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"The Peer Collaboration program is designed to assist students who have needs within their classroom environment. The program pairs a peer with a student who is struggling with a particular course, has trouble staying focused, has difficulty building relationships with classmates, or any other obstacle a student may face on a daily basis. Placing peers into classrooms with students who are struggling allows collaborating peers to build their empathy and leadership skills. Additionally, having more leaders in the classroom allows the teacher to focus on all students, balancing his or her time with each student. Peers learn to collaborate with their fellow students as well as with the classroom teacher. Classroom students learn to collaborate with their peers and gain a new understanding of the material, learn to build friendships, and overcome obstacles, eventually leading them to success."

"The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) in mathematics were created to help all students become prepared for the demands of future careers and life in an age of technology. Similarly, students with moderate and severe disability will need these skills to meet these changing expectations. Although mathematics instruction could focus on a few of the earliest mathematics skills throughout the students school career, research presented in this article shows students with moderate and severe disability can learn skills that align with the grade level of their chronological age while also practicing early numeracy skills. This article provides teachers with a 6-step approach to providing instruction to students with moderate and severe disability aligned to the new CCSS."

Great post with true anecdote on a ms program to improve climate "One hundred and twenty-one students filled out the forms. Some students listed several teachers. Others mentioned one or two. Twenty-five middle schoolers listed no teacher they felt they had a positive relationship with."

This is a fantastic podcast where Tracy shares her successful experience creating a radio show with her special ed high school students. It's worth trying with your students!

This is an inspiring podcast interview with Tracy Pariseau, Sanford HS, Maine, teacher who works with emotionally disturbed students on IEPs. She shares her experiences creating a student radio show with her students.

This is a fantastic start page option for teachers and students. It has everything teachers want (widgets, privacy controls, booksmarks, calendar, RSS, mini blog(journal), notes, to-do, video, and more). The file upload is a big bonus. Students and teachers can personalize the designs and add/share tabs. You can make each tab public or private and grant specific privileges for the tools (widgets).invitIe students individually or bulk upload from a file.

"his posts serves to announce a blog for my resource room students and families at Wells High School, Maine. I will post articles and references that I am using as I set up a resource room for our digital students. I will pose questions and ask for the wisdom of the crowd. I hope my students, parents, educators and friends will help build this site as a resource to all. Thanks to Istvan for this unique photo. http://www.flickr.com/photos/i_csuhai/2984029909/"

This article provides some great suggestions for teaching these important skills. I first heard about the article on a great teacher podcast by Todd Watson, LD Resource teacher in Peoria District, AZ. Listen to his podcast--it's a wonderful way to communicate with his parents--positive, informative, encouraging and educational! Podcast #1 for 08-09: http://applepodcast.peoriaud.k12.az.us:16080/weblog/twatson/

Excellent, practical suggestions for helping students learn organization and study skills. Targeted for LD students but valuable for all students.

"Whether you have an entire class of students with special needs, or you've welcomed a student with a disability into your traditional classroom, this massive list of resources will help you research different disorders and conditions, review special lesson plans, and find the support you need to work with your students and help them succeed."

Some great links and resources for many types of special needs

Begin with ME! is a project that provides a rich environment full of resources and support that allows teachers and teacher consultants to work together, share ideas, and learn new ways to help all students, including those with special needs, become better writers. 1. When appropriate technology tools and strategies are integrated into instruction, all students, including those with special needs and those at risk for academic failure will become better writers.\n\n2. Given adequate training and support, teachers can comfortably integrate technology into their writing curriculum.\n\n3. Supporting struggling students in the general education classroom can be effective and easily replicated.

"This paper explores how new digital technologies can be used to design curricula that are flexible enough to adapt readily to individual differences. The authors propose that universal design for learning-as the confluence of advances in the neuroscience of human variability and in multimedia technologies-can create an "ecology for learning" which provides rich, diverse, student-centered learning pathways for all students. "

special education, students, teaching, school, resources

A must-read, research-based article that supports the use of technology in math instruction for all students, but especially special needs students with learning disabilities.

Excellent article with supporting research for math instruction for students with disabilities and the importance of technology in the process.

Amazing description of the life of Michael Phelps in his earlier years as told by his mom--what a tremendous example of overcoming challenges and also an important statement to educators about teaching to student strengths and not trying to make them all fit into a conforming mode. Stresses need to find what students CAN do and not focus on what they CAN'T DO. Also great example of importance of parent advocacy and high expectations along with belief in them.

Powerful narrative story based on an interview with Michael Phelp's mom who is now a Middle School principal--wow, did he overcome his earlier challenges! Great story to share with students!

"students, Special Needs, education, Assistive Tech, assistive technology, ideas, lesson, Steven Hawking, awareness"

classroom, special needs, students, tools, education, low-tech

disabilities, students, learning, activities, summer

classroom, students, learning, teachers, activities, fun, april fools

classroom, students, education, school, activities, earth day, arbor day

"It's a features chart that could be used when a family or an IEP team is considering Mobile technology of any kind.   The idea is to start with the tasks that the student needs to do and then discuss what features a tool would have if it was used to support student achievement for those tasks. So-tasks across the top and features for those tasks down the left side.  And hopefully, for this part, we would not really talk about specific tools."

Our name, Connective Technology Solutions, reflects what we do best - seeing the connections between hardware, software, and solutions on how they can be utilized together. Most important is how they can address the needs of individuals from teachers and support professionals to students. We provide professional development, training, support and educational materials connecting current technology and the solutions enabling everyone to succeed. Dan Herlihy is a national conference presenter on topics ranging from Creating Access on the Fly, Working with High and Low Incidence Disabilities, Creating Access to the Arts and Using Digital Images in the Classroom as a Teaching and Learning Tool. He is also an IntelliTools Training Specialist, and has written books and articles on technology integration, as well as producing CDs of educational activities for students. His expertise is in taking diverse technologies, and connecting them together to provide solutions for access.