Don Johnston

Visionary Honored for Technology Innovations to Support Children with Special Needs

2011-12-06T16:57:00.001-06:00

This blog post is dedicated to Don Johnston and a tribute to his work in special education. It was written by John Micklos, Jr. and featured in the 2011 AEP Hall of Fame program. The post is a testament to Don's lifetime contributions to help all persons with learning challenges and disabilities read and write. Congratulations Don!

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Growing up, Don Johnston struggled in school. In his autobiography, Building Wings: How I Made it Through School, written for adolescents, Don thought of himself as a failure until an eighth-grade teacher, Mrs. Tedesco saw his true learning potential. Don was a thinker. Mrs. Tedesco set high expectations for Don and encouraged him. Gradually, he became a successful student and business man, earning both an undergraduate and graduate degree and on December 1, 2011 the AEP Hall of Fame Award for his work in special education. Don’s childhood learning struggles set the stage for what lie ahead of him. “Struggling as I did and rising above the challenges, I knew I wanted to make a difference for others.”

Don Johnston has paid that debt over, tens of thousands of times. “My career revolves around inspiring people with disabilities,” he said. That is the reason for my book – Building Wings—to help struggling students build self-confidence and learning independence. I want to encourage them to identify their unique learning style and advocate for the strategies and tools, they need to succeed.”

Don recalls visiting a school, an event he has done many times over 30 years, where all the students were reading his book and acting out the parts. “This really hit home for me,” he said. Since his book was published, letters pour into Don from students, parents and teachers. Some are sad, some are witty and the majority of them are poignantly written. The message is: “Students realize that even with learning struggles, they can be successful in school and in life.”

Indeed, one of Don’s current projects is a book inspired by a class of students who wanted to know how to survive in the business world with a learning disability. Don notes that the concept of dis-ability is interesting because it connotes not having ability. “In reality, struggling learners have other abilities,” shares Don, “meaning that a more accurate description would be a “difference-ability.”

The Don Johnston company (www.donjohnston.com) develops products that address learning differences and support students until they are successful. In fact, Don says, “If our education systems were more based on visual learning, you would have a whole population of different students succeeding. The tradition of how education has been conducted leads us to the school being dis-abled rather than the student. Point in fact; if people came from outer space and saw our writing system they’d think we are crazy.”

Passionate in his convictions, Don feels that schools must do a better job of serving students who learn in a variety of ways. His first project after graduate school involved building a school for struggling students. In 1980, he founded his company (Don Johnston Incorporated), an educational publishing and assistive technology company. Don recalls starting the business during a recession. “With two young children, it was a stressful time financially,” he said, “but the excitement of striving to solve education and disability issues with technology kept me going.” By spending lots of time on the road and talking with educators, Don built life-long customer relationships, as well as establishing friendships and strategic partnerships that have stood the test of time.

Don Johnston takes pride in the fact that his company remained a true “family business.” Sons, Ben and Kevin run the company, along with longtime friend and colleague, Ruth Ziolkowski, the President. “We are a family-owned company, and we treat it that way,” Don says. He loves the freedom that being an entrepreneur provides in terms of working on projects he feels passionate about. However, he also appreciates the value of collaboration, noting that networking at venues has led to dozens of ventures over the years.

After 32 years in business the company recently celebrated the milestone of reaching more than 32,000 U.S. schools with its assistive technology, impacting the lives of countless learners from elementary to post-secondary. He has celebrated the success of many students he has watched blossom over the years using assistive technology. “Overcoming learning difficulties as a youngster helped me prepare for success in my businesses. The same challenges we face in business, struggling learners face in schools. i.e. If you can stand up and give a book report when you never read the book, that takes real skill and imagination,” he gestures.

As someone on the cutting edge of educational technology for three decades in special education, Don has seen many changes. He thinks cloud computing is the next big trend to alter the learning landscape. His new digital library service, Bookstream, allows schools or districts to upload eBooks to the cloud, where students can get instant access on any software or portable device with Internet access. The accessible (digital) book list on this Bookstream “online bookshelf” can be individualized for students and supports a range of assistive technologies. The service helps educators track and manage copyrighted books as well. Don also sees the potential for technology to continue to improve data collection that can be used to monitor and support students’ progress for more individualized learning. Such data should be used to provide “positive feedback” and encouragement,” he adds.

Still, Don worries about an overreliance on testing and the fact that schools sometimes spend much time in gathering data that takes away from time left to analyze and determine how best to use the data to support learning. Although No Child Left Behind was enacted with great intentions for helping all students achieve at higher levels, Don believes, “The problem is that the testing focus has created an unintended consequence. Ultimately, I think it’s left MORE children behind. The brightest kids are scoring higher, but the kids who struggle are scoring lower.” He cites work by brain researcher, Sally Shaywitz that suggests struggling learners may learn more strategically because they use different parts of their brain to process information. Multiple choice tests fail to effectively capture what these students comprehend. “We’re destroying their confidence and ability to succeed,” Don says. “Are these kids failing, or are the schools that have switched to a testing regimen failing?” A good question for much dialogue.

Don’s peers in the field of K-12 and Special Education use words such as “believer,” “innovator,” and “transformer” to describe him. “Don truly believes he could use his own experiences to make life better for children,” says Dr. Michael Behrmann, Kellar Professor of Special Education at George Mason University. “Don is a pioneer innovator in product development,” adds Behrmann. “He found a niche market and focused on creating products that really worked to improve access and literacy. He transformed the industry by developing a dynamic company that had vision and showed quality products and a determination to build relationships that would carry his company forward. His focus on accessibility for students with physical disabilities, while of marginal profitability I imagine, was one of the mainstays of teachers of low-incidence populations for decades. “Overall, Don’s products give the widest possible range of students an equal playing field in language arts and reading.”

Kathy Hurley, Senior Vice President, Strategic Partnerships, at Pearson Education and the Pearson Foundation, notes Don’s enduring passion for children and adolescents and his willingness to prioritize product over profit. “He created products in niches where others were afraid to try,” Hurley said. “He went with what he thought kids needed rather than basing his decisions on financial considerations; that is where his heart has always been—producing the best possible products for kids.”

Furthermore, students can truly identify with Don. “His openness about his struggle throughout life and the obstacles he overcame really motivate others who struggle and he is a role model for many types of students of all ages,” says Steven Kaplan, Director of Student Services for the Sharon Public Schools in Sharon, Massachusetts.

Don’s influence has touched the lives of many within the industry as well. “When you’re with him, you just soak up the qualities he exudes, and you want to show those same qualities yourself,” Hurley adds. “I see Don’s products as examples of how having an idea can impact the field in positive ways,” says Dr. Behrmann, who has been a longtime leader in the field of assistive technology professional development. “It has been a pleasure to see him build and grow his company and develop a vision of AT software and hardware which always reflected both the state of the art and the state of the practice.”

“Don is one of the people who is a ‘known and lasting’ figure in education,” concludes Hurley. “He’s always learning and putting out better products to help kids. He’s exactly the kind of person the Hall of Fame should recognize; a person who has contributed to the industry in ways that will last a long time.”

Don accepts the honor with humility and gives special thanks to his wife, Cheryll. “When you’ve been a struggling learner who failed so often in school and then had some success, it almost seems unreal to get an honor like this,” he says. “For struggling learners, the fear never really goes away. When you get a taste of success, it’s really humbling. Thank you for honoring me.”

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Don's sons, Ben and Kevin, created this video as a testament to their father’s accomplishments, filled with student messages. You’ve got to watch it! And please do share.

Special thanks to the members of the Association of Education Publishers, John Micklos, Jr., Charlene Gaynor, AEP Director and Stacey Pusey for their efforts to honor Don Johnston.

UDL Framework Changes the Way Teachers Teach and Students Learn

2011-11-03T14:25:00.000-05:00

No more spray and pray for educators in the Wayzata Public School District in Plymouth, Minnesota.

Carole Ries, an OT and Assistive Technologist says. "As educators we know we have to do more than stand up and give lectures in the front of the class and hope students will learn the required material."

Using the framework of Universal Design for Learning or UDL, Carole and colleagues implemented a school-wide model of delivering accessible instruction materials by marrying the curriculum with technology.

“I have worked with students for over 20 years in both the Midwest and the East coast. It's clear to me that our students’ learning styles are very diverse. The question is… How do we reach and teach every student who is unique and has individual needs? One answer is Universal Design for Learning; an excellent framework to guide our preparation of lesson plans, select textbook material, set up our classrooms, evaluate software and collaborate with others. Best of all, we can serve many types of students to help them become more successful and lifelong learners."

Read about Wayzata's UDL model in our ‘Schools in the News’ where several teachers and specialists provide insight into actual classroom teaching methods. Then take a look at our SHIFT professional development materials that will help you plan your UDL program.

SHIFT Part III—Designing and Delivering Training

2011-06-22T10:41:00.003-05:00

I'm pretty sure Mick Jagger was incorrect when he told us that time was on our side. In fact, I'm positive time is not on your side when it comes to learning new technology at school, in the midst of your typical work day.

Thus, lack of time is the number one barrier keeping you from effectively leading and teaching your staff and students to use new technology. Uncovering and leveraging times that already exist will probably become your greatest task--you're going to have to get creative! We often hear that reserving school or district PD days is not available to you. Here's the thing, even if PD days are an option, they're rarely frequent enough to create a sustainable learning environment. You cannot hold a training and come back in six months for a follow up and expect that things have changed.

