Syllabus – Spring 2014 MPDL635 – Assistive Technology Practices at Landmark College This is the third course in the five course series of the professional certificate program on Universal Design: Technology Integration offered by Landmark College in collaboration with Marlboro College Graduate School. Course and Instructor Information Course Title: Assistive Technology Practices at Landmark College Credit/Non-credit options: Participants completing this course are eligible for 3 graduate-level credits through Marlboro College Graduate School. The course can also be taken as a non-credit course. To obtain graduate credits, you must receive a grade of 80% or better on the course. Format: This is an online course with a 3-day residential component and one synchronous meeting time (approximately 1 ½ hour) over the 8 weeks of the course. Online delivery of the course content will be via Moodle (http://moodle.landmark.edu). The residential component will be held from February 21st through 23rd at Landmark College, Putney, VT. The synchronous meeting will occur on Tuesday, March 11th from 6:00 – 7:15 pm EST and involve interaction with a guest faculty panel from Landmark College. It will take place at a time to be determined and will occur via Skype or Google Hangouts. Please refer to the Important Announcement section of the Moodle course for upcoming details. Bottomline – Each student should plan on participating in the 3-day residential component and the one-hour synchronous time meeting. Prerequisites: None Instructors: Anne M Fein, M.A. and Dr. Caleb Clark E-mail: afein@landmark.edu Telephone: (802) 387-6827 – Anne M Fein Contacting the Instructors: Messages or queries for the instructors should be sent through Landmark College’s Moodle mail. All messages will be responded to as soon as possible within a reasonable amount of time. If a matter is urgent, please email directly to afein@landmark.edu with the subject line: MPDL635 URGENT. Course Description 1 Assistive Technology Practices at Landmark College will address the varying ways that assistive technologies are used, at Landmark College, to enrich and enhance the education of students with learning differences. The integration of assistive technology will be explored through the disciplines of English, History, Math, and Science. A key focus will be assistive technologies that support specific learning strategies, such as reading, note-taking, and writing. Also addressed will be technology tools to support time management and organization of materials. Highlighted technologies will include: traditional assistive technology software (e.g. Kurzweil 3000, Dragon NaturallySpeaking); embedded features of high use software (e.g. Microsoft Office, Inspiration, Adobe); web-based applications (e.g. Google, Evernote); and mobile apps for phones and tablets. Course Objectives The Objectives and Assignments in this course are based on Bloom’s Taxonomy-R (2001): Remembering (R) Understanding (U) Applying (A) Analyzing (AN) Evaluating (E) Creating (C) Upon completion of this course, students will be able to: Apply technology solutions, including Kurzweil 3000's text-to-speech, and Inspiration's concept mapping to enhance the teaching of reading fluency and comprehension strategies. (U) (A) Apply technology solutions, including Inspiration's concept mapping, Kurzweil 3000's text-to-speech, Dragon NaturallySpeaking's voice recognition, and Microsoft Office's word processor, to enhance the teaching of writing strategies. (U) (A) Apply technology solutions, including Kurzweil 3000's text-to-speech and Inspiration's concept mapping, to enhance the teaching of study skills, such as vocabulary development, note-taking, test preparation, and test-taking. (U) (A) Assess the potential uses of mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets, for self-management. (U) (AN) (E) Develop a plan, using technology solutions, for specific learning activities and student profiles. (U) (A) (AN) (E)(C) 2 As a result of the learning experiences in this course, students will become more cognizant of: The benefits of assistive technology to students based on current research. (U) (A) (AN) (E) How assistive technology can be an integral part of a Universal Design in Learning environment (U) (A) (AN) (E) Topics Outline 1. Introduction to Assistive Technology Week 1: February 17 – February 22 2. Assistive Technology and the Reading Process Week 2: February 23 – March 1 3. Assistive Technology and the Writing Process Week 3: March 2 – March 8 4. Assistive Technology and Self-management Week 4: March 9 – March 15 5. Assistive Technology in the Content Areas Week 5: March 16 – March 22 6. Assistive Technology and STEM Week 6: March 23 – March 29 7. Assistive Technology Implementation Week 7: March 30 – April 5 8. Assistive Technology Implementation in Practice Week 8: April 6 – April 13 Guide to Weekly Modules The content for each week is set up as a Module. Each module will consist of: 1. Objectives – List of objectives linked to the assignments. 3 2. Learning Activities - Activities aligned to module objectives and serves as instructional content for the module topic. (Example: Viewing PowerPoint slides; Readings, Assignments, Explore Assistive Technology Integration). 3. Talk Time – Discussions based on queries and points raised by course participants and the instructor during the residency and scheduled synchronous meeting time (to take place via Skype or Google Hangout). Graded. 