Syllabus

**SPE 545 ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY**
Kate Zilla, Ph.D. Associate Professor Dept. of Special Education email: kzilla@nl.edu phone: (224) 233-2015

Quarter: Summer, 2007 Tuesdays-Thursdays 10:45-1:15 Wheeling Campus/PC lab Rm. 341

COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course provides an overview of the field of assistive technology as related to the empowerment and successful integration of people with disabilities in K-12+ school-based and related environments. Graduate students will develop a contextual framework within which components of assistive technology will be introduced, developed, and framed. Course topics will include a hands-on examination of various instructional and assistive technologies developed specifically for people with disabilities and/or that can be adapted for use with people with disabilities.

Prerequisite: SPE 500 or consent of instructor

COURSE OBJECTIVES
Students will:

1. demonstrate a working knowledge of technology-related areas of IDEA 1997/2000 and the IDEA 2004, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, Section 508 of the amended Rehabilitation Act (1998), and other pertinent legislation related to assistive technology.

2. demonstrate competency in building a professional electronic portfolio.

3. demonstrate basic competency in the use of adaptive hardware and software as related to K-12+ learning of students with disability and/or learning challenges, in “high-”, “low-”, and (where applicable) “no-tech” formats.

4. compare cultural implications of assistive technology usage in academic and community settings.

5. provide evidence of critical reflection on issues of empowerment and equity as applied to school settings and technology-enhanced learning environments.

READINGS
//__Required texts/materials__////:// Johnston, L., Beard, L., & Carpenter, L. (2007) //Assistive Technology: Access for all students.// Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Enrollment in LiveText (for all special education program students).

Other readings and materials will be distributed in class, posted electronically, or self-selected.

//__Technology Expectations__// Course participants must be able to access and perform searches using an appropriate World Wide Web search engine (e.g., Google), and use email and listservs as a way to communicate with the course instructor and other students in the course. Assignments are to be word processed and electronically submitted.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

 * Participation:** Each student is expected to attend and participate actively in class in ways that provide evidence of their thoughtful reading and processing of class assignments and course content. Students who miss one class may be required to fulfill an extra assignment covering material missed. It is the student’s responsibility to see the instructor as soon as possible after the class missed to obtain readings and details of the assignment. Any student missing two or more classes should be prepared to drop the course, or, at instructor discretion and if after the 8th class, take an incomplete. Informed, active participation in class discussions will be used to help determine “borderline” grades. (20 pts.)


 * Wiki Discussion Boards** All students in class will participate in asynchronous class discussions through our class website. All students will create and post one-two topic questions for class discussion each week (after the first two classes, for a total of 8 times). Further details will be given in Class 2. (40 pts.)


 * Website Evaluations** Working individually or in partners, students will select a topic from an area of student(s) interest in the field of special education. The site chosen will be selected and evaluated according to criteria discussed in class. It should be primarily geared to K-12 students, parents, or professionals, and should be directly relevant to and a resource for the graduate student’s in-class colleagues. On our class website (Wiki-spaces), each student or students will post a link to the website chosen as well as provide a summary paragraph/critique for their colleagues. Students will also turn in a narrative critique of the site electronically, including a checklist provided by the instructor with which to evaluate the website. (20 pts.)


 * Software Review** Each student or pair of students will choose a software program or select an educational CD-ROM to review. Students may either use a program provided by the instructor, or use another program (in which case the instructor must first approve the program chosen by the student). The graduate student will first gain a thorough under- standing of the program and then evaluate it according to guidelines given by the instructor. Each student will demonstrate the software in class and discuss its relevant features as related to students with disabilities. Each student should prepare a one-page overview handout to give to colleagues and the instructor in class. (20 points)


 * Individual Adaptation/Accommodation Tool** Using the SETT framework, each graduate student will select a past or current curricular, behavioral, or life skills dilemma affecting an individual K-12 student within a classroom (or summer camp) setting, and will design (and implement where feasible) a simple, short-term, low cost solution for it using a light- to mid-tech adaptive tool for a student with either low- or high-incidence needs. Solutions/tools will be shared informally with our class, and a descriptive write-up will be turned electronically in to the instructor. Further details will be given in Class 2. (30 pts.)


 * DANA** Each student will be provided a DANA device with which to work during the quarter. Focused student exploration of specific DANA features will be undertaken, and students are expected to practice and complete relevant ‘homework’ outside of class throughout the quarter, culminating in a hands-on competency test. It is the responsibility of each student to find at least one productive way a student in the general education curriculum might use this tool systematically for academic or vocational pursuits. Each student will turn in a written critique electronically. (20 pts.)


