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August 13, 2023 at 11:01 am in reply to: Module 5 – Looking Back and Planning Ahead #204637
Maria Kealy
Participant
To support a 5th class child with severe dyslexia and also dyscalculia, there are many technological resources that could be used to support full access and engagement in the curriculum. The Dictate tool in Word will support him in completing written tasks. The use of Immersive Reader in Word, OneNote and Microsoft Edge, Microsoft Lens will open the door on text which otherwise would have been overwhelming. Immersive Reader can also be used to proofread written work completed in Word. The reading preferences tool in Immersive eReader is particularly useful for this child. Office Lens could be used frequently for taking pictures of textbooks and then enabling the child to read them in Immersive Reader with the text to speech function. The accessibility functions will be activated on his laptop and the predictive spelling will be a very important one for him. The Share tool in Word will enable him to easily share work with his teacher or other students. It is important he develops good typing skills and he will work on the TTRS program daily. When this child is transitioning into secondary school, discussing and demonstrating the Cogi Voice Recorder app with the child and his parents, would be extremely beneficial, as it would greatly aid with note taking.
For literacy, Book Creator, A+Spelling, Write About This , Learning Alley, Literactive, Light Sail, Learn with Homer and Reading Rockets would all be very useful apps and resources to support his progress.
For numeracy, Khan Academy, Microsoft Maths Solver apps NRich Maths, NZMaths, Geogebra and dyscalculia.org are all very beneficial apps and resources to support and extend his progress.

The Inclusive Education Framework should be seen as a school development planning tool that promotes the inclusion of students with SEN. Information collected when using it, helps to inform school development planning activities by highlighting inclusion issues that need to be addressed. The framework will be useful for schools to demonstrate their progress towards the principles of inclusion. Engaging with the framework can highlight what professional development needs the staff may have in terms of special education. The framework aids schools in developing internal reflective practices.
August 11, 2023 at 10:03 am in reply to: Module 4 – SEN Literacy & Numeracy #204282
Maria Kealy
Participant
Part 1
The SETT model is an extremely useful framework to aid teachers in selecting the most appropriate AT tools to assist the pupil’s priority needs.

The SETT plan can be used in combination with the pupil’s School Support File. It can be used to review past interventions, meet with and get valuable input from parents, the students, past teachers and SET.
The SETT plan focuses on the very important elements of student, environment, task and tools which give a wonderful and simple framework to enable the teacher to consider what AT tools are most appropriate to support the pupil’s priority needs.

Part 2
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1EgSukep-ZOrWb_DZJrcZBMScgP_Nm4MgLkiPsyQ0TdI/edit
This is a SETT plan for a 10 year old boy with severe dyslexia. His reading is currently at age level and he has strong comprehension and memory skills. He has severe difficulties with spelling, grammar and handwriting. The use of AT technologies allows this boy to partake in a task which otherwise would not have reflected his ability, would have eroded his confidence and caused frustration. It is a task which involves reading, summarising/recording core points and sharing this work. Immersive Reader built into Microsoft Edge allows him to read the article with ease, the use of dictate in Microsoft word allows him to record the core points (which he had noted simply on a writing frame), the use of Editor and Immersive Reader in Word allows him to edit and proofread his work. The Share function in Microsoft Word allows him to share his work with his teacher.
August 10, 2023 at 10:59 am in reply to: Module 3 – The Inclusive Curriculum & The UDL Framework #203982
Maria Kealy
Participant
<p id=”docs-internal-guid-7b285655-de9d-7dee-2389-758bcabac761″ dir=”ltr” style=”caret-color: #000000; color: #000000; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;”><span style=”font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: #163c42; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>Part 1
<span style=”font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: #163c42; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>I have designed an activity for a student in my class with ASD and severe dyslexia and dysgraphia. He is good at reading however he finds it very difficult to transfer what is in his mind into the written medium. He finds writing debilitating, he has a great imagination and especially loves to create stories but finds it extremely frustrating to try and write them down. The Dictate tool is frustrating also as he has speech and language difficulties but it is an area that is worth practising and perusing.
<span style=”font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: #1155cc; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>https://1drv.ms/w/s!ABw4GTh1Jan8h28?e=gnQlfa
<span style=”font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: #163c42; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>This is the first draft of chapter 1 of a story “Captain Conor and the Evil Merchant’ that this student wrote in a word document. The activity designed for this student is to edit his draft using Microsoft 365 tools, he will use the editor tool for grammar and spelling. He will then select the View tab and use the immersive reader tool to proofread his writing as he can hear for intakes as well as read for mistakes. He can set his text preferences and reading preferences in Immersive reader. He can also use the Share tool to collaborate and share the document with his teacher or others.

