Premier’s Adobe Information and Communication
Technologies Scholarship
Using IWB technology in the special
needs classroom: motivating, including
and engaging students with special
needs
Michelle Cooney
Minerva High School, Sutherland
Sponsored by
If you can reach that highly distracted student, or the non-verbal child or the kid who always sits at the
back of the classroom - then all of a sudden you have connected ICT to something teachers have been
trying to do for years.
It generates a momentum.
Alan Black, Principal Beatrice Tate School London
Introduction
The National School pride component of the NSW Government’s Building the Education Revolution
has included the installation of over 3500 interactive whiteboards in schools across the state
(NSW DET Para.3). Donelly (2009:36) asserts that the introduction of this new technology is
radically transforming Australian state and territory schools. Interactive whiteboard (IWB)
technology is having a vast impact on teaching and learning practices and carries the potential to
alter the way Australian educators meet the learning and behavioural difficulties encountered by
students with special needs.
With the excitement that accompanies the potential of this emerging technology is the
responsibility for special educators to adapt traditional teaching techniques and formats to ensure
not only that learning activities are relevant but also that the delivery of content is motivating,
inclusive and engaging for all students in a variety of educational settings.
Focus areas
The purpose of my international study tour was to move beyond current research and discussion
related to IWB technology and its benefits for students with special needs. Research conducted
during my study tour focused on how positive gains are achieved for students with special needs
and was undertaken through:
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Knowledge gained from attending the ‘Flat Classroom Conference’ in Beijing, China;
Investigation of specific software packages, applications, hardware and innovative
pedagogy utilised by a wide variety of special needs schools in the United States, Ireland,
Scotland, England and Dubai;
Examination of how IWB technology is used to motivate, include and engage students
with physical disabilities, intellectual disabilities, learning, behavioural and emotional
difficulties;
Interviews with students, staff, executive, principals and classroom observations.
In contrast to many special needs schools overseas, IWB technology is relatively new to
Australian special needs schools (Sweeney 2008:para.2). The educational settings included in my
study tour were selected based on the diverse nature of students they cater for and their strong
background in IWB technology.
The aim of this report is to showcase international uses of IWBs in a range of special educational
settings. My report will provide practical, ready-to-use ideas and lists of resources for Australian
special educators to use in their classrooms for the benefit of all students.
Flat Classroom Conference, Beijing China 2012
Flattening the classroom
The Flat Classroom Conference is a unique event bringing together students and educators from
around the world to “develop and share their vision for the future of education using leadingedge tools of technology” (Flat Classroom 2010: para.1). The conference was defined by its
diverse participants and allowed smaller groups to interact with leading world-class presenters in
a ‘flattened’ environment, where virtual participants joined in the conversation from remote
corners of the world.
The 2011 Flat Classroom conference was held over three days in Beijing, China. The ‘virtual’
nature of the conference allowed participants to collaborate and share ideas using technology
tools such as wikis, blogs, social networking and multi-media storytelling.
Guest speaker Kim Corfino spoke on the importance of engaging learners with authentic tasks,
letting technology accelerate learning to achieve the goal. As the only special needs educator
attending the conference, I had the unique opportunity to analyse the information presented and
to delve into the practical applications for teachers working in special education settings.
The following list provides four practical, authentic and engaging learning tasks that could be
used in conjunction with IWBs to engage and motivate students with a range of special needs:
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ePals - students and teachers can connect and collaborate globally in a protected,
project-based learning network (ePals, Inc 2010:para.1). A unique opportunity for
Australian special needs schools, teachers and students to connect with other special
needs schools around the world. http://www.epals.com/
Wiki spaces for educators - no cost to create and allows teachers and students to share
text, images, web links and audio-visual content.
