Shailen
December 2007
Shailen is a grade 6 student in Westbank who has done a fabulous job of using technology successfully in her classroom and at home. Prior to getting her technology, she was often dependent on an Educational Assistant to scribe for her.
She uses Kurzweil 3000 on a laptop with total independence, scanning classroom worksheets and tests, inputting her answers and printing her work to hand in. Although a number of alternative keyboards were tried, she prefers the regular laptop keyboard and, with practise, she is increasing her typing speed. She participated in the SET-BC Voice Recognition Project and can now successfully input using Dragon Naturally Speaking in quiet situations. It is felt that as the writing demands increase in the higher grades, voice recognition may become her preferred method of input to increase speed and decrease fatigue especially for homework.
Shailen takes full responsibility for her technology and contacts the consultant directly when challenges occur and is often able to troubleshoot and solve problems on her own. She has also been instrumental in helping a peer with reading challenges to learn how to use the Kurzweil 3000 program.
Shailen is a wonderful example of how technology can be used to improve access to the curriculum and to build confidence and independence!