their child to reference. For example, you can send home a COPS checklist ( Capitalize, Organize, Punctuate, S pellcheck) to remind students to review their finished homework.

Use dinner conversations to ask them about what they're learning, what's going well, what's more difficult, what strategies help them with their learning, and what they do when they get stuck. These kinds of conversations help children think about their thinking.

Post reminders of important mnemonics or acronyms in the place where they do their homework.

Help their child set up organizational routines, like using a backpack checklist to make sure they have everything they need for school.

Students need to manage their learning more than ever during distance learning. Strategy instruction can help students navigate this new learning environment. Work with families to help students develop strategies for how to:

Keep track of log-in information for platforms and apps

Manage schedules and set reminders for classes, group work, and assignments

Reduce distractions at home, if possible

Use brain breaks, physical activity, or fidgets to increase focus

Monitor their learning with checklists, goal trackers, self-questioning, and rubrics

Now that you know the basics of strategy instruction, try it out with your students to help them become more independent learners.

About the Author

About the Author

Kyle Redford, MA has been an educator for more than 30 years. She writes extensively about teaching and learning.

Reviewed by

Reviewed by

Donald Deshler, PhD is a professor in the school of education. He is the former director of the University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning (KUCRL).

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Strategy instruction: What you need to know

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Strategy instruction is a teaching practice that shows students how to learn the content or skills they need to acquire. It provides students with clear strategies (such as note-taking or thinking aloud) to help them process, remember, and express the information they learn.

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Source 4: SIM - Strategic Instruction Model

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Source 4: SIM - Strategic Instruction Model

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This website discusses the Strategic Instruction Model, its components, examples of it in action, and various learning strategies for teachers to use.

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SIM Strategic Instruction Model @ Lake Olympia Middle School

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Source 5: Strategically Instructing Students with Learning Disabilities​​ in a Personalized Learning Classroom

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Source 5: Strategically Instructing Students with Learning Disabilities​​ in a Personalized Learning Classroom

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This website provides an answer on how to strategically instruct students with learning disabilities in the classroom, with UDL being one of the ways to include everyone.

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Resources & Guidance from The Learning Accelerator

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We use technology from the Learning Commons to track anonymous visitor behavior on our website to ensure you have a great experience. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Opt In/Out.

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How do I strategically instruct students with learning disabilities​​...

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How do you ensure that your instruction is supporting your students with learning disabilities effectively? Have you looked at ways to crosswalk students' IEPs with your current Learner Plans, engaged educators to collaborate around strategic supports, and/or explored how Universal Design for...

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Source 6: The Strategic Instruction Model (SIM) - Addressing the Needs of All Learners

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Source 6: The Strategic Instruction Model (SIM) - Addressing the Needs of All Learners

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This website also discusses the Strategic Instruction Model and gives various strategies using the SIM framework in writing, reading, studying, performance, math, SEL, social skills, and teaming techniques.

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SIM encompasses more than 30 specific Learning Strategies that can help students overcome specific learning difficulties that impede literacy, from identifying words in text to completing assignments on time to writing complete essays.

Students use SIM Learning Strategies--an approach to learning and using information--to help them understand information and solve problems. Students who do not know or use good learning strategies often learn passively and ultimately fail in school. SIM Learning Strategy instruction focuses on making students active learners.
Writing
SIM writing strategies help students express themselves. These strategies help students write sentences, paragraphs, and themes and monitor their work for errors.
Reading
One line of SIM Learning Strategies concentrates on helping students improve their reading abilities. It includes strategies for learning how to paraphrase critical information, picture information to promote understanding and remembering, ask questions and make predictions about text information, and identify unknown words in text.
Studying
These Learning Strategies help students study information once they acquire it. They include strategies for developing mnemonics and other devices to aid memorization of facts as well as strategies for learning new vocabulary. These strategies help prepare students for tests.
Performance
SIM Learning Strategies related to performance help students complete daily assignments as well as confidently approach and take tests.
Math
The SIM math strategies cover everything from addition to division. They use a concrete-representational-abstract method of instruction to help students master math.
Social and Emotional Learning
SIM includes several series that help students participate effectively in class, work together in teams, organize their desks or lockers, and interact with each other.

Students use SIM Learning Strategies--an approach to learning and using information--to help them understand information and solve problems. Students who do not know or use good learning strategies often learn passively and ultimately fail in school. SIM Learning Strategy instruction focuses on making students active learners.
Writing
SIM writing strategies help students express themselves. These strategies help students write sentences, paragraphs, and themes and monitor their work for errors.
Reading
One line of SIM Learning Strategies concentrates on helping students improve their reading abilities. It includes strategies for learning how to paraphrase critical information, picture information to promote understanding and remembering, ask questions and make predictions about text information, and identify unknown words in text.
Studying
These Learning Strategies help students study information once they acquire it. They include strategies for developing mnemonics and other devices to aid memorization of facts as well as strategies for learning new vocabulary. These strategies help prepare students for tests.
Performance
SIM Learning Strategies related to performance help students complete daily assignments as well as confidently approach and take tests.
Math
The SIM math strategies cover everything from addition to division. They use a concrete-representational-abstract method of instruction to help students master math.
Social and Emotional Learning
SIM includes several series that help students participate effectively in class, work together in teams, organize their desks or lockers, and interact with each other.

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SIM encompasses more than 30 specific Learning Strategies that can help students overcome specific learning difficulties that impede literacy, from identifying words in text to completing assignments on time to writing complete essays.

