While NCIP's funding has drawn to a close, please check these other projects at EDC:
Update on
Spotlight on Voice RecognitionSince developing the Spotlight on Speech Recognition in the Spring of 1997, the field of speech recognition has changed dramatically, largely due to the introduction of continuous recognition products. Therefore, we have included an update on this new type of speech recognition technology. In addition, we are collaborating with Speaking to Write: Realizing the Potential of Speech Recognition for Secondary Students with Disabilities, a project funded by the U.S. Department of Education, National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research, to link interested visitors of our site to a listserv discussion forum, whereby they will have the opportunity to discuss the educational issues associated with using speech recognition technology to support students with disabilities in home and school settings.
NCIP staff examines the strategies they've used in best guiding and supporting online facilitators in numerous online environments in their paper entitled, "Strategies to Ensure that Online Facilitators are Successful." Strategies described in this paper emerged from the Web-based professional development models created and implemented by NCIP over the past several years. Audiences who may benefit from the paper are (1) individuals who are recruiting and hiring online facilitators and (2) individuals who are being asked to be online facilitators.
NCIP Announces Its Newest Video
Successful Science: Technology and Support for Students
with Disabilities
NCIP has added another video to its Video Profiles
Series. This video illustrates how elementary school students with a range of
disabilities successfully participate in a standards-based science curriculum. Visit
classrooms in Cambridge, Massachusetts to see how technology, media, and
materials--supported by good instruction--promote their achievement. Learn how Project
ASSIST fosters collaboration among classroom and special education teachers, as well as
with technology/library media specialists and science specialists. Together these
educators plan, implement, and reflect on how to ensure that every student succeeds in
inquiry-based science. This video also features Judith Heumann, Assistant Secretary of
OSERS at the U.S. Department of Education, who compellingly explains why every student
needs to be a successful science learner. To learn more about the video, including
ordering information and/or to download a video clip, follow the link to NCIP's newest video.
We are pleased to announce our next online workshop co-sponsored by NCIP and the Urban Special Education Leadership Collaborative, Science for All: Including Students with Disabilities and Integrating Technology, April 3-May 7, 1998.
NCIP Staff
Publishes Article in CMC Magazine
In Illustrating the Potential of an Online Workshop through a Case Study Example, NCIP staff members Judy Zorfass, Arlene Remz, and Denise Ethier present a case study of an online workshop that was designed for educators who are involved in the selection of technology for students with disabilities. The article, published in the February 1998 issue of Computer-Mediated Communication Magazine, describes how the workshop entitled, "Ready, SETT, Go" was designed, conducted, and evaluated.
Good news!
NCIP was awarded another year of funding. We are already planning some new and exciting
professional development opportunities for the NCIP Web site in the coming year. In the
plans are to develop new topical collections and resources, videos, and to run more online
workshops. .
Check out NCIP's newly updated Word Prediction Collection, the first of eight topical collections (contained with NCIP's Library) revised.
The Art and Writing Connection was a four-week online
workshop (February throughMarch, 1997) facilitated by Caroline Musselwhite and Pati
King-DeBaun, national experts in the fields of augmentative communication,
assistive technology, and literacy instruction for students with disabilities in early
childhood settings. Although the workshop is now over, we wanted to
give visitors access to all of the rich resource materials which emerged from the
workshop. Visitors now have access to a summary of the workshop, including key ideas which emerged, an archive
containing resources and nearly 300 messages posted by practitioners working with students
with disabilities, and storybook
reviews and extension activities contributed by workshop
participants. Check it out!
Updated LibraryThe NCIP Library is a compendium of resources on eight topics. We have recently culled through these resources, deleting those in which the information was out of date and/or no longer relevant given advances in technology. What remains are a set of resources that have enduring value, either because they chronicle sound instructional practices that still apply even though the technologies discussed have evolved, or because the information, although dated, is still relevant.
Voice
Recognition DigestSince mounting Spotlight on Voice
Recognition in January 1997, NCIP has received an overwhelming
number of inquiries regarding the use of this new technology. Bob Follansbee (our resident
expert) answered each inquiry in depth, offering people valuable suggestions and ways to
learn more about the technology. We felt this exchange was so valuable, we wanted to share
them with you. Visitors can now read a digest of
these questions and answers.
