SETDirect

SETDirect - January 2007

Welcome to SETdirect, 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. Please forward SETdirect to other people who may be interested in this information.

Universal Design for Learning

SET-BC is pleased to announce an exciting pilot project for the 2007/08 school year.  The BC Universal Design for Learning (BC UDL) Project will provide an opportunity for 7 schools in BC to receive training, equipment, mentoring, and support to implement UDL in their schools.  Schools that are interested in the study and practice of Universal Design for Learning principles must submit their applications to SET-BC by May 11, 2007.  For complete project information and the application process go to www.setbc.org/go/bcudl.

BC UDL is funded by the Ministry of Education.

Upcoming training: Supporting Participation in Regular Classrooms for Students who use AAC

Dr. Pat Mirenda will present an overview of the four components needed for successful educational inclusion of students who use alternative and augmentative communication (AAC): building supportive classroom communities; collaborative teaming; AAC system maintenance and operation; and providing access to the curriculum. SET-BC and Sunny Hill Health Centre for Children are hosting this full-day session in Vancouver, with videoconference links to participants at 7 other sites in British Columbia on Friday, February 16, 2007 from 9:00am to 3:00pm. For more information download the flyer. To register for this presentation, visit the events page for this session.

vvvillage.org - iPod Alert!!!

Don’t let your SET-BC students miss this chance to win an iPod shuffle simply by entering the current VVVILLAGE.ORG Digital Publishing Contest!!!  The contest due date was extended to February 9th in order to accommodate students needing more time to compile their entries.  An accomplishment draw was held for students with entries submitted by the original deadline. Congratulations to Tristan, the proud new owner of an iPod shuffle for his excellent submission.  There's still time for your students to enter for a chance to win one of two iPod shuffles, and other fabulous assorted prizes. 

Go to www.vvvillage.org  and follow the link to My Dreams for the Future Digital Publishing Contest  for contest rules.

Your students don’t have to enter the contest to publish their work on VVVILLAGE.ORG.  Are you working with budding reporters, writers, artists, comics, sports enthusiasts or social commentators?  Would your students like to see their work on the web?  Email Mike Fuller at mfuller@vvvillage.org for more information.

Global Positioning Satellite Project for Orientation and Mobility Instructors and Secondary Students with Visual Impairments (GPS Project)

In the spring of 2006, PRCVI and SET-BC sponsored the GPS Project to examine the impact of GPS technology on the orientation and mobility of 12 secondary students with visual impairments. Trekker, an accessible PDA-based GPS technology, was selected for this project. Surveys and interviews were completed by students who applied to participate in the GPS project and their orientation and mobility instructors.  In addition, interviews with instructors were conducted after three months to record the short term feedback on impact of GPS technology in orientation and mobility instruction. Informal responses, from students, were also invited at the three month mark.

More information on this project, including results of initial surveys and comments from students, can be viewed on the GPS webpage.

PSAP Adds New Titles to its Software List

This week PSAP added four new titles to its software list.  A wide variety of software was reviewed and based on a number of criteria including applicability to BC curriculum, two mathematics programs, Number Concepts I and Number Concepts II were added as well as WordQ, a word prediction program, and SpeakQ, a speech recognition program designed for students who have some literacy skills but struggle with written output.  Resources for these programs will be developed over the next two months.  If you would like a preview of these programs, four online demonstrations are scheduled on February 2nd and 9th – to register for a demonstration, please go to the PSAP Online Training page or email us.

SETinstitute Offers UBC Accredited Course on Assistive Technology

This summer, SETinstitute will again offer “Introduction to Assistive Technology”.  This three-credit course will be delivered completely online making it a convenient option for those seeking to add to their education degrees or those wanting to complete accredited professional development outside the UBC area.  The course is set to run the first three weeks of July – anyone interested in more information can check out the syllabus or keep checking the UBC External Program calendar for their summer schedule and registration information.  For more information on the assistive technology professional development courses offered through SETinstitute, visit our website at www.setinstitute.org.

Technology Access Project

The Technology Access Project is well under way for 170 BC students with Down syndrome who have been provided with assistive technology tools for communication and/or literacy development. Many school teams participated in online training sessions to learn about the software bundles for early literacy, beginning writing or communication. The research component of the project is just beginning and participating teams will soon submit the first of 6 writing or communication samples.

We have created two Clicker 5 grid sets for students using the early literacy bundle. These grid sets, "TAP Zoo Animals" and "TAP Pets", are free downloads available for use by anyone who has Clicker 5. They are located in the English Language Arts/Elementary category of curriculumSET on the SET-BC website.