History of Make It Happen!
In 1986, the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP funded EDC in partnership with TERC (Technical Education Research Centers) to carry out a five-year study (1986‹91) called the Middle School Technology Integration Project. The goal was to understand what it takes to integrate technology into the middle school curriculum in ways to benefit students with learning disabilities who are included in regular education classes.This project had two phases. In Phase I (1986‹89), EDC/TERC studied four diverse middle schools. The findings from this research fell within the categories of teacher knowledge and practice, technology resources, teacher development, collaboration and communication, and school-based facilitation.
The purpose of Phase II (1989‹91) was to develop an approach that would help middle schools to successfully integrate technology into the curriculum. EDC developed and tested the original version of Make It Happen! in three middle schools. The materials guided school-based facilitators to help teachers design and implement I-Search Units. Findings from Phase II were incorporated into published materials made available to the field (Make It Happen! manual, Teachers' Guide to Developing an I-Search Unit, and a video).
From 1992-95, OSEP funded a follow-up project called the Make It Happen! Impact Study. During these three years, working with two school systems, EDC developed and tested a software program, the Search Organizer, that guides students through the I-Search process.
Now, in 1996, EDC has published a revised version of Make It Happen! and an updated version of the Search Organizer software. These products are based on findings from the Make It Happen! Impact Study as well as from what we have learned by working with school systems across the country who have contracted EDC for technical assistance.
| Make It Happen! http://www.edc.org/FSC/MIH/ |
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Inc.