There’s a paradigm shift to be made here too that nobody likes to talk about, it's a bit taboo…at some point you will need to get people to understand and agree that learning new technology is not an extra thing. The ability to use and leverage technology is a minimal expectation in the working world, and has been for more than a decade. If we want our students to be competitive in the digital, global economy we live in, this belief system has to start, or at the very least be reflected, in our schools. Once your staff begins to experience using technology in context (regularly), they will discover that it will replace other things they’re doing, and it can help them do some things more quickly. For many administrators and classroom teachers, this is a big hump to get over. Getting past this will also get you past that mind-set that many staff members have, "I should be getting paid for learning this." So, with that out in the open, let’s move on to strategies that will help you push your trainings out more effectively!

Districts that have excelled at implementation have offered up several common time-slot suggestions: planning periods, before/after school and lunchtimes. Remember that food is a great motivator—make snacks or treats! A brown-bag luncheon where everyone brings their lunch and eats together works really well too. These meeting times should be static and need to occur every couple of weeks at first. Maybe you’re thinking that these short bits of time are not long enough to deliver enough information—au contraire mon fraire—start thinking mini-lessons!

Developing Your Training Materials and Content 

The biggest mistake made in developing the content to be covered in actual trainings and workshops is that the trainer provides way too much information at one time. The other is that trainers tend to lead with the technology and not the student outcome. If you are involved in AT, chances are you are slightly more tech-savvy than some of your peers—so remember that! We get excited about what a technology can do, and we often go in guns blazing showing off every single bell and whistle. The reason we do this is because we’re afraid we’re not going to get another time with the people who attend. If you want to have the greatest possible impact, you’ll have to stop doing and thinking this way. Here's a tip sheet called, "How to Create Custom PD Training Modules." It contains some fool-proof ways to create fabulous training modules! Plus, it will suggest more resources that you can get on our web site!

Find Your Bright Spots 

Somewhere in your district, technology is working well—your job is to discover why. Even if it’s only one classroom in one building, follow these steps to leverage that bright spot:

Gather data on what IS working
Understand the normal way things are done
Find out what’s being done differently
REPRODUCE what’s working in your plan

If you haven't already, sign up to become a SHIFT Member! It's free, and you'll not only get a great starter kit that contains tools to help you create a fool-proof plan that you can roll out this fall, but also lots of extras, like certificates of achievement, data collection sheets, student success forms, etc. Happy training! Don't forget to post your successes on this blog so that others can benefit from your learning!

SHIFT Part II—Building Your AT Implementation Team

2011-05-26T10:50:00.009-05:00

How are you doing communicating your vision for pushing out your assistive technology and getting people on board? Have you created a team to help you?

Here is the most important reason for creating teams: Your goal is to move away from that old "you are the expert model" and make "more YOUs" at each location (where the technology is being placed)! While your effectiveness does hinge a little bit on how you carry out your training, the bulk of successful implementation really lies in the team(s) you create. The Team Building Tool on our web site will walk you through each step and will outline how to identify the types of people and personalities you'll need to build a phenomenal team.

First things first, you're actually going to need two teams, the first one being your stakeholders, probably your peers or your administrators. They're the ones who, if you can get their "nod," will help you with infrastructure and accountability.

The second will be your team of doers: those are the folks that will actually assist you in doing training and will be actively involved in pushing the technology out. In the Build Your Team section of our web site, we teach you how to identify and go with the goers!

A couple more key things about putting your team together: make being on the team a prestigious thing and validate the team's existence by naming it. A little intrinsic motivation goes a long way! If you make the people on your team feel special, they will act special.

There are lots of ways to do this:

Send a letter to their administrator, letting the administrator know why this person was selected (there is a sample letter in your kit!)
Put a "Making SHIFT Happen" certificate or sign outside their door
List the team name in your district newsletter, announcing your team members
The more you generate awareness about your team, the more you'll breed excitement about being on the team.

One last thing, make sure you carve out a regular meeting time for your team—at least once a month. You don’t need a big chunk of time—one hour should do it, so think about planning periods or lunch times. Always make this meeting a positive experience. For example, at the opening of each meeting have each member of your team share a success they’ve had with a student, or explain how they overcame a barrier. If you can, keep your team from talking about all of the negatives and keep them focused on the finish line. It will also provide a platform for leveraging each other’s ideas. Additionally, when you use this meeting method you can gauge which members are "stuck" or aren’t participating as you had hoped. They probably won’t bring much to the table during this time. With that information you can perform an intervention.

I know it's almost the end of the year but if you start planning now, you can come back in the fall with a foolproof plan!

CEC Tuesday Winner

2011-04-26T20:08:00.000-05:00

The winner of today's giveaway at CEC--a Start-to-Finish title of your choice--is Cori Modisette, from Waterborough, Maine!

SHIFT-Part 1, Creating Your Vision

2011-04-06T14:55:00.018-05:00

Technology Implementation: How difficult is it for you? Do you know the steps to effect change? Did you know there are some predictable patterns to follow? Are you familiar with this kind of scenario in your school?

You’re really excited because you just launched a new widespread AT initiative, but only a few folks show up. You promote it and shout it out that CHANGE is in the air, but your colleagues aren’t as excited as you are. You think… “Can’t they see the impact AT has on our students…Johnny wrote his first paragraph just the other day and his reading has improved.” What’s it going to take to ensure effective implementation happens?

We’ve merged the implementation strategies we’ve seen successful districts use, with some simple change principles we’ve learned in reading Chip and Dan Heath’s book Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard to create SHIFT.

It starts with a Vision...

Having a vision is critical because it acts as the guiding point and filter for everything you do. It should have a specific long-term outcome and should also support, or be inline with any bigger district mission or initiatives. Check out our Vision Builder Tool, a worksheet that will walk you through the steps to creating a good, achievable vision.

Even more important than the act of creating your vision statement, is how you will go about communicating that vision to get others on-board! Communicating your vision in a way that resonates with people works wonders.

To help get you thinking about how to creatively communicate your vision, we also posted the Marketing Your Vision 101 Tool.

In Marketing Your Vision 101we expound on these five effective strategies:

Bring a student to your meeting and let them explain how technology helps them 
Video-record a struggling reader or writer being successful 
Bring before-and-after writing samples of your students
Take your naysayers to see students using technology 
Tell break-through or miracle stories

If you invent some other creative ways to communicate your vision, why not share that out with others who are "SHIFT"ing too? Comment here, on Facebook or Twitter!

New AT Approaches – What Would You Do Differently?

2011-02-22T12:42:00.007-06:00

Special thanks to Gayl Bowser, AT Expert and Consultant for this thoughtful guest blog post.

Like Don Johnston, I’ve had the good fortune to work in many countries and cultures in my retirement. I’ve been to schools in Mexico, Ecuador and Taiwan and the good news is that assistive technology is beginning to grow in those countries too!

Just knowing about how other schools are building their emerging AT systems can teach us a lot about how we might want to make changes in the US to benefit more kids.

When I get to experience other cultures using AT for the first time, I ask myself the question that Don often asks us, “Knowing what we know now, what would we change or do differently in our schools?”

One thought I have is that I might take some “specialness” out of AT. After all, we know that technology that works for children with special needs will also support lots of learners and learning styles.

When I started working with AT devices 25 years ago, they were all so customized and only used by specialists in hospitals and clinics; settings that were isolated from schools. Later, we built systems in schools to address the needs of students with disabilities, but they were separate and parallel to general education technology tools. Looking back, these systems were based on a model that implied that we needed an expert to support AT. Once we got into this specialized role, it’s been difficult to get out.

Today, as a consultant traveling the world, I try to help others more easily understand how to use AT in daily learning environments and to showcase many tools that we can consider as general education learning tools. So, I ask you….would you consider the possibility of moving away from being an expert consultant or specialist to becoming an education mentor or technology coach?

If I were to start over, I might find ways to empower all educators to make their own technology decisions. I would help them to develop a curiosity to try various technologies before they call on experts. Yes, we will always need individuals with expert knowledge and specialized expertise when our knowledge is insufficient, but, could we give up some of our “specialness” in favor of an overarching empowerment of all colleagues? I’m ready to change my perception, are you?

To SHIFT our approach to integrated school technology systems, we would then expect that every educator, grad student or new teacher would understand how classroom technology accommodations benefit students. If we are teaching elementary education, do we use digital textbooks, talking word processors and alternative reading materials? If we are teaching older students, are we aware that mobile phones now offer word prediction and voice recognition features that might be useful in our instruction? If we are pre-grad students attending teaching colleges and universities, are we taught to use assistive technology in our delivery of instruction? Can we fully integrate technology into our daily teaching routines? If not, where do go for help and resources?

Tell us what you think? If you had the chance to start again with AT, what would you do differently? What resources and information do you tap into to learn more about these tools?

AT Class at CA Prentice School Teaches Children How to Use AT for Lifetime Learning

2011-02-14T12:53:00.008-06:00

What better compliment than to have educators share their students' learning successes with others! That's what happened today... Stan Tom, AT Specialist for Prentice School in CA shared this local news story published in the Orange County Register Newspapers.

Twelve sixth-graders sat silent and attentive as they clicked through a NASA website, learning how astronauts train.

The Prentice School students use Read:OutLoud, which speaks the text, so that children with dyslexia, dysgraphia and other processing problems learn more easily. The program is part of the school's assistive educational technology class, which teaches students to use computer programs that help them read and write for a lifetime. School officials say these programs will help the students advocate for themselves in high school and college.

"It is safe to assume that school-age children already know about technology in the given age of blogging, texting and tweeting," said Mr. Tom. They are familiar with word processing and know about the Internet.
However, if they are poor spellers, have trouble organizing thoughts into written expression or have difficulty comprehending, what they read, than these types of materials are largely inaccessible media for students with learning differences.
For them, it becomes essential to know what accommodation technologies can enable them to keep up with increasing academic workloads, specifically to support reading comprehension and written expression.
When students find themselves in a remediation situation, they are already behind and face challenges ahead. If we provide these students with opportunities to learn what educational assistive technologies are available, and how to master these tools, they are more likely to reach grade level achievement, continue to make academic progress, and expand their expectations of themselves.
A vicious circle is broken and competency with tools leads to accomplishments, which engenders greater confidence, and ultimately a sense of responsibility for one's own progress and purpose."

