DHD 548 Assistive Technology Tools in Education

3 Credit Hours, Fall 2020

Dates: August 24 - December 9, 2020
Location: Asynchronous online via Blackboard https://uic.blackboard.com/

Instructors:

Instructor Availability

Dan Cochrane, Clinical Instructor, is generally available Monday-Friday between 9am-5pm by appointment. Feel free to email or text his work cell 773-497-1633 to set up a call or Zoom meeting. Sheri Lenzo and Sayard Bass, Adjunct Instructors, are available primarily via email as they work full-time in a school setting.

Course Description

The provision of assistive technology is a required component of special education in US public schools but many teachers and related service providers (OTs, PTs, SLPs, etc.) struggle to effectively consider AT for students with Individual Education Programs (IEPs) because they don’t know “what’s out there.” The goal of this course is to tackle this barrier by focusing on the “tool” element of the assistive technology consideration process in schools.

Using categories from two school-based AT consideration guides (GPAT and WATI) as the organizing principle, you will explore a range of assistive technologies (AT) that support active participation and learning in educational settings for students with both high and low incidence disabilities from the early grades through transition. You will explore AT features for writing, reading, math, organization, physical access, communication, activities of daily living, recreation and leisure activities, prevocational/vocational activities, and seating, positioning and mobility. The course content will help you understand how specific features function as assistive technology. The weekly product analysis assignments will help you learn to actively explore what specific products “out there” contain those features. Assistive technology can be “any item... whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized.” In this course, you’ll seek out commercially available mainstream and specialized products.

You will also create an AT implementation training, which goes hand-in-hand with learning about tools and teaching them to others. You’ll select one product you’ve reviewed and, incorporating the principles of Universal Design for Learning, write a detailed lesson plan that teaches an AT user and their supports how to use and implement the tool. This project is aligned with one of the Field Experience requirements for the AT Certificate Program.

This course does not focus on the instructional use of technology in special education. This course also does not focus on the AT assessment process used to determine an individual student’s need for AT - this is covered in DHD 555. This course takes a survey approach. Complex areas of AT are covered more thoroughly in other courses: Augmentative communication (DHD 554 and 568), computer access (DHD 551), and seating and mobility (DHD 556-558).

Prerequisites

Although this course has no formal prerequisites, it is a graduate course designed primarily for professionals who work in K-12 education. We are going to make the following assumptions about your background knowledge and experience, and your interest in taking an online course:

1. You already have a professional background in special education or one of the applied health sciences (e.g. OT, PT, SLP) and are familiar with special education processes, such as evaluations and IEPs. This content will not be covered in the course but is important background knowledge.
2. You have already worked in a K12 school setting or have had significant field experiences in a K12 school setting as an adult. This is not a requirement but might feel lost if you don’t already understand the context of K-12 education and the perspective of working with students.
3. You are self-motivated, know how to study on your own, and can dedicate 5-6 hours per week to this course watching lecture videos, reading articles, and working on assignments. An asynchronous online course can be more challenging than a traditional in-person course. Instead of sitting in a classroom for a set amount of time each week, you have to schedule your own study hours. Instead of talking with your classmates in live discussions, you have to record your thoughts. Instead of being able to ask questions of the instructor in the moment, you have to email your questions later. So it can seem like more work than a traditional class. But if you think about an online course as a guided independent study, you can shift your expectations and enjoy the advantages of being able to fit this course into your work and family schedule!
4. You have adequate access to a computer, have good basic computer skills, and know how to navigate learning tools (Blackboard, PDFs, websites, Word documents, video conferencing). It can be frustrating to take a class online if you aren’t comfortable with the technology. Find a techy friend if you need help. You should contact the UIC Academic Computing and Communications Center (AAAC) if you need technical support with Blackboard (http://accc.uic.edu/contact) and use their online resources for assistance.

Learning Outcomes

1. Understand how tool features augment or replace the task-demands of educational activities
2. Evaluate products with similar features using multiple factors to make informed decisions about AT tools
3. Evaluate AT training resources to identify effective training methods and strategies
4. Create an implementation training plan for a specific audience to teach a product whose features could function as AT

Required Readings

There is no required textbook for this course. Content will be posted on Blackboard, including lectures (audio and written formats), articles, websites, and videos. AT product and training resources you will find on your own. They are mostly freely available, although some may have a small associated cost.

