Special Education

Comment by Gay Stephenson on October 16, 2009 at 2:37pm

One of the most helpful special education information guides, is published by the Ministry of Education for teachers. But it's great for parents too!
Here is the link:
“Special Education: A Guide for Educators”, available on-line at:
www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/general/elemsec/speced/guide.html

We also have a wealth of information and links posted on our main website at:
http://www.peopleforeducation.com/parents/specialed

Comment by Carla Cripps on October 16, 2009 at 3:04pm

I agree with Annie that navigating the options of Special Education and getting the right supports in place is a challenge. One of the biggest barriers is the fact that all of the actors in the process work in silos--at least that is my experience. At team meetings they all too frequently come with different understandings, different information and impressions. Sometimes the appointed Board resources have no information at all, and meeting time is taken up with updating/establishing consensus about student history and current status. From one meeting to the next, there may be a new face on the team. As the parent, you are constantly faced with advocating to ensure that everyone has the right amount of detail about your child that corresponds to their respective role. It is exhausting. Especially when they call these "team" meetings. It seems that with social workers, psychologists, Special Ed Consultants serving multiple schools there is very little effort into making the team behave as a team.

I do want to add that I've always found that the teachers and school principals are fantastic in their support. But my experience is that once you have to go beyond them to get assistance that involves Board resources, the struggle to get the right balance for your child begins. The guide that Gay provided will be very helpful. Thanks.

Comment by curious mind on October 18, 2009 at 7:22pm

This is really a sad joke........, every where talking about funding this and that and special education etc.......Being a LD/ADHD myseIf, I am having a hard time teaching my kids to do their homework .....I think our educational system in need of reform.....not just for SE but for all kids and in my case my kids are special needs "learning disability" , yes they have wonderful teachers and yes they have great principals but my kids are not learning anything cause they're teaching them in a same way they're teaching everyone else except slower. Every child learn in a different way we have 6 senses , why do they only use one(paper/pencil/abc/123) to teach.

With all these new gadgets and computer's software and discoveries, most kids are not learning in a conventional way, it's boring to them ....it's even boring to me. they have to come up with much more creative way to catch kids interest as well as their attention.

My daughter 6th grader came home with her home-work about solar system...a page description about a planet, in black and white long page that hardly show true form of the planet....she had to read it and in the next page answer the questions......my god she is yawing copying anything in the other page. she is not learning she just filling a blank to get her score tomorrow. I went to Ministry of Education web site to see if there is any thing there to help me with homework for LD...... yes you guess it right there were nothing useful for my child just some info about some organizations that requires money....so I search the internet and I found a video "in colour and 3D" there and let her watch it and we talk about it later while she had better sense filling the blanks that evening I brought an orange and an apple for her to see when she asked about the eclipse , she didn't had no clue and that was her last week home-work. You see, apple and orange is not a technology but she can see and remember it ratter then read it and forget it.
My son 3rd grader in placement school for "ADHD"/LD he never sit still so we go to park to play softball to teach him the clock, distance, numbers as well as practicing focusing "catching the ball". He doesn't like to read or write but he certainly love to hear so I read for him or play a story on dvd. He learn better by listening so in stead of writing his spelling I let him say the letters. School wants him to write. He can answer all his questions but hate to write them down. Why school teach every child in a same way, wonder why some kids called gifted and not others......I believe every child is gifted they just need to be nurtured in the correct way and not just conventional way . He has a great imagination but hate to write so I write for him when he tell me the stories. maybe a software would help him brings out his future novel.

Comment by Kendra Grant on October 21, 2009 at 11:51am

I have been an educator for 25 years. My key passion in life has always been helping every learner learn. I've always "gotten" the kids that learn differently. Since 1999 I have been involved with Assistive technology (text-to-speech, speech-to-text, OCR, visual organization), first at a school board level, and now as an individual educational consultant. Back in '99 I realized that technology could level the playing field for all kinds of learners; however, the road to wide acceptance (by both teachers, parents and sometimes even students) has been long. I have spoken both nationally and internationally about this fundamental right to have access to information through technology and the need to resist the built in prejudice from those of us who find text-bound information easily accessible.
In 2003, as a teacher-librarian in a very diverse school, I worked with staff to create a "universally designed" setting in which technology was available to every student to support and enhance their learning as required. As I watch the speed of technological change (and education's glacial response) I am, now more than ever, dedicated to helping teachers learn to support all learners and to eliminate the stigma of learning differences. If we don't provide technology to support access to, processing of and sharing of information, those who struggle with communication tasks (reading/writing) will fall further behind.
Depending on where I travel many people still see technology as cheating. I see it as a human right. As teachers we are responsible to ensure that students have the means possible to access, process and produce information. As more and more countries become connected and their schooling goes beyond rote, memory based learning, I feel the need for this technology and an understanding of its use will continue to grow.