Stanley Tom

Don Shares African Schools Mission Trip and Message of Hope at ATIA 2011

2011-02-07T12:44:00.003-06:00

ATIA, the Assistive Technology Industry Conference was hopping in Orlando, FL this year especially at our booth and evening event. Hundreds of educators and parents previewed the latest software and devices to learn more about the benefits of AT to help kids with cognitive, learning and physical disabilities.

We demonstrated the new Simply Works Switch System, the Intel® Reader and the DAISYtoEPUB conversion tool.

Everyone was also excited about SHIFT, our new

AT framework, free to educators who want to learn more about tools and strategies to integrate assistive technology into daily instruction.

More than 150 educators gathered at our 'Reach for the Stars' evening event to hear Don talk about his African Schools Mission trip with his wife Cheryll. Don shared lots of compelling and beautiful photographs and a message of hope to celebrate teachers who support children with special needs.

Don and Cheryll visited local villages and helped to coordinate a microloan program to stimulate economic development and education. They also distributed hundreds of their Start-to-Finish books to schools that severely lack reading materials.

Start-to-Finish books are uniquely written and formatted to engage struggling readers, build vocabulary and improve fluency and comprehension skills. Thousands of teachers use Don Johnston’s books to support students who read below grade level and with learning disabilities such as dyslexia, autism, or cognitive impairments. The books are offered in paperback and computer book (CD) to support universal design for learning (UDL) instruction through a multi-modal (visual and audio) reading experience. Many titles are aligned to required core reading curricula and can be used in general education and Response to Intervention (RtI) classes.

“In Kenya, students look out on the fields and make a choice between picking tea for 16 cents an hour and getting a good education,” he said. “The things that struck us on our trip weren’t just the obvious differences, but also the parallels between students in the U.S. and those in Kenya. Students in both countries have choices to make to stay in school and to work hard. The reality is that without education, they will not thrive in the real world."

The staff at Don Johnston continue to celebrate and honor the work that you do to ensure that all students learn, especially those with disabilities. We must work together to inspire children and adults to seek out new learning strategies that will help them overcome their learning barriers. Technology accommodations can lift children up to reach their true academic potential.

*****

The Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA) conference draws educators from across the U.S. who specialize in special education technologies and services for individuals with disabilities and learning challenges.

Celebrating Small Steps. Technology for Learning.

2011-01-18T10:29:00.001-06:00

When I first learned about Co:Writer and Write:Outloud assistive technology I was absolutely over-the-moon with excitement! I thought…oh, the possibilities for struggling writers! At that time, I was an early childhood teacher and I could see the benefits of AT for kids with disabilities and learning challenges. Again…who wouldn’t want to use these tools to help their students improve their reading and writing skills?

Reality Strikes!

Fast forward almost 2 decades and here I am, the Assistive Technology Facilitator for a school district encompassing 12 elementary, 3 middle, and 2 high schools. I still think, well, who wouldn’t want to use these tools? But through experience I now know what it takes to get technology integrated into a classroom and whole-school programs. This effort takes time, persistence and celebration at every step of the way!

Embracing Technology Can Take a Village!

The road to getting teachers and administrative staff comfortable with using technology can be a long and winding journey. Fortunately, your company provided some great tools and assistance to help me get our teachers on board. Here in the St. Charles Schools, IL we have installed SOLO in all 12 elementary buildings on all computers with our unlimited site license. I celebrate and thank our IT Department who really supported the rollout. And I thank your tech support team who stood by us. Working together, we made our technology installation process smooth; something all administrators and facilitators wish for.

In September, we had 2 three-hour trainings for teachers and support staff chosen by our principals. We used your Train-in-30 online tutorials and the Quick Cards for our learning exercises. Since then, I have worked 1:1 with teachers and with students in group instruction. Each time, I celebrate the inroads of this journey.

Every month I also meet with elementary special education teachers to talk about successes and brainstorm issues. I have attended and trained LRC Directors too and try to use the strategies that you suggest in your SHIFT professional development program.

I think that my biggest HURRAY moment happened after I instructed a group of 4^th/5^th graders with significant learning disabilities during their LRC instruction time (aka computer time). An LRC Director looked on as we went through the training on SOLO.

A week later, I received an email from her. She told me that that her class returned to the LRC for additional computer time and she was amazed at how much and how well the students were able to write using the AT writing tools.

What do you know…this Director celebrated “me”! Teachers are embracing the technology, students are improving their literacy skills and whole school teams are working to make a difference in the learning process.

Maureen Joy is the Assistive Technology Facilitator for St. Charles Schools, IL CUSD 303

Thrill Your Students! Try a New Technology That Helps Them Learn.

2011-01-10T09:35:00.000-06:00

Mary Murnighan, a teacher in Charlotte County, FL wrote to us about her students using our accessible text reader to help them improve their reading. Can you tell how excited Mary is to use technology? What about her students?

Read:OutLoud has been operational in my class for just a few weeks and we’ve had lots of issues; mostly with big smiles attached to them.
Kids jumping up and down, hi-fives, rushing to their teachers shouting..."this is great! What a problem to have our our schools.

We're now using the text reader software with learners in our middle schools who have all types of abilities. This includes students who struggle to keep up with grade level reading; students with advanced college reading levels and average readers. I don't know who was more impressed by this technology and how easy it was to integrate into our instruction; us (teachers) or our students.

This enthusiasm for learning with technology has prompted our administrators and teachers to ask our students to write comments about the software. We're planning to include their quotes on a proposal to the MacArthur Foundation for grant monies.

I am thrilled with the initial outcome of using technology as part of learning and look forward to working in our computer lab where more teachers, like me, will come to see how students react. For the next few weeks, it's going to be a frenzy among teachers to give up their lab time so others can see students in action, but we're willing to keep the momentum lively.

I LOVE it when this happens in our schools! You try something new and all of a sudden its the spark we need to expand what we're doing in classrooms.

Try a new technology and see how easily you can make your students SMILE.

Sincerely,
Mary

Send your "AHA" moments to vchernek@donjohnston.com.

Say it Outloud and Proud

2010-12-08T12:34:00.007-06:00

One day I stumbled across some words and a video on your website that I believed never to be written or discussed outloud.... “A Case Against Assistive Technology”. Powerful truth.

Finally, someone said it :Outloud.

You, Don Johnston, started a discussion, a powerful one...Outloud. A discussion that many educators want to have but are unable to start or have set aside because others aren't ready to listen.

I thought....What if I had this video for my own assistive technology trainings. Could I start a discussion?

I called Jen Loucks and asked for permission to download and use the video in trainings. Yes..permission granted. No cost, please share it. So I did!

Now, I open my AT presentations with the beginning video frame, “A Case Against Assistive Technology”. The audience's faces appear confused and unsure of what is coming next. I have their attention.

There is quiet in our training room, but faces show much thought and pondering. Aha..maybe a discussion will ensue. My only words, “I'm going to begin by sharing a powerful and truthful video with you. Please watch it.

The video plays for 3 minutes and is done. There is silence. . .and then it starts a wonderful discussion...how does AT benefit students? How will it provide new opportunities for students to learn? How can AT level the learning field?

There....I said it :Outloud, without saying a word. Are you having this important discussion in your school?

“Simplicity is the glory of expression.” – Walt Whitman

Sincerely,

Julie Cunningham, M.S.

Assistive Technology Consultant

Lincoln Intermediate Unit #12, New Oxford, PA

Help Students Blend In...AT Levels the Learning Day

2010-12-06T08:59:00.001-06:00

One of the most powerful methods of breaking the Assistive Technology barrier in school is to encourage educators to use the tools they have.

Many classrooms have access to software, portable keyboards, Smart technologies, and other tools but fail to use them on a daily basis. Unfortunately, there are still many 'work sheet queens and kings' in our classrooms.
By using available technology, educators can combine instruction with assistive accommodations and remove the stigma of a student 'feeling different' and help more students succeed.

Please share this story...
I recently walked into a classroom with a cart of portable keyboards. A student with special needs refused to use the tool because it made him look different. He greeted me with "I know what those are, only special ed students use those. I don't want one".

I just smiled and handed out the keyboards to all students so that they could begin a writing assignment. Within a minute, the reluctant student was at my side asking for a keyboard.

Students started to do a 'quick-write' activity; usually a five minute writing activity during which many students get off task and are struggling. After ten minutes the teacher turned to me and said "Wow...they have never written this much before or this long".

We had to make the class stop writing. This was a first for sure!

About a week later I got a phone call from the teacher. She simply said in a quite voice.... "listen" and held the phone out. All I heard was silence broken by the clicking of keyboards. "That", she said,"is my class writing their final drafts. Everyone has completed the writing project".

You can watch Diane's AT Team video showcasing students learning with technology. The first menu button on the left that says, AT Colquitt County will showcase these phenomenal educators and their students. Diane Forte Barfield is the Assistive Technology Coordinator for Colquitt County Schools, GA

You can read more about the Colquitt ATeam in Schools in the News.

IDEA 35 Years - AT Specialist Shares Perspective

2010-11-29T09:42:00.006-06:00

November 29^th, 2010 marked the 35^th anniversary of IDEA, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, originally enacted in 1975 as the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, 94-142. The legislation was signed by President Gerald Ford at a time when nearly 1.8 million kids with disabilities were excluded from public schools.

