AT+Wiki

Goal: PA educators will understand assistive technology (AT) and how to effectively integrate AT into the standards-based curriculum. Educators will realize AT can be utilized to enhance instruction for all students. Objectives: 1. The participants will be able to define AT and specific physical, mental and cognitive disabilities. 2. The participants will be able to identify appropriate AT with specific disabilities. 3. The participants will become familiar with various open-source AT that will be useful in the standards-based curriculum. 4. The participants will be able to locate sources for funding and further professional development.

This 8 week course for PA educators will be offered free of charge on the SAS Portal. This course will explore AT and its effectiveness in the classroom. Educators will receive Act 48 hours for participation. Weekly breakdown: Each week, the participants will: 1. Read an article relative to the topic. 2. Visit the SAS website and locate a lesson/activity to adapt. The adaptation will pertain to the topic. This information will be shared via discussion forum. 3. Modules will be developed to deliver content to the participants. The modules can be pre-taped videos, live sessions through videoconference equipment such as Elluminate, or pertinent material on SAS. The SAS material can be material under instruction or interventions. In the final week, the participants will choose a topic/lesson from SAS and develop an extended activity using a specific piece of AT. This will build the resources on the website and offer an opportunity to advance the knowledge of the participants.

A live component of this program would be beneficial to all involved. This could be accomplished through a virtual live classroom, facilitator visits, and/or face-to-face meetings. The live component should be hybrid and meetings should occur at least once during the eight week period.

A long-term community will be created through an active list serve where participants can stay in contact. This will allow the participants to continue to share with their colleagues after the course has ended. This program will be continuous and as participants grow, members of the list serve will grow. An extensive community will develop for future growth across the state of PA.