Assistive Technology: Providing Learning Opportunities and Access For All Students

1. 1 Assistive Technology: Providing Learning Opportunities and Access For All Students MITTEN Seminar October 22, 2002

2. 2 Assistive Technology and the Law (1) Assistive Technology Devices (2) Assistive Technology Services

3. 3 The term “assistive technology device” means: Any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of children with disabilities. These devices can range from an adapted pencil to sophisticated microprocessors.

4. 4 The term “assistive technology service” means: Any service that directly assists a child with a disability in the selection, acquisition, or use of an assistive technology device.

5. 5 Assistive Technology Services include the following: The evaluation of the needs of a child with a disability, including a functional evaluation of the child in the child’s customary environment. Purchasing, leasing, or otherwise providing for the acquisition of assistive technology devices by children with disabilities Selecting, designing, fitting, customizing, adapting, applying, maintaining, repairing, or replacing of assistive technology.

6. 6 AT Services (continued) Coordinating and using other therapies, interventions, or services with assistive technology devices, such as those associated with existing education and rehabilitation plans and programs. Training or technical assistance for a child with a disability or, if appropriate, that child’s family; and

7. 7 AT Services (continued) Training or technical assistance for professionals who provide services for, or are otherwise substantially involved in the major life functions of children with disabilities.

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9. 9 Wayne ATRC’s Lending Library Try before you buy Short term trial Long term trial http://www.resa.net/atrc

10. 10 Low Tech Tools to Support Literacy Low tech tools that support how students connect with the learning activity, present in a variety of scaffolds and form. How can we assist student’s in the connection to text and it’s intertextuality? How do we scaffold a student’s ability to navigate through text to support not only comprehension, but organizational and generation needs for the writing process? As I became an avid user of low tech scaffolds in my own professional resources, I discovered that what was good and natural approaches for me as a life long learner, were beneficial for other student learners. Think back on what it was like, when we owned our own college books, we started to use markers for comprehension, notes to return to, locators for quick finds, etc… These low tech tool and tips are good strategies for all of us to use. The disorganized and confused learner, gets further behind as they are often lost or slow to keep up. These strategies when done as a class, will promote efficient manipulation and navigation of printed text for both reading and writing to strength the self monitoring skill of independent learning.Low tech tools that support how students connect with the learning activity, present in a variety of scaffolds and form. How can we assist student’s in the connection to text and it’s intertextuality? How do we scaffold a student’s ability to navigate through text to support not only comprehension, but organizational and generation needs for the writing process? As I became an avid user of low tech scaffolds in my own professional resources, I discovered that what was good and natural approaches for me as a life long learner, were beneficial for other student learners. Think back on what it was like, when we owned our own college books, we started to use markers for comprehension, notes to return to, locators for quick finds, etc… These low tech tool and tips are good strategies for all of us to use. The disorganized and confused learner, gets further behind as they are often lost or slow to keep up. These strategies when done as a class, will promote efficient manipulation and navigation of printed text for both reading and writing to strength the self monitoring skill of independent learning.

11. 11 Pencil Grips Support poor writing due to a lack of fine motor control and even pressure. Avenue to support hand and finger fatigue. Try different styles with students to support improved grasp. A number of different size pencils and pencil grips are available at local teachers stores. These help children grip the pencil or a pen correctly as it helps keep fingers from sliding or holding their pencils too, tightly. Support poor writing due to a lack of fine motor control and even pressure. Avenue to support hand and finger fatigue. Try different styles with students to support improved grasp. These are inexpensive, easy to use supports that may help kids with their writing.A number of different size pencils and pencil grips are available at local teachers stores. These help children grip the pencil or a pen correctly as it helps keep fingers from sliding or holding their pencils too, tightly. Support poor writing due to a lack of fine motor control and even pressure. Avenue to support hand and finger fatigue. Try different styles with students to support improved grasp. These are inexpensive, easy to use supports that may help kids with their writing.

12. 12 Raised Lined Paper This unique paper actually has raised green lines! The raised line assists children by providing a physical bump to help “feel” where to stop. This bright white paper 81/2 x 11” printed with green lines, comes in 2 widths. Wide rule, with a dashed line or narrow ruled This unique paper actually has raised green lines! The raised line assists children by providing a physical bump to help “feel” where to stop. This bright white paper 81/2 x 11” printed with green lines, comes in 2 widths. Wide rule, with a dashed line or narrow ruled Take a moment to feel the lines with your finger and as you write. Start and stop, sentence structures, etc, can easily be added to the paper.This unique paper actually has raised green lines! The raised line assists children by providing a physical bump to help “feel” where to stop. This bright white paper 81/2 x 11” printed with green lines, comes in 2 widths. Wide rule, with a dashed line or narrow ruled Take a moment to feel the lines with your finger and as you write. Start and stop, sentence structures, etc, can easily be added to the paper.