http://www.wikispaces.com/content/for/teachers/
Flickr - online photo management and sharing application. Allows users to create
slideshows, upload pictures, make cards, calendars etc. http://www.flickr.com/
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Digital storytelling – using digital tools to tell a story. Stories use a mixture of
computer-based images, text, recorded audio narration, video clips and/or music
(University of Houston 2011:para.1). Used to introduce projects, reinforce concepts and
appeal to a variety of learning types. The web link below contains over 30 digital
storytelling sites for students. http://ilearntechnology.com/?p=3190
Uses of IWBs in special needs schools in USA, UK and Dubai
Los Angeles
The Dubnoff Center for Child Development, based in North-West Los Angeles, caters for
students with moderate to severe learning, emotional and behavioural difficulties aged from 1022years. The Center also runs two licensed residential facilities for boys who require 24 hour
care. These boys may have histories of neglect, behavioural problems and very often multiple
failures in previous placements
The Dubnoff Center runs nine classes with an IWB in each room. In the junior classes, IWBs
were used to focus the students’ attention and maintain their motivation as well as for
prompting, recall and drill for abstract concepts.
Junior class teacher Miss Melissa stated that the IWB was ‘ ...a great way to provide visual
imagery to supplement the students’ reading and understanding of class novels’. She added that
the vibrant visual images in clips from YouTube and Google were excellent ways to motivate her
students and helped them to understand the content by providing another dimension to their
learning.
High school classes utilized the IWB for interactive maps, notebook flip charts, DVDs and
educational games. Staff in the junior and senior school, were aligned in their strategic approach
to using IWBs in the classroom, using the technology to ‘supplement’ rather than to replace
traditional teaching and texts. Most teachers created their own flipcharts and modified learning
content to suit the learning and behavioural needs of the students.
The use of IWBs at Dubnoff Center for Child Development was linked directly to the individual
needs of the students. Due to the nature of the students’ behaviour issues, IWBs were used to
focus, motivate and engage students through visual imagery, music, educational games and
hands-on student interaction. My observations revealed that the level of student motivation and
involvement was proportionate to the skills and experience the teacher had in IWB software and
associated applications.
New York
The Parkside School is a state charter, not-for-profit institution established in 1986 to meet the
special needs of 5-10 year old students with language-based learning difficulties in the New York
City area. Parkside uses an ‘integration’ model where all teachers, therapists and specialists
collaborate with each other to create and deliver individual learning programs for students.
Parskide School installed eight Starboards and purchased two mobile IWB units for their school
approximately seven years ago. Recently, they have purchased five Smart board slates which have
yet to be trialed.
Educational Director Leslie Thorne is a passionate and dedicated leader who has fostered a
culture of excellence in ICT at her school. I was fortunate enough to visit each classroom at
Parkside and observed teachers who were highly skilled and proficient in their use of IWBs. The
following list outlines the extensive uses to which Parkside puts its Smart board technology in
the classroom:
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Educational videos
Enlarging pictures for various purposes
Google Maps
Slide shows of class activities and excursions
IXL and other educational internet games
Sorting activities
Maths drills
Infinity tool for place value, counting and money activities
Print out of completed lessons
Print out of group note taking
Page recording,graphs, illustration, semantic maps
Powerpoint presentations
Tracking activities
‘Shade’ feature to hide and reveal text
Organising units
Highlighting important information from text
Variety of teacher created content and activities
Sentence construction, reading, writing and decoding
Daily schedule
My observations revealed that students were extremely focused and attentive during interactive
IWB lessons. IWB activities produced by the teachers at Parkside were designed for maximum
student interaction to maintain interest and focus.
Mobile IWB unit
Smart board slate
Ireland
Our Lady of Good Counsel School in Ballincollig, Southern Ireland caters for students aged 417 years with moderate learning difficulties and challenging behaviours. The school has four
large, adjustable promethean boards and five Interwrite boards which were installed over five
years ago.
Teachers were provided with one formal IWB training session and the head teacher is involved
with the continual training and up skilling of staff. Each teacher is given a laptop so they can
create content and files at home to be shared amongst fellow staff.