In addition, if you have not already done so, we encourage you to check out Spotlight
on Voice Recognition, where you can learn more about voice recognition, take an online
tutorial, download a free demo illustrating how voice recognition technology works, and/or
ask Bob your own question.
Authors Leonard Haines, Gladene Robertson, and Robert Sanche will discuss and answer questions about their article, "Positive Change Through Computer Networking," which will be published in the July/August issue of CEC's journal, TEACHING Exceptional Children.
The software program, CoPlanner, was developed at the University of Saskatchewan by Gladene Robertson, Leonard P. Haines, Robert Sanche, and Wanda Biffart. It has created in response to a critical need to help regular and special education teachers to collaborate around planning for students with disabilities, report to each other what happens within the classroom, and reflect on ways to more effectively ensure that students succeed.
The software enables a team of educators to form a consensual vision, emerging from an initial concern about a particular student with disabilities, through recursive aspects of planning the information, gathering, reflecting, teaching, monitoring, and reporting activities associated with the student's program. By using this software program, each team member gains a clear idea of his or her own contribution, as well as the contributions of others in relation to students' overall progress and performance. Over time, the "community of users" of the software form common bonds as relationships are sustained by shared decision-making.
Author A. Edward Blackhurst, Professor at University of Kentucky, Lexington, will discuss and answer questions about his article, "Perspectives on Technology in Special Education," which will be published in the May/June issue of CEC's journal, TEACHING Exceptional Children. In his article, Ed shares his perspectives which he developed over the years as a participant-observer in the evolution of technology applications in special education. Ed also describes his experiences in viewing technology, the role technology has played in special education, and forces that have affected the development of technology applications.
New
NCIPnet Views FacilitatorWe're pleased to announce that Bill Peet will be the new NCIPnet Views facilitator beginning in April. Many of you may remember Bill from Dr.Peet's TalkWriter. Bill is currently an independent consultant, working with school districts across the country to help them guarantee that all their students will have the chance to learn to read and write according to the personalized, interest-driven, reading and writing curriculum he teaches in his workshops and university courses. Bill has been an active participant in NCIP's latest online workshop, The Art and Writing Connection, and we look forward to conversing with him online beginning in April.
Congratulations to our Winners!
Congratulations to Claire Roman and Isa Polansky who were chosen from the pool of
respondents who returned the NCIP evaluation survey by March 15, 1997. Claire and Isa will
receive a free video of their choice from our Video Profiles
Series. We'd like to thank everyone who took the time to fill out our survey. Your
support will be reflected in our future work. Thanks again!
From January through September (1996), NCIP sponsored an action research forum on the
teaching of keyboarding. Twelve individuals from various professional perspectives
grappled with the whys and wherefores of teaching keyboarding to elementary school kids.
One participant, Dolores Ham, told the story in a
paper entitled, "A Case Study in Collaboration with an Action
Research Project." Also, the facilitators, Molly Lynn Watt and Patricia Corley,
compiled a newsletter summarizing each participant's project.
Authors Alexander B. Casareno and Edwin S. Ellis from the University of Alabama will discuss and answer questions about their article, "Partners in Enrichment: Preparing Teachers for Multiple Ability Classrooms," which will be published in the March/April issue of CEC's journal, TEACHING Exceptional Children. In their article, they describe the Multiple Abilities Program (MAP) in the College of Education at The University of Alabama and the program's emphasis on school-based teacher preparation in designing and practicing enrichment strategies appropriate for all learners.
Access the article.
Join us for a unique online event with Caroline
Ramsey Musselwhite and Pati King-DeBaun,
national experts in the fields of augmentative communication, assistive technology, and
literacy instruction for students with disabilities in early childhood settings. Building
on NCIP's Early Childhood Tour, Caroline and Pati will share
their insights, knowledge, and strategies for strengthening the interrelationships between
communication, reading, writing, and creative learning activities for children with
disabilities.
All practitioners who work with students with disabilities in early childhood settings are
invited to register. Participants will be expected to commit the time needed to learn the
conferencing system the week prior to the event and to contribute to ongoing discussions
on a regular basis during the month of March.
Registration is now full (86 people are enrolled!). However, non-registrants are invited
to "visit" the workshop.
Visitors will have access to all of the background material, and will be able to read
workshop discussions, but will not be able to post their own messages.
