9/4/07 Class

* PB wiki - easy to have kids work on documents online.
- Wiki is like an authentic audience and can monitor online. - In terms of students working
together.
*Today - joined a list serve, PBwiki, and created a blog.
- Neat factors about wikis - parents can add to a support group, students can work on projects
together.
* Why technology is important for students with disabilities: (Universal Design Classroom)
- Technology allows people to see what they can do not what they can't do.
- How do you structure student learning so that it allows students to structure learning in
their own way.
- What does it mean? To design a classroom that is accessible for all learners.
* CAST - (cast.org)reduce the barriers to provide universal design. - You want to make sure
that whatever you design, students can participate and do the best of their abilities.
**** When aiming to teach universal design, follow through with teaching universal design.
Be careful with universal design - yes you need to do it but it needs to be multi-modality.
PDF - If you're going to have scanned text, you're going to have to scan it as a text, not as a photo so that it will be read aloud.
- Word: Can set up Word documents so that it will read documents to a person.
*** Assistive technology is not just computers. There are low-tech./no-tech. assistive tech.
supports.
*** STAGES - software solutions for special needs (another great resource for assistive tech.)



Reflection:
I'm excited about using CAST and accessing the ULD solutions finder. Support lists for hi-tech and low tech. supports is an excellent resource that I can't wait to access. Currently at my school, we do not have access to the internet but should be gaining access within the next few months. Low-tech/No-tech supports will be really useful in my classroom, I am always looking for new ways to develop universally designed lessons since I am required to teach toward grade level standards. I am constantly looking for ideas and ways to modify curriculum to successfully meet all of my students's needs.
At the end of class, I feel overwhelmed with all of the information that was given to us today. Taking notes will take some time - trying to type accurately while taking copious notes concurrently was a little slow today. Practice makes perfect!
I learned soo much today in regards to all of the technology that is at our finger tips that I can't wait to go home and explore all of the resources that we were introduced to today.