13. 13 Post-It Note Collection Use Post-Its to mark where to start and stop reading. Use Post-Its to mark the Table of Contents, Index, and other reference points for quick access. Use to locate a given chapter and assignments for easy location access. Use Post-Its to mark where to start and stop reading. Use Post-Its to mark the Table of Contents, Index, and other reference points for quick access. Use to locate a given chapter and assignments for easy location access. Let’s look at the TRG book 4x4 post it as a start-stop marker. Turn the paper upside down, and write start on the top left, on a second one write stop on the top right. Place at the top of book on page 9, you could add an arrow of where to start, place stop on page 11. When you have a chance read this introduction, as it will provide you with good background information on how and why this book was written. Let’s use two post-its to serve as section tabs on reading and writing tips. I suggest you fold the paper in half, leaving the sticky part accessible. Write the topic and page number: reading pg 89, writing pg 141, and instructional formats pg 474. The page number, helps promote attention to detail. Turn to these three pages, and on the side of the book, add these tabs for later quick access. Side note: pg 89 and 141 represent reading and writing strategies that represent learning community approaches, verse activities that are more rote in nature. Use Post-Its to mark where to start and stop reading. Use Post-Its to mark the Table of Contents, Index, and other reference points for quick access. Use to locate a given chapter and assignments for easy location access. Let’s look at the TRG book 4x4 post it as a start-stop marker. Turn the paper upside down, and write start on the top left, on a second one write stop on the top right. Place at the top of book on page 9, you could add an arrow of where to start, place stop on page 11. When you have a chance read this introduction, as it will provide you with good background information on how and why this book was written. Let’s use two post-its to serve as section tabs on reading and writing tips. I suggest you fold the paper in half, leaving the sticky part accessible. Write the topic and page number: reading pg 89, writing pg 141, and instructional formats pg 474. The page number, helps promote attention to detail. Turn to these three pages, and on the side of the book, add these tabs for later quick access. Side note: pg 89 and 141 represent reading and writing strategies that represent learning community approaches, verse activities that are more rote in nature.

14. 14 Post-It Note Collection Use to locate and return to information needed to answer questions. Great to move the question through the pages while locating answers. Use to write notes and summaries on pages. Use to locate and return to information needed to answer questions. Great to move the question through the pages while locating answers. The post-it can also serve as a reading guide, as we read along, or a marker of where we left off Use to write notes and summaries on pages This time, let’s use a post-it at the bottom of the book, to serve as a tip we want to return to later. Write on the bottom of three post-its: reading tip, writing tip, form to ponder. Take a few minutes to review the three sections that we tagged and make a note of a strategy, place at bottom of book. I found interesting the information on page 89, tip # 14: teacher supported highlighting of books, before independent reading. Also, I love the tip # 39 of having kids make-up the test questions and answers. In writing, page 141, tip#4 to use discourse to promote monitoring of writing, learning to read and write, and reading and writing to learn, is a social enterprise best conducted across a classroom community. Finally, check out the form tip on page 493, on examples of note taking supports. Let’s move to the Strategies Book (STW). Using a post-it upside down, write Examples of Response to text. Turn to page 96 and see the examples of written responses to guide comprehension using post-it notations. Use to locate and return to information needed to answer questions. Great to move the question through the pages while locating answers. The post-it can also serve as a reading guide, as we read along, or a marker of where we left off Use to write notes and summaries on pages This time, let’s use a post-it at the bottom of the book, to serve as a tip we want to return to later. Write on the bottom of three post-its: reading tip, writing tip, form to ponder. Take a few minutes to review the three sections that we tagged and make a note of a strategy, place at bottom of book. I found interesting the information on page 89, tip # 14: teacher supported highlighting of books, before independent reading. Also, I love the tip # 39 of having kids make-up the test questions and answers. In writing, page 141, tip#4 to use discourse to promote monitoring of writing, learning to read and write, and reading and writing to learn, is a social enterprise best conducted across a classroom community. Finally, check out the form tip on page 493, on examples of note taking supports. Let’s move to the Strategies Book (STW). Using a post-it upside down, write Examples of Response to text. Turn to page 96 and see the examples of written responses to guide comprehension using post-it notations.