Fast forward 14 years from this enactment and meet Alison Montana, an AT Specialist in Colorado who began her career in 1989. At that time, disability laws were in their infancy. “There was no assistive technology back then,” said Alison, “but many of the key issues in IDEA are still the same today such as due process, parental rights, and a free and appropriate education for all (FAPE). “And today 2010, teachers are working hard to create a least restrictive learning environment for children with special needs. The challenge, however, is many teachers still don’t have the knowledge or time to realize how assistive technology tools can benefit their students.”

An AT early adopter, Alison was one of the first educators to envision what a simple technology tool could do for students with disabilities. She fought for visual pictures to represent words for children who had no voice. She asked for a switch interface to help a young teen operate a computer. She saw students motivated to learn and this motivated her to keep the momentum going. Her special education director was an early adopter of technology and set high expectations for her staff to explore devices that would spark a child’s interest. Alison said, “That’s when we discovered Don Johnston, a man who built his company to serve children with special needs. It is truly amazing when you see a child write for the first time!”

Today, her Colorado school district is an exemplary model of using AT to support a wide range of students’ needs from the most significant disability to high incidence. The Colorado Department of Education built teams of multi-disciplinary specialists, known as SWAAC, (Statewide AT Augmentative, Alternative, Communication or Supporting Learning Through Assistive Technology) to evaluate students together and make joint recommendations. Alison remembers OTs, SLPs and parents who could not believe the progress children made using the tools. There are 70 teams now that make up SWAAC and Alison manages the coordination for the Adams School District 14 which supports more than 7000 students with an 80% Hispanic population.

In 2009, her district used ARRA funds (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act) to purchase SOLO, a literacy software suite of four accommodation assistive technology tools. The tools support students with cognitive delays, physical disabilities and who are at risk of failing general education literacy requirements. Alison recommends the software for ESL students who find it difficult to spell in English. “I see their reading comprehension skills improve,” she said. “It’s a good supplemental learning tool that doesn’t replace a teacher, but helps them to deliver instruction in multiple ways, which keeps kids focused.”

A student with a traumatic brain injury recently told Alison he wanted to drop out of school. He was behind and lost hope of graduating. She set up a tripod on his wheelchair and introduced him to the AlphaSmart with Co:Writer, a word prediction program that helped him gain back his vocabulary and grammar skills. Alison likes the pre-made word banks relevant to her curriculum. Her student liked that he could add his own topics, like skateboarding. He stayed in school, graduated and went to college.

For students with autism, Alison says AT can be an excellent resource. One student who did not speak, but interrupted classes finally settled down after being put on the computer. By the end of the year he was talking and doing well in class. Mrs. Angie Vasquez, a parent of twin boys with autism said, “I like SOLO because my boys both have trouble with reading comprehension. Now they understand what they read, are more organized and write more often, which has improved their writing skills.”

Matt Bitner, a special education teacher for the district said, “When we looked at student behavior in our writing classes we found that a number of students always acted out. We tried SOLO in our writing lab as part of an intervention program. Not only did bad behavior decrease, but these students wrote three to four more paragraphs and more frequently with correct grammar.”

Alison’s district also uses Read:OutLoud, an accessible eReader that reads digital text aloud and has built-in study tools. She said students used to listen to books on tape, but they didn’t take notes or collect facts. In Read:OutLoud students can highlight text and add notes in a sidebar. Teachers can write instructional notes, too to help their students gather the right information for a good book report. “These study tools are convenient for kids and keep them on task," shared Alison.

“Teachers care about children and want to see them learn,” summarized Alison. “I personally believe teachers are getting a bad rap. We have to find new ways to help them teach and to show them how AT can help them do what they do best. Kids in this digital age want to use technology. And from my experience, I know it can level the learning field, which is what the IDEA law was designed to do. I wouldn’t have pictured myself as a technology pioneer, but I’m proud of it. Over the years, I’ve seen lots of students succeed who were labeled ‘unlearnable.’ It’s time we explore assistive technologies and put them to the test for lots of kids in different learning environments.”

The United States House of Representatives is considering a resolution, introduced by Rep. George Miller, D-California, to honor the 35^th anniversary of IDEA. Read more about this resolution on the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services website.

A Training Tool is Only Good if You Use It

2010-11-15T15:52:00.010-06:00

Let's Get the Conversation Started!

I' ve used the 'The Case Against AT’ video four times in the last month as an icebreaker to start the conversation...how to implement assistive technology in our schools. Let me just say, everyone loves the video, educators, administrators, specialists. Each person who views it has positive comments and is empowered to help students reach their potential.

Yes, it's a great video...that is if you use it. SIGH

Recently, I was asked to do a one-hour training to a group of administrators in rural Missouri. I made the appointment over a month ago and it slipped my mind as to what group of folks I'd be talking with. My mind always thinks special education and I assume way too much. Because when I arrived to give my presentation on the options of AT for students, I realized I might be in trouble. It became clear that I was presenting to school principals; not special ed teachers. What to do?

I pondered if I had prepared the wrong presentation and I realized I didn't have time to change what I was going to discuss. I could see that this group of administrators needed more inspiration than me talking about reading software for LD students. It was late in the day and the room felt really hot. For a second, I was a comedian who needed an opening act to warm up the crowd. What could I use to break the ice?

The video 'The Case Against AT' would have been perfect, if I had used it. You know that I kicked myself the three-hour ride home wishing I had opened my training with it. Darn!

We all want to think that we're inspirational when we work with others; I do. I want the things that I have to say and share to be interesting, but sometimes when I roll the dice on what will get a group of educators excited, I now know what to use. This video! No matter the group, this four minute video will stimulate their thinking, prepare them to look at cool AT tools with fresh eyes...and spur their discussion topics forward.

I made a promise that I will use 'The Case Against AT' to get the conversation started. It will always be my opening act and I will ride on the coat tails of its intention and success. Will you use it too?

John Effinger, M.S. CCC-SLP, Blue Springs, MO

Missouri Assitive Technology (MOAT)

Ask a student to help you pave the way ...

2010-11-08T11:21:00.014-06:00

Students use technology everywhere and are frustrated in school if these tools and devices aren't available for them during the learning day.

As educators we know that students think and learn differently. ‘The Case Against AT’ video does a good job of pointing this out and helping us discuss the assumptions we often carry about using AT. In our graduate classes, we talk about stepping up to the plate to provide students with more technologies that can benefit them in lots of ways. We also talk about how to integrate AT tools into the mainstream general education learning process, such as providing accessible curriculum and multi-modality learning. (visual and auditory)

Yes, we are all realizing how ‘ubiquitous’ technology is and the role it can play for students; whether gifted, average or for those who have physical or cognitive challenges; they can all benefit from technologies to reach an optimal level of performance.

Technology and good instruction can make a world of difference for students. It is our job to provide more opportunities for them to utilize tools, like a computer, a switch, a netbook, iPad, tablet PC, Smartphones; just a few of the new solutions now available.

We can have no more excuses because kids know how to use them, or they will learn. Yes, we may be hesitant, but we can learn how to use them too! Just ask one of your students to help you pave the way. They’ll be happy to comply.

Read Brian's latest AT review on the DAISYtoEPUB software converter and many more AT programs now available.

Dr. Brian Friedlander is an Associate Professor of Education at the College of St. Elizabeth in Morristown, NJ where he heads up the Graduate Programs in Special Education. Brian is passionate about the use of assistive technology with students with disabilities. He teaches graduate level courses in AT and maintains an active blog at AssistiveTek Blog where he writes about his experiences with hardware and software applications. He is also the author of Assistive Technology: What Every Educator Needs to Know, a reference guide and current subject matter of a video Assistive Technology: Powerful Solutions for Success .

SHIFT...Shaping Habits in Fellow Teachers

2010-11-02T08:21:00.011-05:00

Last week, Bill Reeder, former Director of Fairfax County VA Public Schools, AT Department, prompted us with questions about the assumptions we often make using technology and a few excuses we hear from those who don't want to use these tools.

It's hard to make changes. Most folks don't like it. Since our video released, 'The Case Against Assistive Technology, we've heard from lots of you and hope you will keep the momentum going and the discussion alive...it's an important one.

What we know from your comments and guest blogs is that CHANGE can happen! It all starts with a 'SHIFT' in thinking. And, of course a 'CHAMPION' of an idea...i.e. that technology can add more learning support for students with special needs and this can have a big impact.

That CHAMPION could be you, a teacher, a student who knows how to make things work...like computers and software or a principal or administrator. Whoever it is...acknowledge them ... reward them ... and recognize their efforts. Everyone likes to be recognized for their good works!

Helping students with disabilities reach their true learning potential and overcome common barriers to learning is such a worthy mission. Yes, you are shaking your heads in confirmation. That's why we developed SHIFT!

Our new AT Implementation Framework, affectionately dubbed 'SHIFT', for shaping habits in fellow teachers can help you create a vision, build your team, design and deliver training and keep the momentum going. And it's FREE!

We designed this professional development program after working with AT specialists and administrators from across America who visited our headquarters to participate in our learning summits.

These folks know what it takes to make change happen in their urban and rural school districts and how to address different types of students' needs. For the last few years, we tested our theories, gathered best practices, put teams together and helped many educators successfully build their AT infrastructure. You can read some stories in our Schools in the News web section.

Now we can help you...Take the Challenge with SHIFT!

We believe, as we know you do too, that ordinary people can achieve extraordinary results. Check out our new 'SHIFT' PD program and all the great resources and materials available.

Don't forget to use the video 'The Case Against AT' as a presentation resource. It's really a great tool for opening up new discussion and to start the ball rolling. Thanks for staying with us, talking about change, and sharing our new SHIFT professional development program.

Why Hasn't AT Evolved More in Schools? A Question from Bill Reeder

2010-10-18T08:25:00.003-05:00

A puzzling fact for educators...why hasn’t the use of assistive technology (AT) for students with disabilities evolved like that of the seat belt? Let’s start with some pertinent AT facts.