<span style=”font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: #163c42; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>Part 2
<span style=”font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: #163c42; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>Williams (2011) advocates that teaching should be a learning profession. Cosan the National Framework for teacher’s learning, has this principle as its core. The word ‘Çosan’ is the Irish word for pathway, highlighting that teaching is a journey, it is about steady and ongoing progress.
<span style=”font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: #163c42; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>CPD is essential for teachers as we need to constantly adapt and extend our learning in order to meet the diverse needs of students in our classrooms. 
<span style=”font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: #163c42; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>Conan recognizes effective learning is active rather than passive. It realises the importance of teachers taking ownership of their own professional development. Teachers reflect on their own practice and identify and engage in professional development that would benefit them and their own students most.
<span style=”font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: #163c42; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>Cosan values teacher learning through a range of learning processes such as reading a relevant article or attending a professional development course.
<span style=”font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: #163c42; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>Cosan is a flexible framework, it takes into consideration the various stages of career, individual circumstances and school context. It takes into account that teachers all learn in different ways, it recognizes that effective learning is active rather than passive. Costner facilitates relevant learning opportunities, quality learning and innovative approaches.'
August 10, 2023 at 9:58 am in reply to: Module 3 – The Inclusive Curriculum & The UDL Framework #203983
Maria Kealy
Participant
Part 1

I have designed an activity for a student in my class with ASD and severe dyslexia and dysgraphia. He is good at reading however he finds it very difficult to transfer what is in his mind into the written medium. He finds writing debilitating, he has a great imagination and especially loves to create stories but finds it extremely frustrating to try and write them down. The Dictate tool is frustrating also as he has speech and language difficulties but it is an area that is worth practising and perusing.

https://1drv.ms/w/s!ABw4GTh1Jan8h28?e=gnQlfa

This is the first draft of chapter 1 of a story “Captain Conor and the Evil Merchant’ that this student wrote in a word document. The activity designed for this student is to edit his draft using Microsoft 365 tools, he will use the editor tool for grammar and spelling. He will then select the View tab and use the immersive reader tool to proofread his writing as he can hear for intakes as well as read for mistakes. He can set his text preferences and reading preferences in Immersive reader. He can also use the Share tool to collaborate and share the document with his teacher or others.

Part 2

Williams (2011) advocates that teaching should be a learning profession. Cosan the National Framework for teacher’s learning, has this principle as its core. The word ‘Çosan’ is the Irish word for pathway, highlighting that teaching is a journey, it is about steady and ongoing progress.
CPD is essential for teachers as we need to constantly adapt and extend our learning in order to meet the diverse needs of students in our classrooms.
Conan recognizes effective learning is active rather than passive. It realises the importance of teachers taking ownership of their own professional development. Teachers reflect on their own practice and identify and engage in professional development that would benefit them and their own students most.
Cosan values teacher learning through a range of learning processes such as reading a relevant article or attending a professional development course.
Cosan is a flexible framework, it takes into consideration the various stages of career, individual circumstances and school context. It takes into account that teachers all learn in different ways, it recognizes that effective learning is active rather than passive. Costner facilitates relevant learning opportunities, quality learning and innovative approaches.’
August 8, 2023 at 8:02 pm in reply to: Module 2 – Specialist High Tech Options & Microsoft 365 #203583
Maria Kealy
Participant
Immersive Reader is an amazing tool that I did not previously have any knowledge of. I can see myself using this tool in my role as SET.
Immersive Reader can be used for project work for children with reading difficulties, they can now access information from the Microsoft Edge browser, simply highlight and right click on text, to open their selection in immersive reader. This will be a huge help across many curricular areas and for homework. Immersive reader has options to change voices, speed or reading, text size, spacing, font, themes, reading preferences with options of one/ three line focus. This last feature is very helpful for children who find too much text on a page overwhelming. The translate option is fantastic for any child with English as an additional language. The picture dictionary is also very helpful for visual learners.
Immersive Reader can also be used in OneNote which is hugely beneficial for children for keeping their notes in an organised way. Immersive Reader will help them read these notes during study time at home.
The use of Imersive Reader in Microsoft Lens allows pupils to take a picture of the whiteboard, newspaper or a book and this information can then be read or listened to in Immersive Reader.
My students would need explicit instruction and teacher support in learning how to use immersive Reader through Microsoft 365. Meetings with parents to demonstrate on the child’s laptop would be essential also so the child can be supported at home too. Finally I would need to make sure also all Microsoft 365 apps are downloaded on the child’s laptop.
August 8, 2023 at 5:06 pm in reply to: Module 1- Introduction to ICT & Assistive Technologies #203530
Maria Kealy
Participant
The SETT model is a very useful framework to help teachers examine ecological variables in a systematic way in order to select appropriate AT tools for their individual pupils.

Firstly it is important to consider the pupil’s strengths and weaknesses cognitively, academically, socially and emotionally. The pupils’ School Support File will aid with this as well as meeting with parents and the students. Interventions that have been tried in the past need to be reviewed to see what was effective and what was not.

Secondly the pupil’s environment needs to be taken into consideration such as the instructional and physical arrangements, what low, mid and high tech aids are being used, what supports are available on a daily basis, internet connection and speed also need to be considered.

Thirdly, based on the pupil’s learning profile and the environment in which they will be doing their work, it is important to consider the elements of the tasks they have to accomplish.

