Katherine+Larsen


 * How I intend to utilize this homepage and make it helpful to others as well**

Welcome! This is my own personal page dedicated to sharing important information about integrating technology into the classroom and how that often adapted/assistive technology can be used to maximize the learning potential of students with disabilities in grades K-12. It is a chance for me to share my knowledge and experience in the field and to hopefully demonstrate my intense personal commitment to furthering my own professional development in the area of assistive technology. Included are a brief summary of my own personal philosophy towards technology integration in education as well as various teacher and student resource websites and articles that I hope you will find useful. I want to use this website as evidence of my own personal and professional growth in the area related to technology in education and as a tool to help myself and others continue to further their knowledge in this exciting area. This homepage will hopefully be updated frequently with new articles and websites related to technology integration/assistive technology as well as with any relevant experiences in or thoughts about the field that I want to share!


 * My personal philosophy towards technology integration in education**

My personal philosophy towards technology integration in education encompasses all of what I feel to be the most important aspects of this critical issue. It is crucial that today’s educators (pre-service as well as veteran teachers) have an understanding of just how rapidly the field is developing and how vital it is to success in the classroom that a teacher have current knowledge concerning the field of technology as well as be able to demonstrate a willingness to utilize it in the classroom. I believe that teachers should have appropriate training from knowledgeable professionals on the technology that is available and that they have the skill to learn how to judiciously implement certain technology in their classrooms. When considering the implementation of technology in education the primary focus of any plan or decision should be, first and foremost, **//on meeting the diverse, specific needs of the students//**. Teachers should be made aware through professional development workshops as well be committed to learning through individual research as to the resources available to them concerning AT and technology integration and should utilize all available resources when deciding on the use of technology in the classroom. The implementation and integration of technology in education is a collaborative process and each member of the team plays an invaluable role in the decision making process as regards the best possible use of AT and related software (technology). Whenever possible student input must be solicited and taken into consideration regarding the use of technology in the classroom. With proper regard to time, training and tools, the integration of technology in education can enhance and enrich the curriculum as well as the lives of the students and all those involved.


 * 5 websites that contain useful information on technology integration in classrooms and assistive technology for teachers**

http://www.4teachers.org/ 4Teachers.org works to help you integrate technology into your classroom by offering online tools and resources. This site helps teachers locate online resources such as ready-to-use Web lessons, quizzes, rubrics and classroom calendars. There are also tools for student use. Discover valuable professional development resources addressing issues such as equity, ELL, technology planning, and at-risk or special-needs students.

http://www.startechprogram.org/technology/usingtech.html# STAR Tech is an exciting research-based professional development program that helps teachers integrate a full range of technology tools into the curriculum. The Star Tech program is designed to help teachers improve the performance of students with diverse abilities and needs by using a variety of low-, mid-, and high-technology tools.

http://www.k12learn.com/?gclid=CLycrvDHjZECFRsmIgodyX64Aw At K12 Learn our promise to you is simple...we want you to use technology, we want you to be excited about all of the opportunities that technology brings, and most of all we want to take out as many roadblocks as possible! The K12 Learn system is built to help you get started in broadcasting or podcasting your classroom innovations.

http://www.abledata.com/ ABLEDATA provides objective information on assistive technology and rehabilitation equipment available from domestic and international sources to consumers, organizations, professionals, and caregivers within the United States. We serve the nation's disability, rehabilitation, and senior communities.You can search all of our information on assistive products, as well as information about the companies that make and sell them, by using the Search function that is available on every page or by browsing the products in the Products section of the site. In addition to this information, we offer several other types of resources on the ABLEDATA site:


 * links to Web resources that provide information on assistive technology and other disability-related issues
 * the Assistive Technology Library, a searchable list of books, articles, papers and other paper and electronic publications that deal with topics relating to assistive technology
 * ABLEDATA's own publications that aid in selecting assistive products
 * product reviews in the Consumer Forum
 * conferences and other events on topics relating to assistive technology and disability
 * news items on assistive technology and disability issues that you may have missed.

The Family Center is a resource designed to support organizations and programs that work with families of children and youth with disabilities. We offer a range of information and services on the subject of assistive technologies. You will find hundreds of reviews of assistive technology resources such as books, newsletters, training manuals, software and web sites. These resources are reviewed and evaluated by in-house experts.
 * http://www.fctd.info/


 * 3 websites that students can use for literacy and content-area learning**

http://www.literacymatters.org/18under/index.htm Are you in grade four or above? Do you want to improve your reading and writing? If so, welcome to Literacy Matters, a place where you can improve your skills in reading for meaning and writing to express your ideas.

http://www.readwritethink.org/ ReadWriteThink offers a collection of online Student Materials to support literacy learning in the K-12 classroom. These interactive tools can be used to supplement a variety of lessons and provide an opportunity for students to use technology while developing their literacy skills.

http://www.brainpop.com/ Hosted by an expressive orange robot named Moby and his teen companion Tim, BrainPOP movies cover everything from the Underground Railroad to the atomic model to Shakespeare. Interactive quizzes for assessment and enrichment materials like experiments and creative activities supplement the movies. Topics – aligned with state and national education standards and searchable by state standards – are grouped within the subjects of Science, Math, English, Social Studies, Health, Technology and Arts and Music.

