UNIVERSAL LEARNING PROJECT
USING ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY
Presenter
#1
Stacey
Kayden
CA
94110
Day
Phone: 415-826-8055
Fax:
415-826-8055
Email:
cifocus@pacbell.net
Through
this presentation participants will be introduced to a current DSPS pilot
program highlighting a Universal Design for Learning Program (UDL). This
program introduces the crucial next step of expanding access of assistive
technology and alternate media beyond disabled students programs. This
presentation will highlight the development of this unique program and will
include an overview of the program and presentations by participating
mainstream instructors.
Through this presentation participants will be introduced to a current DSPS
pilot program highlighting a Universal Design for Learning Program (UDL). This
program, developed by Stacey Kayden and sponsored
through the Disabled Students Services California Chancellor’s office, extends
access of assistive technology for students with disabilities beyond disabled
students programs by introducing text-to-speech programs to mainstream
instructors and assisting them with integrating these tools into their general
curriculum.
This presentation will highlight the development of this unique program and
will include:
An overview of the program and how it was developed.
• Interactions with participating instructors exploring their thoughts on
integrating
assistive technology into their courses, what’s working and what’s not.
• Highlighting the benefits of CCCconfer as a
conferencing tool enabling instructors across the state to work together.
• Examples of the instructor developed curriculum—based strategy guides.
• Exploring the potential of where this program may evolve to.
despite the increased popularity and growth of assistive technology and alternate
media in “post-secondary education and the support they can provide both
disabled and non-disabled students, many classroom instructors are unaware of
these tools and their benefits of improving readability of their text and
assisting students with applying study skills to their reading assignments.
The goal of this Universal Design for Learning Program is to introduce
mainstream instructors to text-to—speech programs and assist them with creating
strategic and interactive learning material for their classes optimizing
assistive technology tools. Students in these classes will ultimately have the
benefit of using text—to—speech programs to enhance their study skills while at
the same time improve the readability of their text within a general computer
lab.
This process of integrating assistive technology into the general curriculum
will benefit instructors and students alike while greatly diminishing the
segregation of students with disabilities. The new curriculum—based strategy
guides will be used to support instructors by giving them new tools to assist
their students with applying study skills to their reading material and will
assist both students with disabilities as well as those with the full spectrum
of learning styles within the general education environment with both study
skills and readability of their textbooks.
Integrating assistive technology into the general curriculum is the crucial
next step in expanding access of assistive technology and alternate media for
students with disabilities.
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