https://padlet.com/kellyaroth/UDL Software and Apps that facilitate the utilization of UDL en-us 2018-07-26 23:59:17 UTC 2025-12-09 20:45:18 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet-uploads.storage.googleapis.com/302281988/38248fdb94bab9e188f993efbbace1dd/Post_14.jpg kellyaroth https://padlet.com/kellyaroth/UDL/wish/271242136 Use: 
Writing is a source of frustration for many children with disabilities. 
Storyboardthat.com will help make the process fun and engaging!  Storyboardthat.com challenges children to create stories by providing sparks of inspiration through pictures, design ideas and through prior knowledge which can be accessed and utilized in their stories.  
  

Representation: 
Checkpoint 1.3
Offer alternatives for visual information.  Teachers can add stories of their own creation for the children to read and then add their own panels to finish the story.  

Checkpoint 2.5.  Illustrate through multiple media. Children can create a story using pictures and adding text which allows them to articulate their story using a method that can inspire ideas.

Checkpoint 3.1  Activate or supply background knowledge.  Children will be able to draw on their background knowledge and integrate it into their new stories.

Action & Expression
Checkpoint 5.2.  Use multiple tools for construction and composition.  This online tool is easy to use and effective for most children.  Children can compose an online story as opposed to traditional pencil and paper methods. ]]> 2018-07-27 00:22:19 UTC https://padlet.com/kellyaroth/UDL/wish/271242136 kellyaroth https://padlet.com/kellyaroth/UDL/wish/271246135 Use: 
Starfall is a computer software that teaches early reading skills.  This site also has ASL signs to pair with sounds and letters to teach beginning sign language.  Teachers can use it to engage children in learning through what may be deemed as play.  The children will learn to navigate the program while learning phonics skills and progressing in early reading readiness activities.  

Engagement: 
Checkpoint 7.1 
Optimize individual choice and autonomy.  Students may choose the content area in which they wish to work and have choices in reading titles.  Children who are non verbal can use the ASL to shore up their ability to sign what they need rather than using gestures.  

Checkpoint 8.2 
Vary demands and resources to optimize challenge. Starfall is inherently designed for children learning on different levels from beginner to a more advanced early reader. 

Representation:
Checkpoint 1.3 
Offer alternatives for visual information.  While traditional letter walls and centers are employed, some children will be better served in an alternate visual and audio combination of this program. 

Action and Expression: 
Checkpoint 5.3
 Build fluencies with graduated levels of support for practice and performance.  Starfall begins with basic phonics, letters and their sounds.  It, then, graduates students on to various levels of reading readiness as they advance in the program. 

Checkpoint 6.4
Enhance capacity for monitoring progress.  Starfall is aligned with each states standards so teacher may easily monitor successes and areas of concern for the student.  

 

]]> 2018-07-27 01:04:56 UTC https://padlet.com/kellyaroth/UDL/wish/271246135 kellyaroth https://padlet.com/kellyaroth/UDL/wish/271386167
Use: 
Alphabet Zoo is a tool for helping young readers recognize letter sounds. Using text and pictures of animals, kids can build their reading skills while having fun.
The app is simple to use and has an update that now allows the menu to be hidden from the child so they can stay focused and not skip from screen to screen.  

Engagement: 
Checkpoint 7.3
 Minimize threats and distractions.
Students will be on an ipad with headphones which will allow them to focus and not be easily distracted by other children working nearby.  

Representation: 
Checkpoint 1.2 & 1.3
 Offer alternatives for auditory information (1.2)
Offer alternatives for visual information (1.3) 
Alphabet Zoo is both visually impactful and an auditory support for children struggling with early literacy skills and phonics. 

Action & Expression 
Checkpoint 5.3
 Build fluencies with graduated levels of support for practice and performance. 
This app supports letter and sound recognition which then levels up to basic phonics supporting basic word formation, reading and spelling. 

]]> 2018-07-29 22:41:50 UTC https://padlet.com/kellyaroth/UDL/wish/271386167 kellyaroth https://padlet.com/kellyaroth/UDL/wish/271389080 Use: 
ClassDojo is a tool that can be accessed via their website and various devices.  Teachers, parents and students interact with each other via this program to create a positive classroom environment.  Students can pick their avatar and follow their successes in their behavior in the classroom.  Teachers can assess how the children interact with each other, cooperate, stay on task and participation.  Parents receive updates on how their child is not only behaving socially but also how they interact with other students in group work and independently.  