1) It would be hard to disagree that when AT is implemented with fidelity it allows many students to communicate, remediate, analyze, write, read, hear and apply what they’ve learned. Are you nodding "yes, we agree?"

2) The law, IDEA, requires teams to at least consider AT for every student annually as part of their IEP. In recent guidelines for how school systems should spend ARRA stimulus funds, AT was the first of three federal spending recommendations.

3) Statistically, achievement scores of students with disabilities continue to significantly impact the school’s ability to successfully meet Annual Yearly Progress (AYP) goals.

For many students with disabilities, AT is the adaptation to their Program of Studies that would allow them to meet appropriate educational goals , yet AT is not being widely and effectively used.

What can we do?

Lack of funding is probably the number one reason cited for why AT is not being used more effectively and strategically by schools today. While ARRA funding certainly was a shot in the AT arm, many districts, faced with a terrible economic reality, felt the need to plug this money into saving teacher positions and not as much went to AT as we first hoped.

I believe that the key to dealing with the funding dilemma is finding alternative and creative funding solutions to bolster allocated AT dollars. Even in a bad budget year, money can be spread among managers and projects. The secret is finding ways to get your hands on it. (A good discussion topic for another day!)

Lack of funding, in my opinion, is not the main problem. It’s lack of empowered AT local leadership. We need to help decision-makers recognize the power of AT not only to level the playing field for students with disabilities, but to increase their abilities and potentially test scores.

In the end, this is a PR issue. Getting your decision-makers on board to realize that appropriate, pro-active and strategic planning for AT is 'student, educator and school system smart' and can make a difference in achievement.

In Fairfax, VA public schools we call our champions 'TOPS' teachers. TOPS stands for Technology Outreach and Program Support. Today, there are 300 educators who serve as additional AT resources with the blessing of their Principals and Program Managers. Since we started the TOPS program, I believe it was the single most important AT initiative in my tenure in Fairfax. AT leaders at the grassroots and local levels have made a substantial difference in getting our AT usage stats up and making a difference for students.

Find your champions and empower them!

Bill Reeder, President Innovative Technology Solutions, Former Director, Assessment, Assistive Technology and Support Services, Fairfax County Public Schools, VA

Guest Post ... "These Are Exciting Times!"

2010-10-11T09:11:00.001-05:00

A message from Dr. Fran Smith, Coordinator of Technology and Distance Learning at VDOE Training & Technical Assistance Center, School of Education, Virginia Commonwealth University

These are exciting times! As Ben's video illustrates,the rapid growth of technology over the past years has spurred many opportunities to enhance student learning. We now have books that can be read in print, read aloud by a computer, or transported through small devices. This flexibility in format expands the reach of media.

The assistive technologies we used twenty years ago have reached a level of sophistication that expands their “assistance” across many mainstream tools. For example, word prediction is now working in the background when we write a text message or email. Speech-to-text recognition enables Smartphone users to type a text message with their voice and desktop users to write a letter without using the keyboard. Magnification of a screen viewing area is as simple as tapping or stretching the screen with one’s fingers. These trends point to a future that will continue to offer technology tools that help all individuals learn more effectively.

Contemporary educational frameworks such as Universal Design for Learning (UDL) also support the valuable intersections that all of these technologies play in the learning process. Through a UDL lens, educators can become better “instructional designers” and consider ways to weave technology into the classroom that expands opportunities for all students. More students are able to learn when classroom instruction and assessment practices are provided in multiple ways to teach, reach, and engage students. Flexible instructional approaches, accessible instruction materials and assistive technologies all play an important part in these learning situations.

Special thanks to Dr. Fran Smith for this insightful post and for all the great information and resources Fran's provides throughout the year to advocate and inform others about the benefits of AT.

'Ableism' ... AT Expert, Denise DeCoste Challenges Perceptions

2010-10-05T08:18:00.001-05:00

The Case Against AT video forces our thought process on what we can do to correct misperceptions about assistive technology in the areas we work in.

Even in classrooms where universal design for learning (UDL) is being implemented, there will still be a need to include additional assistive technologies for students who need it to level the playing field.

In a three-year meta-analysis of accommodation-related research across 50 states by Cox, Herner, Demczyk, & Nieberding (2006), the authors reported that teachers saw accommodations that altered the test format (such as read alouds) as invalid, whereas, accommodations for students with sensory impairments, where the response format was altered, were perceived to be equitable.

This research on teacher’s perceptions of accommodations suggests the potential for bias against assistive technology, based on the belief that such accommodations might provide an unfair advantage to the student with a disability. According to Thomas Hehir (2008) former Director of the Office of Special Education Programs at the U.S. Department of Education, there is a perception in education that disabilities must be overcome and there is "an ingrained prejudice against performing activities in ways that might be more efficient for disabled people but that are different from how non-disabled people perform them." Dr. Hehir refers to this phenomenon as 'Ableism'.

Ben’s video will help us get the conversation started to challenge these perceptions. How do we work with teachers more effectively to address their concerns around AT? What's working for you?

Denise DeCoste, Ed. D., OTR. HIAT, Team Leader Assistive Technology Consultant, Special Educator, Occupational Therapist - Montgomery Maryland Public Schools

Thomas Hehir: New Directions in Special Education - Book Reference

The CASE Against AT ...Reflections from a Special Ed. Teacher - Patrick Black

2010-09-21T09:53:00.009-05:00

When I was contacted by Don Johnson to write this post, I really wasn't sure what to say...I mean I'm a classroom teacher, who writes a moderately popular blog, and participates in discussions on an email list. Why is my opinion important?

Then I watched the video "The Cast Against AT" and realized I'm exactly the person who needs to see it and talk about it. As "just" a teacher I know the struggles that children with cognitive and physical disabilities face every day. I've seen first hand how a piece of technology can change a student, allowing them to communicate and participate.

"For students without disabilities, technology makes things easier. For students with disabilities, technology makes things possible." --M.P. Radabaugh

This quote really says everything for me, students with disabilities get more possibilities with technology. That can be a PECS book, a laptop computer with text-to-speech, or a speech generating device. Technology is not a crutch to students with disabilities, it is a way to help them be more successful in their life.

Why allow a student to fall behind and try and catch them up, why not help them be successful the first time. We have the ability, let's take it! Please take a moment today and share this video with a colleague, we can all make a difference!

Sincerely,

Patrick

Patrick Black has been a special education teacher for 10 years and currently teaches students with significant cognitive disabilities in a self-contained classroom in Mt. Prospect, IL, focusing on children with autism and significant cognitive disabilities. He is a "geek" who loves to share all things technology. Over the years, he's integrated technology into the classroom to assist with communication, cognition, and socialization. You can also find Patrick at his blog, Teaching All Students. You can also follow him on Twitter - @teachntech00 or the Teaching All Students fan page on Facebook.

Compelling Video - The Case Against Assistive Technology

2010-09-20T09:50:00.014-05:00

Can you believe how far we’ve come to make assistive technologies an everyday accommodation for students? Many educators know that AT can make a big difference for students in special education, but we've still got a way to go to demonstrate how AT can benefit students across the curriculum.

Ben, my son, just created a four-minute video presentation called, ‘The Case Against AT, with the hope of stimulating new thinking and discussions about the use of assistive technology in K-12 schools, college, and beyond.

His video addresses the history of resistance to assistive technology in schools and compels administrators, teachers, parents and education leaders to consider AT accommodations not just for students with disabilities in a resource room, but in everyday classrooms to benefit all students who need more structured learning supports.

We hope you will view and share out Ben's video. Talk with your colleagues about it and use it as a presentation tool to open up more discussions in staff meetings and PD workshops.

In the coming weeks, many national AT experts, educators and parents will share their views about The Case Against AT video and what it means to them. We hope you will share your comments too!

Thanks for participating in this important discussion. Keep it going!

What assumptions have you faced in your school? How have you broken through misconceptions and barriers?

Don Johnston

Celebrating 30 Years of Bright Spots!

2010-08-25T06:37:00.023-05:00

Thirty years ago, Cheryl and I had no idea that spending late nights in our old garage to figure out what tools would help children with special needs succeed, would lead to the business we have today.

We owe much gratitude to you, educators who truly make a difference. Many of you, in fact lots of you, have been with us for a long time. We've enjoyed the ride and appreciate you standing by to provide insight into what's working for you and your students.

Your feedback has helped us to develop the quality products we have today. You've put Co:Writer and Read:OutLoud in product leader positions and we could not be more proud that our programs help so many kids become better readers and writers.

To celebrate 30 years in business is humbling. Recently our employees held a party in our honor and to see our sons, Ben and Kevin, work with Ruth, our fantastic president, to lead the charge is an incredibly satisfying legacy. How many companies can say this about their business!

It all started because I didn’t have technology in school to accommodate my learning disability and still today many students do not have tools like text readers to support them. I was labeled a poor learner and carried that stigma for years. Then in 8th grade, Mrs. Tedesco, an incredible teacher and bright spot in my life, challenged me to think in different ways. I'm sure many of you are "Mrs. Tedesco's" for your students too!

As many of you know, my autobiography, Building Wings, highlights Mrs. Tedesco and her faith in my strengths and abilities -- not my weaknesses. Hundreds of letters pour into my mailbox from students and teachers about the book. I read every letter and believe that technology is a way to level the widest inequalities for all people. Through your letters and stories we know that every student can attain some level of literacy.

On behalf of my family, we sincerely thank you for all the well wishes on our 30th anniversary. We couldn't have done it without you and our incredible employees. We look forward to the next 30 years. Who knows...maybe my grandchildren will be the next generation to carry us into a world we can imagine now...where kids grow up using technology at an early age and as an everyday tool in school. You are the bright spots! Keep your passion and share your stories.

