Positive Behavior SupportUsing Technology

Carol D. MoffettResource Specialist in Assistive Technology

Fayette County Public School

859-381-4180

Cmoffett@fayette.k12.ky.us

Use of Technology

• Using technology as a positive behavior support is nothing new. It has been done forever. Parents have used TV/movies and other forms of entertainment to support their child’s behavior.

• Education is using technology because the students are demanding it use. They have grown up with video games, VCRs, and other technological advances. They are bored with mere pencil and paper activities.

• Content is NOT jeopardized by the use of technology.

Wordsmith is designed to provide help to Microsoft Word users with

reading and writing difficulties. It can read text aloud and help you construct words and sentences. It also has advanced spell checking, documents scanning, screen reading and pronunciation capabilities. The utilities contained within the program are:

– word prediction for miss-spelt or unfinished words – a thesaurus – a word wizard to search for words you have forgotten or related

word groups – a pronunciation tutor to show you how each syllable of a word is

pronounced – an advanced spell checker – a homonyms checker – a text reader – screen reading options – a document scanner with OCR

Talking Word Processors

–This program actually uses a tool bar that is added across the top of the Word document so that it does not look any different that any other computer that has WORD loaded.

–Best used with students intermediate and upper levels.

(more information can be seen at www.texthelp.com)

Talking Word Processors

• Write Out Loud (Don Johnston, Inc)—Write Out Loud (WOL) is designed to be used as a stand alone software package for a talking word processor. WOL is a valuable tool for students who:

• are reluctant and frustrated writers • need help to pass their writing standards • have difficulty expressing their ideas in writing • need to write and work more independently • have limited reading skills • WOL allows the student to include imported graphics to prompt and

support writing, on screen tools let students work without menus, easier formatting, and highlights as it reads back to the students. Can be set to read letters, words, sentences, or paragraphs in numerous voice options.

• Best used with students K- and up.

• More information can be gathered from www.donjohnston.com.

•Talking Word Processors

Alpha Smart 3000(Alphasmart, Inc.)

• AlphaSmart 3000 brings a world of capabilities to all learners. Some students are all too familiar with the struggles associated with taking notes in class, writing first drafts and keeping assignments organized. Help students overcome these writing barriers and begin writing all the time and everywhere by choosing AlphaSmart's portable keyboard. All written material is stored in the keyboard until students transfer it to their personal computers for editing and revising. The AlphaSmart 3000 is lightweight, rugged, compatible with any text application and easy to use. The AlphaSmart uses connects to any computer for transferring information, making it simple to travel from home to school or from classroom to classroom.

• www.alphasmart.com

•

Portable Word Processors

• full-size, full-feature keyboard helps students learn traditional keyboarding skills

• so easy to use that little or no training is required

• 3 AA batteries give students 500 hours of writing time

Portable Word Processors

• Brother ML-500 Multilingual Portable Word Processor– Includes both the standard US English and

International daisy wheels – 95,000 word dictionary with error locating

FIND feature and 204 user programmable words

– 22,000 character text storage

Portable Word Processors

Digital Cameras

Still Photography

Classroom directory

School maps

Visual Schedules

Digital Cameras

CAMCORDERS

instructional videos for younger children

portfolio pieces

informational films about your school

video reports on field trips

subject lessons

Start to Finish Books(Don Johnston, Inc.)

• Start-to-Finish is for students who: – Cannot hold a book – Are two or more grades behind in reading – Have language disorders – Have dyslexia and other learning disabilities – Are learning English as a second language

– Have spelling and writing difficulties

• Three levels of support– Three formats—"talking" computer book, paperback book and

audiocassette — provide different levels of reading intervention and support that scaffold students to independent reading.

– www.donjohnston.com

Watch Minder• The WatchMinder® is an assistive device to

help people with attention deficit disorder (A.D.D.), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (A.D.H.D.), learning disorders, (L.D.) and chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension. The watch is a valuable tool for clinical trials research and improves subject

compliance

• www.watchminder.com

                                                                            

Visual Timers

Time Timer

• The Time Timer provides the ability to judge how much time is left without having to know how to tell time. The products operate with high color resolution, large dial numbers, and ultra-quiet quartz movement. These additional features make the Time Timer product line perfect for special needs applications such as students with ADD, ADHD, autism, etc.; counseling situations; occupational and physical therapy sessions; stroke and brain injury rehabilitation; and geriatric care.

Visual Timers

• Trainers and special education teachers have proven that Time Timer products work in both individual and group situations. With the Time Timer, users understand the passage of time and can monitor their own activities, improving their self-esteem. Better time awareness also relieves the stress and anxiety of disorientation. Special needs uses include:

• • Timing counseling sessions and exercises• Self-monitoring of activities• Overseeing speech, hearing and vision therapies• Memory prompting for medications, appointments, etc.

• www.timetimer.com

Visual Timers

Inspiration/Kidspiration• Student outcomes

– Students process, organize and prioritize new information to improve their writing

– Students categorize information, make connections and recognize patterns to clarify their thinking

– Students use organization stages to integrate new knowledge

and ideas

– www.inspiration.com

• Inspiration is the writing intervention tool for students who: – Have trouble organizing their ideas

– Learn visually

– Need help to clarify their thoughts

– Need help to identify relationships

– Have trouble recognizing organizational patterns

– Need a way to capture main ideas quickly

KIDSPIRATION—K-3rd grade

INSPIRATION—4th grade and up

www.inspiration.com

Visual Schedules

• To help teachers create paper communication overlays, here is a graphics database of all the Picture Communication Symbols in bitmapped clip art form. The Find feature lets you retrieve the one needed. Pre-made grids are included. Each symbol name is in ten languages: English, Spanish, French Canadian, Portuguese, Danish,

Swedish, German, Dutch, Norwegian and Italian. • www.mayerjohnson.com

Boardmaker(Mayer Johnson, Inc.)

Writing with Symbols (Mayer-Johnson, CO)

Students with disabilities who are learning how to communicate with symbols benefit from reading and writing materials that use the same symbol sets. Writing with Symbols 2000 is the versatile program that lets teachers create symbol-based materials that let students learn to read, write and communicate with pictures. Teachers create picture-word stories and students can read them. Teachers create word and symbol displays and students can write by selecting symbols. Teachers associate words with the pictures as needed and the speech feedback can be used to read words to students. Writing with Symbols 2000 helps teachers offer students the early writing experiences that are essential to literacy development.

www.mayerjohnson.com

Reading Pen (Wizcom Technologies)

• When students who struggle come across words they do not know, it interferes with their reading practice and comprehension. They must stop reading and attempt to decode the word. If they don't understand the word, students must also look up a word in a traditional dictionary. Many students find these tasks difficult and overwhelming, or they pass over the words they do not know missing valuable learning information. The Reading Pen II is the handheld tool that lets students scan a word, hear the word read out loud and get its definition at the push of a button. Students increase reading independence and extend their reading time for learning or pleasure.

• www.donjohnston.com

Homework Wizard(Franklin Electronic Publishers)

• Homework Wiz Plus is Franklin's non-speaking speller and dictionary that now includes a calculator. It is silent so students can use it during regular class time—for any subject—without disturbing others. Requires four AAA batteries

• www.franklin.com

QUESTIONS?

Carol D. Moffett

– Resource Specialist in Assistive Technology

– EdS—Univ.Ky.—Assistive Technology

– Fayette County Board of Education

– 859-381-4180– Cmoffett@fayette.k12.ky.us