ClassDojo is a virtual classroom that is interactive in the real world classroom.  Student can see their feedback, beit positive or negative, in the program in real time.  They can use this feedback to analyze their behavior and adjust if needed. ClassDojo can be used to display step by step instructions for those needing extra supports.  Class Dojo fosters a positive classroom environment where students are encouraged to collaborate, self-regulate and  stay on task.  
ClassDojo is also a fantastic tool to record notes about the child's progress, send home parent letters, reminders and positive notes. 

Engagement:
Checkpoint 7.3
 Minimize threats and distractions.
Children who are engaged and motivated are less likely to cause distractions in the classroom.  The timers used also help create a pattern of a schedule that fosters a sense of stability and routine. 

Checkpoint 8.3 
 Foster collaboration and community.  With the ability to give positive incentives for working in small groups together, the children are able to see the advantages of working together in groups of all sizes, including simple Think-Pair-Share.  

Checkpoint 8.4
 Increase mastery-oriented feedback.  Students receive immediate feedback on their behavior which helps them self-regulate.  Teachers can provide constructive feedback that allows the student to refocus their efforts in a more productive way.  

Checkpoint 9.1
 Promote expectations and beliefs that optimize motivation. The positive points and reinforcement of positive collaboration motivates most students to work together with positive behaviors. 

Representation:
Checkpoint 1.1
 Offer ways of customizing the display of information.  ClassDojo is all about customizing the display of information.  From the picking of their avatar to the display of step by step directions, ClassDojo let the teacher, students and parents tailor their interactions and behavioral comments in their own words and on their own terms. 

Action & Expression
Checkpoint 6.1
Guide appropriate goal-setting.
For Pre-K, we have goals for letter recognition, sounds, rhyming and so on.  Teachers can use the trackers on ClassDojo to set rewards for goals achieved and also for those struggling.   

Checkpoint 6.2 
Support planning and strategy development.  
By monitoring behavior progression and goals achieved, teachers can individualize the goals for both high achieving students and ]]> 2018-07-29 23:26:54 UTC https://padlet.com/kellyaroth/UDL/wish/271389080 kellyaroth https://padlet.com/kellyaroth/UDL/wish/271408835 Use: 
ABC Mouse is an early literacy tool in which students can earn points by completing educational tasks.  These points allow the students to "buy" items for their avatar.  This is a positive reinforcement that gives an incentive to stay focused and on task which is an issue for Pre-K kids on educational sites.  Teachers monitor students progress and can determine small group focus using the data gathered. Students are able to interact with the early literacy foundations of letters, sounds, book reading, multiple means of engagement using puzzles, art, music and games to learn letters, sounds, sight words and more. 

Engagement:
Checkpoint 8.4
 Increase mastery-oriented feedback. ABCmouse.com allows the teacher and the parent access to constant data so they may monitor the progress and deficient  areas of the student.  Thus, the teacher can focus attention on the areas the student is struggling with  and increase the challenge on the areas where they are successfully mastering concepts.  

Checkpoint 9.1
Promote expectations and beliefs that optimize motivation.  Similar to ClassDojo,  ABCmouse offers incentives for the student.  However, instead of rewarding behaviors, ABCmouse rewards the academic  journey that the student takes in the program.  As they advance by completing games on their path, the children earn tickets to redeem for incentive items like pets and clothes for their avatar.  

Representation:
Checkpoint 3.3
 Guide information processing and visualization.
Students have multiple means of visualizing and interacting with the letters, sound, phonics using games, songs, videos, interactive books that can be read or listened to, puzzles, etcetera.  

Action & Expression
Checkpoint 4.2
Optimize access to tools and assistive technologies.
Students with disabilities can use this program as an AT  and, if needed, the use of special keyboards or mice.  ]]> 2018-07-30 02:49:51 UTC https://padlet.com/kellyaroth/UDL/wish/271408835 kellyaroth https://padlet.com/kellyaroth/UDL/wish/271424229
Use: 
Choiceworks is a program which allows learn about three life skills: schedules and task completion, waiting, and dealing with emotions. Students address these topics through simple topical ebooks and “boards,” which show a list of things that should happen during various routines. When the student completes a task, they move the correct icon to the board's All Dne column. Finally, kids see what incentive they have achieved for completing tasks. The waiting board has a timer and suggestions for activities to do while waiting and the feelings board offers positive responses to negative feelings. Teachers are advised to address these feeling boards when the child is calm and not in crisis. The routine boards are individualized for each student. They help special needs students transition from one activity to the next.  All of these boards are customizable using preloaded icons and suggestions or using the child's variations.  This promotes 
self-regulation and give the student strategies for coping with emotional situations.  