Spotlight on Voice RecognitionNCIP's new spotlight series offers visitors to the NCIP Web site the opportunity to
pause and participate in a professional development activity designed to build knowledge
and understanding of "hot" topics in the area of special education and
technology. The first in this series will be on VOICE RECOGNITION TECHNOLOGY.
Visitors can download information, take an online tutorial, view a demonstration of voice
recognition, and ask questions about this controversial technology.
NCIP Discussions: Views From the Field
Welcome to our new facilitator, Christine Appert. Christine is the Technology Coordinator and Educational Consultant at the University of Virginia Children's Medical Center where she works with children with all types of disabilities and their families. She coordinates with children's home schools regarding educational needs and implementing recommended hardware and software. In addition, Christine teaches a course at the Curry School of Education for preservice special educators and speech-language clinicians. Come visit Views and join in the conversation with Christine
TEC Author Online EventThis month's TEC Author Online Event will focus on issues concerning school-to-work transition for students with disabilities. Join Bridget de la Garza and Colleen Harmon for a discussion about their article Employability Skills+Adult Agency Support+Family Support+On-the-job Support=Successful Employment. The authors have developed a comprehensive transition program for students with mild disabilities, which they describe in the article, published in the January/February '97 issue of Teaching Exceptional Children. (The article is also available online at the event.)
Joining Bridget and Colleen will be Vivian Guilfoy and Joyce Malyn-Smith from the Center for Education, Employment, and Community (CEEC), located at Education Development Center, Inc. CEEC works to strengthen policy and practice to make meaningful connections between schools, workplaces, communities, and diverse populations.
Ready! SETT! Go!An Update on the SETT 2 Workshop
Beginning November 1, NCIP will present its second online workshop-- Ready! SETT! Go! Selecting Assistive Technology Tools, again facilitated by Joy Zabala of the Region IV Education Service Center in Houston, TX.
There are thirty people (another full vitual class!) who have registered to participate in this online workshop. However, non-registrants are invited to "visit" the workshop. Visitors will have access to all of the background material, and will be able to read workshop discussions, but will not be able to post their own messages. Visitors can also read the discussions from the first session of the workshop (September 16-October 18) in the NCIP archives.
Early Childhood Guided TourPromoting Language and Literacy Among Young Students with Developmental Disabilities in Early Childhood Classrooms
Hop on board NCIP's new tour of two exemplary early childhood classrooms which honor every child's need to communicate and make meaning in his or her life. Visit the first classroom, which houses an integrated preschool program (ages three to six) in Brockton, Massachusetts. Here, teacher Barbara Smith works with 14 children, eight of whom are typically developing and six of whom have disabilities. Then stop by the second classroom in Wade County, North Carolina, which is taught by Susan Merkell and houses a self-contained program for children with developmental disabilities in kindergarten through second grade. In the classrooms, you will see how Barbara and Susan employ a broad range of high and low technology tools to operationalize key elements of effective practice. NCIP chose these particular classrooms, because they shared the fundamental goal of providing students with developmental disabilities full access to rich language and literacy experiences.
After visiting each classroom, you'll also have the opportunity to stop by the Visitor's Center, where Barbara and Susan will be on
hand to discuss their classroom practices and elaborate on the elements of effective
practice. In addition, you'll have access to a rich set of resources and be able to link
to NCIPnet's discussion forums.
This tour was developed in collaboration with the Center for
Literacy and Disabilities Studies at Duke University in Raleigh, North Carolina. Special
thanks to David Koppenhaver, Amy Staples, and Karen Erickson for their extensive
contributions to this project.
NCIPnet is now using HyperNews! We have reconfigured the conferences using HyperNews, a user-friendly and easy-to-navigate conferencing system. If you were an NCIPnet user who was sorry to see the FirstClass system go, we think you will find HyperNews a step in the right direction!
Be alerted that Netscape 2.0x browsers experience some glitches, and you will probably want to upgrade to 3.0. AOL's browser also is troublesome. Most other browsers, including Lynx can access these pages with no problem. For information how to use the system, read the HyperNews Help pages which are linked to the bottom of the conferences. One of the features of this new conferencing system is a mailing list option that enables Members to receive messages in their email. In the near future, this option will also include the ability to respond from email as well.
September 1996
Classroom Connect Newsletter Awards
NCIP the Web Site of the Month!
Classroom Connect is the K-12 educators' practical guide to using the Internet and commercial online services.