For specific product options and details on any of these devices please see: http://www.abledata.com/abledata.cfm?pageid=19327&top=13539&deep=2&trail=22
 * A list of assistive technology devices and software that will benefit teaching and learning fine and gross motor skills**

//Fine Motor Skills// Door and Latch Frame Drawing Activity Eye Hand Coordination Activity Eye Hand Coordination Exerciser Fine Motor Training Kit Hand Cone Large Knobbed Puzzle Painting Activity Pen with Audible Feedback Puzzle Switch Stacking Hand Cones Terry Cloth Hand Cone Covers Therapy Putty

//Gross Motor Skills// Arm Exerciser Ball Flotation Therapy Floor Footprints Floor Ladder Floor Ladder for Scooter Foam Ramp Hobby Horse Large Geometric Shape Leg Exerciser Mobility Training Program Motor Planning Skill Activity Posture Training Activity Scooter Ramp Vehicle Mobility Training Track Wheelchair Mobility Training Track Wheelie Training Aid


 * Two articles I recommend reading related to technology in education:**

http://www.connsensebulletin.com/edyburnv4n5.html A particularly important article in that it highlights the fact that "more attention, energy, and resources need to be devoted to understanding the assistive technology needs of students with mild disabilities. At the same time, sustained effort must focus on creating alternative service delivery systems that will enable students with mild disabilities to realize the potential assistive technology can offer."

http://www.connsensebulletin.com/edyburnv4n3.html An article that addresses the fact that there is an "urgent need to address the gap in the knowledge base regarding the relationship between remediation and compensation as it applies to students with disabilities, their failure to experience high levels of successful academic performance as is their right under FAPE, and the role of assistive technology to enhance learning."


 * How I plan to improve my knowledge in assistive technology (my professional development plans and venues):**

My plan for continuing my education in the area of assistive technology is comprehensive. My future plans include:

//•Attending professional development workshops related to assistive technology// I plan to take every opportunity to attend workshops offered by colleagues and other professionals that deal with assistive technology. In doing this I further my own training and expertise in the field.

//•Active research// I can attended numerous professional development workshops related to assistive technology, but unless I make the commitment to actively research the latest developments in technology, I cannot hope to keep up with the rapid leaps being made in the area of assistive technology. The minute you stop learning you should stop teaching and I believe this applies to technology integration because of the enormous benefits that can be reaped from its use in the classroom.

//•Communication// Perhaps one of the most important things I can do to improve my knowledge in the field of assistive technology is to communicate with others in the field about its use. Sometimes casual conversations with co-workers about programs they might be working, and sharing ideas about ones already in place in the classroom can provide a wealth of information about how technology can best be used. We can learn from one another, but only if dialog about the subject is initiated and encouraged. This also involves communicating with parents about the issue, and including them in the decision about the use of technology as it relates to how best to meet the needs of their children.

//•Be a learner// Sometimes educators need to take a lesson from their students. Since the ultimate goal of the use of technology in education is to service the students, as an educator I plan to not only solicit their input and feedback on technology in the classroom but I hope to get to know the students on a personal level which will make me better able to evaluate and meet their needs through technology. I cannot hope to illuminate and enrich the curriculum through technology without understanding the needs of each of my students on a personal and individual level. Doing this will also allow me to be the best possible advocate I can for my students in getting them the proper technology to allow them to fully participate in the learning process.

//•Stay excited!// The use of technology in education has such tremendous potential to benefit all students. Too many teachers feel overwhelmed and under-informed and this can lead to pessimism and lack of enthusiasm about technology integration. I can’t expect my students to be excited about it if I’m not. Remaining optimistic and excited about technology will no doubt keep me on the path of learning about the field and hopefully that enthusiasm and excitement will be readily transmitted to my students!


 * How wikis might be used in k-12 classrooms**

Wikis have tremendous potential as classroom tools. All it takes for a teacher to integrate wikis into the curriculum is a little imagination and a computer. There are so many ways in which k-12 teachers can utilize wikis to enhance and enrich student learning. For example: both students and teachers can use wikis to help create personal digital portfolios. They can serve as online discussion boards in which teachers and students can share information and debate topics relevant to course material. A teacher can also use wikis to help students set up their own personal pages on which to publish information about a topic that interests them. Wikis can serve as an out of class student resource if teachers publish links and material relevant to lessons and downloads important readings and other assignments. Perhaps a class wants to create a collective personal page about their classroom to share with other students and teachers all over the world? Wikis can readily be be used as creative resources to enhance curricular material as well as serve as important organizational tools.


 * My plan to sustain the usability of the homepage content for my future references**

I plan to sustain the usability of my homepage content through professional development and perhaps my NLU LiveText Portfolio. As mentioned, this homepage will hopefully be updated frequently with new articles and websites related to technology integration/assistive technology as well as with any relevant experiences in or thoughts about the field that I want to share. Perhaps most importantly I also plan to sustain the usablity by //using// the information on this page. I will take every opportunity I am afforded to experiment with, read about, and explore the field of assistive technology and its use in the classroom.