Three software programs that were used extensively across the school and to which the students
responded most positively were:
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Handwriting without tears – developed by an occupational therapist. A complete
curriculum with multi-sensory hands-on materials, sing-along music, online activities and
workbooks for each stage of development. http://www.hwtears.com/hwt
Sherston suite of Games – Eary Learning Home Edition CD ROM as well as online
activities and games to encourage and engage young learners. http://shop.sherston.com/sherston/
Downsed vocabulary – educational software for students with Down syndrome.
http://www.dseinternational.org/en/gb/
Scotland
Kelbourne Park School in Glasgow, Scotland caters for students 2-12 years with mild and
moderate physical and intellectual impairments. Fifty two students attend the school and are
supported by over 40 staff including teachers, teaching assistants, speech therapists,
Occupational Therapists and other specialists.
Kelbourne has eight small, mobile and adjustable smart boards that are back-lit, allowing
students and staff to use them without creating a shadow as occurs with front-lit IWBs.
Due to the nature of the students’ needs the IWB content at the school centres mainly on
teaching cause and effect.
One of the eight mobile, adjustable back-lit Smart boards used at Kelbourne Park School, Scotland
Kelbourne Park School used the following educational game and software package across the
grades from pre-school to primary to deliver engaging and motivational IWB learning content:
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Education City - educational games in the form of online activities for children and
interactive whiteboard resources for teachers. http://www.educationcity.com/
Crick Software - innovative educational software for students of all ages and abilities.
Kelbourne used Clicker 5 programs for reading and comprehension eg: Daisy and Alfie books
and create-your-own talking books. http://www.cricksoft.com/uk/home.aspx
The adjustable IWBs have the versatility to be used across the grades to cater for student height,
mobility and visual impairment. I had the opportunity to speak with Azeem, a nine year old
student with muscular dystrophy who uses a motorized wheelchair and has poor fine motor
control. During my observation he was using an IR Wand on the IWB to play a maths game with
his fellow classmate. I asked Azeem if he liked using the IWBs to which he responded “Yeah it’s
great, I can still play (the game) because I don’t have to write and my hand doesn’t get tired.”
Azeem’s comment highlights the inclusivity of IWB technology and reinforces how this
technology is being used in special needs classrooms to motivate, engage and include all learners.
London
Beatrice Tate School in London is a purpose-built day school for pupils aged 11-19 years
whose educational needs cannot adequately be met in mainstream schools. The school provides
education for approximately 60 students with profound and severe multiple learning disabilities.
A Beatrice Tate student using the HP Touchsmart LCD computer
Beatrice Tate has had five mounted Smartboards and seven adjustable, mobile touch screen
plasma TVs for over eight years. In each classroom there is also an HP Touchsmart LCD
computer.
Class teacher Lynette Emery using PowerPoint on the IWB for the student’s daily schedule
Due to the nature of the students’ special needs, the delivery of IWB learning content
incorporates a large number of movement and sound activities and audiovisual applications to
support text including video DJ, yoga, shopping programs and speaking and listening PECS
activities. I observed a variety of different classrooms and noted that teachers were extremely
skilled at creating their own content to suit the learning and behavioural needs of the students.
Class teacher Lynette Emery has been working at Beatrice Tate for over four years and has
produced hundreds of motivational, engaging and inclusive lessons for her students using IWB
technology. All teacher-created content is made available on share drives so that every member
of staff has access to and can record exactly which students have covered which different
learning objectives throughout their time at Beatrice Tate.
During my observations the following software program and website was used throughout the
school:
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Espresso education - an extensive library of high quality, video rich broadband teaching
resources and student activities that motivates pupils and supports teachers (Espresso
Education Ltd 2011:para.1). http://www.espresso.co.uk/index.html
‘Switch it’ – Hygiene extra by Inclusive Technology - range of switching activities
including picture builds, stories and flashcards on the theme of personal hygiene. The areas
covered include: showering, cleaning teeth, hair care, clean clothes, food hygiene and
dressing (Inclusive Technology Ltd. 2011:para.1). http://www.inclusive.co.uk/switchit-hygieneextra-p2351
Interview with Deputy Mick Whaley
The Deputy Principal of Beatrice Tate stated that IWBs have had an enormous positive impact
at bringing ‘front of class’ teaching back to education so that it is easier for students to focus.
