Author: Shelley ArdisResource Materials & Technology Center: Deaf/Hard

of Hearing (RMTC), St. Augustine, FL

Date submitted to deafed.net – February 13, 2006To contact the author for permission to use this PowerPoint, please e-mail: ardiss@fsdb.k12.fl.us To use this PowerPoint presentation in its entirety, please give credit to the author.

Writing with Technology Supports:

Writing Embedded in Content Areas

Shelley Popson Ardis

Technology Specialist

Resource Materials & Technology Center: Deaf/Hard of Hearing

Using TechnologiesTechnology is a tool, just as a pencil and paper, and should become a seamless part of the learning process

At first, teachers and students do need time to practice using the technology to become fluent users of the technology

Later, when the use of technology is seamless, the focus is exclusively on learning and instructional practices

Using Technologies

Assistive Technology vs. Instructional Technology

Assistive Technologies are programs and devices students partner with during the learning processInstructional Technologies are programs and devices teachers partner with during the teaching/learning process

Many of the technologies discussed in this presentation could be both Assistive and Instructional depending on how and when the technologies are used

A.T. vs. I.T.

Writing Support:Word Grids

Wordbar by Crick Software is a software program that runs along with a word processing program (ex., Microsoft Word)

Custom grids can be developed

Students navigate between grids to identify the terms or phrases they want to use

Ex. Grid for a Science Unit

WordbarWordbar sits under a user’s word processing programWordbar Online GuideExample:

Grids containing phrases and vocabulary for an activityGrids with vocabulary specific to a unit of study or course

This is potentially a success-making accommodation for mainstreamed students, not yet researched with deaf/hard-of-hearing learners.

Vocabulary Development:Word Prediction

Word Prediction software offers word prompts for students to chose from while typing:

Specific to the subject-areaSpecific to the unit or title being readSpecific to the student’s reading level and writing needs

Allows students to focus on their ideas (getting them down on the computer) and not be limited by spelling abilities, especially in content areas with specialized vocabularyThis is a more common Assistive Technology and can be used on computers and “Alphasmart-types” of portable devices (ex. Alphasmart or Neo)

Word Prediction ProgramsAdaptive Technology Resource Center

The above site explains the definition of word prediction software, lists many products, research and other resources

National Center to Improve Practice (NCIP)’s Word Prediction Collection

The above site has a wealth of resources, links to different company’s products, research reports, and user profiles

A few programs not exclusively used for word prediction have incorporated this feature (ex. IntelliTools Classroom Suite)

Word Prediction Programs

Co:Writer by Don Johnston

Portable Word Processing

Dana (or Neo) by Alphasmart help when students need extended time reading and writingThe ioPen by Logitech records everything that is written and then a user will sync the pen with their computer to download all the filesBoth wonderful for documentation of student work for digital portfolios

Vocabulary Development: Image-to-Text Support

Many Image-to-Text Programs provide supports for students who may have ideas about what they want to write but who have significant reading or writing limitations

These programs present text along with image/symbol supports, usually in grids below a word processing part of the screen

Some programs allow for animated images, signed and action animations

Ex. Picture It/Pix Writer, Writing with Symbols, Clicker 5, Boardmaker Plus and Signing Exact English Interactive

Picture It and Pix Writerby Slater Software

(left) Picture It - Type and have images associated with text.

(right) Pix Writer - Fill the grid with words (with or without pictures) for students to select from when writing.

