This Week in SET-BC

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SETDirect is an electronic newsletter for educators on assistive technology issues and resources. SET-BC publishes SETDirect to provide current information to support the implementation of technology for students with special needs in British Columbia. If you would like to be added to the SETDirect mailing list, click here to Subscribe. If you wish to Unsubscribe from SETDirect, Unsubscribe here

SETBC Direct

March 2009

SET-BC Mandate Expansion: Students with Moderate to Profound Intellectual Disabilities

SET-BC has provided services for students with moderate to profound intellectual disabilities (Category C) as part of a 3-year pilot project. Based on positive feedback from school districts and the results of a research study into the outcomes of technology use by these students, the Ministry of Education has approved the addition of Category C students to the SET-BC mandate. In 2009 – 2010 districts will be able to request technology services for these students within the standard SET-BC process on an ongoing basis.

Technology Inclusion Project (TIP) 2009 - 2010

This new project will provide assistive technology tools, resources and training to special education teachers to help them create more active and participatory learning environments for students with severe and multiple disabilities in intermediate or secondary school classrooms or resource rooms. Project highlights will include:

  • 30 special education teachers will receive assistive technologies, training and resources. 
  • Technologies will include a computer station, low tech communication aids, switches, environmental control systems, and software.
  • Training will focus on educational practices which promote learning and increase the active participation of students with severe and multiple disabilities in grades 4 through 12.
Further information on TIP activities and the application process is available on SET-BC’s website at www.setbc.org/setinfo/tip.

BC Universal Design for Learning Project (BC UDL) 2009 - 2010 

The Ministry of Education has extended the BC UDL Project for a third year, allowing SET-BC to continue to help build UDL infrastructure for additional school districts and promote the implementation of UDL in BC classrooms. Project highlights will include:

  • Teams from 7 BC schools will receive instructional technologies, training and resources. 
  • Activities will focus on UDL instruction and resources for Language Arts, Social Studies, Sciences, and Math for students in grades 4 through 12.
  • Teams will develop UDL training materials, lesson plans and curriculum resources and collect information on project impact on instruction, student engagement and student achievement.

Further information on BC UDL activities and the application process is available on SET-BC’s website at www.setbc.org/setinfo/bcudl

VVV Community Reporting Contest

At Virtual Voices Village is having a community reporting contest this spring!  Everyone who enters has a chance to win!  SET-BC students reporting on an event in their community, or reporting on one of the many 2010 related events between now and the end of May 2009, will have a chance to win a digital camera or one of 3 iPod Shuffles.  Go to www.vvvillage.org for contest information, and pass the word in your districts.

Reminder - PSAP Discount Ends on March 31st

School districts have been offered a 15% discount on all PSAP software orders submitted between January 1 and March 31, 2009. This discount applies to software titles, like Kurzweil 3000, which can be used to support access to the curriculum in UDL based classrooms. You can download the PSAP 2009 flyer or visit www.setbc.org/psap for more information.

ARC-BC Now Supporting Students in 38 BC School Districts

ARC-BC (Accessible Resource Centre - British Columbia) is now providing alternate format materials for students with perceptual disabilities in 38 school districts.  There are currently over 850 users in these districts, accessing more than 1200 titles used in the BC K-12 curriculum.  Educators who are accessing the materials on behalf of their students are indicating that the availability of a variety of formats, including .kes or Kurzweil 3000 files, has made a significant impact on their ability to accommodate the wide range of student needs in their classrooms.  More school districts are planning on joining the ARC-BC community before the end of this school year in preparation for rolling out ARC-BC early in September.  If your district has not yet joined the ARC-BC community and you would like more information, please visit our website at www.arc-bc.org.

Keep Up-to-Date with "This Week in SET-BC"

This Week in SET-BC is a weekly newsletter that informs people about training and workshop events, project updates, new online resources and other current information.  News is updated every Wednesday afternoon. The newsletter is easy to find!  Click the My SET-BC tab at the top of our website and log in to go directly to This Week in SET-BC.  If you haven’t already registered to view the newsletter, it only takes a moment from that same page.

SET-BC is a Ministry of Education Provincial Resource Program. We assist school districts in British Columbia in meeting the technology needs of students with physical disabilities, visual impairments, and autism.