Recommended Textbook

Green, J.L. (2018). Assistive technology in special education: Resources to support literacy, communication, and learning differences (3rd edition). Waco, TX: Prufrock Press, Inc. Available on Amazon in Kindle or print version.

The recommended textbook is a resource list of specific products that function as both assistive technology and instructional technology. You do not have to purchase this text if you would rather do your own web searches for products.

Assignments

Course content will be delivered through UIC Blackboard in weekly units. Content will become available on Monday morning each week. Weekly assignments will be due by the following Monday evening.

Weekly Lecture, Readings and Quiz

1. Watch/Read: Weekly content will focus on a particular educational activity that corresponds to one of the categories in the Georgia Project for Assistive Technology (GPAT) AT Consideration Guide (topics below).
2. Check: Take a short quiz to check your understanding of the weekly content and earn participation points. [There is no content quiz in the final week of the course.]
3. Interact: Ask questions or post comments about the weekly content in the discussion tool (not graded)

Reflection Posts

Every two weeks, you will post a substantive reflection on the course content for participation points. Most posts will be open-ended, a few will have specific directions. Following UDL principles of “Multiple Means of Action and Expression,” you will choose from among several different options to create your reflection post. See Blackboard for details.

AT Toolkit Project

Five times throughout the course, you will choose an activity from the categories covered in weekly content and research a corresponding AT tool to put in your “toolkit.” Your toolkit will be shared using a web publishing tool. See Blackboard for details.

AT Implementation Training Project

By the end of the course, you will create a detailed training plan with accompanying materials for one AT tool. Propose a case study student and design an implementation training for this student and/or their facilitators (e.g. teachers, parents, assistants). See Blackboard for details.

Grading

Rubrics for all the major assignments are available in Blackboard.

Course Topics and Assignments

Green = AT features for specific activities or functions.
Blue = assignment projects.

Due Dates & Late Work Policy

Weekly assignments are due by Monday of the following week. We realize many of you are professionals, working long hours, and we fully acknowledge the stressfulness of returning to school during the coronavirus pandemic. Therefore, we are willing to be flexible with some due date expectations as long as you contact us by email to let us know which deadlines you need to miss and when you expect to complete the assignments. We do expect regular participation in the course throughout the semester.

1. Weekly quizzes are due by end-of-day (11:59pm) the Monday after they are assigned. For example, the Week 1 quiz is due by the end of Monday Week 2. When a holiday falls on Monday, the weekly assignment will be due on Tuesday evening.
2. Reflection posts are due every two weeks according to the schedule above.
3. AT Toolkit Project submissions and your AT Implementation Project proposal are due on staggered dates according to the schedule above.
4. Weds, December 9 is the due date for the final AT Implementation Project and all missing assignments. A 10% deduction per assignment will be applied for every day late after this date.  

Holidays & Religious Holidays

The following holidays occur within the Fall semester and will be officially observed by UIC:

• Labor Day - September, 7, 2020
• Election Day - November 3, 2020
• Thanksgiving - November 26-27, 2020

Because this course is asynchronous, students are free to observe their religious holidays without notifying the instructors. If an observance necessitates a deadline extension, just email us per Due Dates & Late Work policy above. https://oae.uic.edu/religious-calendar/ 

Academic Integrity

As an academic community, UIC is committed to providing an environment in which research, learning, and scholarship can flourish and in which all endeavors are guided by academic and professional integrity.  All members of the campus community–students, staff, faculty, and administrators–share the responsibility of ensuring that these standards are upheld so that such an environment exists.  Instances of academic misconduct by students will be handled pursuant to the Student Disciplinary Policy: https://dos.uic.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/262/2018/10/DOS-Student-Disciplinary-Policy-2018-2019-FINAL.pdf

Course Technology Requirements

Personal computer with broadband internet access. If you choose to attend synchronous live sessions via Zoom (which will not be recorded), make sure your internet connection is strong.