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This website is an inclusion resource for general education teachers and the best strategies for them to use in their classrooms.

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This site is an inclusion resource for us by general education teachers. A general education teacher could find information on the following:

A description of the disability areas

Appropriate modifications and accommodations for disability categories

Components of an IEP pertinent to a general education teacher

Descriptions of different inclusion strategies usable by a general education teacher

Descriptions of different behavioral strategies to support students in the general education classroom.

Collaboration techniques for working with special education teachers and other IEP members.

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This site is an inclusion resource for us by general education teachers. A general education teacher could find information on the following: A description of the disability areas Appropriate modifications and accommodations for disability categories Components of an IEP pertinent to a general education teacher Descriptions of different inclusion strategies usable by a general education teacher Descriptions of different behavioral strategies to support students in the general education classroom.

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This website provides resources and information about being inclusive with articles and how schools can celebrate the Annual Inclusive Schools Week during the first week of December.

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The Inclusive Schools Network, sponsored by Stetson & Associates, Inc., is a web-based educational resource for families, schools, and communities, providing information and resources that facilitate inclusive education practices.

We support schools around the globe by sharing tools and strategies to increase opportunities for students with disabilities and build knowledge of inclusive education.

Join us each year to celebrate Inclusive Schools Week™ and recognize the accomplishments of schools and communities in ensuring equity and access for all students.

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Inclusive Schools Network | Supporting Inclusive Education

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We support schools worldwide with tools and strategies to increase opportunities for students with disabilities and expand awareness of inclusive education.

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Ollibean: Cross-Disability Connections & Resources for an Inclusive World

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This website serves as an inclusion resource for parents, teachers, families, and advocates with blogs, resources, change leaders, and real-life experiences from people with disabilities.

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Ollibean: cross-disability connections & resources for an inclusive world.

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Ollibean is a dynamic community of parents, families and advocates working together for a more socially just, accessible and inclusive world.

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This podcast helps to foster a shared understanding about inclusive education and what exactly inclusion looks like in the real world.

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This website emphasizes the importance of inclusion, how it benefits everyone, various training opportunities for professionals, various real-life stories, and inclusion resources.

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National Inclusion Project Because no child should have to sit on the sidelines Our Story Donate 1/4 We work to make the inclusion of children with disabilities the EXPECTATION, not the exception. All too often, children with disabilities and their families find their recreational and social options extremely limited or segregated to special programming.

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Source 6: Inclusive Education Project Podcast

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Source 6: Inclusive Education Project Podcast

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This podcast is about the importance of education because of how it helps to build an inclusive society and advocating for giving students an equal opportunity for success and how it can become possible.

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The programs at Best Buddies International empower those with special abilities to develop meaningful friendships with their peers, secure successful jobs, live independently, improve their public speaking, self-advocacy and communication skills, and to feel valued by society.

Today's guest is Sarah Won, the Director...

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Disability rights is the next frontier in civil rights. We believe education is the key to building an inclusive society and ensuring that all students are given an equal opportunity. The Inclusive Education Project Podcast, hosted by Special Education and Civil Rights attorneys, Amanda Selogie and Vickie Brett, offers a fresh, smart perspective on what it takes to truly make our educational systems and communities inclusive.

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Source 2: 20 Evidence-Based Social Skills Activities and Games for Kids

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Source 2: 20 Evidence-Based Social Skills Activities and Games for Kids

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This website provides twenty activities or games for teachers to do to help teach social skills in the classroom.

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Activities and games for socialization are a great way for your child to learn how to behave around their peers, no matter if he is a toddler, a preschooler, or just started kindergarten. Games can teach skills like taking turns, managing emotions, and reading body language.

Use these evidence-based social skills activities to help your child build positive social behaviors and learn how their actions affect others. With these games, they can become more independent and maintain healthy relationships throughout their lives.

1. Staring Contest

Many children have trouble maintaining eye contact in conversation. A staring contest can help kids make and keep eye contact in a way that allows them to focus on that task, rather than trying to communicate simultaneously.

If your child still feels uncomfortable, you can start smaller. Place a sticker on your forehead for them to look at and then build toward having a conversation.

2. Roll the Ball

It's never too early to start building social skills, and a game of Roll the Ball suits children as young as toddlers. Kids take turns rolling a ball back and forth between them, laying the foundation for other social skills.

Kids learn to carry this skill into taking turns in conversation or joint activities. They also learn self-control by aiming the ball toward their friend and rolling it hard enough to reach them yet with limited force.

3. Virtual Playtime

Sometimes, your child can't have play dates in person, but they can still spend time together over video chat and other online spaces. Video chats help kids make eye contact by looking at their friends on the screen.

Learning to adapt to new situations becomes a valuable trait, whether with social distancing or in their future workplace. Coming up with new ways to spend time together increases problem-solving abilities, which adds to a set of vital social skills.

4. Emotion Charades

Emotion charades involve writing different emotions on strips of paper. Your child picks one out of a hat or bucket. Then, they must try to act out that emotion.

Emotion charades can help children learn to recognize emotions using facial and body cues. You can even adapt social skills activities like this to create a game similar to Pictionary, where children draw the emotions.

By depicting and acting out emotional expressions and reactions in social skills activities, children learn emotion management, which plays an important role in creating positive relationships and communicating feelings.

5. Expression Mimicking Games

When you play this game with your child, you're teaching social skills with expressions. Mimicking your expressions allows your child to understand what certain expressions mean and recognize them when others make them in real conversations.