Mick asserts that the best thing about IWBs for the school’s students (whose needs are,
universally, high and complex) is the ability it has to create lessons based around sensory and
auditory cues. Massed practice of learning concepts is extremely important for students at
Beatrice Tate and the IWB is a device which allows reinforcement of learning through
PowerPoint and pictures.
As an educator of students with special needs the IWB is part of a whole generation of embracing
technology. Because the whole world is moving towards technology-based devices, I feel confident that
IWBs are the way to go for our students.
Technology is part of our everyday lives and it should therefore be part of the way our students learn.
Interview with Principal Alan Black
Alan Black strongly supports the use of IWBs in his classrooms however he emphasized that
the IWB is purely a piece of hardware and what is important is what occurs once you move away
from the board. He states that shifting focus from the board enables you to focus on the
software and ask the question ‘What do I want my students to learn and how can I use the IWB
as a medium to achieve that?
Mr Black stated that the major advantage of IWB technology is massed practice and
reinforcement as long as lessons and learning objectives are ‘pupil-centred.’
“ICT shouldn’t be there just for fun or to bamboozle but to provide an appropriate level of
challenge for the child.”
Warwickshire
Ridgeway School is situated in Warwickshire, England and caters for over 100 students aged 211 years with high and complex support needs. There are nine classes of approximately eight to
twelve students supported by over 40 staff across the school.
Ridgeway has two large mounted IWBs and nine large touch screen plasma TVs. There are also
touch screen plasmas in staff rooms, for weekly teacher sharing, on-going training; sharing ideas,
knowledge and resources.
After interviewing a number of the students the following is a list of programs that they love to
use on the IWBs:
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Writing with Symbols/Communicate in Print
Rapid Maths
ICT Games – Star spell
Splosh – paint program
Simple Software games and activities
Choose and Tell Nursery Rhymes by Inclusive Technology
BBC website – dance mat typing
Come Alive Phonics – interactive game to help with sounds and tracking
The following is a list of some of the hardware devices used at Ridgeway:
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Visualisers - captures images of text, 3D objects, transparencies and microscope slides
I Flip – small, hand-held recording device with a flip out USB ready to plug straight into
computer or IWB.
Talking Photo Albums – digitized speech device that can record four minutes of
speech.
Beebot - programmable floor robots that have been purpose-built for use with early
phase and primary students (Education Services Australia 2011:para.1).
RM TuffCam – digital video and still camera designed for education
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Talk Time Cards - cards feature a built-in digital sound recording chip that enables
student or teacher to record a brief voice file describing the drawing on the card.
Visualiser used at Ridgeway
Brooke School is located in Rugby, Warwickshire and caters for over 160 students aged from 219 years with severe and profound multiple learning difficulties, as well as behaviour, emotional
and social difficulties.
Brooke school has 19 mounted Smartboards which were installed over four years ago. The
school has an experienced and innovative IT integrator who works two days a week to collect
resources and train staff. Once a term the teachers also run their own ICT workshops as well as
weekly staff meetings where they hold ‘share and show’ sessions.
The following are three programs used in a variety of classrooms across the grades:
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SEN switcher – Northern Grid for Learning - a suite of programs designed to help
teach early ICT skills to people with profound and multiple learning difficulties
(Northern Grid for Learnin 2011:para.10.
http://www.northerngrid.org/index.php/component/content/article/81-sen/271-sen-switcher
petewells.co.uk – a compilation of free sensory stories
Crazy Talk animation using Realusion software – uses innovative tools to create
animation clips. http://www.reallusion.com/crazytalk/
Dubai
The SNF Children Development Center commenced operations in April 2007 as an
extension of the Special Needs Families Support Group in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The
aim of the Center is primarily to provide an institution for young adults with special needs who
are in need of occupational and vocational training (SNF 2009:para.3).