 * K-12 Classroom Project w/Technology Modification** Each graduate student will first create a basic lesson for a small group or whole class, and then, using the SETT framework, will significantly modify that lesson for an individual student using a mid- to high-tech tool/approach. The individual student chosen should have either low- or high-incidence needs (whichever is NOT chosen for the Individual Adaptation Tool) which are specifically ‘spelled out’ and addressed by the technology modification. Both the lesson and the needs/modification for the student will first be mapped out using Inspiration (a software program), and will need formal, written instructor approval before proceeding with the actual project. A multimedia approach and tool(s) such as PowerPoint must be used in some way, either as the modification (i.e., a PowerPoint Talking Book) or in your class presentation. Each graduate student is required to turn in: (a) an Inspiration map, (b) PowerPoint handouts to our class, (c) electronic posting of your PowerPoint presentation with a short summary of your project, and (d) a detailed written summary and critique of your project. (60 pts.)

COURSE GRADE
Participation 20 points Wiki discussion boards 40 points Website Evaluation 20 points Software Review 20 points Individual Adaptation Tool 30 points DANA demonstrations 20 points K-12 Project 60 points

A= 196-210 B= 181-195 C= 166-180 D= 151-165 F= below 151

//__Plagiarism:__// //All work completed for this course must be the student’s own original work. Students should refer to university policy as outlined in the Student Guidebook if there is any confusion about this issue. Disciplinary action will be taken against the student if plagiarism is confirmed.//

June 26
 * Class 1**

__CONTENT__ • Introduction and overview of Assistive Technology

__READINGS__ • Article: SETT revisited (Zabala) • JB&C: Ch. 1 & 2

__ASSIGNMENTS DUE__ SPE 545 Survey

June 28
 * Class 2**

__CONTENT__ • AT-related legislation & evaluation/ funding of AT; • Universal Design/UDL

__MATERIALS/TOOLS__ • DANA/ Alphasmart • Intro. to Inspiration

__READINGS__ • JB&C: Ch.3 • Article: Acculturation & AT

__ASSIGNMENTS DUE__ • Instructor-generated journal #1

July 3
 * Class 3**

__CONTENT__ • UDL (cont.) • AT for young children

__MATERIALS/TOOLS__ • DANA/Alpha-smart • Intro. to Boardmaker

__READINGS__ • JB&C: Ch. 4 • related readings

__ASSIGNMENTS DUE__ • Journal #2

July 5
 * Class 4**

__CONTENT__ • AT for students w/high-incidence disabilities • Tools across curricu- lum/software eval.

__MATERIALS/TOOLS__ • DANA/Alpha-smart • tba

__READINGS__ • JB&C: Ch. 9 • related readings

__ASSIGNMENTS DUE__ • Journal #3 • Website evaluations #1

July 10
 * Class 5**

__CONTENT__ • AT for students w/high incidence disabilities pt. 2 • Internet-enhanced & distance instruction and learning

__MATERIALS/TOOLS__ • DANA/Alpha-smart • Intro. to PowerPoint

__READINGS__ • JB&C: Ch. 5 & 7 • related readings

__ASSIGNMENTS DUE__ • Journal #4 • Website Evaluations #2

July 12
 * Class 6**

__CONTENT__ • Integration of technology into Curriculum: low incidence disabilities

__MATERIALS/TOOLS__ • DANA/Alpha-smart • tba

__READINGS__ • JB&C: Ch. 6 • related reading

__ASSIGNMENTS DUE__ • Journal #5 • Software Reviews #1 • Hard copy of Inspiration map for Classroom Project

July 17
 * Class 7**

__CONTENT__ • Technology into curriculum (continued): Low incidence disabilities

__MATERIALS/TOOLS__ • DANA/Alpha-smart • tba

__READINGS__ • JB&C: Ch. 8 • related readings

__ASSIGNMENTS DUE__ • Journal #6 • Software Reviews #2 • Individual Adaptation Tool Presentations

July 19
 * Class 8**

__CONTENT__ • AT for Communication and specific disabilities

__MATERIALS/TOOLS__ • DANA/Alpha-smart • tba

__READINGS__ • JB&C: Ch. 10 • related readings

__ASSIGNMENTS DUE__ • Journal #7 • DANA write-ups/in-class demonstrations

July 24
 * Class 9**

__CONTENT__ • Technology and Transitions • Student Presentations

__MATERIALS/TOOLS__ • tba

__READINGS__ • related readings

__ASSIGNMENTS DUE • Journal #8__ • Student Projects (oral, w/hard copy of slides & write-up)

July 26
 * Class 10**

__CONTENT__ • Student Presentations • Closure

__ASSIGNMENTS DUE__ • Student Projects (oral, w/printout of slides & write-up)