A few years ago I had chance to work for the TDSB SEA department. It is a department that supports students and teachers with the use of assistive technology throughout our board. This week, through the AQ course I am taking, I was reminded that no matter what we are teaching, we are all special education teachers. I was reminded also of the principal of universal design and specifically how it applies to the use of Assistive Technology. When we work with children, we never really know whether they are working up to their potential until we put absolutely everything we can put in place to ensure their success. If we take a universal design approach to using Assistive technology it levels the playing field for the children who have identified special needs and more importantly for those who have unidentified special needs.
Another thing became very clear to me as I was working through this topic. A few years ago when I was at the SEA department, I thought I had a pretty good understanding of what Assistive Technology options were available but in a few short years, the number of excellent options has increased and continues to increase exponentially! That is why I have really come to value the Professional Learning Network in my course. Everyone had experience with a different type of software and shared about it's features and how to apply it in the classroom. I feel that this type of professional learning - sharing of useful tips between colleagues and reflecting on the merits of different Assistive Technology tools - is very much what is meant in our Standards of Practice for the Teaching profession, when it says that, members should "refine their professional practice through ongoing ...dialogue." Standards of Practice for the Teaching Profession
Three programs I really want to try as a result of this professional dialogue are Preposit and Storybird. All three are apparently free. Thank you Heather Webb Makin for teaching me about these. Preposit is useful for making interactive video lessons. Storybird is for making visual storiess. As I work on improving Millwood's #Geniushour program I would like to integrate these. Stay tuned for updates on our progress with using these programs.
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