Previous Classes & Events
4/25/09: Making Assistive Technology "Work": Four Keys to a Successful Outcome
5/9/09: Tech to Success! Assistive Technology for Notetaking, Organization, and Writing
9/26/09: Tech to Success! Easy-to-Get, Easy-to-Use Technology for Struggling Learners
10/12/09: Technology to Assist Students with Learning Differences
10/23/09: Matching Students and Learning Technology: It Starts with Asking the Right Questions
11/14/09: Tech to Success! Demystifying Reading/Writing Software for Learning Disabilities
2/27/10: Using Technology to Become a More Effective Reader
3/13/10: Using Technology to Become a More Effective Writer
3/19/10: Tech Tools That Help Struggling Students...and Their Tutors & Ed Therapists
4/17/10: Notetaking & "Knowledge Management": Technology to Capture and Organize What You Learn
Assistive technology devices and software can level the academic playing field for students with learning differences. Yet despite their promise, many students, parents, and educators are often disappointed when the technology doesn’t “work" -- that is, it doesn’t deliver the desired (or expected) performance improvement. Why?
While most attention focuses on exploring AT devices, software, and computers – the tangible part of technology -- requisite supporting services are sometimes neglected. Join Assistive Technology Consultant Shelley Haven, ATP/RET, as she illustrates how to create successful AT outcomes by including these four essential services:
- Assessment - matching the tools with the student, tasks, and learning environments
- Training - acquiring the skills and confidence to operate the various features
- Integration - applying those features to accomplish specific academic tasks
- Follow-up and Support - monitoring progress to determine if something needs to be changed.
Students with learning disabilities often struggle with “knowledge management” -- gathering and organizing information from numerous sources (class notes, books), brainstorming and refining ideas, and putting thoughts into words. This class explores technology to help students manage and express more clearly what they learn, including: notetaking software, digital pens that “record” handwritten notes, graphic organizers, specialized word finders, talking word processors, and grammar checkers. We will also cover technology to aid the physical process of writing (portable writing systems, speech recognition). Live demonstrations, a handout, and trial software will help parents understand where to explore further.
Date: Saturday, May 9, 2009
Location: Children’s Health Council, Palo Alto, CA
Tech to Success! Easy-to-Get, Easy-to-Use Technology for Struggling Learners
“Assistive technology” often brings to mind specialized tools which are complex, costly, even intimidating. Yet struggling students can also benefit from software and devices which are under $100 (or free!) and take less than 30 minutes to learn. This class will explore inexpensive, readily-available technology for PCs and Macs to assist with reading, writing, notetaking, organization, time & task management, math, and attention, including: alternate uses for commonplace technology (cell phone, camera, voice recorder); turning your browser into a versatile learning tool; and underutilized features built into Microsoft Word, Windows PCs, and Macs. With live demonstrations and a comprehensive handout, this class will help parents get started with assistive technology.
Date: Saturday, Sept. 26, 2009
Technology to Assist Students with Learning Differences
The right technology can level the academic playing field for a student with learning differences, increase independence, and instill self-confidence. Join assistive technology specialist Shelley Haven as she demonstrates how various devices and software assist LD students with reading, writing, organization, note taking, critical thinking, math, and attention. She will also discuss the process of matching students with technology tools appropriate to their learning strengths, challenges, tasks, and instructional environment. Includes live demonstrations and a comprehensive handout.
Date: Monday, Oct. 12, 2009
Location: Network of Inclusive Catholic Educators (NICE) Conference, Mercy Retreat Center, Burlingame, CA
Matching Students and Learning Technology: It Starts with Asking the Right Questions
Assistive technology can help level the academic playing field for students with learning differences and learning disabilities. But with so many devices, softwares, and possibilities to consider, how do you identify the tools best suited to a student’s unique abilities and needs?
Join AT specialist Shelley Haven as she demonstrates how thoughtful analysis of the student's learning strengths, difficulties, tasks, learning environments, and various intangible factors can guide parents and teachers toward technologies most likely to produce results – and away from those which won't. Using case studies drawn from her experience, Shelley will illustrate how this information leads to different solutions for ostensibly similar situations. She will also describe what to expect from a thorough assistive technology assessment and touch on auxiliary issues such as technology training and integration.
Date: Friday, Oct. 23, 2009
Location: PEN Speaker Series, The Exploratorium, San Francisco, CA
Tech to Success! Demystifying Reading/Writing Software for Learning Disabilities
Multi-featured software like WYNN, Kurzweil 3000, Read & Write Gold, and SOLO helps struggling readers listen to and comprehend text. But what else can the programs do, and how do they differ from each other? More importantly, which one best serves your needs? This class will show how the various software features address particular learning challenges, as well as demystify important related issues: where to get books in digital format; different “flavors” of e-books and audiobooks (e.g., DAISY, RFB&D AudioPlus); simpler or lower cost alternatives to consider; and what "scanning a book" into your computer really involves. Live demonstrations, a handout, and trial software will give parents the basics to get students reading.
Date: Saturday, Nov. 14, 2009
Location: Children’s Health Council, Palo Alto, CA
Assistive technology (AT) can help students who struggle with reading, but when AT is coupled with effective learning strategies, students will make even bigger gains in their study skills. This class will show parents and teachers how to apply various technologies with study strategies to address reading issues such as speed and fluency (too much to read, not enough time!), comprehension, recognizing main ideas and “the big picture”, creating an effective study guide, and retention. Includes live demonstrations, examples, and a comprehensive handout.
Date: Saturday, Feb. 27, 2010
Location: Children’s Health Council, Palo Alto, CA
Assistive technology (AT) can help students who struggle with the mechanical and cognitive aspects of writing to produce text that is more readable, organized, and expressive. This class shows parents and teachers how to apply a variety of AT to writing issues such as generating and organizing ideas, spelling and grammar, finding the right words, editing, producing written text, and writing speed. Includes live demonstrations, examples, and a comprehensive handout.
Date: Saturday, Mar. 13, 2010
Location: Children’s Health Council, Palo Alto
With technology matched to their unique learning strengths and challenges, struggling students can experience improved academic performance, increased independence, and greater self-confidence. In addition, many of these same tools can enhance an educational therapist's or tutor's ability to deliver content instruction, teach concepts, and cultivate learning strategies. Join assistive technology specialist Shelley Haven as she demonstrates learning technologies to help you do what you already do even better, including:
- the benefits of electronic text (e-text) and text-to-speech software
- portable whiteboard devices and "smartpens" to capture instruction
- digital notebooks for organization, research, and sharing
- the versatility of graphic organizers and mind maps
- the myths & realities of speech recognition
- contextual spelling and grammar checkers
- virtual math manipulatives
- ...and more.
OPEN TO ALL TUTORS, TEACHERS, and THERAPISTS
Date: Friday, Mar. 19, 2010
Location: Parents Helping Parents, San Jose
Whether taking notes in class, gathering Web research, or creating a textbook study guide, student success relies on the ability to effectively capture and organize information from a variety of sources. This workshop will demonstrate tools to aid that process, from notebook software, “smartpens”, and graphic organizers to everyday tech such as digital cameras and voice recorders. It will also examine how task and setting impact the choice of tool.
Date: Saturday, Apr. 17th, 2010
Location: EdRev 2010, AT&T Park (home of the San Francisco Giants)