Engagement: 
Checkpoint 9.2
Facilitate personal coping skills and strategies.  Choiceworks employs customizable schedules and boards for coping skills tailored to each individual child.  This gives a child a strategy for regulating behavior and coping with unexpected changes in their schedules, especially for students with Autism Spectrum Disorders. 

Checkpoint 9.3
Develop self-assessment and reflection. Checkpoint 9.3  piggybacks on 9.2 in that it takes the strategies established in these boards and implements them. Teachers can monitor how students are reacting to stress and challenges. The student should use what they have learned and be able to use techniques discussed in their personalized board. If they do have an episode or "meltdown", they need to reflect upon the catalyst and how better to handle the situation.  

Action & Expression: 

Checkpoint 6.1
 Guide appropriate goal-setting. 
Teachers and students can use this program to work together to set goals and strategies to implement them. 

Checkpoint 6.2 
Support planning and strategy development.
This program is designed with planning and strategy as its main function.  Teachers and students are collaborators with a joint goal of self-regulation and setting up a structure and schedule to assist in this process. ]]> 2018-07-30 06:18:33 UTC https://padlet.com/kellyaroth/UDL/wish/271424229 kellyaroth https://padlet.com/kellyaroth/UDL/wish/271428985
Use: 
Dexteria is a therapeutic tool, supported by data,  used to  improve fine motor skills for very young children with dyslexia.  
Pre-K students are still developing these same skills and thus this would be a great tool for teachers working with the youngest learners.  Three data supported exercises help students with fine motor skills, letter formation, and finger pinching.  Through these three fun exercises, kids can learn how to pinch and tap on-screen objects and write letters and numbers. Dexteria also allows students to practice following directions and working despite obstacles to help improve skills that may be challenging for them.  

Action & Expression: 
Checkpoint 4.2
 Optimize access to tools and assistive technologies.  Dexteria is made available in our classroom via the ipad app.  While it is designed for children with dyslexia, it is perfect for little hands in my Pre-K class.  Fine motor skills are not developed when 4 year olds join our Pre-K program.  This app can be an AT for all students in my class - not just those with special needs.  

Checkpoint 6.1
Guide appropriate goal-setting.
This program will allow teachers to monitor if the student's fine motor skills are progressing. This information will give the teacher information so goals can be set based on the skill level of the child. ]]> 2018-07-30 07:39:32 UTC https://padlet.com/kellyaroth/UDL/wish/271428985 kellyaroth https://padlet.com/kellyaroth/UDL/wish/271455272 Use: 
IXL is an online mathematics program which allows students and teachers to set goals in areas of weakness and monitor for mastery and form small groups. Teachers receive immediate feedback on the students performance and can adjust their goals accordingly.  The most useful feedback given is reporting of the incorrect answers.  If the teacher can see what answers they are giving then they can discuss the student's thought process and discover the broken link in the chain so the student can be retaught and get back on track. 
IXL can also be used in centers as an alternative to traditional math assignments.  The student has 77 different math activities for Pre-K students ranging from manipulatives for addition and subtraction to size comparison. 

Engagement: 
Checkpoint 7.1
Optimize individual choice and autonomy.  Students can choose the pathway for their own learning.  They are self-guided and can choose by their interest or by what challenges them yet is still able to be mastered.  

Checkpoint 8.2
Vary demands and resources to optimize challenge. This program is especially good for gifted children who often remain unchallenged as teachers focus on those not achieving expectations. IXL allows children to advance to the next level in their studies, even possibly advancing to the next grade level. 

Checkpoint 8.4
Increase mastery orientated feedback. This is arguably the best feature in the program for learning. IXL indicates not only that your choice is incorrect but explains why it is not the correct choice. This immediate feedback allows the student to learn from a mistake in real time which assists the student in seeing mistakes and correcting them before they move on. 

Checkpoint 9.3 
Develop self-assessment and feedback. Building on Checkpoint 8.4, Checkpoint 9.3 will begin teaching the child how to spot errors in their math computations before they are made and assess themselves using the feedback they receive to focus on their weak areas with the goal of increasing their knowledge in those areas. 

