special_education

=**Special Education Cases (Susie)**=

Cases to Keep:
Communication Production Data Analysis and collection

__**Productivity**__ Mrs. Bond’s eighth grade science students are learning about how to write procedural summaries, which are step-by-step instructions for conducting investigations. She models writing a procedural summary on the white board and her students copy the format on their papers. They then choose a topic and write their own procedural summaries using the sample provided. Mrs. Bond would like to explore technology tools that would help her students create these type of flow charts more neatly and be able to share them more easily. What technology tools might offer such a solution? (Possible tools include Inspiration, Word, online concept mapping tools, OpenOffice Draw, and PowerPoint.)

//Standard:// Science 8.2.6 - Write clear, step-by-step instructions (procedural summaries) for conducting investigations, operating something, or following a procedure. http://www.doe.state.in.us/standards/docs-Science/2006-Science-Grade08.pdf //Learners:// This is a class of 30 eighth grade science students. Three students have reading disabilities. //Environment:// Mrs. Bond's classroom has three Internet ready student computer workstations. She also has a computer at her desk that is connected to the digital projector. She has $250 with which to purchase software that might be needed for this scenario. Mrs. Bond also has access to a computer lab in the school's media center. The lab has 35 Internet ready student workstations, loaded with Microsoft Office, Open Office, and Inspiration. She can sign up to use the lab for up to two 75 minute sessions each week. //Objective:// Given a procedural summary sample and appropriate software, the student will be able to write a procedural summary on a topic of their choice, scoring at least eight out of ten points on the grading rubric.

__**Communications**__ Mr. Lutze teaches U.S. history at East Bay High School. His class is currently analyzing the impact of globalization on U.S. economic, political, and foreign policy. He has students working in small groups to create group presentations on this topic. Students are exploring not only the course textbook for information but also a variety of other print and online resources. There is one student in Mr. Lutze’s class who has speech problems associated with cerebral palsy. He would like to help this student to better communicate with his group members and feel comfortable taking part in presenting his group’s findings to the class. What assistive technology tools might be useful in this situation? (A possible solution is a communication board such as the Tango.)

//Standard:// USH.8.6 Analyze the impact of globalization on U.S. economic, political and foreign policy. http://www.doe.state.in.us/standards/docs-SocialStudies/2007-SS-USHistory.pdf //Learners:// This is a class of 35 tenth grade U.S. History students. One student has cerebral palsy and experiences difficulty voicing himself in class. Students work in small groups of 3-4. //Environment:// East Bay High School students all have school issued laptops. Every classroom has a presentation station equipped with an Internet ready computer and a digital projector. Communication boards, adaptive keyboards, switches, and a variety of other assistive technologies are available to students with special needs. //Objective:// Given an assistive technology communication device, the student will participate in group discussions and present in front of the class. A checklist will be used to determine achievement.

__**Content Exploration**__ Miss Roddy’s fifth grade resource room students are having difficulty comprehending their science and social studies textbooks. Miss Roddy would like to help her students to compare/contrast, summarize, and otherwise organize the content that they are reading. Miss Roddy usually gets the reading assignments from the classroom teacher and then leads the students in applying a variety of reading comprehension strategies. She has the students take turns reading aloud from the assigned pages. The students then identify the main ideas from the sections and write key terms on the whiteboard. Sometimes, Miss Roddy guides the students in creating outlines of the assigned chapters. She would like the students to gradually be able to apply reading comprehension strategies independently, as they will soon be heading to middle school. What technology tools could help her in this way? (Possible tools include Kidspiration, Gliffy.com, Open Office Draw, and Publisher.)

//Standard:// English/Language Arts - 5.2.3 Recognize main ideas presented in texts, identifying and assessing evidence that supports those ideas. http://www.doe.state.in.us/standards/docs-English/2006-06-ELA-Grade05.pdf //Learners:// Five students from two fifth grade classes receive assistance in reading in Miss Roddy resource room. Four of the students have reading disabilities, and one student has difficulties in attention and memory. //Environment:// There are five student computer workstations in the resource room. There is also a group of five student workstations in the common area between the two fifth grade classrooms. All of these computers are Internet ready and are equipped with Open Office and Kidspiration. //Objective:// Given textbooks and concept mapping software, the student will be able to apply reading comprehension strategies independently to content area readings. Achievement will be determined by a checklist and scoring at least 80% on an exam over the reading.

__**Production**__ Mrs. Rosario teaches a self-contained elementary class with students who have emotional and behavioral disorders. Many of these students have difficulty dealing with frustrations and often act out by screaming, throwing objects, and running away. Mrs. Rosario is working to teach these students effective ways to manage stress. She models stress-reducing exercises like hand clenches and breathing techniques and has the students do the exercises along with her. She would like to explore other ways to teach these exercises as well as help the students apply them to stressful situations. What are some technology tools that would enhance the teaching of these skills? (A possible solution is creating a mini movie using Windows Movie Maker or iMovie.)

//Standard:// Health & Wellness - 3.7.2 Identify a healthy practice to maintain personal health and wellness. http://www.doe.state.in.us/standards/docs-Health/2007-11-20-HealthWellness.pdf

__**Data Collection/Analysis**__ Mr. Phillips’ is a high school cognitive disabilities special education teacher. In his daily living skills class, his students are learning how to shop for groceries, maintain a pantry, and cook. His classroom is equipped with a practice grocery store and kitchen. Most of the students cannot read and thus have great difficulty following recipes. The students would like to learn how to make pizzas, turkey sandwiches, and ice cream sundaes as well as shop for the necessary ingredients. What technology tools would aid Mr. Phillips in teaching these skills? (Possible solutions include picture labels/cookbook using digital camera and desktop publishing.)

//Standard:// Adult Roles and Responsibilities - ARR 4.2 Apply management and planning skills and processes to organize tasks and fulfill responsibilities. http://doe.state.in.us/octe/facs/adultroles.html