15. 15 Post-Its Continued Brainstorm ideas, one per sheet. Easy to rearrange ideas and prioritize. Use different colors for categorizing ideas. Post vocabulary lists right inside the text moving through pages. Edit and revisions become easy to note. Brainstorm ideas, one per sheet. Easy to rearrange ideas and prioritize. Use different colors for categorizing ideas. Post vocabulary lists right inside the text moving through pages. Edit and revisions become easy to note. Brainstorming and activating background knowledge is crucial for comprehension hooks and prewriting starts. Let’s use our post-its and jot down what do we I know about challenged learners, what are their trait, our areas we need to focus. Have a few people comment (depending on time), as you place on a chart board. Note how easy it is to rearrange ideas into categories that go together, etc. (This dialog will provide you insight into your participants needs.) Posting Vocabulary, let’s turn to page 31, Best Practices in Instruction and make a list of the vocabulary on the top of page 32, we need to find next with our highlighter. NOTE! Our goal is to walk them through the powerful resources in these books!Brainstorm ideas, one per sheet. Easy to rearrange ideas and prioritize. Use different colors for categorizing ideas. Post vocabulary lists right inside the text moving through pages. Edit and revisions become easy to note. Brainstorming and activating background knowledge is crucial for comprehension hooks and prewriting starts. Let’s use our post-its and jot down what do we I know about challenged learners, what are their trait, our areas we need to focus. Have a few people comment (depending on time), as you place on a chart board. Note how easy it is to rearrange ideas into categories that go together, etc. (This dialog will provide you insight into your participants needs.) Posting Vocabulary, let’s turn to page 31, Best Practices in Instruction and make a list of the vocabulary on the top of page 32, we need to find next with our highlighter. NOTE! Our goal is to walk them through the powerful resources in these books!

16. 16 Erasable Highlighters Highlight key ideas and erase with ease. Make note of unfamiliar words. Supports “over highlighting” tendencies. Highlight key ideas and erase with ease. Make note of unfamiliar words. Supports “over highlighting” tendencies. Special note regarding highlighters: we have found Crayola to be reliable for erasing. We caution the use of the dollar store off brands, and suggest you try before you buy in volume. Even with the Crayola, you will want to test it out in a given book’s page texture to assure it will erase. Let’s take a look at our movable vocabulary list and try out the erasable highlighter. Show how it erases from book. As we move our vocabulary list through the pages, make a note of the page # the word was found on for ease of return. Take a few moments and skim through pages 32-38 and highlight key points you find of interest regarding the vocabulary list. Make note of the points that you and others found interesting time permitting. Highlight key ideas and erase with ease. Make note of unfamiliar words. Supports “over highlighting” tendencies. Special note regarding highlighters: we have found Crayola to be reliable for erasing. We caution the use of the dollar store off brands, and suggest you try before you buy in volume. Even with the Crayola, you will want to test it out in a given book’s page texture to assure it will erase. Let’s take a look at our movable vocabulary list and try out the erasable highlighter. Show how it erases from book. As we move our vocabulary list through the pages, make a note of the page # the word was found on for ease of return. Take a few moments and skim through pages 32-38 and highlight key points you find of interest regarding the vocabulary list. Make note of the points that you and others found interesting time permitting.

17. 17 Highlighter Tape Removable & reusable Easy to write on Use a coding system Pink: important vocabulary. Blue: chapter questions. Yellow: dates Orange: facts/picture/maps Green: names to know. Words that they do not know, to look up. Removable & reusable Easy to write on Use a coding system Pink: important vocabulary. Blue: chapter questions. Yellow: dates Orange: facts/picture/maps Green: names to know. Words that they do not know, to look up. STW book, take out a roll of your tape, let’s turn to page 86 and highlight, “writing in wonder books”, using our written questions to scaffold comprehension. Take a post it and fold and tear into a quarter size. Turn the paper over, to write on the backside of the post-it, as it needs to go on a left side of the page. At the bottom of the note, write HLT wonder and place at bottom of book. I have a tendency to put section markers on the side of the book, big ideas I want to return to at the top of the book, and short tips tagged at the bottom of the book. Turn to page 89 doing the same, and highlight “thick and thin questions”. Review the avenues used to scaffold the questioning process to support comprehension.Removable & reusable Easy to write on Use a coding system Pink: important vocabulary. Blue: chapter questions. Yellow: dates Orange: facts/picture/maps Green: names to know. Words that they do not know, to look up. STW book, take out a roll of your tape, let’s turn to page 86 and highlight, “writing in wonder books”, using our written questions to scaffold comprehension. Take a post it and fold and tear into a quarter size. Turn the paper over, to write on the backside of the post-it, as it needs to go on a left side of the page. At the bottom of the note, write HLT wonder and place at bottom of book. I have a tendency to put section markers on the side of the book, big ideas I want to return to at the top of the book, and short tips tagged at the bottom of the book. Turn to page 89 doing the same, and highlight “thick and thin questions”. Review the avenues used to scaffold the questioning process to support comprehension.

