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Presenter(s)
Student Support Teachers:
• Maryann Nevile
• Carol Graham
• Mina Carr
• Todd Milford
• Elaine Ethier
• Ethel Mailhot
Contact information for all presenters:
South Island Distance Education School (SIDES)
4575 Wilkinson Road
Victoria BC Canada V8Z 7E8
Phone: (250) 704-4979
FAX: (250) 479-9870
Email: mnevile@sides.ca
Summary
Discover how we use technology successfully to create programs for students with moderate to severe special needs in this exciting and innovative distance education program.
Introduction:
We have an expectation that students with all types of moderate to severe disabilities can achieve academic successes.
1. Who we are
a. Regional program for 5 school districts designated within the Ministry of Education for British Columbia (and much more) (and growing)
b. Distance Education setting
• Developed into a highly evolved, interactive and dynamic electronic program
• Overview of services developing for general population at SIDES
• Electronic - Online Courses, Virtual Classrooms
• School-aged and adult programs
• Renaissance Program for gifted learners
c. Dedicated program for students with moderate to severe special needs
• Description of population of students with special needs
• How our department evolved into the exciting program it is
• History of 'special ed' students at SIDES
• Providing leadership in school for students with individual needs
• Now: Anytime…Anyplace!
2. Where, What and How?
a. Where:
- In students' homes, connecting with teachers in a distance education school
• Digitally
• Personally
b. What
• Individual Educational Program
• IEP
• Implementation and assessment strategies
• British Columbia curriculum
• Adapted
• Modified
• Essential electronic component
• Teachers
• Special Education training and experience
• Specialty curriculum expertise, e.g. Secondary-level Science and Math, Counseling, Early Literacy Development
c. How
• Program Planning Team
• Student
• Parents as home instructors and implementing partner of IEP
• School-based personnel
• Technology (including video demonstrations)
• Students given computer, hardware, software and web access
• Specialized as required for disability
• Web Based
• Real time virtual classroom
• How it works (video demonstration)
• How we use it
• Virtual classroom with general population with monitoring
• Small-group work
• Individualized tutoring sessions
• Courses on line
• Adapted units digitized
• Software used (specific titles and video demonstration)
• Access/AAC dedicated hardware and software (video demonstration)
• Communication Tools
• Email - text and audio (video demonstration)
• Virtual Classroom
• Course Management System (D2L) and digital resources repository
• Continued professional development
• Personnel
• Strong administration support
• District support
• Contracted therapists
• Special Education Teachers
• Teaching Assistant / Clerical
• Technical Support
• Innovative Culture
• Creative within the educational community
• Innovative new, educational option for students with special needs
• Program development beneficial to all students - with or without special needs
• Evolves with needs of students and parents
• High degree of parental involvement
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