iPad project shared at Ontario Council for Exceptional Children

iPad pilot presentation at OCEC December 3
On December 3, Special Education Department area Coordinators Angela Scarano-Iuorio (Assistive Technology) and Jan Fukumoto (Autism Spectrum Disorder), co-presented at the Toronto Hilton at the 55th Annual Provincial Special Education Conference for the Ontario Council for Exceptional Children (OCEC).
    

The TDSB group presented the details of last year’s iPad pilot project. Eight schools participated in the project last year. The teachers, who ranged from first-year to experienced in the classroom, introduced and incorporated iPad use in their specific Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) classrooms (primary through intermediate grade students). Each teacher focused on iPad use for individual or group(s) of students, in a variety of ways. Some examples included: academic (reading comprehension and decoding), socio-emotional (social interaction, classroom integration, task completion and motivation) or using a specific app as an alternative communication device.

Teachers documented their journey by creating specific, measurable SMART goals for their student(s). They collected and analyzed data, in order to create final summaries for their part in the iPad in ASD classrooms project. The results were shared at a culminating celebration/presentation at the Board office last June. Each teacher presented her/his specific journey, sharing data and video snippets on in-class student-teacher-iPad interaction with invitees and members of the TDSB’s Special Education Department.

The OCEC two-day conference focused on ways to support learning and achievement of exceptional children in topics which included assistive technology, practices which are evidence-based as well as instructional resources.

Earlier in the week, Angela Scarano-Iuorio (Assistive Technology Coordinator) and Jan Fukumoto (Autism Spectrum Disorder Coordinator) together with several teachers from the original iPad pilot, co-presented the 2010-2011 iPad project results and findings at Beverly Public School.  Beverly students - specifically those with communication disorders - used iPads last year as part of phase two of a research project done in collaboration with the University of Toronto called:Touch Technologies in the Classroom.

Related web links:
See the website: www.cecontario.ca for more information about the Council for Exceptional Children. To see the original iPad project Prezi presentation shared last June, see the blog link here: iPads in ASD classrooms.

iPad presentation - teacher presentations

Each teacher presented a story about iPad use. The audio is  taken from the June 17 TDSB presentation of the 2010-2011 iPad in Asperger Spectrum Disorder classrooms. Data packages were also presented.

 See Prezi link for the outline of the project (previous post).

Earl Grey SPS	Buchanan P.S.
Finch P.S.	Cedarvale P.S.

iPad in ASD Classrooms - Celebrations year-end presentation. June 17

This is a Prezi-style presentation of the outline of the celebrations presentation held at the TDSB Boardroom on the morning of June 17th. Before each video each teacher presented a story about the iPad and a student.

Audio will be added next week.

Please wait for the Prezi to load and then navigate forwards and backwards. For full screen, click on the bottom right hand corner.

iPad pilot - June 17 - final version on Prezi

iPad in ASD Classrooms - QR code (scan for link)

You may have seen these two-dimensional (2D) designs around. These are called quick read codes (QR codes in short). A QR code contains a wide variety of information. The one below is the direct link to the home page of the iPad in ASD classrooms pilot project link. 

All you need is a bar code/QR code reader and your phone.

After the code is scanned by your camera on the phone (four points are read and interpreted), you will have the direct link to save to your phone. Or, you can share the link by e-mail.

Informative and fun! 

(We have a variety of QR codes on our blog. Did you see them? 

We'll be adding more as the blog develops.

iPad in ASD Classrooms - Kensington C.S. June report

Part 1: Ms. L discusses the progress made by her student during the iPad pilot.

Part 2: Ms. L discusses other gain by her student in developing routines with and without adult prompting in iPad use.

Ms. L and Ms. C discuss the evolution of the student's token system from physical board to the iPad.

iPads in ASD Classrooms - Finch Public School - sharing the iPad

In this video Ms. U (left)  and Ms. B (right) discuss how they shared the iPad during the school's pilot.

iPad in ASD classrooms - Earl Grey P.S. - student use of iPads

Here is a montage of student use of the iPad.

In this video, Ms. M and one of her students discuss his iPad use (interpersonal learning style).

iPad in ASD classrooms - Shaughnessy P.S. - videos part 2

Using student and teacher designed checklists to help access strategies for interpersonal and intrapersonal interactions.

Comparing the iPad as a tech tool to a laptop or desktop computer. The students gives his opinion of the iPad's usefulness.

Another strategy for communication, the student explains what an "I message" is and how the iPad helps him to compose them.

iPad in ASD classrooms - Winchester P.S. - motivation and behaviour

Ms. D speaks about how a student's positive behaviour has increased since the introduction of the iPad in the class.

The iPad as a motivational tool.

iPad in ASD classrooms - Finch P.S. student transitions

Here Ms. B discussed one of her student's positive response to change since using the iPad during the school day.

iPads in ASD classrooms - Shaughnessy P.S. - models of integration

Mr. W discusses two ways the school team is incorporating the iPad and the communication software Skype to assist in ASD student integration at the school.

The student is outside the class but can maintain contact with Mr. W via Skype and the iPad.

Mr. W discusses how the school's entire junior division is working on integration strategies for students via Skype and the iPad.

iPads in ASD classrooms - Shaughnessy P.S. - models of integration

Mr. W discusses two ways the school team is incorporating the iPad and the communication software Skype to assist in ASD student integration at the school.

The student is outside the class but can maintain contact with Mr. W via Skype and the iPad.

Mr. W discusses how the school's entire junior division is working on integration strategies for students via Skype and the iPad.

iPads in ASD classrooms - Cedarvale P.S. - Managing Transitions

Moving from subject to subject, or from location to location, can be difficult for many students. Here Ms. D discussed how the iPad has helped one of her students with transition times.

iPads in ASD Classrooms - Finch Public School - sharing and interpersonal skills

iPad use exploring apps to engage students' individual interests.

When working with the iPad in the class, students share and communicate with their peers.

iPad in ASD classrooms - Buchanan P.S. Reading Buddies

The use of the iPad to aid reading comprehension - teacher's point of view.

The use of the iPad to aid in learning and practice student's social skills and communication - student's perspective.

iPad in ASD Classrooms - Earl Grey S.P.S.

iPads in ASD classrooms - Buchanan Public School

Ms. G shares how the Reading Buddies program is enhanced with student iPad use.

Video to come here.

iPads in ASD classrooms - Cedarvale C.S. fine motor

In this video, the Handwriting Without Tears program meets the iPad.

iPads in ASD classrooms - Winchester P.S. Ms. D speaks about student schedules

Ms. D discusses how students' transitions and organization are helped during this pilot project.

iPads in ASD classrooms - Winchester P.S. Ms. D speaks about student esteem building

Ms. D discusses how a math app supports one of her student's academic and socio-emotional needs.