Image-to-Text Programs

Picture It was used to develop recipe directions, which are printed on the board in front of the teacher

•Print out materials

•Schedules

•Class Books

•Make computer-based materials

Image-to-Text ProgramsSigning Exact English Interactive

Signing Exact English Interactive is a program that can be used to print out sign images with text

Image-to-Text ProgramsClicker & Cloze Pro

Top two are Clicker activities and bottom two Cloze Pro

Digital CamerasStill and Video

Activities can be documented for student portfolios

Images or video can be used for additional student activities, such as captioning images or video-clips

Video-clips can be made into digital dictionary items

Digital Image for Portfolio

Image of a student completing a Kidspiration activity on the SMART Board

Videocameras & Literacy

Students can capture their ideas prior to putting them down in print to focus on meaning and creative thoughtStudents can then review their video and write their content in English, focusing on their intended meaning and English vocabulary and grammarStudents can record themselves reading to self-evaluate or peer-evaluate reading fluency (also documentation for student portfolios)

Multimedia Authoring ProgramsStudents with low writing and reading skills benefit from using multimedia authoring programs to assist them in demonstrating their knowledge (ex. PowerPoint, iMovie, KidPix)Students can put together the sequence of digital images and supplement with less text and more through-the-air explanationStudents can add more text content over time with guidance and instructional supportStudents can demonstrate their understanding of content without being penalized for their lower English abilities

Graphic OrganizersThere are many uses for graphic organizers across the curriculum

Templates are available for Planning and Thinking Skills and research-based strategies including:

Venn Diagrams

Compare and Contrast

Vocabulary Development and Book Reports

Timelines

Cause and Effect

Experiment Design and more

Teacher at a workshop on Inspiration

Inspiration Software

Above is the Template for Scientific MethodThe yellow note provides additional information, examples, resources or whatever is put into the note

Graphic Organizers

Computer-Based Study Strategies (CBSS) are research-based learning strategies that utilize Graphic Organizer and Outlining software

Examples include: Chapter and Book Reviews

Notetaking

Summarizing

and many others

Graphic OrganizersGraphic Organizers can be used during brainstorming and pre-reading activitiesStudents can list predictions or things known about the topic which are then organized and categorizedOrganization can be enhanced by shape and color coding

Checklists

In Outline or Graphic form checklists can be used in Inspiration

Graphic Organizers

Custom templates can be created for note-taking or subject-area activitiesGraphic Organizers can be used on the computer or as printed guides to help students remember strategiesDiagrams of processes can be printed out to guide students implementing new strategies

Classroom Presentation

Digital White Boards (ex. SMART Boards) are making a tremendous impact in classrooms

There is an increase in motivation and participationThere is an increase in retention of content learnedThere is an increase in engagement and modeling by teachers and studentsThere is an increase in the diversity of curriculum materials used

Happy SMART Board User

Digital White BoardsContent can be presented to students in a manner that allows the students to view both content and sign language and/or speech at the same timeContent can be manipulated

Annotations over contentUse of highlighting over contentHotlinks can be integrated to immediately bring up related content as other files, programs, or websites

Text-books now come with CD-ROM or web-based Companions that can be used with student groupsCurriculum materials can be scanned into the computer for use with the digital white board

Document Cameras

Materials, print-based and 3D objects, can be presented to students through a projector allowing for both content and sign or speech to be seen simultaneously

(Ex. Elmo)

Document Cameras

Many incorporate magnification (zooming in on content)

Many allow for a “screen capture” of what’s being projected to be saved onto the computer

Related devices that connect to a computer to document content:

Probes

Microscopes

What tools do you use?Reflect on the technologies that interest you

Which are you using?How are you implementing them?What else could you do? What subject-areas are being supported by these technologies?Is the use of the technology seamless?How is the use affecting instruction and learning?What more do you want to learn?

Share your ideas on the Technology Integration Bulletin Boards @ Deafed.net

If you have questions or comments:

Contact:

Shelley Popson Ardis

ardiss@fsdb.k12.fl.us

http://www.fsdb.k12.fl.us/rmc

This presentation was created with support from aU.S. Department of Education PT3 grant ("Join Together", P342A030098) and The Resource Materials and Technology Center for the Deaf/Hard of Hearing (RMTC: D/HH - FDLRS) is funded by the State of Florida, Department of Education, Division of Public Schools and Community Education, Bureau of Instructional Support and Community Services through federal assistance under IDEA, Part B and state general revenue funds.