SETDirect

SETDirect - June 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.

Assistive Technology Community News

Congratulations to Mike Bartlett, SET-BC’s Provincial Coordinator, who will be retiring at the end of the school year. Mike has played an important role in BC’s assistive technology community for more than twenty years and he has been the leader of the SET-BC program since it was initiated in 1989. Under Mike’s direction, SET-BC has grown from a small pilot project to a provincial program that is widely recognized as a model for effective AT service delivery in education. He has always believed that students with special needs could benefit from the use of assistive technology and has put in place services and programs to help them to achieve their educational goals.

Mike's vision for SET-BC has led to the development of many innovative projects that have created new opportunities for our students. In recent years, the Provincial Software Acquisition Plan, the Technology Access Project, the Universal Design for Learning Project, and many other initiatives have pushed the boundaries of SET-BC’s services. Led by Mike, the SET-BC team has taken on many challenges and has built capacity in BC schools for assistive technology implementation. His ongoing contributions will be missed, but Mike has left a strong legacy that will make SET-BC a continued success in the future.

Thank you Mike, and best wishes for a happy retirement.

Announcing the Accessible Resource Centre - British Columbia (ARC-BC)

PRCVI and SET-BC are very pleased to announce the beginning of ARC-BC, the Accessible Resource Centre – British Columbia. The ARC-BC project is a provincial response to the increasing demand for digital or alternate format resources for students with perceptual disabilities in BC classrooms. When open, educators in all school districts will be able to search this online repository or digital library to find and download alternate format resources related to the BC curriculum. Production and distribution of the alternate format materials will be centrally coordinated to reduce or eliminate duplication of effort in resource creation. The goal of ARC-BC is to provide BC educators with convenient access to high-quality digital and alternate format materials for their students in a timely manner.

Over the next two years, PRCVI and SET-BC will research and develop the repository, collect existing alternate format resources, and produce new materials based on the BC curriculum. To determine what alternate format needs exist in school districts, we are asking groups of BC educators to take a moment and complete a very brief online survey. The information you provide will be invaluable in the coming months as the project unfolds.

If you are an educator in British Columbia, please go to the SET-BC website to complete the survey. The survey will be open until the end of June. If you would like more information on ARC-BC, you can view information at http://www.setbc.org/go/arcbc or contact the project team members directly:

Kerry Randle - krandle@setbc.org
Anne Wadsworth - awadsworth@prcvi.or

SETinstitute Course Schedule for 2007-2008 Now Available

Many people are already planning their professional development activities for the upcoming school year. If you are considering expanding your knowledge and skills in the area of assistive technology, you can preview the list of SETinstitute courses that will be available in 2007-2008. These online courses include general overviews of assistive technology areas, as well as practical, skill-based instruction in specific technologies. Registration for all courses will be available the last week of June. Head into summer organized for next year - register early! For more information on SETinstitute, please visit our website or contact Kerry Randle at krandle@setbc.org.

Summer Programs for BC Students

VisionTech - This is the ninth consecutive year that CNIB and SET-BC have teamed up to create innovative learning opportunities for youth and teens with visual impairments in the perfect setting of Bowen Island Lodge by the Sea. Visit our website to find out more about the Braille Literacy, TeenTech/Rec and Teen Transition/Tech/Rec summer programs.

Virtual Voices - The Easter Seal Camping Program and SET-BC will once again host a summer program for students who use augmentative communication technologies at Camp Squamish. Visit our website to learn more about this unique opportunity for 8 to 12 year-olds who want to take part in camp recreational activities and improve their communication and technology abilities.

Technology Access Project (TAP)

TAP has completed its first year as a pilot project and has now received funding for an additional year. For this second year of the pilot project, assistive technology solutions will be considered for students who have been identified with moderate to profound cognitive disabilities (Category C). The application process will follow the typical SET-BC process and use the standard SET-BC Screening form for all students. TAP students will be supported by SET-BC regional consultants. For more information, please contact Daphne Mercier at dmercier@setbc.org or 604 261-9450 ext. 322

The BC Universal Design for Learning Project

(BC UDL) was officially launched on June 11 and 12, 2007 with two days of training and discussions for the team Leaders. Team leaders from Prince Rupert, Quesnel, Vernon, Victoria, Burnaby, Coquitlam, and Surrey participated. The BC UDL Project will provide 7 schools with training, equipment, and resources to implement UDL-based learning practices.  Teams of 4 teachers in each school will use computers, software, presentation systems, and the internet to plan, develop, and present curricula and model instructional strategies in ways that promote access, participation and progress for all learners.   Classrooms will have learning pods of computers available to enhance options for student participation in curriculum activities.

The BC UDL Project is a partnership venture between School Districts and SET-BC with the focus of Language Arts Instruction, grades 4 through 10. The project is funded by the Ministry of Education to provide a coordinated initiative for UDL-focused information sharing, lesson development, and access to technology for BC school districts. The BC UDL Learning Object Repository, a database vehicle for lesson building and resource sharing, will be open in January 2008.

Go to the BC UDL Webpages for Project information, UDL links, and resource sharing at http://www.setbc.org/go/bcudl