18. 18 Highlighter Tape Storage Tips Laminate a 5x7 card for each student. Each student may store their tape(s) on their card for future use. Highlighting techniques need to be taught and modeled. Laminate a 5x7 card for each student. Each student may store their tape(s) on their card for future use. Highlighting techniques need to be taught and modeled. You will need to decide how to handle providing laminated 5x7 cards to yourParticipants for the workshop, and guiding them to have cards laminated for their students. Show card with multiple tapes on one side. I want you to put 3 strips of tape on your card. Turn it over, and on the backside, put a strip of each color. This is what you will want to do with your students. Laminate a 5x7 card for each student. Each student may store their tape(s) on their card for future use. Highlighting techniques need to be taught and modeled. You will need to decide how to handle providing laminated 5x7 cards to yourParticipants for the workshop, and guiding them to have cards laminated for their students. Show card with multiple tapes on one side. I want you to put 3 strips of tape on your card. Turn it over, and on the backside, put a strip of each color. This is what you will want to do with your students.

19. 19 What about “OVER” Highlighting? Provide students with 2 or 3 long strips of tape on a wipe board or laminated sheet of paper. Ask them to highlight 2 or 3 most important facts on the page. Allow them to use these tape strips only. Encourage them to keep moving the tapes as they find “more important information”. Provide students with 2 or 3 long strips of tape on a wipe board or laminated sheet of paper. Ask them to highlight 2 or 3 most important facts on the page. Allow them to use these tape strips only. Encourage them to keep moving the tapes as they find “more important information”. Let’s go to STW pages 190-193 and try the strategy of highlighting with only three strips of tape. This section is on “How do we know students are understanding: it takes us beyond comprehension ad into actual dialog of page 191 of how kids identify what strategy enhances their learning. Put one tape per page on pages 191-192 on what you view as significant. Provide students with 2 or 3 long strips of tape on a wipe board or laminated sheet of paper. Ask them to highlight 2 or 3 most important facts on the page. Allow them to use these tape strips only. Encourage them to keep moving the tapes as they find “more important information”. Let’s go to STW pages 190-193 and try the strategy of highlighting with only three strips of tape. This section is on “How do we know students are understanding: it takes us beyond comprehension ad into actual dialog of page 191 of how kids identify what strategy enhances their learning. Put one tape per page on pages 191-192 on what you view as significant.

20. 20 Index Tabs Use as page markers to mark the important, often used parts of textbooks: Index Table of Contents Reference portions of a book Maps Glossary Dictionary Gazetteer Use as page markers to mark the important, often used parts of textbooks: Index, Table of Contents, Reference portions of a book: Maps, Glossary, Dictionary, Gazetteer. We all benefit from place markers that help us navigate efficiently to resource oints in our books. The struggling learner often has an even greater need for navigating scaffolds. Learning time is wasted if we are lost in the book and the lesson. When we walk student’s through a book, we can offer a book blessing of the amazing information it may provide. We are taking time, to point out to you, places in these books to return. We also hope that the incidental information that you come upon as you turn these pages, will excite you to return to it as a resource. We are excited learners, our struggling students are far too often, removed from the notion that a book is a blessing in any form. Take out your tabs, and on different colors write section markers for: Foundation , Lessons , Reading Resources, Response options, and Index.Let’s apply them to our book, Foundation (p1) , Lessons (p63), Reading Resources (p195), Response options (265), and Index (p315). Hopefully, you will find time to revisit this book in-depth.Use as page markers to mark the important, often used parts of textbooks: Index, Table of Contents, Reference portions of a book: Maps, Glossary, Dictionary, Gazetteer. We all benefit from place markers that help us navigate efficiently to resource oints in our books. The struggling learner often has an even greater need for navigating scaffolds. Learning time is wasted if we are lost in the book and the lesson. When we walk student’s through a book, we can offer a book blessing of the amazing information it may provide. We are taking time, to point out to you, places in these books to return. We also hope that the incidental information that you come upon as you turn these pages, will excite you to return to it as a resource. We are excited learners, our struggling students are far too often, removed from the notion that a book is a blessing in any form. Take out your tabs, and on different colors write section markers for: Foundation , Lessons , Reading Resources, Response options, and Index.Let’s apply them to our book, Foundation (p1) , Lessons (p63), Reading Resources (p195), Response options (265), and Index (p315). Hopefully, you will find time to revisit this book in-depth.

