We are in the season for giving and receiving gifts. Toys and games are on many holiday lists. Selecting gifts with Assistive Technology supports can help children be more engaged and play independently. Sometimes just a large knob, velcro, or audio support can make all the difference. Finding and acquiring toys and games which are… Read More Tis the Season for Gift Giving – Assistive Technology Style
All Means ALL: The Virginia Literacy Act and Teaching Students with Complex Needs
Embracing a Holistic Approach The Virginia Literacy Act ensures every student in kindergarten to grade five will receive core literacy instruction based in scientifically based reading research and evidence-based literacy instruction and, every teacher will use evidence-based literacy curriculum, use student-level data to inform instruction and intervention, and participate in training on evidence-based literacy instruction…. Read More All Means ALL: The Virginia Literacy Act and Teaching Students with Complex Needs
Can You Make the Connections?
The beginning of the school year may have you wondering how to connect academic subjects and/or VESOLs to make learning engaging for your students. Thematic Instruction is a teaching strategy which organizes curriculum and instruction around a central theme. It allows students to engage in high interest topics while learning academic and communication skills. Students… Read More Can You Make the Connections?
Reading For All Students
To get youth interested in reading we need to help them see that reading is fun. Here are a few suggestions to encourage reading in students of all ages and ability levels this summer. Read Aloud America (Summer Reading Program – Read Aloud America). Download a 5-week program full of reading suggestions and activities. Get… Read More Reading For All Students
Symbolated Text. Does it make learning to read easier or harder?
Symbolated or picture-supported text is a strategy that some educators use with the intent of making text comprehension easier for their students. The idea behind symbolated or picture-supported text is that connecting symbols to text can help students better understand text. It involves adding a picture or corresponding symbol above or below each word in… Read More Symbolated Text. Does it make learning to read easier or harder?
Considering Student Needs for Assistive Technology
To assist IEP teams with considering student needs for assistive technology (AT), the Virginia Assistive Technology, Tools, and Strategies (VATTS) Consideration Guide and Resources is now available. These resources will help IEP teams increase consistency and comprehensiveness of AT considerations in your school division by providing a consideration and documentation process. According to the Individuals with Disabilities… Read More Considering Student Needs for Assistive Technology
What? That’s AT?
In our last issue, Game On!!, gamification of academic information was reviewed. In keeping with this gaming theme, can you answer these questions about Assistive Technology? Want to learn more about Assistive Technology? Consider these resources in the T-TAC ODU Lending Library: Access Technology for Blind and Low Vision Accessibility Assistive Technology in Special Education:… Read More What? That’s AT?
