Article-+May+3rd

Shea, Rich. "Special Tools for Special Needs: PalmPilots Help Kids Cope." //Edutopia //. 19 Mar. 2008. Web. 04 Apr. 2012. .

__How did the teacher use technology in this lesson/approach? Details – time, activities, products, etc__ Mrs. Parsons, a special educator in Texas, gives her students Palm TIXs to utilize. Often the students who receive this technology are autistic. She allows her students to use the technology as a means of an organizational tool for at home and school and to help them self monitor their time (using alarms to remind them about transitions etc.).

__ How did the students use technology? Details – time, activities, products, etc? __ Students use the technology to take pictures of their pets which they then share with others: this works on social skills during the interaction/sharing. One student's sibling made him a video and narration detailing how to get from one class to the next that he could watch over and over (becoming comfortable with the new routine) and ease anxiety shuffling from one class to the next. Students used the technology to keep track of assignments and to set alarms are reminders. Picture taking and audio/video features are also used to take pictures of classmates or teachers to learn their names. Social cues could also be programmed into the Palm to work on proper etiquette in various social situations.

__How were students assessed? How were students’ content knowledge, skills, and/or technology skills evaluated?__ Students used the technology to help them in social situations as well as to remember to complete homework assignments. Their skills in using such technology were evaluated in their ability to successfully interact with others and complete homework with alarm reminder cues.

__ How were students provided feedback, remediation, scaffolding? __ The connection to a keyboard allowed students to pour out their thoughts. One student even wrote a novel using this technology. The tool in itself in this case was a scaffold for writing.