2006 and Earlier
Giving Kurt a Voice - Peer Tutor Support for AAC Technology
When Kurt arrived at the school two years ago, his communication was limited to body language and vocalizations. The school team worked with SET-BC and determined that Kurt would be able to use a Springboard to communicate, using his right elbow and a switch to select his messages.
Nanaimo's Sensational Schools
Thomas likes reading. Accessible Books (AB), available from SET-BC’s Accessible Books library, are the reading material for his adapted reading program. Thomas uses a switch to independently read his books.
Melissa
My name is Melissa. Although many people think that people with Cerebral Palsy can’t do anything, I have proved people wrong. By being in grade eleven and on the honour roll.
I am a self taught musician. I give speeches on my journey through life. I am an artist of many mediums but my main medium is watercolours.
Working Together Towards Inclusion - Grant
Grant, a White Rock high school student, recently contributed to a special project where SET-BC and PRCVI helped teachers in Thailand to develop a science camp for secondary students who are blind. Grant, his vision teacher, biology teacher and transcriber were interviewed to describe the support services necessary for students who are blind to succeed academically in BC.
Kolby Wins 3rd in Canada
Kolby is a 10 year old student attending McLean Elementary School in Rossland. She entered her Braille poem in the grade 4, 5 and 6 category of the Creative Writing and Braille Competition 2006 and won third prize. This competition is presented by the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) for students in Canada who are learning Braille.
William: A First Person Account
My name is William and I am a grade twelve student from Vancouver Island. This is my story, and thank you for listening to it. I wish to tell you of the technology I have been given, and the reasons behind this incredible gift. Why I have been granted this, the most incredible tool, my computer.
SET-BC students win awards from BC Council for Exceptional Children
Sky is a grade-9 deaf-blind student who has no vision and partial hearing. His computer skills are nothing short of amazing!
Tye is an extremely dedicated and bright grade 8 student. His accomplishments are many, despite having mild cerebral palsy and being both visually and hearing impaired.
Amira's Story
Amira is a 14 year old student who attends Springwood Middle School in Parksville, SD#69. The independence she has gained in reading is amazing. Technology, provided by SET-BC and supported by her school team, has helped Amira become more independent.
Ryan's Story
Ryan is a secondary-aged student who successfully communicates and participates in class using auditory scanning with a dynamic display communication device. Using this system, Ryan navigates through the vocabulary stored in his Dynamyte, listening to a list of words, phrases or sentences and hitting a switch to repeat the message he wants to say.
Beata's Story
My name is Beata. I have Cerebral Palsy. My Cerebral Palsy was caused when my brain got a bleeding in it during birth. Cerebral Palsy can also be caused by, a lack of oxygen, or injury to the brain during birth, shortly before birth, or up to 5 years of age. Mine is very severe, I am a spastic quadriplegic, this means I can not control any of my 4 limbs. I can’t eat. I have a walker, to help me walk. This machine that I am using to write this is called a Pathfinder, it helps me to communicate with the world.
A Double Student Success Story: Colby and Corey
The transition to high school can be difficult for any teen. Add twin brothers, visual impairments due to Ocularcutaneous Albinism, and brand new Windows laptops in a wireless Mac environment. You'd expect a few bumps, right? Wrong. Twin brothers Colby and Corey made the transition to grade 8 with ease, both achieving the honour roll in their second term.
Charlie & Keane
Charlie has made amazing progress in recent years using Intellitools to support his reading and writing.
Keane - For some students, assistive technology does more than just enhance their educational program - it provides a focus for daily activities. Keane is such a student.
Genevieve's Story
Genevieve attends Courtenay Middle School in the Comox Valley. She loves music and has a mischievous sense of humour. Right from the start of her school career, Genevieve has used technology extensively - to help her communicate with friends and teachers, to read, write, and participate in such class activities as readers' theatre.m.
Braille Quest: Technology and Career Discovery Program
The Braille Quest program was designed to inspire students who are blind to set challenging career goals. Through the Braille Quest experience, students became aware of career opportunities and corporations developed an awareness of the technical abilities of students who are blind.
Kayla
Just before Christmas, Kayla and her team received a new AAC device called the Springboard. This entry level dynamic display device allows Kayla’s team to set up communication boards that very specifically meet her communication needs for a wide variety of situations throughout her day.
Tristan's Story
Tristan is a bubbly, inquisitive grade one student. He was born with Arthrogryposis, a condition that affects the use and range of motion of the limbs. At school, he spends his day in a wheelchair.
Since Tristan is unable to use his hands, he participates in curriculum activities through computer technology enhancements known as assistive technology.
Aedan's Story
Aedan currently attends John Barsby Secondary in Nanaimo, British Columbia. He is in Grade Twelve. Aedan, who is blind, uses technology for school and leisure purposes. When asked how much time he spends on his computer, Aedan indicates it can be 24/7 if he has lots of homework to complete or is involved with the game Earth: 2025, his current favorite text based game.
Dino's Story
Dino is a 10 year old grade 4 student. He accesses a computer from SET-BC programmed with his current language arts activities using a Discover Switch.