21. 21 Redi-Tag Page Flags Use to point out answer details once found. (use color codes) Use to point out vocabulary to return to. Use to point out key facts. Use to locate in general. Use to point out answer details once found. (use color codes) Use to point out vocabulary to return to. Use to point out key facts. Use to locate in general. Last but not least, Let’s take a look at the Co-Teaching Lesson Planning Book. Take out your flags and let’s view the key components this planning structure offers. As I speak to the various areas, please place an arrow for your return visit. How to use Page: (there are no page numbers in this book) describes: purpose, unique features, General Education, Special Education, and Outcomes. Turn the page to a lesson plan page, to note: left side is for General Education (see bottom of page), right side is for Special Education, top has new strategies on every page that you will find of interest, and finally places to note: specific student needs. Finally, flip ahead in the book to a meeting check-up page. You can make notes on the points to consider during your teaming meetings: agenda, reflection, what next, and to do lists.Use to point out answer details once found. (use color codes) Use to point out vocabulary to return to. Use to point out key facts. Use to locate in general. Last but not least, Let’s take a look at the Co-Teaching Lesson Planning Book. Take out your flags and let’s view the key components this planning structure offers. As I speak to the various areas, please place an arrow for your return visit. How to use Page: (there are no page numbers in this book) describes: purpose, unique features, General Education, Special Education, and Outcomes. Turn the page to a lesson plan page, to note: left side is for General Education (see bottom of page), right side is for Special Education, top has new strategies on every page that you will find of interest, and finally places to note: specific student needs. Finally, flip ahead in the book to a meeting check-up page. You can make notes on the points to consider during your teaming meetings: agenda, reflection, what next, and to do lists.

22. 22 EZC Reader: Reading Strips Reading strips are an aid for beginning readers and for experienced readers who need help focusing attention. Simply place the reading strip on top of the line to be read. The colored plastic highlights the line enabling the reader to easily focus and concentrate on the words to be read. Available in yellow and blue. Reading strips are an aid for beginning readers and for experienced readers who need help focusing attention. Simply place the reading strip on top of the line to be read. The colored plastic highlights the line enabling the reader to easily focus and concentrate on the words to be read. It can serve as a bookmark, too! Available in yellow and blue. Let’s use the reading strip and take a quick look at the Misspeller’s dictionary. Reading strips are an aid for beginning readers and for experienced readers who need help focusing attention. Simply place the reading strip on top of the line to be read. The colored plastic highlights the line enabling the reader to easily focus and concentrate on the words to be read. It can serve as a bookmark, too! Available in yellow and blue. Let’s use the reading strip and take a quick look at the Misspeller’s dictionary.

23. 23 Webster's New Misspeller's Dictionary "How can I look it up in the dictionary if I can't spell it?" Handy dictionary alphabetically lists the most common misspellings of more than 15,000 frequently used words, and gives the correct spellings in easy-to-read boldface type. "How can I look it up in the dictionary if I can't spell it?" Handy dictionary alphabetically lists the most common misspellings of more than 15,000 frequently used words, and gives the correct spellings in easy-to-read boldface type. Next slide"How can I look it up in the dictionary if I can't spell it?" Handy dictionary alphabetically lists the most common misspellings of more than 15,000 frequently used words, and gives the correct spellings in easy-to-read boldface type. Next slide

24. 24 Webster's New Misspeller's Dictionary Brief definitions help distinguish among the different meanings of many words. Readers are aided by syllable divisions that make it easier to remember the correct spelling, tips on becoming a better speller, and useful advice on avoiding common causes of misspellings. Brief definitions help distinguish among the different meanings of many words. Readers are aided by syllable divisions that make it easier to remember the correct spelling, tips on becoming a better speller, and useful advice on avoiding common causes of misspellings. We often suggest that kids highlight words that they looked up in the book. Odds are if they needed it, someone else in the classroom will as well, and it will be easier to find next time. Look up, using your strip to skim, and your highlighter, find: Wuz (p242) Accomodation (5) Fantastik (70) Others of interest that you typically see kids struggle with? Brief definitions help distinguish among the different meanings of many words. Readers are aided by syllable divisions that make it easier to remember the correct spelling, tips on becoming a better speller, and useful advice on avoiding common causes of misspellings. We often suggest that kids highlight words that they looked up in the book. Odds are if they needed it, someone else in the classroom will as well, and it will be easier to find next time. Look up, using your strip to skim, and your highlighter, find: Wuz (p242) Accomodation (5) Fantastik (70) Others of interest that you typically see kids struggle with?