When kids with social challenges learn to read facial expressions, they become more comfortable in situations involving them.

6. Topic Game

You can play several variations of the topic game, but the most common one involves choosing a topic and naming things that fit into that category using each letter of the alphabet. For example, if you choose animals as the topic, you might come up with:

The topic game teaches kids to stick to one subject and follow directions until they complete the activity. It also helps them make connections and get creative with letters that have fewer options.

7. Step Into Conversation

Step Into Conversation is a card game made for children with autism. The game presents structured social skills activities, like starting a conversation and talking about specific subjects based on cards.

The game helps kids learn how to talk to others appropriately and carry a conversation with perspective and empathy. It teaches good manners and self-control by showing them how to politely enter a conversation, when to talk, and when to listen.

By using socialization games like this one, you give structure to conversations to develop the social skills necessary to handle different situations in their daily life.

8. Improvisational Stories

Many children tell stories even outside of intentional social skills activities. With improvisational stories, you add another challenge that requires them to collaborate and create a narrative without thinking about it beforehand.

For this activity, place cards with pictures or words face down. The child picks three of these cards, and they must include these objects or topics in the story they tell. The game ends when all the cards are gone, or the kids reach the end of their story.

You can use this activity as a multiplayer game where children take turns adding to the story and building on each other's ideas, or one child can tell you their own story.

9. Name Game

With this simple game, kids roll or toss a ball to someone after they call out their name. Social skills activities like this one work well for helping even toddlers learn their peers' names. It shows that they are attentive to others, and it's a step toward getting to know other people.

10. Simon Says

Simon Says builds social skills for kids' self-control, listening, and impulse control as they copy their peers' movements and follow instructions. It also helps keep the attention on the game and rewards good behavior for those who follow the rules throughout the game.

11. Rhythm Games

You can incorporate rhythm games as a social skills activity both at home and in the classroom. These music-making games let your child be creative while following directions and recognizing patterns.

A 2010 study by Kirschner and Tomasello shows that joint music-making helps social behavior. In a game where children must "wake the frogs" with music, the researchers found that kids who followed the rules by making music were more likely to help others who tried waking the frogs with non-musical means.

12. Playing with Characters

These social skills activities involve tapping into your child's natural tendency to play. Using stuffed animals or dolls, you can interact with your child through the toys.

Having conversations through toys teaches kids to recognize behaviors and communicate their feelings. They practice their social skills through the toys in an imaginary, low-risk environment, without worrying about the toys' hurt feelings.

13. Play Pretend

Kids will typically create a scenario in which they pretend to be someone or something else. For example, they might play house and take on the roles of parents, become a doctor, veterinarian, teacher, or cashier. Each of these situations allows them to explore different social skills activities.

As they pretend to parent another child, for instance, they must learn to recognize and respond to emotions, de-escalate situations, and adapt to new situations.

14. Token Stack

You can adapt token stack from board games like checkers to create social skills activities that teach children how to have a considerate conversation. Every time the child speaks and responds appropriately, they add another token to their stack.

They face the challenge of trying to stack their tokens as high as possible while taking turns speaking. This activity makes them focus on having a calm conversation and giving thoughtful responses to questions and statements.

15. Decision-Making Games

Social skills activities like decision-making games come in many forms. By using strategy games or activities as simple as sorting and matching, your child learns persistence, thoughtfulness, and cooperation with others.

These games help kids with indecision, as they ask the child to make a choice, even if it's not right the first time. It demonstrates low-risk consequences and encourages them to try again if they make a mistake.

16. Building Game

When children work together to build something, like a tower using blocks, they must communicate, take turns, and understand each other to bring their creations to life.

Kids will work together to come up with a method to build their items. When they apply it, they learn to try again if the creation falls and celebrate each other's unique abilities when they finish the project successfully.

17. Community Gardening

Community gardening works differently than other social skills activities in that it teaches children to nurture a living thing.

Gardening with others increases social competence by having your child take care of something and learn responsibility, as they cannot neglect their plants. This activity also gets kids outdoors and can help calm them.

18. Team Sports

Children can participate in team sports through their school, on a recreational team, or even play with friends in their backyard. Team sports show kids how to work together toward a common goal and keep their focus on the game.

They also learn to recognize emotions, like when someone gets hurt or scores a goal, and react appropriately when they win or lose.

19. Productive Debate

A productive debate works well for older kids to learn how to manage emotions and work on positive expression, even in challenging situations. They learn how to have difficult conversations calmly, without turning them into an argument or trying to insult the other person.

People who can debate and listen to their opponents develop more of the skills needed to become leaders in the classroom and workplace.

20. Scavenger Hunts

During scavenger hunts, children work together to find objects or get a prize at the end of the activity. By working toward their goal, they learn teamwork, organization, and positive decision-making. They can split up, move as a group, and collaborate to reach the end of the game.

They also get rewarded for cooperating. These activities help them with creative problem-solving abilities by making up clues for other players to solve.

What's Next?

Using evidence-based social skills activities and games helps your child build social skills while doing something they enjoy. You can adapt any of these activities to something that engages your child and allows them to get creative with their socialization.

However, activities and games can only go so far. The Positive Action social skills curriculum is designed to work in tandem with activities like these and more to help your child identify their self-concept and shift this introspection to their social interactions. We feel social skills start within.