The SNF center is in its infancy and currently runs from an apartment within a commerce and
shopping district in Karama, Dubai. Director Safia Bari is dedicated to raising support in her area
in order to expand the Center. As there are fewer than 15 students who work in four different
rooms within the apartment, there is limited space for IWBs but the Center does have a number
of computers and is looking to introducing IWBs in the future.
During my observations the students enjoyed using computers for academic programs,
functional maths, fine motor activities and typing skills. The computer teacher at SNF had a
variety of software programs available for the students but expressed her desire to be able to use
IWB technology to increase student motivation and concentration.
My visit to SNF helped to reinforce the concept of the positive gains that can be achieved with
IWBs in special needs classrooms and it is my hope that SNF will be able to raise the financial
support they need to expand their facilities and incorporate IWB technology, software and
applications.
Conclusion and recommendations
Each of the schools that I visited during my study tour used the IWB in a variety of different
ways to cater for the specific needs of their students. By visiting such a large variety of special
needs settings I have been able to provide a list of practical, ready-to-use resources that
Australian special needs educators can select from to use in their classrooms to fit the specific
needs of their students.
Teachers can use IWBs to motivate, include and enagage students in special education settings
by:
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allowing the specific needs of the students to guide the function the IWB plays in
achieving the learning outcome
becoming proficient with the technology
ensuring lessons and learning objectives are student-centered
designing their own content to suit the academic level and interest areas of the students
continually up-skilling and attending retraining and workshops
joining ICT and SEN websites and keeping up to date with new software and hardware,
and
collaborating with fellow educators - sharing resources, knowledge, ideas and inspiration,
both in their own school and online.
A comprehensive list of the resources and ideas I gathered during my international study tour
can be found on my blog www.michelle-cooney.blogspot.com
Bibliography
Education Services Australia (2010) Bee-Bots- FloorRobots. Retrieved 12th April 2011 from
http://www.edna.edu.au/edna/go/ece/pid/3858
ePals Inc. (2010) ‘Welcome to the World's Largest K-12 Learning Network!’. Retrieved 18th April
2011 from http://www.epals.com/
Espresso Education Ltd. (2011) Inspirational Curriculm Resources. Retrieved 17th April from
http://www.espresso.co.uk/index.html
University of Houston (2010) The Educational Uses of Digital Storytelling, Retrieved 8th April from
http://digitalstorytelling.coe.uh.edu/
Flat Classroom, The Project Based Learning Conference for Students and Educators, Flat Classroom TM.
Retrieved 12th April 2011 from http://www.flatclassroomconference.com/
Inclusive Technology Ltd. (2011) Switch It: Hygiene extra. Retrieved 5th April 2011 from
http://www.inclusive.co.uk/switchit-hygiene-extra-p2351
Northern grid for Learning (2011) SEN Switcher, Delivering broadband to support learning and
public sectors in the North East. Retrieved 2nd April from
http://www.northerngrid.org/index.php/component/content/article/81-sen/271-senswitcher
NSW Department of Education and Training (2010) ‘Achievements of the NSP Program’,
Building the Education Revolution, NSW Government. Retrieved 12th March 2010 from
http://www.ber.nsw.gov.au/index.php/2010/02/achievements-of-the-nsp-program/
SNF (2009) SNF Children Development Center. Retrieved 7th April 2011 from
http://www.snfgroup.com/About-Us.aspx
Sweeney, T. (2008) ‘Transforming learning with interactive whiteboards: towards a
developmental framework’, Vol.7, No.8, Australian Educational Computing, Curriculum
Leadership. Retrieved 5th March 2010 from
http://www.curriculum.edu.au/leader/abstracts.58.html