Solutions Article

I said I was new at this. I forgot to add the link to the article and I can't figure out how to get to the post to add it, so I am making another post. I tried to get back to the post that I had written, but could not get to it so that I could edit it. Oh well I guess I will figure it out eventually.

"Spicing up the curriculum using good junk and creative software choices: Preschool through grade three"

http://www.closingthegap.com/ctg2/solutions/issuesummary.lasso?DateofPublication=Feb&Year=1999

Solutions Article

The title of the article I read is "Spicing up the curriculum using good junk and creative software choices: Preschool through grade three". The good junk is what made me choose this article. I am always interested in good junk! The article looked at different aspects in getting a lesson ready to use with your students. You need to make sure what is going to be taught, skills they already have that you can build on. The article also mentioned that you do not always need to use a computer to using assistive technology. You may have a lesson in where you can use adapted switches to operate a toy or other devices. This is the case for most of my students. We use a lot of adaptive switches to operate toys, radios, etc. We just recently received a new computer in our classroom and we are very excited about it. So far for my students we are just working on attending to the computer for a few seconds. But I am going to work toward having some of my students to be able to use an adapted switch to turn on a music video of some sort. It is still a long way down to road, but that is what we are working towards.

Wow I did it!!!!

First I am just excited that I was able to make this happen. I usually have problems doing something new on the computer. And this was something very new to me.
I would like to use this blog to help better my understanding of assistive technology. Also to hear from others how they use the technology and hopfully they will have information and suggestions that will help me use the technology in the classroom. I am always looking for better ways to teach my students and to make learning fun for them. My students have multidisabilities to include severe/profound mental retardation, physical disabilities, medical disabilities. They are very challenging to teach, but I would not have it any other way. I truly enjoy my students and we have fun while we learn. I have just recently gotten a new computer in my classroom and have found some free switch activated computer videos and my students are really enjoying them. We are just starting out by attending to the computer screen and that is going well. I do have one student who has already learned that if he hits the switch the video will repeat. That is a joy to watch. Well I guess I have rambled on enough for one blog.
Later,
Margit
PS I hope I have done this correctly