The Promise of Assistive Technology for English

Language Learners

Carol BerndtESL Specialist

Calgary Board of Educationcjberndt@cbe.ab.ca

Success for all Students

““Success for Every Child”Success for Every Child”

Adopting an approach to designing Adopting an approach to designing education, based on the concepts education, based on the concepts

of universal design, that will of universal design, that will anticipate and provide support for anticipate and provide support for the diversity of learners in today’s the diversity of learners in today’s

classrooms.classrooms.Alberta EducationAlberta Education

Alberta Education’s Vision:

Context

Increasing diversity Increasing complexity in learner profiles 21st Century Learner – Global digital age Inclusive philosophy Universal design principles Accountability for academic success

CBE: Student Profile

Total Students CBE 92 000

Total Number Special Needs 16 996 18.5%

Mild/Moderate 11 120 12.1% Gifted & Talented 2 426 2.6% Severe 3 450 3.8%

Total Number of ESL Students 21,349 23% ESL Students

with Special Education Code 1,876 9.2%Grades 1 – 12

Student Services Support Department ProfileSeptember 2006

Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

has origins in architectural studies

challenged architects to become innovative, to design buildings which provide access for all

is a result landmark legislation which has increased usability for everyone

examples: ramps, elevators, automatic doors, curb cut and closed caption TV

Universal Design Principles CAST Organization Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is an approach to

designing course instruction, materials and content to benefit people of all learning styles

It provides equal access to learning byremoving barriers

Allows the student to control the methodof accessing information withoutadaptation or retrofitting

http://www.cast.org/teachingeverystudent/ideas/tes/Teaching Every Student in the Digital Age: Universal Design for Learning

David H. Rose & Anne Meyer ASCD, 2002

UDL is the Educational Extension of the Universal Design Movement

Incorporating the principles of UDL will offer broader access to the curriculum for all students by providing flexible means of:

representing information in multiple formats and media. providing multiple pathways for students’ action and expression. providing multiple ways to engage students’ interest and motivation.

Students will have options for how they: respond to lesson content demonstrate their learning learn

Assistive Technology for Learning (ATL)

“the devices, media and services used in learning environments to overcome barriers for students with physical, sensory, cognitive, speech, learning or behavioral special needs to actively engage in learning and to achieve their individual learning goals”

ATL Continuum: ATL devices and media range from “low tech” tools

such as pencil grips and large print books . . . . . . to “high tech” systems such as speech recognition

computer systems to screen reading technologies.

All technology can be considered Assistive Technology

The lines between educational technology, instructional technology and assistive technology continue to blur

Digital technologies, assistive technologies and the creative utilization of existing technologies all offer potential solutions that can provide access to information and the curriculum for students who may not otherwise be able to obtain it

Technology Enhanced Solutions Portable Laptops Dedicated Word Processors (Alpha Smarts, Neo, Dana) Specialized Portable Hand-held Devices PDA’s,Mp3 Players, (iPod), Cell Phones, Key to Access Interactive White Boards (Smart Boards & Smart

Software) Concept Mapping Software (Inspiration, Kidspiration,

Smart Ideas, interactive response systems) e-Books/audio books/digital repository of curricular

resources Digital Game Based Learning Digital Video Closed captioning on TV

Implications for ESL Multimedia; animation – receptive and

productive Language mediation Modified and differentiated curriculum materials Translation tools Computer assisted language learning software

and devices (CALL) Speech to Text and Text to Speech software Webcasts and podcasts

Understanding Assistive Technology Telus 2 Learn: assistive technology tools

http://www.2learn.ca/teachertools/Assistivetech/assisttools.html

Adaptive Technology Resource Centre

(U of T): Glossary

http://atrc.utoronto.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogsection&id=4&Itemid=9

Grammatical Support Tools

http://atrc.utoronto.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=37&Itemid=9

Optical Character Recognition/Reading

http://atrc.utoronto.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=41&Itemid=9

Speech to Text/Voice Recognition

http://atrc.utoronto.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=50&Itemid=9

http://atrc.utoronto.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=48&Itemid=9