Explore our sample lessons for even more ways to encourage your child's social-emotional learning, or contact us to find out how our program can improve your child's social skills and have fun doing it today!

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20 Evidence-Based Social Skills Activities and Games for Kids

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Find out how children can develop healthy social skills such as empathy, emotion management, communication using these 20 evidence-based activities.

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Source 3: Social Skills Games for the Kid-Friendly Classroom

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Source 3: Social Skills Games for the Kid-Friendly Classroom

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This website provides examples of games that help social skills for kids for listening intently, teaching emotions, practicing eye contact, teaching good communication, teaching friendship, and encouraging kindness.

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17 kid-friendly social skills games to use with kids in the classroom to teach communication, friendship, listening, emotions, and kindness!
Social skills games are great for teaching kids important social skills. Games that teach listening, friendship, and even making eye contact are effective options. When you use games to teach social skills, you make learning them a more enjoyable experience.

Looking for social skills games to play with your class? You've come to the right place! Here are some kid-friendly social skills games to teach listening, emotions, kindness, and more.

Social Skills Games for Listening Intently

Listening is a vital social skill that everyone needs to learn. It is an important skill not only for the social benefits but also for educational reasons. Good listeners tend to make friends more easily. It's because they pay attention and their friends know they are valued. Additionally, listening in the classroom helps students learn concepts with less effort.

1. The Telephone Game - You can play this game with small or large groups of kids, making it perfect for the classroom. To play, have kids line up or make a circle. Whisper a sentence to the first person, and have them whisper that exact sentence to the next person in line. This will continue until the sentence gets to the last person. That person will then announce what they heard to the entire group. Kids are always amazed at how the sentence changes! Use this as a lesson to teach kids that listening is important so that the meaning of what they need to know is not lost.

2. Listening Mats - Another great way to practice is to have kids work on listening by following instructions. Listening Mats provide this type of practice in a practical way for the classroom. Kids follow directions as they color and draw on a scene. Kids will have a blast showing off their creative sides, all while practicing an important social skill! Check out the bundle of Listening Mats that includes activities for each month of the school year! Click here to get a free sample!

3. Don't Interrupt Card Game - For the social skills card game, kids play in pairs and take turns reading and answering a question. The other person must pay attention, not interrupt, and respond with a related question after. This game gets kids really practicing good conversation skills! Find this game and more for building friendship skills HERE.

Social Skills Games that Teach Emotions

Kids need to be aware of their emotions and what they mean. Teach them how to recognize emotions - Describe them, what they look like, and why they might feel a certain way. These social skills games provide alternative ways to teach emotions.

1. Emotional Bingo - Kids can begin to recognize emotions and what they mean by playing Emotional Bingo. This social skills game is played exactly like traditional Bingo, with the only difference being that emotions are displayed on the Bingo cards instead of numbers.

2. Emotions Scavenger Hunt - Make a list of emotions that you want kids to spot. Type them as a checklist and print out. Kids then go on an emotions scavenger hunt throughout the school day. They check off the different emotions they see during that time, including the name of the person with that emotion.

3. Emotion Dominoes - This domino game is terrific for teaching emotions. On each domino, you will find an illustration of an emotion. They need to be matched to the real-life photo on a different domino. This social skills game will help kids recognize facial expressions for different emotions.

4. Emoji-tions Card Game - This fun card game teaches kids to identify the emotions represented by different emojis. Kids take turns asking for specific emoji cards in order to make matches. It's a modern Go Fish game! Find it as part of the Emotions unit for K-2.

5. Express Yourself Board Game - This board game is also included in the Emotions unit for K-2. Kids travel around the board while answering questions and acting out scenarios about emotions.

Social Skills Games for Practicing Eye Contact

Eye contact is an important social skill that many kids aren't naturally good at. Kids should learn that during a conversation, whatever they're looking at is perceived to be important. If they're talking to a friend, but staring at their phone, that friend will think that they're not paying attention to them. Because eye contact is so important during social interactions, you can use these games to help kids practice.

1. Eye Pointing Game - You'll want to start playing this social skills game one-on-one or in small groups. To introduce the game, start by selecting two objects to place on the table. Use your eyes to look at one of the objects and see if someone can guess which object your eyes are "pointing" to. Discuss with kids how our eyes communicate information. As kids become familiar with this game, expand it by looking at a more detailed space.

2. Look in My Eyes Train Engineer - This social skills game is available to download on an iOS device. With Look in My Eyes Train Engineer, kids practice making eye contact as they play the game. They won't even know that they're learning an important social skill as they explore different train sections.

Teach Good Communication with these Social Skills Games

There are two aspects of communication that kids need to learn: verbal and non-verbal. Verbal communication has to do with the words that you say. Whereas non-verbal communication is how you communicate with your body and your facial expressions. These two social skills games will help kids develop both verbal and non-verbal communication. Precisely, by working in teams to achieve a goal.

1. Charades - Communication isn't just about the words you say. Your body plays a major role in how you communicate. Help kids develop non-verbal communication skills by playing a few rounds of charades. During this game, one person must act out a phrase, using only their body to communicate. They are not allowed to speak. The others on their team must try to guess what that phrase is.

2. Blindfold Obstacle Course - This game is perfect for small groups of kids. Simply set up an obstacle course. One person will be blindfolded while the rest of the group works together to communicate how to get through the obstacle course.

Social Skills Games for Friendship

Teaching friendship skills through social skills games is helpful. With the help of social skills games, they can develop the skills necessary to look at friendships and decide if each one is a positive friendship to have.