Online Course Communication Guidelines (Netiquette)

• Be mindful of different cultural and linguistic backgrounds, as well as different political ideologies and religious beliefs.
• Use good judgment when composing your written responses. Swearing and profanity should be avoided. Also consider that slang terms can be misunderstood or misinterpreted.
• Be careful using all capital letters when composing your written responses. This can be considered “shouting” on the Internet and is regarded as impolite or aggressive. It can also be stressful on the eye when trying to read your message.
• Be respectful of others’ views and opinions.
• Be careful when using acronyms. If you use an acronym it is best to spell out its meaning first, then put the acronym in parentheses afterward, for example: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). After that you can use the acronym freely throughout your message.
• Use good grammar and spelling in written communications.
• In emails, always identify yourself and what class and section you are in. It is a good practice to put your course and section in the subject line. This helps your instructor identify course-related emails.

Resources

If you find yourself having difficulty with the course material or any other difficulties in your student life, don’t hesitate to ask for help!

• For help with online learning: https://accc.uic.edu/online-learning/online-learning-students/
• Counseling Services are available for all UIC students. You may seek free and confidential services from the Counseling Center www.counseling.uic.edu. The Counseling Center is located in the Student Services Building; you may contact them at (312) 996-3490. In addition to offering counseling services, the Counseling Center also operates the InTouch Crisis Hotline from 6:00 p.m.-10:30 p.m. They offer support and referrals to callers, as well as telephone crisis interventions; please call (312) 996-5535.
• Campus Advocacy Network: Under the Title IX law you have the right to an education that is free from any form of gender-based violence and discrimination. Crimes of sexual assault, domestic violence, sexual harassment, and stalking are against the law and can be prevented. For more information or for confidential victim-services and advocacy contact UIC’s Campus Advocacy Network at 312-413-1025 or visit http://can.uic.edu/. To make a report to UIC’s Title IX office, email TitleIX@uic.edu or (312) 996-5657.

Accessibility

UIC is committed to full inclusion and participation of people with disabilities in all aspects of university life. Students who face or anticipate disability-related barriers while at UIC should connect with the Disability Resource Center (DRC) at drc@uic.edu, or at (312) 413-2183 to create a plan for reasonable accommodations. In order to receive accommodations, students must disclose disability to the DRC, complete an interactive registration process with the DRC, and provide their course instructor with a Letter of Accommodation (LOA). Course instructors in receipt of an LOA will work with the student and the DRC to implement approved accommodations.

Note: Weekly content will be delivered in a variety of formats (lectures, weblinks, videos). Lecture content will be available in two formats: An audio-visual presentation that includes audio narration and the script; a written version of the slides and script in accessible PDF format. You can choose to listen to the audio-visual presentation or simply read the presentation content. Email the instructor responsible for the week if content is not accessible to you.

Student Evaluation of Teaching Program (Course Evaluations)

Student evaluations of teaching play a fundamental role in improving course content, format, and delivery (teaching) at UIC. The Office for Faculty Affairs offers all Colleges and Departments the opportunity to participate in an online course evaluation system.

Students receive an email invitation in their ‘uic.edu’ inbox with the following title in the subject line: “UIC Student Evaluation of Teaching [Course Name] [Instructor Name] [Semester, Year].” The body of the email will reiterate the course name, instructor name, and semester. It will contain a link and a unique student password for the online evaluation for that course. Students will need an electronic device with Internet access to complete the evaluation online. Submitted course evaluations cannot be removed from the system so it is vital that students pay attention to the instructor name and course name when completing their evaluations.  Students must complete the online evaluations before 12 am on the first day of finals. No exceptions are made if the evaluation is not submitted before 12 am on the first day of finals.

For more information about the program and timelines for when the system is open to students to complete the evaluations, please visit: https://faculty.uic.edu/development/teachingandlearning/evaluations/ 

Grievance Procedures

UIC is committed to the most fundamental principles of academic freedom, equality of opportunity, and human dignity involving students and employees. Freedom from discrimination is a foundation for all decision making at UIC. Students are encouraged to study the University's “Nondiscrimination Statement”.  Students are also urged to read the document “Public Formal Grievance Procedures”. Information on these policies and procedures is available on the University web pages of the Office of Access and Equity: http://oae.uic.edu/.