Now that we are in our third year with the Technology-Rich classroom, we have many changes to report.  Nicole Jones is our new regular education teacher in this classroom and a new biology inclusion classroom has been formed with Tammy Smith teaching.  We try to share high and low tech activities between the two rooms as much as possible.

Some of our technology has been wonderful – our “projectable” microscope is a gem and the students love all the hands-on manipulatives.  The student polling system from Turning Technologies has been very difficult to manage and we are currently unable to use it.  Even with lots of training and technical support, it has not proved to be user-friendly.  We are considering another manufacturer the next time we purchase a “clicker” system.

The magnetic, non-reflective screen / board has turned out to be a really useful tool.  We are able to do lots and lots of activities with magnetic pieces.  Simple and low-tech, this is one of our favorite items.  Of course, we couldn’t manage without our projector and document cam.

Overton County's technology enriched inclusion Biology class is trying out their new "low tech", hands-on activities chosen with the kinesthetic learner in mind. Very simply, kinesthetic learning involves muscle movement. Kinesthetic learning is a teaching and learning style in which learning takes place by the student actually carrying out a physical activity, rather than listening to a lecture or merely watching a demonstration. Evidence suggests that students retain more when they "learn by doing".

One of the goals for the AT grant-funded classroom is to provide accessible learning for students with a variety of disabilities and learning styles. Therefore, the number of hands-on activities for this classroom is now three times the number available in the "typical" classroom. This means that for each Biology lesson taught and demonstrated using the "high tech" tools, there is a corresponding "low tech" hands-on activity to reinforce the concepts of that lesson.

Teachers Kelly Montgomery and Robin Bowman also created an innovative activity for the Honors Biology students. The Honors students are mostly those who have been certified as Gifted and some have current IEP's with disabilities such as ADHD. The class was divided into groups and tasked with investigating the new activities. The students were graded on their presentations of an analysis of the activity including what type of learning style was best addressed by the activity. The student analysis was used to help the teachers determine which activities would best serve individual students in the Inclusion class. This input will be used as the teachers develop lesson plans for the Inclusion class going forward.

Students analyze the difficulty or ease of following written directions for an activity to construct DNA


Using a magnetic board and gene pairs, one student teaches another about human genetic traits


Using large magnetic components, students demonstrate various configurations possible to teach cellular structures and mitosis

The Redcat is working great in our room.  Students think I am right beside them at all times. This comes in very handy during center time with 3 year olds! Several teachers in my school have visited our classroom to see how it works and now have their own!
We all love our flip cameras!  They are so easy to use—just record and then plug it in to the computer. We are able to watch video of our field trips, guest speakers and performances over and over. My students love watching and talking about themselves and their classmates when we watch—great for language development!
Computer time is wonderful. Several of my students have trouble with a mouse but are very successful with the touch screens. I love the Laureate Language programs - especially the data keeping component that allows me to track student progress.
While our Smart Table has had some technical issues, we are continuing to work through them. There are lots of activities available—but most are not really appropriate for 3 year olds. Creating activities for the table has been somewhat of a learning curve but seems to be getting easier—with lots of practice. Now that I am working with the Overton Inclusion Preschool teachers, we are able to create and share more activities.  We should have a good variety created by next year.  The Table allows for great language use, peer interaction and teamwork and the students are very enthusiastic about it.

UPPER CUMBERLAND ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY CENTER SELECTS FENTRESS COUNTY DEMONSTRATION CLASSROOM

The inclusion preschool classroom at York Elementary in Jamestown has been selected as the Upper Cumberland Assistive Technology Center 2009-2010 "technology enriched" demonstration classroom. The classroom serves three and four year old students both with and without disabilities.

Sandy Conatser, Fentress County Special Education Supervisor, said, "We are very excited about the opportunity to introduce technology to this preschool class. Several recent studies have shown that children acquire reading skills sooner when they are in a program that uses technology supports for pre-literacy".

The classroom will include computer-based language development software, technology supporting best practice in pre-literacy, as well as interactive, "touch sensitive" equipment designed specifically for preschool age children.

"Children with disabilities generally do well in inclusion settings where they are working and playing with normally developing peers", said Amelia Sturgill, speech therapist and teacher in the selected preschool. "The addition of this type of technology will give all our students equal access to the learning environment".

Demonstrations and inservice opportunities will be offered in this classroom. Please contact any UCAT team member for more details.

The Inclusion Preschool at York Elementary receives the "technology enriched classroom" grant award from the Upper Cumberland Assistive Technology Center. L to R Linda Archer, Overton County Assistive Technology Coordinator; Amelia Sturgill, Inclusion Preschool Teacher; Ashli Westfelt, Speech Pathologist.


REDCAT SOUND FIELD LOANER PROGRAM A SUCCESS!
Contributed by Trena Farmer, Third Grade Teacher at A.H. Roberts Elementary

My experience with the RedCat voice enhancement system has been fabulous!  My students love the volume and clarity of my voice.  If we have turned my microphone off so that I can have a private conversation and forget to turn it back on, the students will make sure the power button is back on.

One staff member commented, “It’s like you’re everywhere.”  I have one student with hearing loss who had to sit right beside me or in front of me, but now she can sit anywhere in the classroom and hear me perfectly well.  It’s also really comical to watch an off-task student look for me when I call his or her name!

As a teacher battling multiple sclerosis and fatigue, this system has been a Godsend.  I don’t have to exert myself to try to speak loudly and clearly all day long.  I can even whisper and be heard.  The Redcat system has made me a more effective teacher.

Contact any team member to share your experiences with Assistive Technology. We want to hear about your successes, your failures (yes, we've all had them!), your questions, your students, your goals, and how inclusion has changed the way you teach all students.

With your permission, we'll include your comments on our Partners page. We look forward to hearing from you.