1. Friendship Similarities - To play this game, kids take turns announcing a fact about themselves. When someone announces a similar fact, kids in the room jump up and say "Me, too!" if that fact applies to them. They should begin to notice how others are similar to them, helping them connect and develop deeper friendships with those around them.

2. Friendship Jeopardy - This is an online game that kids will love to play. To play Friendship Jeopardy, kids from each team select a category to answer, including such topics as relationships, "fakeships," and manners.

3. Friendship Bingo - Spend some time teaching kids the qualities one looks for in a friend. Define those terms together and then play Friendship Bingo to practice. Descriptions of friendship qualities are read aloud and then those words are found and covered on the Bingo board. It's Bingo with a social skills twist! Find this as part of the Relationship unit for 3-5.

Social Skills Games that Encourage Kindness

Kindness is a social skill that all people (not just kids) should learn. When you teach kindness to kids and embody this trait yourself, you're guiding them to achieve their greatest potential. When teaching kids to be kind, you'll want to help them understand what being kind actually is. Kindness games can help you achieve this goal!

1. Kindness Cards - This social skills game is easy to get started! Simply brainstorm with your students ways to be kind or use the kindness task cards. Inspire ideas such as smiling at someone, giving a hug, or sitting with someone new at lunch. Kids play this game by selecting a task card or idea from the list and completing the task. Encourage them to complete as many tasks as possible each day. Find the Kindness task cards as part of the Kindness unit for K-2 or make your own set with kids.

2. Acts of Kindness Challenge - Read this post that describes how to encourage children to show kindness to each other by using a challenge as a motivator. Kids love a challenge, and it will be almost like a fun game to play over an extended period of time! You can even use the printable calendar included to you keep track.

Teach children in K-2 the most important lessons in life when they need it the most with units and activities on emotions, self-regulation, growth mindset, empathy, and social awareness, friendship, kindness, respect, and responsibility. Click here to learn more!

Want to build a peaceful classroom filled with respectful, confident, and kind kids that can build relationships and communicate effectively? Then this SEL curriculum for 3-5 is for YOU! Click here to learn more!

More Activities that Build Social Skills

Free Week of Morning Meeting

Try social-emotional morning meetings in your classroom with this FREE week-long resource! It includes editable PowerPoint and PDF slides, printable cards, and instructions on how to use. Click the image below to grab a copy.

PIN IT
Emotional Skills Books and Videos for Kids Friendship Activities Emotions for Kids

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Social Skills Games for the Kid-Friendly Classroom - Proud to be Primary

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17 kid-friendly social skills games to use with kids in the classroom to teach communication, friendship, listening, emotions, and kindness! Social skills games are great for teaching kids important social skills. Games that teach listening, friendship, and even making eye contact are effective options.

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Source 4: 9 Social Skills Games: Fun Ways to Approach Social-Emotional Learning

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Source 4: 9 Social Skills Games: Fun Ways to Approach Social-Emotional Learning

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This website includes a variety of fun ways to approach teaching social skills and SEL in the classroom or even for parents to use at home with their children.

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Social Skills Games for Kids and Teens: In this post, we will review nine great games that will help develop social skills at home, at school, or in a therapy setting.

Social skills are those skills we use every day to communicate and interact in society, both verbally and non-verbally.

Children learn about norms and acceptable behaviors through their social interaction with parents, teachers, and, later in life, peers.

Good social skills will help kids successfully interact in social situations, build positive relationships and have a better self-image.

Are you looking for ways to help improve your child's social skills?
Consider social skills games.
(Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. There may also be other affiliate links in this post. You can also read our Disclosure & Disclaimer policy

Social Skills Games for Kids

Games are great tools to help social development.

Around the age of 6 or 7, kids start playing games with rules.

These type of games are a useful addition to their social development as they may require:

Cooperation

Following rules

Competing

Thinking about the other's point of view

Anticipating other people's actions.

In today's post, we will explore several social skills games that provide a safe outlet for kids to improve these much-needed abilities.

I've grouped these social games into the following categories:

Communication Skills Games

Emotional Regulation Games

Social Problem Solving

Participating /Taking Turns

With one exception.

I can't confine this first game in just one category because it is an extremely comprehensive social-emotional learning tool.

A life skills card game for social-emotional learning developed by Harvard Educators.
Topics are sequenced from childhood to adulthood by social and emotional learning competencies and mastery levels.
Social and emotional learning focus on several areas:

Self-awareness (examples of topics covered: recognizing emotions, rewards, creativity, dignity, self-reflection)

Self-management (examples of topics covered: patience, courage, taking risks, self-motivation, attentiveness)

Social awareness (examples of topics covered: expectations, gratitude, empathy, generosity, community)

Relationship skills (examples of topics covered: trust, asking questions, standing up for yourself, handling conflict)

Responsible decision-making

Diversity, equity, and inclusion

Why I like it:

It covers a wide range of topics and lessons that are important for our kids' social-emotional development

Great prompts for meaningful discussions

Simple to use, read the questions and start exciting and deep discussions.

It has been created based on research on social-emotional development

You can check it out on Amazon ⇒ HERE

Communication Skills Games

I've tried to cover a wide age range with two games that help build communication skills:

This game is a fantastic tool to help you dive into deeper conversations with your kids.

It is also a great tool to work in a therapeutic environment with kids with social skills difficulties, as rolling the die and reading the question somehow removes social interaction pressure.

