Part III
Using Adaptive Technologies and Best Practices for Faculty
2010 LT & ITC Showcase
Teaching Students with
Disabilities: Resources &
Responsibilities
12 November 2010
Opening the Door:
Adaptive Technologies
and Best Practices
Dr. Maria Clayton
Barbara Draude
Dr. Jill Hague
David Robertson
Opening the Door: Adaptive Technologies
and Best Practices

Introductions


Speakers
Topic Overview

Purpose



Raise awareness among faculty & admin
Share best practices on teaching/learning
w/disabilities
Share some practical applications of best
practices for Universal Design
Opening the Door: Adaptive Technologies
and Best Practices
When writing about the issue of AT as a
means of improving accessibility, Carmela
Cunningham and Norman Coombs suggest,
“People with disabilities may have benefited
more from the proliferation computers
over the past two decades than any other
population group. Computer technology
provides for these individuals the tools
needed to obtain a significant increment of
independence and productivity hitherto
unavailable to them” (vii).
(Information Access and Adaptive Technology. Phoenix: Orynx Press, 1997)
Opening the Door: Adaptive Technologies
and Best Practices

Teaching with a Disability

Insights from faculty


Tools Used
Learning with a Disability

Insights from students

Tools Used
Opening the Door: Adaptive
Technologies and Best Practices

Universal Design Principles (UDL)

a set of principles for curriculum development
that give all individuals equal opportunities to
learn


UDL Basics
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDvKnY0g6e4)
Guidelines
Present
information
and content in
different ways
Differentiate
the ways that
students can
express what
they know
Stimulate
interest and
motivation
for learning
Opening the Door: Adaptive Technologies
and Best Practices

General Applications

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
Conferring with students
Using a variety of strategies
Multiple versions of assignments

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Digital
Alternative text for images
Flexibility and openness (“adaptive faculty”)

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Collaborative assignments
Conferencing toward content mastery
Privileging revision [e.g. portfolios]
Making use of IT resources within University
Opening the Door: Adaptive Technologies
and Best Practices

Online Applications
 Consistency with the web site
 Transformability
 Multimodality
 Focus and Structure
 Text readability
Opening the Door: Adaptive
Technologies and Best Practices

Specifics on Instructing Students:
 Who are blind or visually impaired
 Are deaf or hard of hearing
 With speech impairments
 With mobility impairments
 With a cognitive disability
Opening the Door: Adaptive Technologies
Best Practices

A student’s point of view : Words to
Consider

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Respect
Invite
Initiate
Partnerships
Easy-to-experience materials /presentations
Accountability
Class room activities
Announce
Guard the frustration factor
Opening the Door: Adaptive Technologies
Best Practices

Presenter contact information:



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Dr. Jill Hague ahague@mtsu.edu
Dr. Maria Clayton mclayton@mtsu.edu
David Robertson drobertson777@aol.com
Barbara Draude bdraude@mtsu.edu
Part IV
Reflections/Conclusions and Wrap-up
One Minute Reflection Exercise

Consider how your awareness of disability
issues has increased and how that will
influence your interactions with students
with disabilities.


Finish this statement: I am now more aware of
…… and I will …………..
Identify one aspect of your course that may
not be fully accessible or could be more
universally designed and write an action
statement on how that can be
accomplished.
Wrap-up

Visit the Student Conduct Tutorial
(http://www.mtsu.edu/countest/tutorial/)

Feedback - suggestions for a follow-up
session
Questions / Comments
Thanks !!!



Tom Brinthaupt (tbrintha@mtsu.edu)

Amy Burks (aburks@mtsu.edu)

Maria Clayton (mclayton@mtsu.edu)

Barbara Draude (bdraude@mtsu.edu)

Gail Fedak (gfedak@mtsu.edu)

Jill Hague (ahague@mtsu.edu)

Watson Harris (wharris@mtsu.edu)

David Robertson (drobertson777@aol.com )