Don
P.S. Your video greeting was too much fun to watch!
Thanks for thinking of us.

NEW! University Editions of Read:OutLoud and Co:Writer

2010-07-13T09:00:00.002-05:00

We're announcing the NEW University Editions of our Read:OutLoud accessible eBook reader and Co:Writer, our word prediction writing tool, now redesigned to support postsecondary students.

In 2009, Virginia and Indiana purchased unlimited site licenses of Read:OutLoud, our accessible text reader, to provide statewide reading accommodations for students with special needs. Since then, thousands of K-12 schools have jumped on board to provide access to required curriculum.

Today, more students than ever can read the latest eBook, download a digital textbook, use an accessible web browser and build study skills with Read:OutLoud. We're proud of this accomplishment!

The K-12 movement toward accessible instruction materials (AIM) has led us to redesign University Editions of Read:OutLoud and Co:Writer. We've announced our new editions at the AHEAD conference (Association on Higher Education & Disability) this week in Denver, CO.

Our announcement comes just as an important letter from the Departments of Education and Justice have sent a clear reminder to presidents of U.S. colleges and universities about the importance of equal access for postsecondary students with disabilities. The letter specifically addresses eBook readers, quality text-to-speech and accessible book navigating features.

From my personal experience with dyslexia, technology can be a very powerful equalizer for individuals with disabilities in the real world. Tools like Read:OutLoud and Co:Writer can be extremely valuable for transitioning high school seniors, postsecondary students and veterans with disabilities.

Thanks for sharing our news about the University Editions! We’re certainly excited to support college students now who can have access to these beneficial tools. And we're committed to helping more individuals with disabilities lead a successful and prosperous life in school and beyond.

Have a safe and fun-filled summer!

Don

New Research Demonstrates Gains in Emergent Reading Skills for Adolescents with Autism and Intellectual Disabilities

2010-04-19T12:00:00.006-05:00

We have new research to share with you which demonstrates improvements in the emergent reading skills of adolescents with autism, intellectual and multiple disabilities. The research was conducted by Penelope Hatch, Ph.D., CCC-SLP at the Center for Literacy and Disability Studies, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

In Dr. Hatch's seven-week intervention, she studied 43 students, ages 12 to 21, with diverse ethnicities and exceptionalities to determine the effects on their daily reading experiences using age/ability-appropriate text with two groups of teachers, i.e. teachers trained to teach comprehensive literacy instruction and teachers without this training. Each student group read Don Johnston’s Start-to-Finish Literacy Starters, a collection of computer and paperback books designed for non-readers and students reading at beginning levels. Students read for 30 minutes a day in self-selected reading assignments, teacher-led instruction or a combination of the two practices.

There was a significant difference between the average pretest and posttest performance for the 43 students. The first group improved their scores by 5%. Students in Group 2 who were taught by teachers trained on comprehensive literacy instruction improved by 8%. These students focused on word and vocabulary instruction, reading comprehension and writing.

Download the pdf of this Research Study to share with colleagues.

“Traditionally, special education teachers kept their approach narrow when teaching students with significant disabilities to read,” said Dr. Hatch. “This approach typically involves using only sight words or learning the alphabet through decontextualized drill and practice. Our study set out to determine: 1) if students with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities could improve their reading skills when given daily access to age/ability-appropriate books; and 2) if students made more improvement when taught by teachers who were trained and familiar with teaching comprehensive literacy instruction."

Students' Declaration of Independence and Bill of Rights

2010-02-24T09:18:00.004-06:00

At the Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA) conference in Orlando last month we started a student revolution that we’re sure even Thomas Jefferson would be proud of! Hundreds of educators and families stopped by our booth to learn more about how to use our solutions to overcome the barriers that keep students from achieving independence. At our evening event, we celebrated the momentum that AT now receives in K-12 general and special education to support students with disabilities and those with reading and writing challenges.

Together, we declared student independence and created a new Student Bill of Rights where educators proclaimed their vision for ideal learning environments and wrote their ideas down for all to see. They even took up the Quil and signed their allegience.

Students’ Declaration of Independence

We, the Representatives and Leaders of Assistive Technology, in Education, Assembled, appealing to the people of America and the Governing body of this great nation for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good Students of these United States, solemnly publish and declare, That these Students are, and of Right ought to Be able to use Assistive Technology Anywhere, Everywhere and All the Time, that they are Absolved from all perceptions that Assistive Technology is cheating or that it creates an unfair advantage, in so that all students have Equitable and Flexible Access to the same Concepts and Ideas and ultimately, to SUCCESS.

— And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor as Citizens of Education.

Students’ Bill of Rights

Students Shall be given the opportunities they need to achieve their full potential

Students Shall be allowed to learn using their favorite medium

Students Shall use technology even when other think they shouldn’t

Students Shall have a voice

Students Shall learn to advocate for what they need to succeed

Students Shall have accessible textbooks and materials

Use the comments feature to add your own student statements!

And spread the word, "Independence for ALL Students!"

Crossing the Technology Bridge - FCTD Interview with Ruth Z.

2010-02-08T08:59:00.009-06:00

Where Do We Go in the Assistive Technology Field to Help All Learners Succeed?

In January, 2010, the Family Center on Technology & Disabilities (FCTD) featured the insights of our president, Ruth Ziolkowski, on various aspects of the AT field. In this important article Ruth talks about systemic change in K-12 education and suggests 3 scenarios of how U.S. school districts are viewing assistive technologies in light of ARRA stimulus funds. You can also read what tools and strategies work for students with autism.

Did you know that AT is one of three top spending recommendations for schools using ARRA funds? Yes, it's true. Read what Ruth says about the AIM digital movement in education (accessible instruction materials) and where leading school districts are making strides to provide universal access to the general curriculum. Here is an excerpt from the full interview.

School System Response to ARRA

Nearly a year has passed since ARRA was enacted. In that time frame, Ruth has seen three different school district scenarios develop with respect to ARRA-funded technology acquisitions:

Scenario #1: There are districts in which ARRA-funded AT is not a factor. “Districts that have other pressing needs do not understand AT or are not using it. Therefore, they have not been changed for better or worse by ARRA in their approach to AT.”

Scenario #2: Districts, in which funding has been very tight for the past couple of years, have been aided by a pinch of ARRA funding in attempts to acquire AT. “This funding,” Ruth notes, “helps to replenish some of a district’s older technology, or upgrade their licenses and add some new technology. In these districts, the availability of AT is beneficial for individual students. ARRA funding will be a source of protection if other sources remain constrained for the next few years. These districts probably didn’t acquire new technology, but were able to obtain updated copies of technology in which they’ve already invested in.”

Scenario #3: Systemic Change in School Districts
The third scenario is where systemic change at the district level is taking the most shape. “This is where the exciting work is,” says Ruth, “and where we’ll learn much as a field. This is where district and school leaders know more about and understand systemic change and the obstacles they face. These leaders are rethinking their approach to learning and teaching and achieving school efficiencies through technology. They know how to serve as many students as possible with the technology that does the most good. Our team has been talking and working with some of these districts to ensure that their ARRA funding, a one-time spending event, is spent with good, sound decisions to affect the greatest student outcomes.”

Ruth said, “It is clear that some AT genres, like word prediction, have helped students with disabilities to write and express themselves more clearly for over 30 years. Word prediction continues to be a solid AT investment for schools. Students have needed these tools to succeed all along. I talk to individuals at the district level about whether these genres of technology have made a significant impact on students and ask them how this technology can be implemented in a way that has a wider impact. They want to consider their AT investments systemically so that they can meet their mandate for a least restrictive environment. We also tried to help them formulate a more modified curriculum, but have come to realize that’s not what schools want. Instead, they want students who use AT to have access to the general education curriculum.”

You can read Ruth's complete interview at http://tiny.cc/districtATsolutions.

This year, Don Johnston celebrates 30 years in business! Congratulations to the team and to our customers who continue to advocate for our products and services in support of students. We are more determined this year to ensure that all students receive the strategies, AT tools and support to be successful readers and writers. Go AT!

Don's Video Interview in ABC Channel 7 News

2009-12-15T10:40:00.008-06:00

Karen Meyer, special education and disabilities columnist for ABC Channel 7 News in Chicago, interviewed Don Johnston recently at the ATIA 2009 conference, along with other AT vendors.

This video and article discusses how AT tools can transform the lives of individuals with disabilites, especially for k-12 and college students.

"The drop-out rate in this country is one-third of all students in schools," said Don Johnston. "Part of this is because students aren't feeling successful. When they are provided with supportive assistive technologies, students can learn and study better. They are more likely to have success in the curriculum which reduces the drop out rate. It's a win-win for schools, students and our community."

Watch: http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/disability_issues&id=7168130

Did you know that AT is recommended for ARRA Spending?

Yes, assistive technology is suggested as the first in a short list of recommendations for ARRA recovery spending. In the next two years, special education will continue to be a top priority in U.S. schools through IDEA funds (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act). Educators will receive $12 billion—that’s 50% more than current funding. Read more about this spending intiative here.

Race To The Top

2009-07-24T13:53:00.005-05:00

Today, President Obama announced the “race to the top.” There were several elements laid out in this grant program—I was particularly interested in the areas of higher standards and new assessments. With regard to assessments, he made the comment, “we can finally get assessments right.”

It seems to me that the AT field needs to be part of this conversation. This is our opportunity to educate and make others aware of what is working and what is not working.

We all work to find tools that make a difference for students. Students use these tools during the school year but when it comes time for the test, all of a sudden these tools are no longer allowed. Questionable use of AT tools on the state assessments has a double-whammy effect. Without clear answers, teachers take a quick and easy way out to say, “well if it is not allowed on the test, then why should I use this?” While we all know these are silly conversations, they are real and happen every day around the country. This is our time to help “get it right” for the students we have seen become successful using AT.