The kit comes with six cubes, full of thought-provoking questions.

Why I like it:

It addresses some essential social skills like:

conversation skills

listening skills

There is a mix of questions, some general ones, and others about feelings

Tips:

Younger kids may find some questions too abstract / you may need to reword them

If you are working with kids with learning disabilities, you may need to read the questions for them.

This social skills game is an excellent tool to develop conversation skills and deepen communication within the family by asking various questions to get to know everyone better.

It covers three types of topics:

Chill: easy and casual topics (music, fashion)

Chat: conversations about current affairs, social media, and past experiences

Challenge: more complex themes, like ethics or personal issues

Why I like it:

It is a great way to start conversations with teenagers.

It facilitates connection through sharing all types of stories (funny stories, secrets, opinions)

It provides a variety of topics, ranging from easy to more in-depth questions

Works well both at home, in the classroom setting and in therapy.

Emotional Regulation Games

This hilariously fun card game empowers kids to take control of their thoughts, feelings, and actions.

It's a straightforward game to play. You pick up three cards and act out the funny situations.

For example:
Card 1: Tell about a time you only looked at the negative of a situation ...
Card 2: ...to an imaginary friend...
Card 3: ... while patting your head

Why I like it:

It allows kids to explore their feelings and action while being "silly," so it takes the pressure off the situation.

Designed by teachers, the Mindfulness Game is an engaging card game that makes mindfulness fun.

Why I like it:

It makes mindfulness fun for kids and teens while it teaches concepts and techniques.

Designed for teachers and therapists (but some parents find them helpful too)

Tip:

This game works better with groups

Some of the activity cards have "losers". For example, you are doing a quiet meditation and need to sit still. The first person to move is the "loser". Some therapists don't like the idea of having a loser. If that is your case, don't add this layer to the game (just cross it out in the card).
Many kids, though, may enjoy the competitive aspect. And since my angle in this post is social skills building, I think it works fine.

This social skill game is excellent for kids six and older. It was designed by the ABCD Model of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help them identify what triggers their emotions, explore their reactions and analyze their beliefs and thought patterns.

Why I like it:

Identifying, labeling, and expressing our emotions (and others') is an essential part of kids' social and emotional development. This game explores five important emotions (anger, sadness, worry, fear, and jealousy) and teaches emotional regulation skills

It's a fun game (similar to UNO) with open-ended questions

Tip:

You can remove cards if you feel it needs to be easier for your kids or the age group you are working with

Calling all superhero fans! We have the best social skills game for you! It is super fun for kids ages 6-14, but it helps kids recognize different strengths among people and develop their coping skills. This is a great game to develop emotional intelligence, and I think that every kid should play it at least once.

Why I like it:

It works on building skills like:

understanding your strengths and others'

dealing with feelings

building coping skills

building communication skills

improving resilience

building confidence

Instead of using it as a game, you can also use it as a guide to discuss important issues for kids social-emotional learning

Superhero theme, we are all superheroes!

Social Problem-Solving Skills Games

Okay, this isn't a game in the traditional sense, but it is too good to be left out of my list.
In this interactive book, you help Danny make the best choices for his day. With nine stories in one, you can try out different scenarios over and over to help you create some interesting conversations in your family.

I've included this book in the social problem-solving category because it deals with making choices, considering your alternatives, and predicting the consequences.

Why I like it:

It helps kids understand how their choices shape their days (and lives) and explore how different choices lead to different consequences

It helps them understand that you can't control other people, but you can control your choices

Empowers kids to make positive choices

It teaches about responsibility and accountability

Would you like to learn more about this book?

Check out this 👇 video. Ganit Levy, co-author of What Should Danny Do, shares a sample reading of her book. You can get your book from HERE.

Participating / Taking Turns

The beauty of the "participating" and "taking turns" skills is that you can practice them with any game you have at home.

But to give you another idea:

Conversation balls are great tools to help kids know about each other. There are several ways to play with them. You usually toss the ball and look under your thumb the question you need to answer.

You can choose one of the questions and toss the ball around so that the kids wait for their turn to answer that question.

Other Social Skills Activities and Resources

Our post about social skills activities for kids will be a useful addition to our social skills game list.

And, don't forget to check out our:
Are you ready to start playing?
♥Pin Me! ♥

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9 Social Skills Games: Fun Ways to Approach Social-Emotional Learning

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Social Skills Games for Kids and Teens: In this post, we will review nine great games that will help develop social skills at home, at school, or in a therapy setting. Social skills are those skills we use every day to communicate and interact in society, both verbally and non-verbally.

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Source 5: 13 Evidence-Based Ways to Teach Social Skills in 2021

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Source 5: 13 Evidence-Based Ways to Teach Social Skills in 2021

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This website gives other ways that teachers can teach social skills in the classroom like having peer mentors, using films and video clips for students to analyze, modeling, creating groups, etc.

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Many students struggle to learn important social skills, like interacting positively with others and starting conversations. The time spent lecturing in schools means that kids don't always have the time to use these skills in the classroom.

A lack of social skills can contribute to poor academic performance, causing problem behaviors in class and dropping grades. We'll show you how to teach social skills just as you teach math, science, and writing using evidence-based SEL techniques.

1. Work with Peer Mentors

Kids develop similar social skills to those around them as they observe others' actions and behaviors. Pairing students with peer mentors of the same age makes learning social skills feel less like a lesson.

You can pair students of the same age and go over which social skill you want to work on that day so that the peer mentor can effectively guide their students toward developing the desired skills.