4. Participation Prompts - Discussion questions to guide postings for module topic. If you choose, you can also post an audio recording of your comments using AUDACITY. This is a free downloadable audio recorder and editor available at http://audacity.sourceforge.net/ Graded. 5. Additional Resources – A resource repository on universal design and technology to be created and added to by all members of this learning community. Participation in this forum is not graded, but regular contributions to this section can result in 5 extra grade points for the course. A new Module will be made available every Sunday morning. Preceding modules should be completed by Saturday evening. Anticipate for the module assignments to occupy15 to 20 hours of work per week. Course Assignments and Grading Due Dates: Due to the fast pace of the course, all assignments are due by midnight of the assigned date. With the exception of the Discussion Forum postings, late assignments will be accepted up to 2 days (48 hours) beyond their due date. A 5% reduction in grade per day will be assessed. Due to the collaborative nature of the Discussion Forums late submissions cannot be accepted unless the instructor is contacted, in advance, regarding extenuating circumstances. 4 Course Assignments The final course grade is determined by your performance on the following four assignments. Examples and details of these assignments can be found on the course Moodle page in the Course Activity Packet, including the grading criteria. 1. Participation Prompts: You will be prompted to participate in in five online discussions on different topics throughout the course. You must post an original response to each Participation Prompt according to the schedule below. You can also post a resonse to someone else’s comment. For full credit, each of your responses should follow the specified directions in the prompt and be posted by the due date indicated in Moodle Calendar tool. (20 points total; 5 points each) First weekly Participation Prompt: post by 12:00 AM EST on Wednesday Additional Participation Prompts: post by 12:00 AM EST on Friday 2. Talk Time: During the Talk Time sessions (Residency & Synchronous Meeting) we will be discussing queries and comments presented by course participants and instructors. The first 3 Talk Time sessions will be face-to-face and take place during the Residency Component (Feb 21-23) of the course. The 4th Talk Time session will be held during a synchronous online meeting from 6:00 – 7:15 PM EST on Tuesday, March 11th. You will receive 5 points for each of the Talk Time sessions you attend. In the sessions we are looking for participation and thoughtful engagement. (20 points total; 5 points each) 3. Assistive Technology for Self-Management Presentation: You will be researching, analyzing, and synthesizing resources to create an informational presentation on assistive technology options for enhancing self-management. The goal of the assignment is to create a web-based “product” directed to professionals on a theme related to self-management. Presentations will be posted on the course Moodle site to serve as a resource for other course participants. 5 The presentation must be completed by 12:00 AM EST on March 15th. (20 points) 4. Assistive Technology Implementation Project: This assignment requires you to create an Assistive Technology Implementation Plan that can be used for academic purposes and addresses specific academic needs for students with learning disabililities, Attention Hyperactivity Disorder, and/or Autism Spectrum Disorders. Included will be a written proposal, a detailed implementation plan, and a sample lesson. The goal of the assignment is to create a comprehensive plan to implement assistive technology in an educational setting to support academic functioning. This assignment must be completed by the end of the course on 12:00 AM EST on April 13th. (35 points) Course Grading The final course grade will be distributed as follows: Assignments Points Percentage of Final Grade Talk Time (4 @ 5 points each) 20 20% Participation Prompts (5 @ 5 points 25 25% each) Assistive Technology for Self20 20% management Presentation AssistiveTechnology Implementation 35 35% Project TOTAL 100 100% Final letter grades for this course are determined based on the following scale: A 95-100 A- 90-94 B+ 85-89 B 80-84 – Need at least an 80 to be eligible for graduate credits B- 75-79 C 70-74 – Failing for the Graduate Level 6 Grading Rubrics Participation Prompts – 5 points each. 3 points – Well thought-out response and rationale for your position. 1 point – Inclusion of citations and references supporting your response (at least one scholarly reference) – APA style 1 point – Demonstrates editing for organization (logical flow of ideas), grammar, and spelling. NOTE: Participation Prompts are meant to be collaborative discussions. Responses should be a minimum of one paragraph in length, but no more than three paragraphs in length. Talk Time – 5 points each. 3 points – Well thought-out response and rationale for your position. 1 point – Inclusion of references supporting your responses. 