Finally, after analysing the above, the teacher can consider what AT tools are most appropriate to support the pupil’s needs. Teachers can consider what no-tech, low-tech and high-tech options are available and would be suitable for the particular student.
August 8, 2023 at 4:59 pm in reply to: Module 1- Introduction to ICT & Assistive Technologies #203527
Maria Kealy
Participant
<p id=”docs-internal-guid-794d3376-d5e1-84a9-40c3-a56a0ffa00ce” dir=”ltr” style=”caret-color: #000000; color: #000000; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;”><span style=”font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>The SETT model is a very useful framework to help teachers examine ecological variables in a systematic way in order to select appropriate AT tools for their individual pupils.

<span style=”font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>Firstly it is important to consider the pupil’s strengths and weaknesses cognitively, academically, socially and emotionally. The pupils’ School Support File will aid with this as well as meeting with parents and the students. Interventions that have been tried in the past need to be reviewed to see what was effective and what was not. 

<span style=”font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>Secondly the pupil’s environment needs to be taken into consideration such as the instructional and physical arrangements, what low, mid and high tech aids are being used, what supports are available on a daily basis, internet connection and speed also need to be considered.

<span style=”font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>Thirdly, based on the pupil’s learning profile and the environment in which they will be doing their work, it is important to consider the elements of the tasks they have to accomplish. 

<span style=”font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>Finally, after analysing the above, the teacher can consider what AT tools are most appropriate to support the pupil’s needs. Teachers can consider what no-tech, low-tech and high-tech options are available and would be suitable for the particular student.
 
- This reply was modified 2 years, 6 months ago by Maria Kealy.
August 8, 2023 at 4:52 pm in reply to: Module 1- Introduction to ICT & Assistive Technologies #203523
Maria Kealy
Participant
<p id=”docs-internal-guid-e7c922aa-d5d6-125c-f9d2-ffb7d0f4805e” dir=”ltr” style=”caret-color: #000000; color: #000000; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;”><span style=”font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>The SETT model is a very useful framework to help teachers examine ecological variables in a systematic way in order to select appropriate AT tools for their individual pupils.
<span style=”font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>Firstly it is important to consider the pupil’s strengths and weaknesses cognitively, academically, socially and emotionally. The pupils’ School Support File will aid with this as well as meeting with parents and the students. Interventions that have been tried in the past need to be reviewed to see what was effective and what was not. 
<span style=”font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>Secondly the pupil’s environment needs to be taken into consideration such as the instructional and physical arrangements, what low, mid and high tech aids are being used, what supports are available on a daily basis, internet connection and speed also need to be considered.
<span style=”font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>Thirdly, based on the pupil’s learning profile and the environment in which they will be doing their work, it is important to consider the elements of the tasks they have to accomplish. 
<span style=”font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>Finally, after analysing the above, the teacher can consider what AT tools are most appropriate to support the pupil’s needs. Teachers can consider what no-tech, low-tech and high-tech options are available and would be suitable for the particular student.
 
August 8, 2023 at 4:20 pm in reply to: Module 1- Introduction to ICT & Assistive Technologies #203515
Maria Kealy
Participant
Digital technologies facilitate an inclusive classroom, it caters for the more diverse needs of students and aids creating a more fair, accessible learning environment for children with additional needs. Digital technologies are now integrated and embedded into teaching, learning and assessment.

I would like to address the following standard from the Digital Learning Framework: Pupils demonstrate the knowledge, skills and understanding required by the primary curriculum.
According to the Digital Learning Framework pupils, follow their individual learning needs and preferences, with the aid of appropriate digital technologies. Pupils use digital technologies in highly effective ways to develop their knowledge, skills and understanding in accordance with the Primary School Curriculum.
The Digital Learning Framework also provides a very helpful evidence gathering tool, a Student Self Reflection document.

There have been various very practical options outlined in this module which would allow pupils to demonstrate their knowledge, skills and understanding needed for the primary curriculum. For children with dyslexia or dysgraphia Dictate in word is a fantastic tool for the pupil to demonstrate their knowledge, skills, understanding.
Immersive Reader is very useful for proofreading texts, assignments or for allowing pupils to assess text that otherwise would have been inaccessible to them. The options to change spacing, font, themes, reading preferences, and translation are massively beneficial to those who have dyslexia or English as a foreign language. Furthermore, OneNote is a great tool for keeping notes together in an organised way, Dictate, Immersive reader can also be used in OneNote and images, audio can be added. This is very helpful for children with dyspraxia and dyslexia especially in post primary. Word Collaboration is a wonderful tool to share documents, such as projects, homework etc with their teacher and other students so as to lessen the amount of handwriting for children who have dyslexia, dysgraphia and dyspraxia. Finally OfficeLens is a useful tool for taking photos of pages in books and will change them into word format and clear up images using filters.
I found the ahead.ie website extremely beneficial to help you narrow down what digital technologies would be best suited to the learning needs in your classroom.
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