Update on the SETT Workshop
Beginning September 23, NCIP presents its first online workshop--Ready SETT GO! Selecting Assistive Technology Tools, facilitated by Joy Zabala of the Region IV Education Service Center in Houston, TX. In this "Virtual Meeting" participants will learn about a process of selecting assistive technology for students with disabilities. The workshop will be organized around the SETT Framework (Student, Environments, Tasks, and Tools) developed by Joy Zabala. The central component of this workshop is a Virtual Team Meeting, during which participants model the process of people with different roles and perspectives coming together to discuss and make decisions about assistive technology. Together they will reviewand analyze a case of a hypothetical student, and use the SETT Framework in order to make recommendations for a system of tools and strategies which match the student's needs, abilities, and tasks.
There are twenty people (a full virtual class!!) who have registered to participate in this online workshop. However, non-registrants are invited to "visit" the workshop. Visitors will have access to all of the background materials, and will be able to read workshop discussions, but will not be able to post their own messages.
We are currently exploring the possibility of offering additional workshops. Keep checking "What's New" or subscribe to the NCIPnetter (by filling out a mailing list form) to receive early notification of future workshops.
August 1996Coming
this fall--NCIP will sponsor a four-week online workshop on selecting
assistive technology, facilitated by Joy Zabala, an educational specialist at Region IV
Education Service Center in Houston, Texas. During the workshop, participants will:
- Learn about the SETT (Student, Environments Tasks, Tools) Framework--a framework for
selecting assistive technology
- Use the SETT Framework as the basis of a "virtual team meeting" in which
participants discuss and analyze a case
- Engage in conversation with other participants about issues regarding the selection and
use of assistive technology
- Have access to relevant resources and materials.
Participation in the workshop is free, but the number of participants is limited.
July 1996We've added more
downloadable video clips and audio clips, too!
Check out the NCIP Profiles in our Library Collections. We've added a series of video and audio clips to four of the Profiles:
Writing with Word Prediction Software
"Write" Tools for Students Who Are Visually Impaired
By downloading these clips you'll be able to view and hear brief clips illustrating the effective use of the technology highlighted in each Profile. You'll also be able to listen to comments by teachers, students, and parents, and see a demonstration of how the student is using the technology in his/her classroom.
June 1996
Announcing new NCIPnet Discussion Leaders
for the Summer
Harriet Copel: INCLUSION FOLDER
Ken Gillam: SOFTWARE/HARDWARE FOLDER
Yvonne Gillette: A.A.C. FOLDER
Carol Schneider: EARLY CHILDHOOD TECHNOLOGY FOLDER
Helen Virga: ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY FOLDER
We'd like to welcome our new discussion leaders to NCIPnet for the summer!
May 1996
U.S. Department of Education Pick o' the Month Each month, the U.S.
Department of Education picks three outstanding resources in
three different categories to feature on their web site. This month, NCIP was honored as
the recipient of the Pick o' the
Month in the "ED-affiliated Internet sites elsewhere"
category. Congratulations NCIP!
Blue Web'n Five Star Site Awarded the best rating a site can receive (five stars), NCIP's WWW site joins the ranks of other noteworthy Blue Web'n Five Star recipients, including (to name just a few): U.S. Department of Education, Classroom Connect, EdWeb, Peterson's Education Center, Special Needs Education Network (SNE), Ask ERIC HomePage, Global SchoolNet Foundation, Web66: A K12 World Wide Web Project.
When you follow the NCIPnet link at the home page, you will automatically be routed to the method of access that is most probably right for your system. Currently, that means Netscape users go one way; everyone else the other. (Note that as browsers are updated and they develop the ability to link automatically to news servers, we will add them to the program.) If you are a non-Netscape user and get routed to the Web Gateway Newsreader, but prefer to reset your browser's preferences, you will have that option at the Newsreader page.
April 1996Check out our downloadable video
clips! View one or all four! Click here for more information about each of our video profiles.
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This material was developed by the National Center to Improve Practice (NCIP), located at Education Development Center, Inc. in Newton, Massachusetts. NCIP was funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs from October 1, 1992 - September 30, 1998, Grant #H180N20013. Permission is granted to copy and disseminate this information. If you do so, please cite NCIP. Contents do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Department of Education, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by NCIP, EDC, or the U.S. Government. This site was last updated in September 1998. |