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26. 26 Products Demonstrated at Seminar Portable Word Processors give students access to word processing

27. 27 Software Demonstrated at Seminar Idea Organizing Software

28. 28 Software Demonstrated at Seminar (con’t) Talking Word Processors

29. 29 Software Demonstrated at Seminar (con’t) Word Prediction

30. 30 Software Demonstrated at Seminar (con’t) Reading Support

31. 31 Software Demonstrated at Seminar (con’t) Start-To-Finish Books High-interest, controlled- vocabulary seriesthat gets struggling students reading. www.donjohnston.com

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33. 33 Region IV STELA Project Developed by The Region IV Assistive Technology Consortium www.resa.net/regionIV The Region IV Assistive Technology Consortium is comprised of AT consultants who serve eight southeast Michigan intermediate school districts: Jackson, Lenawee, Macomb, Monroe, Oakland, St. Clair, Washtenaw, and Wayne County RESA.

34. 34 How the STELA Project Evolved Much of the past work of the Region IV AT Consortium has focused on the special education ‘low incidence’ population. The STELA Project, with a focus on ‘high incidence’ disabilities was developed in large part to the growing concerns about supporting struggling students (high incidence disabilities & at-risk students) in the general education classroom.

35. 35 How the STELA Project Evolved Much of what has gone into the STELA Project ‘Kits” was shaped by the feedback we received from teachers across all eight counties. Teachers were most concerned about ways to meet the literacy needs of struggling readers and writers within the general education curriculum.

36. 36 Region IV STELA Project This year is our first year of implementation of the STELA Project in 56 pilot sites (general education classrooms) across the eight southeast Michigan counties. Each pilot site consists of one general education teacher and one special education teacher.

37. 37 Region IV STELA Project Teachers across all 56 STELA sites will be receiving the same training and “kits”; And, all teachers will be assisting us in collecting the same data on students (approximately 1,500 students total).

38. 38 Region IV STELA Project:What We Hope To Learn What strategies, tools, and technologies support the learning and academic performance of struggling readers and writers across the curriculum? What kinds of supports do teachers need to enable them to integrate various strategies, tools, and technologies across the Language Arts Curriculum with confidence and efficiency?

39. 39 Region IV STELA Project:What We Hope To Learn How might teachers reshape their instructional practices across the Language Arts Curriculum when provided with similar training opportunities and ongoing support in the implementation of various strategies, tools, and technologies within their own classrooms?

40. 40 Research Questions Guiding the STELA Project To study the impact of the STELA Project in its first year of implementation, three sets of research questions were developed. Although a primary goal of the 3-year project is to consider the impact of technology on students’ overall literacy performance, we will only be measuring students’ writing performance in the first year of implementation.

41. 41 The first set of questions relate to Student Outcomes: How does the integration of technology impact students’ performance in writing? How does the integration of technology impact students’ attitudes toward writing and how students view themselves as writers? How often do students use specific tools and how useful are those tools in terms of supporting students’ performance in reading and writing?

42. 42 The second set of questions relate to Teacher Outcomes: How does the integration of technology impact teachers’ literacy practices over time? How often do teachers use specific technology tools, how are the tools used, and how do teachers rate the usefulness of the tools in terms of supporting students’ literacy?

43. 43 The third set of questions relate to the impact of various levels of support on both teacher and student outcomes. How does the nature and level of support provided to teachers by county project consultants and trainers impact teachers’ literacy practices over time? How does the nature and level of support that teachers offer to one another impact teachers’ literacy practices over time? How does the nature and level of support provided to teachers impact students’ performance in writing over time?

44. 44 Research Method & Design The STELA Project is not an experimental study because we are not using control classrooms and we are not concerned about controlling for all variables. In fact, we are enthusiastic about exploring the unique differences that emerge across all the project sites. We are simply looking at how the process of training, support, and the integration of technology unfolds in natural classroom settings and the kind of impact this evolution has on student learning, as well as on teachers’ instructional practices.