Text to Speech

http://atrc.utoronto.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=48&Itemid=9

C.B.E. Initiatives: Assistive Technology and mLearning:

Supporting English as a Second Language Learners

http://projects.cbe.ab.ca/sss/ilscommunity/learningspaces/assistive-mlearning.asp

AlphaSmart Neo Project http://projects.cbe.ab.ca/sss/ilscommunity/learningspaces/assistive-alphasmart.asp

Assistive Technology Toolkits

http://projects.cbe.ab.ca/sss/ilscommunity/learningspaces/assistive-toolkit.asp

Software Pilots: Dynedhttp://www.dyned.com/education/

Let’s Go

http://www.dyned.com/products/lg/ First English

http://www.dyned.com/products/fe/ English for Success

http://www.dyned.com/products/efs/ English by the Numbers

http://www.dyned.com/products/ebn/

Software Pilots

Rosetta Stone Azar Interactive Read and Write, Gold

Generic “Must haves” Word processor with spell checker,

grammar checker, accessibility tools Internet browser Typing / computer familiarity program Institutional instructional management

courseware (e.g. Blackboard, Desire 2 Learn)

Utilizing Features Within Microsoft Word Spelling and Grammar Language tools (thesaurus) AutoCorrect Word Count Background/Text color AutoText Templates (letters, table of contents) Readability Statistics Customize Toolbars Formatting Options Right Click (spell check/synonyms) Auto Summarize Markup

Microsoft Office Word 2003.lnk

Accessibility Options Accessibility options within Windows computers

(Programs, Accessories, Accessibility)- Accessibility Wizard allows individualize set up to address vision,

hearing and mobility needs- Microsoft Magnifier – Text Size, Display Settings, Screen

Resolution- Microsoft Narrator - Text-to-Speech Program - On Screen Keyboard – mobility impaired user

http://www.microsoft.com/enable/

Accessibility options within Macintosh computers(System Preferences, Universal Access)

- Seeing – Zoom, Background- Hearing – Text-to-Speech- Keyboard – Numeric Keyboard instead of mouse- Mouse – Speed, Sticky Keys, Slow Keys

http://www.apple.com/accessibility/

Universal Access

Pod Casts

Audacityhttp://audacity.sourceforge.net

Audioizehttp://www.magnetictime.com/mtl_overview.shtml

Ghost Readerhttp://www.assistiveware.com

Telecollaborative Projects

http://members.shaw.ca/priscillatheroux/about_projects.html

http://www.2learn.ca/Projects/Together/curricul.html

Curriculum Resources

Berit’s Best Sites for Children

www.beritsbest.com Enchanted Learning

www.enchantedlearning.com Teacher Tools: Curriculum Sites

http://www.teachertools.org/index.html Discovery School

http://school.discoveryeducation.com/

Web Quests

WebQuest.Org

http://www.webquest.org/index.php Best Web Quests

http://bestwebquests.com/

Language Learning Software Developmental Scope and Sequence Language strands: L,S,R,W Networked and online versions Learning management systems Authoring capabilities

Software Suppliers

NAShttp://www.nas.ca/elem.htm http://www.nas.ca/sec.htm

ESL.Nethttp://www.esl.net/software_schools.html

Linguatronics ESL Softwarehttp://www.eslsoftware.com/

Reviews

Learn English Software Reviews (top ten)http://esl-software-review.toptenreviews.com/

Learn to Read Software Reviews (top ten)http://learn-to-read-software-review.toptenreviews.com/

Learn Vocabulary Software Reviews (top ten)

http://vocabulary-software-review.toptenreviews.com

/

Recommendations (Deborah Healey)

A Place to Start in Selecting Software

http://oregonstate.edu/~healeyd/cj_software_selection.html Software for Children

http://oregonstate.edu/%7Ehealeyd/table1.html Software for Teens and Adults

http://oregonstate.edu/%7Ehealeyd/table2.html

CALL-IS Software List (Elementary)

http://oregonstate.edu/dept/eli/softlist/elementary.html