What can we do?

Contact your state policy makers, your governor, your state AT leader and your state education leaders.
Contact leaders in OSEP to ask them to influence.
Respond to this list serve. Let’s collect your stories/concerns. I will be responsible to collect those and get these in a format that you can use as you talk with your state leaders. I will also work to get these to national leaders.

Questions

What is your districts experience in terms of testing accommodations? What seems to be working? What is not working?
When it comes down to assessments, what barriers do your students face?
Do you have any data that shows the difference in performance of special needs students using accommodations vs. not using accommodations?

~Ruth Ziolkowski

Students With Learning Differences Are Concerned About Their Future!

2009-07-16T09:11:00.007-05:00

The thing I enjoy doing most is talking with students. They have so much to say. In June, I spoke with a class from Pomfret Community School in Connecticut—it was their last week of school. The kids talked a lot about their concerns about going into their next grade (in September) and they were worried about how they will do. Many asked if I would be writing a sequel to Building Wings (my autobiography about growing up with a learning disability). I was struck by their requests, what were they looking for?

I asked a lot of questions and learned that what they most wanted to know was what it is like for me as an adult with learning struggles. I don't know why, but I am always surprised by how concerned students are with their futures. Maybe it's because we adults assume students are so wrapped up in their every day social life that they don’t think about that. I can tell you that from my talks with kids, and the letters I receive, they almost always mention their concern for their futures.

Look at the expressions on their faces, they are engaged and talking with me via conference call. Wow, it was so cool to get this picture!

My experience was that it was much easier to go through college and develop a career than it was to get through primary and secondary school. Even now, I feel it's easier for me to run a company than it was for me to get through school. In the job world, using tools and strategies are considered good ways to be efficient and productive, whereas in school they are considered a reflection of inability and embarrassment. Through my conversation with these wonderful, thoughtful students, I am really getting inspired to write my next book. Until recently, I thought that it would be boring to read a book about all of the little ways that I adapt my life to meet the demands of my job but that's the stuff they want to know about. They always ask about my "strategies".

I’m planning to begin writing this winter, and I’d love to hear what you and your students would like to read about in my next book. Please send your questions or ideas in the comments below.

One last thing...
I would like to express my admiration for Linda Bates and those working with the students at Pomfret Community School. When I can openly talk with a group of students and talk about their struggles so easily and comfortably, it reflects on the safe learning environment that these educators create. This environment is a prerequisite to rich learning that will be with these students forever. Thank you for your work with students like me. You are changing lives.

Transform Students into Capable and Confident Learners!

2009-05-06T10:02:00.016-05:00

Movers and Shakers Unite! I know...we're preaching to the choir when we ask many of you about your use of assistive technologies (AT) in school. Many of you do and are very successful!

You are the educational technology movers and shakers! You’ve known for years that tools like word prediction and text readers are the keys to unlock the doors for students with special needs, non-readers, struggling writers and students who don't learn well in traditional settings. Isn’t it satisfying when you see a child or class write their first word or sentence for the very first time? WOW…what could be better!

If You're NOT a Mover and Shaker, What’s Holding You Back?

There are still many educators who do not choose to move and shake. How do we help them discover the true benefits of assistive technologies as standard learning tools?

Do you insist that AT tools become daily supports? Are you advocating and demonstrating programs you use? Or do you dig your heels in the sand, similar to our friend, Eeyore?

Progress in Motion When it comes to thinking about how you could spend your stimulus monies, are you like Tigger? Waving your hands in the air with excitement (alleluia) or do you stay the course; holding out until CHANGE is inevitable and even a little painful? CHANGE is happening. Our kids like technology, parents want it, government encourages it and our society demands it. How fast we see positive motion in the transformation of thousands of underperforming kids is up to us.

Word Prediction and Text Readers - Are they in Your School?

In the past, word prediction and text readers were thought to serve only a handful of students, but we've seen first-hand that these must have tools work effectively for all kinds of learners.

Not just for students with cognitive and physical challenges, but for slower kids and diverse student populations.

Just say All Kids CAN Learn!

Some say that AT tools have not always been affordable. Hogwash...today these tools are an effective part of a school district’s intervention solution. The cost of AT is simply not a barrier.

These tools are easier to use and complement your curriculum. Plus professional development is now at your fingertips, especially when you work with an established vendor and share a common goal ... to help all kids succeed!

Next Steps...Advocate and Demonstrate! Ask for AT tools to be used widely in your school! Show your peers the independent research on using a word prediction program , like Co:Writer with students who are labeled incapable of ever writing. Watch a demonstration of Read:OutLoud, the text-to-speech reader chosen by 3 states as part of their AIM (accessible instructional materials) initiative.

Help Colleagues Catch on to Your Tigger Attitude! Show your principal how effective these tools can be with different student populations. Point out the benefits for kids who are poor spellers, have limited vocabulary, need extra writing practice, require organized writing guidance and a little more reading practice.

The Time is NOW! Gather your teachers and administrators around your computer and ask students to demonstrate. Watch their faces light up. See them respond to hearing text read aloud; ask them questions to check reading comprehension; watch them cite a bibliography accurately or work through a guided writing outline. There’s never been a better time in education history to advocate for sustainable assistive technology in your school!

Will you be the Tigger in your school or an Eeyore in the crowd?

And remember to jump up and down and toot your horn too!

AT Consideration That Leaves Less Children Behind

2009-04-15T13:48:00.007-05:00

How many of our students are diagnosed with behavior problems, when really they're attempting to mask their reading struggles?

What percentage of your special education students read below grade level? Ok now, what percentage of those students get AT services for reading? According to the districts we work with, an average of 1% of students with IEP’s get AT services for reading, yet an average of 92% of special ed students are reading below grade level (NAEP, 2004). Why is there such a tremendous gap?

In my opinion, there may not be another group of people on the planet who
have worked harder, and are more passionate about changing the lives of students, than AT specialists. This field is made up of a legion of energizer bunnies who have worked tirelessly to share the news regarding the transformation AT tools bring to students who have continually failed. And honestly, it is AT specialists I have most often seen be the miracle workers that finally sever the chains that keep students from reaching their full potential. When we have asked our AT friends to share their personal stories, there’s rarely a dry eye in the room.

While it is awesome being a miracle worker, I believe we would all give up these warm and fuzzy miracle stories if we knew that students would be spared the experience of such failure and be served more proactively. In some ways this shift is a bit scary, but what if AT became more readily available and used by lots of students? What if students began using what we currently consider AT like they use Microsoft Word or calculators? What if AT for reading and writing became available on every computer? Everyone knows that using Microsoft Word to write a paper is much less painful than handwriting, yet Microsoft Word is not considered a miracle cure or AT, it is just a necessary tool for writing papers!

I worry most about the districts that don’t have AT specialists and teams. What happens to the students there? Do they become the drop out candidates? We are seeing a lot of AT specialists retire, do we have enough people to replace them?

So…how can we look differently at AT consideration? I propose that we start to look at it outside of the current “Expert Model”. The first key element of this is professional development. This will never go away. You must get buy-in at every level, and teachers must build their proficiency with the tools using instruction and student outcomes to drive use. I believe the other component of this is collecting and using Data. If we can make the AT consideration process use data, we might have a chance to be less AT expert dependent. This is going to be critical especially for our high incidence populations.

Let me give you an example of how this might look (Much of the picture I’ll paint comes out of conversations with experts like Karen Erickson, Director of the Center for Literacy Disability Studies and Denise DeCoste, author of the Assistive Written Productivity Profile). Universal Screening and Progress Monitoring is taking place in every school. This is typically done by general education to help identify students. In some districts this is taking place for all students including special education. What if this data were tapped into as part of the AT consideration process?

Now, lets examine the reading data. If we know a students’ reading level, we can first look at which of these students are reading below grade level and by how much. At the same time we can add one little step, and that is to gather listening comprehension data. If that data indicates a student can listen and comprehend at higher reading levels, we know that this is a strength of the student we can tap into. What if this approach is what drives the AT consideration process for reading?

Think of how many more students would be considered before catastrophic failure? This is where it all starts—at the beginning. This proactive approach shifts the entire AT service delivery model. Again, change is scary but at the end of the day, a process like this could prove even more miraculous.

We would love to hear your feedback…can this type of shift happen in your district? What would need to change? What do you see as the biggest barriers to this approach? What do you see as the benefits of a shift like this?

~Ruth

Opportunities for Graduates?

2009-03-25T15:29:00.008-05:00

There is anticipation in the air around my house right now as my youngest child is set to graduate high school in a few months. I’ve already purchased the token graduation gift that I feel should be used as a field guide by all kids leaving high school, Dr. Seuss’ book, “Oh The Places You’ll Go”. As I reacquainted myself with the book (a dozen times over the past few weeks) I was reminded of what an utter genius the man was. There is something in there for every kind of kid, in every imaginable situation—Dr. Seuss was soooo UDL!

The young person with the sure plan…
“You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes
You can steer yourself
any direction you choose.
You’re on your own.
And you know what you know,
You know where to go.”

The young person with the not-so-sure plan…
"And you may not find any [streets]
you’ll want to go down.
In that case, of course,
you’ll head straight out of town.
It’s opener there in the wide open air."
Out there things can happen and frequently do
to people as brainy and footsy as you.

Our plan is that my daughter will attend our community college for two years and then transfer to a university. This decision is partly because she has not completely settled on a “direction” and partly because she can attend for FREE! Our community, McHenry County Illinois, has been recently gifted with a scholarship program called, “The Promise” whereas, several individuals in the county have donated nearly 4 million dollars in student tuition. The criteria for taking advantage of this scholarship is that students must be a county graduate, must attend the college full-time, must maintain a 2.0 GPA and must perform 16 hours of volunteer community service per semester. I love that last part!