RJ's Story
RJ is a 16 year old student enrolled in Grade 11 in Quesnel. He has been involved with CP Sports since he was eight, and began wheelchair racing when 11. This past summer he joined the Canadian National Team for races in England.
Stephen
Stephen is a 14 year old student from Quesnel, and is currently enrolled in Grade 9, where he maintains academic honours. Stephen enjoys playing wheelchair basketball, swimming, going to movies, and working with computers. Currently he is taking an introductory course using AutoCad.
Colette's Story
My name is Colette and I am in Grade Ten. I have been using a computer from Set BC for four years. When I got to work on their computer for the first time I was in Grade 6. I got the computer because I have a hard time keeping up with my class when we are taking notes or when we are doing our work.
Garrett's Story
Garrett, a busy young man attending Grade 6 at Alexander Park Elementary School in Golden, has been a SET-BC supported student since 1998. He has experienced difficulty over the years producing written work and finds it challenging to keep up with class notes and assignments. In 1998, Garrett's school based team requested a computer system with the Write:OutLoud and Co:Writer software programs.
Nick's Story
Summer Camp at Camp Squamish and the Meaning of the Liberator To me, the Liberator meant that I could make connections to different people and communicate with them more independently and privately. This made me feel happy, empowered, and opened up a world of possibilities that will allow me to work and make goals in my life.
Andrea's Story
Today, Andrea Forester arrives on the bus. She wheels herself into the high school atrium and takes her place among her peers at Dover Bay Secondary School. This determined 17-year-old is personally responsible for removing herself from a program offering life skills as its emphasis, to participating in a regular high school course load, with adaptations and modifications to suit her individual learning needs.
Ryan's Story
Ryan uses his Discover Switch with Co:Writer and Write Outloud for journal writing, and uses personal dictionaries to help him find the words he wants. Because Ryan is cortically visually impaired, he uses the Discover Switch with auditory feedback and scanning. Ryan also uses his technology for research tasks, to complete modified question sheets and for commercial software programs.
Laura's Story
Laura's teacher provides challenging learning situations while her Special Education Assistant plays a key role in adapting Laura's work as needed. Templates are developed in advance for class assignments and examinations.
Adam B's Story
Technology has provided a medium for Adam to express his wonderful writing skills. It has brought down the barriers associated with handwriting and provided excellent visual support for him. Adams typing keeps improving and he will soon not require Co:Writer.
Adam M's Student Success Story
Adam was diagnosed with autism when he was four years old. When he started kindergarten, he had delayed speech and language skills, poor gross and fine motor skills, and displayed sensory defensiveness in several areas. Adam did not like to engage in messy activities with his hands and avoided pencil/paper activities.
Jessica and Jocelyn
Jessica and Jocelyn, who live in a remote region of North Eastern British Columbia, are enrolled in separate grade five classrooms so that they can develop and grow as individuals with their own circle of friends. The girls read and write braille and navigate using white canes. They often teach each other what they have learned at school during the day.
Liam's Story
Grade 12 student Liam Walsh has scored big, winning a trip to the Score 99 computer camp in Toronto July 11 to 24. Walsh, who's visually impaired from albinism, wrote an essay on the future of information technology with regards to the visually impaired, which won him a trip to the camp. His essay explored the idea of a global positioning system, like those on boats, to help the blind.
Dylan
Technology, both in the classroom and at home, allows Dylan to compensate for his limited vision and poor fine motor control. The school based team approach helps to put a plan of action into play, building upon his strengths. Simple tasks such as; fill in the blanks, alphabetical order, unscramble the word, fact finding and poetry forms are done with greater independence using the intellikeys overlays.
Donovan's Story
Donovan is an energetic young man attending Canyon-Lister Elementary in Creston, B.C. He has been receiving support from SET-BC since Cycle one of the 1999-2000 school year. Donovan has apraxia and, as a result, has difficulty communicating, both on paper and when speaking. He has a great deal to express, however, and his school team wanted to provide him with the tools to help him demonstrate his abilities and knowledge.
Aizlyn's Student Success Story
At the tender age of 7, Aizlyn has already outgrown a BigMac, an Alphatalker, and a desktop Macintosh. She now uses a Macintosh powerbook with Speaking Dynamically Pro mounted on her power wheelchair and accessed with a Penny & Giles Joystick. She also uses Simon Spells, Access to Math, and Kid Pix with Discover Screen for illustrated writing activities.
Cody's Student Success Story
Cody uses a Macintosh computer with programs that have auditory output, such as: Write Outloud, Kids Works Deluxe and Stanley's Sticker Stories. His academic material is scanned into the computer so that he can "type" his answers. Cody has sensory integration issues that prevent printing and/or handwriting from becoming functional. Different color text in Write Outloud is used to highlight important information.
Pam
Creating, Implementing and Organizing Resources in Special Education Technology
Pam is an intermediate student who has multiple handicaps. Over a period of several years her team has developed a variety of symbol systems to augment her communication. In addition to communication, Pam's behaviour and ability to work independently have also improved.
Ashleigh's Story, A Journey of Communication
Ashleigh's goals have always had a communication focus. She used (and still does) an individualized system of one-handed signs to communicate with her Mom and very close friends. As she grew up, she began looking for ways to communicate more independently with more people.