January, 2010
At this time in the 2009-2010 school year we are supporting fifty-one students using assistive technology from our project in First Nations schools in British Columbia.
We have provided equipment for fifteen new students since September 2009, and will be adding two or three more students before the end of the school year.
- Eleven students received their technology in the first cycle that was delivered before December of 2009.
- Four students received their equipment in the second cycle, delivered before the end of January 2010
- Two students arrived with SET-BC equipment from public schools and we are now supporting them in their new schools
- Five students who received equipment from the project in past years have now moved to public schools, taking their technology with them. They will now be supported through the provincial SET-BC program
- One student who received equipment from the project last year was able to upgrade his equipment due to his increased abilities and changing communication needs
Types of equipment provided:
- 3 Windows desktop computers with supporting writing software
- 5 Laptop computers with supporting writing software: 4 Windows, 1 Macintosh
- 1 Netbook with supporting writing software
- 2 Communication devices: 1 SmartTech, 1 Springboard Lite
- 3 Sets of software to be used on computers provided by the schools
- 2 Trackballs
- 5 Expanded keyboards
- 1 Kurzweil 3000 software upgrade
- 6 Copies of ClickerPaint software for students from previous years
Schools receiving equipment this school year:
- LAU,WELNEW Tribal School, Brentwood Bay
- Quw’utsun Smuneem Elementary, Duncan
- Seabird Island, Agassiz
- Haahuupayak School, Port Alberni
- Acwsalcta School, Bella Coola
- Gitwangak School, Gitwangak
- Nak’Albun Elementary, Fort St. James
- Eugene Josephs School, Fort St. James
- Skeetchestn School, Savona
- Ntamtgen snma?maya?tn School, Cawston
- Bella Bella School, Bella Bella
- Coldwater Elementary School, Merritt
- Gwa’Sala-Nakwaxda-xw School, Port Hardy
- Maaqtusiis School, Ahousaht
Training visits to schools to support teams to implement this technology have taken place for all students who received equipment in the first cycle. Training for teams who received equipment in the second cycle is ongoing. Visits are also taking place to provide continuing service for the teams who support the students who received equipment in previous school years.
In addition to team training to support specific equipment, support sessions for other school staff has taken place, for example, whole staffs or individuals who wish to learn specific assistive technology software that was purchased by the school, like Clicker 5, Boardmaker, and Kurzweil 3000. There has been increased interest and use of Kurzweil 3000 to support intermediate, middle and secondary students this fall, and much increased interest in training. In some instances, time was spent with school Language and Culture teachers to explore ways assistive software could support First Nations language instruction.
SET-BC will be active at the FNSA conference in Vancouver in April of 2010. We have also applied for a vendor’s table to provide free information for any schools about the project and about assistive technology resources available to them.
We are very enthusiastic about the value of this project and are pleased to see growing experience, knowledge and confidence by school teams to implement this technology effectively. We are also pleased to see that students are motivated and participating more actively and successfully in their school programs.
Yours respectfully,
Carol Graham, Consultant, FNESC/FNSA/SET-BC Project
Elaine Ferguson, Provincial Coordinator, SET-BC
Joe Cash, Service Delivery, SET-BC