1. Customizing Student Learning Activities Natasha ‘Hope’ Creasy

2. OVERVIEW: IEP WHAT IS AN IEP?: Individualized Education Plan. An IEP allows students who may have “delayed skills or other disabilities to be eligible for special services that provide individualized education programs in public schools, free of charge to families.” WHO NEEDS AN IEP: ADHD, auditory disabilities, learning disorders, emotional disorders, mental retardation, autism, visual impairment, speech or language impairment, and developmental delay. http://kidshealth.org/parent/positive/learning/iep.html#

3. OVERVIEW: IEP CONTINUED DELIVERY: Most of the time they are provided in a regular classroom setting, but can also be done in a resource room or special school environment. PROCESS: Referral and evaluation done through conferences and observation WHO’S INVOLVED: a psychologist , physical therapist, occupational therapist, speech therapist, special educator, vision or hearing specialist, and others if necessary. DEVELOPMENT: IEP meeting- parents and team come up with plan, along with the regular teacher and services are determined. http://kidshealth.org/parent/positive/learning/iep.html#

4. ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY DEFINITION: Assistive technology or adaptive technology (AT) is an umbrella term that includes assistive, adaptive, and rehabilitative devices for people with disabilities and also includes the process used in selecting, locating, and using them. AT promotes greater independence by enabling people to perform tasks that they were formerly unable to accomplish, or had great difficulty accomplishing, by providing enhancements to or changed methods of interacting with the technology needed to accomplish such tasks. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assistive_technology

5. Technological resources that can enhance students' educational experiences:

6. ADHD- Because no two children with ADHD are alike, it is important to keep in mind that no single educational program, practice, or setting will be best for all children. *Strategy: 3-pronged approach1. Evaluate the child's individual needs and strengths2. Select appropriate instructional practices3. For children receiving special education services, integrate appropriate practices within an IEP“Three components of successful programs for children with ADHD:” Academic Instruction; Behavioral Interventions; and Classroom Accommodations. **THIS INFORMATION CAME FROM http://www.ldonline.org/article/Teaching_Children_with_Attention_Deficit_Hyperactivity_Disorder%3A_Instructional_Strategies_and_PracticesTHIS WEBSITE HAS A BREAKDOWN OF HELPFUL INFORMATION WHEN IT COMES TO TEACHING ADHD CHILDREN, RESOURCES AND TEACHING GUIDES ARE PROVIDED

7. Learning Tools for ADHD Students http://www.examiner.com/k-12-education-in-west-palm-beach/assistive-technology-the-classroom-for-adhd-students This website offers several other options for various learning tools that will assist with teaching students who suffer from ADHD http://www.time4learning.com/ADD.shtml This website includes lesson plans, curriculum, etc for ADD as well as ADHD students

8. AUDITORY DISABILITIES Do not rely solely on an area of weakness Keep the area of difficulty in mind Plan specific activities for the areas of difficulty “Simplifying verbal directions, slowing the rate of speech, and minimalizing distractions can make a big difference to a person with auditory processing difficulties. THIS INFORMATION CAME FROM: http://www.ldonline.org/article/6390

9. Learning Tools for Auditory Disablilities What do FM systems do for children in schools? They allow the child to hear the teacher's voice at an appropriate and constant intensity level regardless of the distance between the child and the teacher. They allow the teacher's voice to be more prominently heard more prominently than background noise (toys, papers, chairs scraping, whispering, pencils being sharpened, feet shuffling) even when the background noise is closer to the child than the teacher's voice. They allow for self-monitoring of the child's own voice through the conventional hearing aid microphone. They allow for the conventional hearing aid microphone to be turned off so that the child can concentrate only on the teacher. This information derives from: http://www.asha.org/public/hearing/treatment/assist_tech.htm

10. KEY PHRASES INCLUSION: “Inclusion is a sense of belonging: feeling respected, valued for who you are; feeling a level of supportive energy and commitment from others so than you can do your best work” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inclusion_(value_and_practice) LEAST RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT: As part of the U.S. Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the least restrictive environment is identified as one of the six principles that govern the education of students with disabilities and other special needs. By law, schools are required to provide a free appropriate public education(FAPE) in the least restrictive environment that is appropriate to the individual student's needs. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Least_restrictive_environment