In my humble opinion there are a few key reasons schools struggle to support students with technology:
• The focus is on the technology or purchasing the software. Very little thought is given to “What will this look like, sound like and feel like in our school/classroom?” What will we do differently to help eliminate “desktop stranding” – software that sits on the desktop underused or unused?
• The focus is on “training” students. The technology is seen as a “student independent tool”. The key is to help teachers integrate the technology into their teaching. Training kids (with the parent and/or teacher watching) does little to change attitudes or school culture around the use of assistive technology. Once teachers know and understand how to use the technology they can then support student learning – in context of the curriculum, the classroom and the student’s needs.
• Too often we focus on remediating a learning problem rather than providing compensation for it. If we say, in essence “You can’t read to learn until you learn to read” we limited the learner and define him or her by a narrow definition of ability and intelligence. In his article “Failure is not an Option” Dr. Dave Edyburn suggests that education promotes and awards individuals who can work with knowledge in their head. He calls this “Naked Independence”. Our education system “exults the performance of able-bodied individuals and devalues the performance of others who must rely on external devices or tools.” Until we acknowledge that it is the student’s thinking we want to assess, not their reading, memory or spelling skills, then students with learning difference will continue to struggle, drop out and fail to meet their potential.

My current focus is working with schools to implement inclusive technology plans. This involves going beyond the usual training that we subject teachers to and moves towards learning; professional learning that is:
• Long term - no ½ day “training”
• Supported - “just in time”, partners not mentors
• Differentiated – choice of format, location, access, time

I am currently working with several school boards (interestingly not in Canada) and providing them with 30-50 hours of professional learning (with follow-up on-line, chat and video support). It is exciting to see the growth in teacher learning and the success students find when teachers have the time to combine technology with their skills as teachers.

Comment by Beth Doubt on October 23, 2009 at 8:46pm

Excellent comments Kendra. A lot of money is being spent by the Ontario government on technology for kids who need it. And my understanding is that it often does not get used to its full poential--I am not sure why.

Comment by Kendra Grant on October 25, 2009 at 1:41pm

Hi Beth: Here's my take on things...
SEA claims were created with the best of intentions but the technology was viewed as a panacea. The focus was software not learners, training not learning. Software and training is easy. Focusing on learners (both students and teachers) and learning, and the resulting school cultural change, isn’t.

SEA claims were a reaction to needs rather an anticipation of needs. What resulted was the purchase of software and training without a long-range vision or a real understanding of the technology as a “teacher instructional tool” rather than a “student independent tool”. Students and teachers were trained. They learned the features of the software; the “How to…” Research shows this results in very little adoption beyond a superficial level. Teachers need the “Why?” and the “What”. As a result in many schools software sits underused and unused. Hardware (scanners and printers) piles up. “What we do around here” hasn’t really changed so students continue to struggle with basic access to information needlessly.

The following is a brief overview of some of what is required. I will post the article I wrote on this topic as well. If you would like a PDF of this article with images please contact me.