2. Adopt a Research-Based Program

A research-based program like Positive Action creates a unique curriculum suited to specific grades that helps with teaching social skills in the classroom.

Positive Action focuses on social skills instruction and overall personal development through six units. These lessons don't take much time out of your school day, but they have a significant impact on kids, teachers, and parents.

The Positive Action program promotes a social emotional learning curriculum that encourages responsible decision-making, self-management skills, social behaviors, and following directions. It is designed to guide kids through social encounters and encourage them to make their own decisions, become independent, and improve their overall well-being.

Studies show its effectiveness in schools, citing that Positive Action has helped students raise their grades, interact positively with peer s, and improve overall socialization skills.

3. Model Social Skills with Videos

Video modeling demonstrates social skills and allows students to observe an action before putting it into practice for themselves.

Videos are one of the most effective strategies for teaching social skills in class. You can use different kinds of video modeling, including:

Basic: Students watch a video of people performing certain social behaviors.

Point-of-view modeling: The video plays from the point of view of the learner.

Prompting: The video demonstrates an action and then offers a prompt for an activity.

Self-modeling: Someone records the student doing a social activity so that they can watch themselves.

They and other students then point out what the student did well and how they can improve.

4. Use Film and Video Clips

Apart from video modeling, you can have students give feedback about characters in video clips. Ask them to describe what the character did wrong in a specific situation first. For example:

Were they talking too close to someone and invading personal space?

Did they not make eye contact?

Were they not listening?

When you teach social skills, it's important for students to recognize problem behaviors in others and themselves. Using video clips will boost their awareness of these behaviors.

5. Have Students Create Videos

Try having students create their own videos while they practice social skills. You can use this activity for homework assignments so that kids can use their skills outside the classroom.

Creating videos lets children have fun with learning social skills. They also help each other learn by viewing their videos and offering feedback.

You might try choosing a single social skill to practice, like nonverbal communication. In this case, students create silent films. Ask the rest of the class to guess what happens in the films based on each person's body language and nonverbal cues.

6. Imitate and Model Other Students

Much like with video modeling, kids often use imitation behaviors to learn new social skills. When you ask them to practice these techniques in the classroom, you can create situations where students model body language and other behaviors you want to encourage.

Use prompting while teaching social skills, so children get used to imitating and improving upon their skills. Kids may think they imitate well, but with instruction, find out where they can do better.

7. Construct Social Narratives

During a social narrative, you describe a situation to your students. For example, telling a short story about a student arguing with their teacher and getting in trouble presents a situation that does not demonstrate positive social skills.

With this exercise, children learn empathy when they consider how the person in the situation feels and how they would act differently. This skill allows them to explain why certain behaviors are or are not appropriate. The educator can also describe the best response after kids have thought about it themselves.

8. Create Lunch Groups

Break kids into small groups for lunch or activities. You can use topic boxes to prompt them to talk about specific subjects or use a particular skill.

Lunch groups can help students learn to talk about different subjects and relate to others by learning their interests. It also guides kids toward having appropriate conversations.

9. Form Structured Social Situations

In structured social situations, you teach a social skill to students before putting it into practice. You might have kids learn something on their own, in a one-on-one environment, before they go into a classroom to use their new socialization skills with others.

Structured social situations involve defining a behavior and the expectations that come with it first. For example, if a student has trouble standing too close to someone while talking, you might go over respecting personal space and have them practice it after.

10. Encourage Communication with Joint Action Routines

Joint action routines create predictable routines for skills that kids can repeat. You show them a skill and then have them repeat it to practice.

Joint action routines minimize distraction and confusion when you teach one skill at a time. They show students exactly what to do in social situations to form habits and become independent as they get comfortable with the behavior.

11. Create a Classroom Management Plan

A classroom management plan helps children develop a routine and meet expectations. It also helps with problem-solving, as kids learn that they must complete a certain task with or without help, as well as how to ask for help politely.

Children develop an understanding of a behavior through repeated situations. They learn how they can improve and behave in different classroom environments based on their assigned tasks.

12. Encourage Teamwork

Activities, such as cooperative games or decision-making tasks, particularly those that don't just encourage but require teamwork for success, lead children to get to know one another, work together, and learn the fine intricacies of forging friendships and presenting well-reasoned debates to have their voices heard.

Avoid creating long-term teams to keep students continually interacting with new groups and practicing new social skills as different personalities collide!

13. Social Role-Play Activities

Social role-play activities allow students to use their new skills creatively. Give your class a scenario and ask them to come up with a short skit to act out in front of their peers.

You can make the scene specific to a single social skill, and other students will give feedback after the actors finish their demonstration. Kids come up with their own scripts, which allows them to think about the actions that do and don't work.

Conclusion

When you use evidence-based methods to teach social skills, you help students learn new social techniques more quickly and effectively. Use a combination of these practices to determine how your students respond best and see which ones they enjoy.

Positive Action can help with SEL in any learning environment.

Contact us to schedule a webinar and talk about how our program can benefit your classroom.

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13 Evidence-Based Ways to Teach Social Skills in 2023

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Many students struggle to learn important social skills, like interacting positively with others and starting conversations. The time spent lecturing in schools means that kids don't always have the time to use these skills in the classroom.

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Source 6: Whimsy Workshop Teaching: Teaching Social Skills

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Source 6: Whimsy Workshop Teaching: Teaching Social Skills

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This website gives reasons why social skills need to be taught in the classroom, what teaching them will allow teachers to do, and some details about various programs teachers could use.