Representation:
Checkpoint 1.3
Provide options for visual information. IXL utilizes pictures, audio and various symbols alongside their questions and answers.  If a student is struggling with reading or is too young for that particular skill, they can use these tools to help them navigate the questions.

Action & Expression:
Checkpoint 6.2
Support planning and strategy development. IXL is a great tool in which a teacher and student can set long term goals but focus on smaller short term goals within those parameters in their daily choices within the program. ]]> 2018-07-30 14:59:35 UTC https://padlet.com/kellyaroth/UDL/wish/271455272 kellyaroth https://padlet.com/kellyaroth/UDL/wish/271695728 Use: 
Learn with Rufus: Emotions is a wonderful tool to help children with Autism and Asperger's understand emotions and identify even the more subtle facial expressions and emotions more easily.  Younger children who have not been interacted with on a frequent basis also have need for this skill.  This app has multiple, customizable levels ranging from early beginners to more advanced skill levels.  These levels are supported by data and the feedback given to both student and teacher.  The app has built in positive reinforcement through prizes for achievement to seeing cute Rufus do a happy dance when the student accomplishes a goal.   Teachers will appreciate that multiple children can play the games and each have their own file under their own name.  The program also tracks data and will show up at the end of a game to provide feedback via a graph with the performance of the child.  This information can then be e-mailed to you so it can be added to the child's file for referral in setting new goals and comparison to chart progress. 

Engagement: 
Checkpoint 7.1
Optimize individual choice and autonomy.  Educators and therapists can customize this program in many ways to tailor make a program for the child.  This allows the child to work toward their goals while having the freedom of choice in which activity to participate in.  

 Checkpoint 9.2
Facilitate personal coping skills and strategies. Students will learn to read facial expressions, a task many take for granted, and implement this skill. This is an essential strategy to learn as a life skill for those lacking the ability. Social cues are critical in every aspect of life. Without this ability, it will be difficult to complete school or join the workforce or have meaningful relationships. 

Checkpoint 1.1
 Offer ways of customizing the display of information.  The program has multiple customizations including sensory options for music and visuals that might be overstimulating for certain students. There are option to turn sensory options on and off for the comfort of the child but also functions that are customizable to increase the levels of difficulty of each game based on the child's level of skill.  

Action & Expression
Checkpoint 5.3
 Build fluencies with graduated levels of support for practice and performance.  Rufus guides the child through multiple levels of emotions, how to recognize them
and respond.  The program customizes levels based on applicable areas of improvement guided by the teacher and data provided. 

Checkpoint 6.1
 Guide appropriate goal-setting. 
Data collected from the games indicates to student and teacher where the deficits lie and which goals have been accomplished so they can adjust accordingly.

]]> 2018-08-01 18:31:12 UTC https://padlet.com/kellyaroth/UDL/wish/271695728 kellyaroth https://padlet.com/kellyaroth/UDL/wish/271699597 Use: 
Monkey Spot Scavenger hunt is an app that requires children to interact with the world around them in a non threatening way building social skills and storytelling abilities. The child picks a place on the list which indicates where they are.  They then have a series of challenges at the location or there is an "anywhere" choice that can be done anywhere. For a child struggling with social interaction and/or storytelling and writing, this  program will help them learn to interact with new people.  The way the questions are phrased and designed lends itself to a basic outline for the student to refer back to whe writing a story about there adventure. This is key to children overwhelmed by writing.  They can have the story broken down for them in smaller chucks but they are all related to a central theme so they can easily be tied into a story.

Engagement:
Checkpoint 7.3
 Minimize threats and distractions.  This app is specifically arranged to focus a child when out and about.  Children with Autism and Asperger's are easily overwhelmed and overstimulated but this app gives them a scavenger hunt with challenging but fun tasks which help them interact with society and channel their energy into something positive.  

Checkpoint 9.2
 Facilitate personal coping skills and strategies.  Monkey Spot Scavenger Hunts allows children with social anxiety or Autism explore the world around them in a less threatening way.  So many of these children are on devices to isolate them and help them cope with the outside world.  This is a hybrid alternative because they still interact with a device but in order to play the game they still have to speak with people and engage with the real world.  This is a more academic version of play like the Pokemon Go app.  

Expression & Action:
Checkpoint 6.3
Facilitate managing information and resources.  Monkey Spot gives the child a form to track their scavenger hunt information. This information becomes a basic outline for their story. The app stores the information until needed and becomes a resource for later story writing.

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