1 point – Demonstrates collaborative approach through respect for the contributions of others. Assistive Technology for Self-Management Presentation – 20 points 5 points – Describes the functional limitations the assistive technology (AT) is meant to address and how the assistive technology will be used. 5 points – Details the rationale for the selection of the AT. 5 points – Inclusion of citations and references supporting your recommendation. (APA style) 5 point – Demonstrates editing for organization (logical flow of ideas) and visual clarity Assistive Technology Implementation Plan – 35 points Proposal – 15 points 7 5 points – Draws explicit link between assistive technology recommendations and targeted academic area and/or function. 5 points – Supports recommendations with citations and references 5 points – Demonstrates editing for organization (logical flow of ideas), grammar, and spelling. Implementation Plan – 10 points 10 points – All aspects of implementation plan completed thoughtfully and thoroughly. Sample Lesson – 10 points 5 points – All aspects of implementation plan completed thoughtfully and thoroughly. 2 points - Demonstrates integration of Universal Design Principles. 3 points – Demonstrates application of course concepts and information. Course Modules Overview Text: Hall, T. E., Meyer, A., & Rose, D. H. (Eds.). (2012). Universal Design for Learning in the classroom: Practical applications. New York, NY: Guilford Press. Note: In addition to the assigned readings outlined below, you will be engaging in research using scholarly sources, professional organizations, and the World Wide Web. Module 1 Mon 2-17 to Sat 2-22 Module 2 Sun 2-23 to Sat 3-1 Introduction to AT @ LMC Residency - Fri 2-21 to Sat 2-22 AT & the Reading Process Residency - Sun 2-23 Readings Hall et al. – Ch. 1, pgs. 1-8 Hall et al. - Ch. 2, pgs. 9-24 Rose et al, pgs. 507-518 Readings Hall et al. - Ch. 3, pgs. 25-37 Engstrom, pgs. 30-39 Anderson-Inman, pgs. 153-160 Crooks & Katayama, pgs. 1-13 Assignments Talk Time (2 - Residency) - 10 pts. Assignments Talk Time (1 - Residency) - 5 pts. Participation Prompt - 5 pts. Module 3 Sun 3-2 to Sat 3-8 Module 4 Sun 3-9 to Sat 3-15 AT & the Writing Process AT & Self-management 8 Readings Hall et al. - Ch. 4, pgs. 38-54 Montgomery & Monks, pgs. 33-38 Readings WATI - ASNAT, Ch. 9, pgs. 1-38 Assignments Participation Prompt - 5 pts. Assignments Talk Time (Faculty Panel) - 5 pts. Self-management Presentation - 20 pts. Module 5 Sun 3-16 to Sat 3-22 Module 6 Sun 3-23 to Sat 3-29 AT & Content Areas AT & STEM Readings Hall et al. - Ch. 7, pgs. 90-105 Pisha & Coyne, pgs. 1-17 Readings Hall et al. - Ch. 5, pgs. 55-70 Hall et al. - Ch. 6, pgs. 71-89 Horney et al, pgs. 45-61 Assignments Participation Prompt - 5 pts. Assignments Participation Prompt - 5 pts. Module 7 Sun 3-30 to Sat 4-5 Module 8 Sun 4-6 to Sun 4-13 AT Implementation AT Implementation Readings SET-BC, pgs. 74-79 Assignments Participation Prompt - 5 pts. Assignments AT Implementation Plan - 35 pts. Course Etiquette and Expectations Academic Integrity and Student Code As a member of the student community at Landmark College you will be responsible for acting in accordance with the College’s Student Code of Conduct, available at http://intranet.landmark.edu/student_life/handbook.cfm 9 Netiquette Please observe courteous and professional communication with peers and instructors at all times. If you are new to online learning, you may want to look at this guide titled, The Core Rules of Netiquette. Accommodations & Special Circumstances If you require accommodations for any activities or assignments due to a documented disability or if you have emergency information to share, please contact either Anne Fein via email indicated at the top of this syllabus. Required Course Materials Textbook : Universal Design for Learning in the Classroom: Practical Applications Hall, T. E., Meyer, A., & Rose, D. H. (Eds.). (2012). Universal Design for Learning in the Classroom: Practical Applications. New York, NY: Guilford Press. - Available through – o Amazon – Paperback ($26.60) and Kindle version o Guilford Press – Paperback ($23.80), Hardcover, and eBook Additional reading and resource materials will be accessible in the instructional modules via Landmark College’s Libraries' eJournal subscriptions, Libraries' Electronic Course Reserves (ECR) and the Internet. Software and Platform Requirements Microsoft Office Suite (XP or 2007; or Open Office) Microsoft Office Power Point Microsoft Office Excel Adobe Acrobat 9.0 Standard This course is facilitated online via the learning management platform, Moodle. Landmark College’s online course management system, Moodle, is an open source product designed to meet accessibility standards. Moodle measures and evaluates accessibility levels using two sets of standards; Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act issued from the United States federal government and the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) issued by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). See http://docs.moodle.org/dev/Accessibility for more documentation. 10 Minimum Technical Skills To be successful in this course, you will need the following minimum technical skills: Use electronic mail (such as email) with attachments. Save files in commonly used word processing program formats. Copy and paste text and graphics. Work within two or more browser windows simultaneously. Run and access audio and video clips from the Internet. Open and access PDF files. Use Adobe Acrobat 9.0 Standard. Create PowerPoint presentations with the ‘notes’ function. Evaluation of the Course Students will be provided an opportunity to evaluate this course at the end of the 8 weeks. Please consider giving us your feedback. The evaluation form is available on the Moodle site for this course. 11