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CHOOSING A PROGRAM

There are several programs to choose from. Take a look at the details for each program below to ensure you have the right materials for your students. Programs outlined below include:

1. Social Skills Monsters: Includes 16 printable monster books, each with five lessons or activities to reinforce social skills. All materials included!

2. Kindness Classroom Curriculum: A full year curriculum with 100's of lessons and templates. Includes 8 units, 8 printable storybooks, partner plays, journals, art, and more!

3. Social Stories Collection: 33 simple social story books, with a week of activities to use with each story. These are simple and direct stories for use with younger children.

4. 200 SEL Paperless Morning Meetings: These lessons are meant to guide your morning meetings and start the day off right! 5 prompts for each week, with printable options!

5. SEL Poems and Songs: A big collection of poems, chants and songs to reinforce social skills and daily routines for little ones. Lots of printable activities.

DETAILS FOR EACH PROGRAM

Below you will find each of the five SEL programs listed in more depth so you can compare and decide which works the best for your needs. Click on any of the links to see the full length previews and purchase information.

1. Social Skills Monsters SEL Program

This fun program is perfect for primary grades! Students fall in love with the silly monsters and their struggles to choose appropriate social behaviour.

As you can see in the picture below, each of the 16 books focuses on an essential social skill with a full color printable book (approx 12 pages) for your class library.

Each book is supported by five lessons or activities to reinforce concepts through the week. Everything is included and planned out for you!
Click HERE to see a more extensive preview and information on how to download a free story!

This is a sample page from the How Monsters Have Manners storybook.

2. Kindness Classroom SEL Curriculum

Giving your students a strong foundation in social skills, coping skills, and character development is a gift that lasts far into the future! It also creates a classroom atmosphere of calm and peace that makes it much easier to teach and learn. That's what the Kindness Classroom is all about!

KINDNESS CLASSROOM Social Skills CURRICULUM

The Kindness Classroom is a comprehensive Social/Emotional Learning curriculum for the ENTIRE YEAR (40 lessons - 200+ activities).

♦ The easy to follow, organized VISUAL lesson plans layout will walk you through each lesson topic making it very easy to implement.

♦ This collection of 200+ engaging, community-building activities give students the exposure and practice ESSENTIAL social skills needed to create a successful classroom environment.

♦ These are in-depth, detailed lessons with TEACHER SCRIPTS included to guide your teaching if needed, and save teacher time. All materials are printable and have black and white options to save ink.

♦ The goal of this program is to assist teachers in teaching children to learn to manage themselves and their emotions, create positive and empathetic peer relationships, and become responsible citizens.
The Kindness Classroom teaches children to:
→ Make responsible and ethical decisions by analyzing and reflecting on problems or situation the encounter daily.

→ Build healthy relationships with peers by learning to communicate clearly and resolve conflicts. This also involves understanding social cues and cooperating with other.

→ Self-regulate their impulses, emotions and reactions to daily events and interactions.

→ Be self-aware in in identifying their own emotions, talents, and mindset. This includes learning about Growth Mindset concepts.

→ Be socially aware and empathetic towards others and appreciate diversity and differing opinions.

The activities are research based and classroom-tested to explore the SEL concepts for primary aged children.

It includes HUNDREDS of activities that are ready to print with many options to choose from.

Take a look at some examples below, or click on any image to see a more extensive preview.

3. SOCIAL STORIES CURRICULUM

This collection of 33 units includes simple, direct teaching of the most essential social skills and behaviour expectations for the primary classroom. Each of the units focuses on one topic, reinforced by a full week of lessons: a 6-page printable social story, posters, mini-books, writing tasks, reminder watches, partner plays, printing and tracing tasks, journal writing, and more!

Click any picture to see more about the program!
4. SOCIAL SKILLS PAPERLESS DAILY MEETINGS

This is a collection of prompts to discuss over 200 different topics with your class. A new question each day for a morning meeting, or even as a journal prompt.

All of the pages can be projected for students to write and share ideas on the white board, or they can be printed for students to write on.

The lessons are arranged into ten units, with one lesson for each day of the week. All of the work is done for you!

Click HERE to see more information about Social Skills Morning Meetings!

Click HERE to see it, and grab a free week of sample pages! You can read more about this program and ideas for classroom use by clicking HERE.
5. Teach Social Skills With Poetry

Poems and songs are the perfect way to teach social skills! This collection features 20+ different songs and chants to reinforce expectations in the primary classroom.

There are full color posters for each song that you can display, plus a whole pack of early literacy resources to reinforce the concepts. Just pick and choose your favorite activities for at least a week's worth of reading and writing for each poem! See the pictures below for an idea of the activities for each poem.

You can see all the picture preview and grab a free bonus pack by clicking HERE or HERE:

SOCIAL SKILLS PICTURE PROMPTS

Use these paperless picture prompts to discuss social skills, emotions in facial expressions and body language, and common emotions relating to familiar situations in the classroom. These templates are editable and can also be printed out! Questions are embedded to guide your class discussion, and the templates are differentiated and editable. Click HERE to see the preview pictures.

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Teaching Social Skills - Whimsy Workshop Teaching

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There are several programs to choose from. Take a look at the details for each program below to ensure you have the right materials for your students. Programs outlined below include: Social Skills Monsters: Includes 16 printable monster books, each with five lessons or activities to reinforce social skills.