VISION (Ministry, board, school and classroom level):
– Is our focus remedial or compensatory?
– Is our focus Assistive Technology or Inclusive Technology?
– What will our school/classroom look like, sound like and feel like on a typical day?
– How has learning changed and how does support technology fit with and support these changes?
– How will we share our plans with teachers, parents and the community?
AWARENESS AND CAPACITY BUILDING:
– Is it cheating?
– How long do students use the technology? Is the technology a "cast" to remove after a period of time or "glasses" to remain and be used as needed?
– Who can use the technology? When can they use it? Why?
– What does the technology do? What can’t it do?
STUDENT NEEDS:
– What skills do we want our students to have?
– What skills do students already possess that will support the use of technology for learning?
– What attitudes do students possess that will support/limit the use of this technology?
– How will the use of the technology change as the student matures?
TEACHER NEEDS:
– What skills do teachers possess that will support the use of technology?
– What attitudes or realities will limit the use of this technology?
TEACHING/LEARNING STRATEGIES
– What learning strategies and teaching methods are we currently using that work for students?
– How does technology fit with and support these strategies and methods?
– What current initiatives (on which we are spending time and money) relate to the use of technology?
IMPLEMENTATION
– Will Principals and Superintendents (not just teachers) be encouraged to explore and use the technology?
– Will teachers/parents have access to the technology to learn more or use at home?
– What types of support (beyond training) will be offered to teachers to support their on-going professional learning?
– How will learning support for teachers be differentiated to meet their readiness level and learning style?
– What resources and materials will be developed/offered so that teachers are able to introduce students to the technology within the context of the classroom and curriculum.
ASSESSMENT
– What data needs to be collected to support the use of and implementation of inclusive technology?
– How were the needs (understanding and readiness) of teachers and administrators assessed?
– How do we know that technology meets the needs of the learner?
– Is our focus affective (positive attitudes) or achievement (learning success)?
– How do we recognize and celebrate successes?