So how does this relate to you…?

In general, the country is seeing a rush of programs like this as individuals and organizations are beginning to align themselves with President Obama’s emphasis on giving back to the community, i.e. Starbuck’s “I’m In” campaign is another great example.

Lots of people are hitting this blog—educators and parents—some parents and students do not yet have a plan. Collectively we have a wealth of information, we can help each other! Can we start listing some resources related to similar opportunities and programs in your area? What about transition programs for students with disabilities? What about little-known grants, endowments and other scholarships?

Dr. Seuss would tell us that, together,
“success is 98 and ¾ percent guaranteed!”

There Are 12 Billion Reasons To Dream Again...

2009-03-18T14:49:00.007-05:00

Growing up with a learning disability in the 50s, I dreamed of what it would be like to be successful in school like the other kids. Now, I think about how my education would have been different if I was born in 2000 instead of 1950. Unless I was enrolled in a district with a strong assistive technology program, and happened to be in a well-funded school, it may be no different. Today, technology is part of daily life, and new advancements are being made every day, but how are we using technology to provide equal access to education? The technology common in school gives equal access to technology, but not to education. Even with today’s technological advancements, I would have still struggled to write with Microsoft Word just as I did with paper and pencil. I would have still struggled to read online just as I did with my printed textbooks.

This was me in 1955 before heading
off to school. How would my education
have been different today?

But, now you have an opportunity to change this. The new administration is sending a clear message about education through the economic stimulus package. Education is a top priority…especially special education. Over the next two years, an additional $80 billion of funding will be pumped into education with IDEA receiving $12 billion—that’s 50% more than the current funding level.

This is a one-time burst of funding. In the past, districts have used grants and other one-time funding influxes to add infrastructure and create system changes that they could believe in. Yet, the possibilities that this huge pool of funding affords are larger than was ever thought possible. Now you have an opportunity to dream—to reach out and create breakthroughs for more students than ever before. What could you make education look like to a kid like me, enrolled in our 2009 school system?

What does equal access to education look like? Picture it in your mind, and think about how you can make it happen. I am so passionate about this opportunity that I’m doing everything possible to make widespread access affordable for any student who can benefit. We have new whole-school pricing that makes it easy for you to install accessible technologies on every school computer, and home computer. Equal access to education is a civil right that we must give to our students!

We have dedicated an entire section of our web site to providing you with up-to-the-minute information and resources regarding the stimulus package--check it out!

So, what can you do? Dream big. Pull together your wish list and start dreaming with your colleagues and director. You have an opportunity to make breakthroughs in your school system, but you have to grasp this opportunity.

Together, we can make this opportunity into a new renaissance with accessible technologies. We cannot let another generation of students fail. We must give them the tools and the hope that prepares them for success. We must all learn to dream again for our students’ future.

Thanks for all that you do for our students,
~Don

AHA! It's YOU Making a Difference in the Classroom!

2009-03-11T07:51:00.018-05:00

My job is great. Why? Because, I get to spend my time talking with you about your successes.
Everyone has those great moments in the classroom. But, all too often, we let those moments slip by. We don’t take the time to pause and celebrate the act or to share out what we did to make the difference. No one knows that you just used a new tool, tried a new learning strategy or found a great teaching blog from an educator half way around the country.

Why are we like this? Silent heroes perhaps...

Every day I talk to educators, some of you reading this blog, who have shared your successes with me and "WOW" what excitement I hear in your voices. It’s that AHA moment for you and your students that makes the world a better place!

Maybe it’s the moment when your student, who some believed would never read, finally grasps his first book. (AHA!) Maybe it’s your student whose handwriting is illegible, but finally writes her first paragraph. (AHA!)

Maybe it’s when you use a new Web 2.0 tool and create a wonderful teaching blog, like Eric Sailers did. (AHA!) Eric is a Speech-Language Pathologist from the Crimson Center at La Mesa Valley School District, CA. He recently designed a blog showcasing the Tuskegee Airman Start-to-Finish computer book. What a blast to see one of our reading tools, paired with Eric’s creative teaching idea! Check Eric's e-Book Blog out!

At Don Johnston, we are enormously grateful to hear your stories and to help you evidence your teaching successes. When it comes right down to it, that’s all we really want, isn’t it...to make a difference? When something works, “whatever it is”, we usually use it more to get better results.

Many teachers are waiting to have an “AHA” moment too, so your experiences will help them.

Today, let’s start a little buzz going about how great you are and what you do in your classroom to make a difference.

Are you having creative classroom moments using assistive technology to read a digital book? Maybe you’ve used Don's book, Building Wings and our free Reader’s Theater or Co:Writer with great success? Tell us how. Don’s Blog is just one way we can help you share out what works, so tell the World...or share it with us and we will. It’s all in a day’s work, so why not toot your horn. You deserve it!

Be well, PEACE

Valerie Chernek

vchernek@donjohnston.com

Is Universal Access a Civil Rights Issue?

2009-02-24T08:21:00.004-06:00

We learn to walk before we learn to run. On our journey to provide better education through the application of Universal Design for Learning, we need a place to start. The first place to start, and a great place to test our steps, is to provide Assistive Technology that is universally accessible. Not only is this the shorter path to Universal Design for Learning, it is part of a basic civil right. A key element of IDEA is to provide the “least restrictive environment” to our students, yet we are still forcing students to use certain computers in certain locations—and only at school—because this is where the software is installed.

Apartheid controlled where people lived, whom they married and the type of education they were offered.
Adolph Hitler prohibited Jews from owning land and stripped them of their citizenship.

Four generations from now, will our current education system be categorized among these examples; will it be recorded as an oppressive injustice?

We have clearly transitioned to a new time in our history. Our leader represents our ability to look beyond race to appreciate a person’s true value. President Obama challenges us all to eliminate the subtle elements of segregation that still exist.

"It's about whether this nation is going to live up to its founding promise of equality by treating all its citizens with dignity and respect." Barack Obama, June 1, 2007

It was never our intent to leave students out. For many years we have had ideas about how to be able to educate using approaches that are more universal and inclusive. In many cases, the barrier to achieving this has been cost. We’ve begun to design more efficient ways of delivering and licensing our technology (I’m referring to Read:OutLoud as my example here) but wanted to hear ideas from you. How can we get to the place we know we need to be? How do we ensure our students get access anywhere—in the school and at home? What collection of tools are you using to work toward this goal? What is your vision?

~Ruth

The Case Against Assistive Technology

2009-02-23T16:42:00.005-06:00

I admit it—I use assistive technology to give me an unfair advantage over others who don’t use it.

It started innocently at first. I needed a little assistance remembering this and that but then I became a regular user.

Yes, I’m talking about the calendar alert on my phone.

Pick up a dozen eggs on the way home, beep!
Bring treats for Judy’s birthday on Monday morning, beep!
You have a meeting in five minutes, beep!

This is the assistive technology device of choice for the moderately absent-minded. Me.

The case against assistive technology says that it gives me an unfair advantage over those who don’t use one. Maybe it does, but what does that mean?

A calculator saves time and improves accuracy over paper and pencil when solving 6-digit multiplication problems.

Can a computer help a NASA scientist perform complex calculations only dreamed about a few short decades ago? Do these calculations provide the safe arrival of a small robot on the surface of Mars that was impossible just twenty years ago?

Yet, some people argue that students shouldn’t use devices to do what they should do in their head. Why is there so much argument about the unfair advantage of technology?

For students with disabilities, technology can mean the difference between functioning and frustration, between achievement and learned helplessness. With new developments in word prediction, text readers, and accessible hardware and software, students with disabilities are enabled to read and write in ways they could not have twenty years ago. These technologies help cut through impeding physical or cognitive challenges.

Technology helps people do things they ordinarily could not, but surely this could be said of any technology development as far back as you can think.…

The polio vaccine reduced incidence rates of this debilitating disease from hundreds of thousand a year to about one thousand. Is this considered an unfair advantage for the people opting to be immunized?

Computers increase productivity and can perform complex calculations in seconds that would take a lifetime to complete longhand. Can we legitimately say that computers do create an unfair advantage for people using them?

Eyeglasses help people see who had less than perfect vision. Does wearing eyeglasses unfairly level the playing field between people with 20/20 vision and those with less than perfect eyesight?

I feel the clear answer is…why should this matter? Why should fairness stifle progress?

Let’s use everything we can to help empower as many people as possible.

Let’s integrate our strategies and technologies into our ways of life.

I’m certainly not going to give up the calendar on my phone, just as I wouldn’t want students with disabilities to be stripped of technology that helps empower them to read and write more successfully in school and perform better in the workplace.

Welcome!

2009-02-16T16:01:00.008-06:00

Hi Friends,
Welcome to my blog--I’m excited to be making my first post!

A few weeks ago I was at ATIA. It was nice being able to talk with so many of you that I’ve known for such a long time. I’ve been around for 29 years doing technology for struggling students. In that time, I’ve met some of the most wonderful, creative, driven, caring—and just plain fun—people. I am proud to call you my friends. As I write this blog, it occurs to me that there are many people out there that weren’t at ATIA or that I’ve never met. What if we could talk here on this blog?

Like most grandparents, one of my favorite conversations is about my granddaughter—this is Audrey.

Here she is making a point about the future of technology. She visits her Uncle Audi’s (her uncle Kevin’s) web site about four times a day to check out what he’s posting.

So what do you think her world will be like starting school with technology? You are all the pioneers. You crossed unknown oceans. How do you think her life will be different growing up with technology than it would have been if she was born 30 years ago? I look forward to our conversations here!