Request for Assistive Technology Proposal
Flint Southwestern
Academy
I. Overall
Goals
A. To afford 40 students with disabilities the opportunity to achieve their full academic potential, by way of assistive computer technology, such as screen readers, adjustable tables, screen enlargement software, voice input programs, voice output, Braille translation software, a scanner, scanning software, a Braille embosser, and adaptable keyboards. This technology will give students access to research materials on the Internet, increase their ability to write and edit work independently, and foster growth in adult living skills.
B, C, D. Assistive technology will link to our school improvement goals as follows:
Goal #1 Will assist students in gaining access to the research found on the Internet. Students will be encouraged to utilize the technology to obtain internet-base research for written report across the curriculum and subject areas.
Goal #2. Using the assistive technology when gathering mathematical data and statistics, as well as making graphs for general education classes will enhance student productivity.
Goal #3 Implementation can be aided by assistive technology as students are given the opportunity to write and edit their own, and fellow students’ writing through the use of the adapted computers. Students will now be able to access the Compton’s encyclopedia, computer-based thesaurus, grammar checker, and spell checker. This will increase their writing ability, as well as their spoken and written vocabularies. In turn, this will increase opportunities to edit, proofread, and rewrite material independently, helping students with special needs to achieve their annual IEPT goals and objectives.
Goal #4 Awareness of a
global community will be realized as student use the adaptive equipment to
gather current event article from the newspaper as part of their weekly social
studies homework. Having access to
global news, gives our special needs population an opportunity to realize what
is happen in the world around them.
A, B. The learning community will consist of 40 students with special needs, two
Paraprofessionals, and one special educator. The two paraprofessionals and the special educator will be able to use and demonstrate Zoom Text screen enlargement software to make images on the monitor larger, Duxbury Braille translation software to convert typed materials from the internet or word processing programs into Braille, Dragon Dictate Naturally speaking voice input software to navigate through programs and type via voice commands, J.A.W.S voice output software to read what appears on the monitor, and Omni Page scanning software to scan written material into the computer in order for it to be enlarged. Also, the staff will demonstrate the ability to properly use the adapted keyboards and adjustable computer tables.
C. Students will be able to demonstrate their abilities to perform the same tasks as the teacher and paraprofessionals. In addition, they will be able to use the adaptive equipment to access the Internet for research and information gathering purposes. Students will also be able to use the technology to assist them in collecting data to make graphs. Student will be able to use the software not only to write papers, but also to store and retrieve material from a disk. Students’ progress will be evaluated by demonstration to the teacher paraprofessionals, and other students of their ability to use the technology through their computer-generated work i.e. Internet printed research, typed work, graphs, current events reports, properly translated, Braille embossed and/or enlarge materials.
D. Student will be using assistive technology on a daily basis.