Comment by Kendra Grant on October 25, 2009 at 1:47pm

Here's my article - please email me for a PDF of the article:
System Planning for Inclusive Technology - Applying the "Then What" Factor or What to do BEFORE the technology is purchased
My first article "Then What? Getting Started with Inclusive Technology" focused on supporting the classroom teacher to move beyond a software approach. In this article I will discuss what I believe schools and/or districts need to consider BEFORE technology is purchased. There will be many questions - only you can determine the answers that best suit your school or board.
Key Questions
There are three key questions to help avoid “Desktop Stranding”. Software that sits on the desktop ineffectively used or unused.
What will inclusive technology look like, sound like and feel like in three to five years?
What did we put in place to make this happen?
What is our starting point? (Students and Learning)
Before the Software: What Needs to Be Considered?
Vision:
I believe a clear vision for the future of Inclusive Technology is needed. It is difficult to predict the future but chances are the workplace will provide reasonable accommodations for employees. Just as today ramps and wide hallways are provided for those with physical challenges so will screen reading, word prediction and voice recognition technology be routinely provided for those with learning differences. Based on this assumption:
• Will the technology and its use change as the student moves through the system?
• How will a student use this technology in grade 2, grade 8 and grade 12 to prepare them for this future?
• What will a typical day look like for teachers and students using this technology?
As this vision is developed it needs to blend with, and perhaps transform, what is already in place or envisioned.
• How does this vision of inclusive technology fit with the programs and plans already in place?
• Will it blend seamlessly with other initiatives such as those around equity, engagement or literacy, or will it transform them?
Awareness and Capacity Building:
It is difficult to create wide scale change if stakeholders consider the use of technology cheating. If there is resistance to the use of technology or ignorance as to its purpose and use, how will the school/board build awareness about this issue? Important questions need to be addressed: (See Figure 1).
• Is it cheating?
• How long do students use the technology? Is the technology a "cast" to remove after a period of time or "glasses" to remain and be used as needed?
• Who can use the technology? When can they use it? Why?
• Can the technology be used in testing?
• How does Inclusive Technology fit with our concept of Response to Intervention?
If there are misunderstandings, questions, confusion or resistance, long lasting change will be difficult to achieve. Ensuring everyone understands this important paradigm shift is key.
Student Needs:
To truly understand what technology is required, how it will impact learning and who will use it and how, requires boards to examine student needs carefully. It is important to include numbered data and statistics but must go beyond that to include the views of parents and staff who know the students best.
• What are the learning needs of our students? What are their strengths?
• What do we do well for students? Where do we need to improve?
• What data do we have that provides insight into what students need to learn?
Teacher Needs:
We know that any initiative that impacts the classroom impacts teachers. It is teachers who are expected to learn the software and integrate it into classroom use. Without teachers no change will happen. Talk to teachers, anonymously. Find out: what has helped, what other support do they need, what hasn’t helped. Then consider the following:
• What skills do the teachers already have in the use of technology?
• Are teacher's overwhelmed by other initiatives?
• How do you get teachers involved and interested?
• Who is ready to begin? Who is resistant to the change?
Teaching/Learning Strategies:
Technology can provide students with access to information but without teachers and the support they bring, learning will be far less accessible for most students. It is important to remember that the technology can’t do it all. There is no software to take the place of good teaching. Some important questions to ask include:
• What learning strategies and teaching methods are we currently using that work for students? How do we know?
• How will technology support and enhance these strategies and methods?
• What current initiatives could technology support and enhance (literacy/numeracy)? For example: if there is a focus on writing frameworks how would inclusive technology fit with this initiative?
Technology not Software:
It is important to talk about technology without being software specific. Learn what the technology can and can’t do. Invite someone from inside or outside the school/board to present an overview. This will help ensure all key stakeholders understand the various technologies; what their functions are, their impact on the classroom and students, and how they work together and with current practice to support student success. This type of presentation will help to answer the following:
• Do we know and understand what technology is currently available to us?
• Is there any technology that will support our initiatives?
• What technology will have the most impact? Where do we invest first - screen readers or word prediction?
• What students would benefit from the different types of technology?
• How does the different technology connect and interconnect for seamless student support?
Implementation:
More than Teachers
“It takes a village to raise a child” is also true about the use of inclusive technology. Everyone needs to be involved; to have a stake in its success. Everyone needs to understand the purpose of the technology and the reasons for using it. Everyone should be encouraged to learn more; to use the technology as required for their own learning and work. The burden of change needs to be distributed so that teachers feel supported and encouraged, while students and their learning remain the key focus. (Figure 2) This that in mind:
• How will other stakeholders be introduced to the technology?
• Will Principals and Superintendents be encouraged to explore and use the technology?
• How will parents learn about the technology?
• Will teachers/parents have access to the technology to learn more or use at home?
Learning:
Successful implementation requires long term support for long term change. If it is recognized that students learn differently then it is fair to say that teachers learn differently as well. Just as we need to rethink technology we also need to rethink teacher “training”. (Figure 3) In many boards, a new software arrives and training sessions are provided. At each session participants are lead through the software, given a handout or manual and perhaps given time to "play" with the program. This approach focuses on training and software. Learning sessions focus on curriculum, strategies and teacher learning.
Learning sessions that ask important questions and then tie the learning of the software into the answers, are an excellent way to begin the journey of bringing inclusive technology to the classroom and students.
• What will my novel study, math lesson or history class look like if I include this technology.
• What might be different about my final assessment if I include this technology?
• What does a classroom like mine that successfully uses inclusive technology, look like, sound like and feel like?
We also need to look beyond the idea of workshops or learning sessions. There are many ways to encourage the learning process. In Figure 4 it shows some of the ways to help teachers bring inclusive technology into their classroom practice. These are suggestions only; many more ideas could be generated that have a “local” feel for your district.
Review and Support:
If you have been in education for a few years you most likely have seen initiatives come and go. The use of inclusive technology is one initiative that needs to remain. We owe it to our students who struggle with a learning environment that doesn't meet their needs. To help bring about long lasting change some questions need to be addressed:
• How will we review our progress and celebrate our successes?
• How will we ensure this initiative continues on regardless of changes in administration or staff?
• What do we need to put in place to make this part of our culture; part of what we do in our school/board?
Software Purchase
By asking and answering the above questions there will be a shift in thinking: a shift away from buying software towards investing in learning. However, before the actual software is determined there are a few more questions to consider before decisions are made.
• Who will make the final decision? Will it be the purchasing department, teachers, a committee?
• How will the actual software be reviewed? Will a salesperson demonstrate? Will there be pilot projects to determine the choice?
• Is price the biggest determinant of choice?
Whoever is part of this decision ensure they have been a part of the questioning process. Ensure they understand the technology and the reason for its use. Regardless of how the software is chosen remember to dig deep beyond sales presentations and demonstrations. If you view a presentation of the software ask yourself:
• Is the presenter software focused or student and learning centric?
• Can they answer the “Then What?” question?
• Are the features of the software easy to use and understand?
• Are the features robust? Do they do what they are suppose to do?
• Are there additional features that have limited impact on learning?
• Is the interface simple and intuitive to use or will it require extensive teaching to effectively use?
• Can a software really “do it all”?
• If there is data to support the use of the software, is the data valid? There may be a correlation but no causation.
Too often in the past software is purchased and fails to live up to its expectations. It is too important for students to have access to inclusive technology for this type of resource to “sit on the desktop” underused or unused. Considering each aspect of the process - vision creation, awareness, needs assessment and teacher support – before the purchase, will go a long way to ensuring the tools students need are readily available in every classroom to support, enhance and enrich their learning.

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