Technology in the Inclusive Environment
August 4
In the News
On August 3, 2006, the Department of Education announced
the final Part B regulations to implement the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA). An official copy of the final Part
B regulations of the IDEA will be published in the Federal Register on August
14, 2006.
So that members of the public will have the opportunity to immediately review
the new Part B regulations of IDEA, the Department has temporarily posted an
UNOFFICIAL copy at: http://www.ed.gov/policy/speced/guid/idea/idea2004.html
Mad dash is on to hire teachers: http://tinyurl.com/zsaen
Higher pay helps, but some vacancies persist in Georgia
New Study Finds Girls Have Gone Wired: http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=0030003H3XG3
"What is surprising to Nicole d'Onofrio, an analyst with technology research
firm Current Analysis, is that tech manufacturers often try to appeal to women
by making a device pink, when women, like men, generally "want something
that is intuitive, useful and that has a slim and sexy appeal.""
Ten Ways to Get Smart With SMARTboard: http://www.techlearning.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=190301895
An innovative educator shares some of her ideas for using an interactive whiteboard
in her classroom.
U.S. Issues New Rules on Schools and Disability: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/04/education/04education.html?ref=education
School districts will now be allowed to find new ways to identify children as
learning disabled, rather than relying on intelligence tests in third or fourth
grade.
Informational Sites
Google Calendar: http://www.google.com/calendar/
You could make any to do list a one-time or repeating event, and Google Calendar
lets you choose whether you get event reminders via e-mail, pop-ups (can't have
them blocked), or even SMS/cell phone. Other calendar items can also have notifications,
and it can even email you your daily agenda. Other individuals could have permission
to add events (e.g. an academic counselor, his mom if he wants, etc.), or he
could subscribe to other Google Calendars. It's free.
The Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-based Learning (IJPBL):
http://docs.lib.purdue.edu/ijpbl/index.html
"The Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-based Learning (IJPBL) publishes
relevant, interesting, and challenging articles of research, analysis, or promising
practice related to all aspects of implementing problem-based learning (PBL)
in K–12 and post-secondary classrooms."
Microsoft Education Home Page: http://www.microsoft.com/Education/default.mspx
Orchestrate: http://www.orchestratehq.com/
Orchestrate lets you create multiple lists, each with their own name. Orchestrate
then allows you to select the ones you want to see and display them in your
little workspace. You can have them all open at once or just a select few, as
well as get a basic overview of all lists.
Remember the Milk: http://www.rememberthemilk.com/
Remember the Milk allows you to organize your tasks into tabs and tags, make
time specific tasks with automatic reminders and repeat intervals, and even
has collaborative features.
Rough Underbelly: http://roughunderbelly.com/user/login
With Rough Underbelly you add tasks to your list and set a specific amount of
points to each. You can create your own measure of importance for each point
amount or use point system provided as example on the left. You then want to
make a game out of your list by trying to knock off as many tasks as you can
in a day and seeing how high you can get your score.
Ta-da List: http://www.tadalist.com/
With Ta-da List you can create multipe lists and add, edit, re-order, and remove
tasks from each list. You also have the ability to share your lists to friend
or by using a public address.
Wallnote: http://www.wallnote.com/
Wallnote allows you to manage your to do list in two ways. You can either access
your to do list online at the Wallnote website or you use it on your Windows
Desktop. When a user starts up their computer, they instantly see the to do
list. Wallnote has your basic to do list features where you can add and edit
tasks, although the only way to get a task off your to do list is by completing
it (no remove option). It also has a little notes area on the left of the task
list.
Discussion of "The Curious Incident of
the Dog in the Night-Time
Asperger's Syndrome: http://info.med.yale.edu/chldstdy/autism/aspergers.html
The Curiously Irresistible Literary Debut of Mark Haddon: http://www.powells.com/authors/haddon.html
Autistic differences: http://books.guardian.co.uk/departments/generalfiction/story/0,6000,944097,00.html
Two interviews with Mark Haddon.
Class Assignment
Using both the information you have learned in this class and information from
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, with your group choose one
of these activities:
1. Make a crossword puzzle using "Crossword Puzzle Games": http://www.crosswordpuzzlegames.com/
2. Choose one of the PowerPoint-based games at one of these sites and create
your own game: PowerPoint Games:
http://jc-schools.net/tutorials/PPT-games/
PowerPoint Activities: http://teach.fcps.net/trt10/PowerPoint.htm
Game Templates: http://its.leesummit.k12.mo.us/gametemplates.htm
Templates for Homemade PowerPoint Games: http://it.coe.uga.edu/wwild/pptgames/templates.html
3. Make one puzzle using Discovery Schools PuzzleMaker: http://puzzlemaker.school.discovery.com/
This site began in March 1998 and was created by Janet Luch.
It was last updated on
August 4, 2006
Email to studyplans@yahoo.com.