Agqtp Final Report 2011

AGQTP FINAL REPORT 2011

PROJECT ACTIVITY AREA:

School Name / ASPECT South Coast School
Project Activity Area / Supporting teachers to use technologies in the classroom
Project title / Developing social skills for Children with Autism using Information, Communication and Technology (ICT)
Contact person/s / Haty Mehmet and Bruce Rowles
Contact /

There is no restriction on the amount of space used to complete your AGQTP report. Please use as much space as required to give a detailed overview of your project.

Section 1- For publication on www.aisnsw.edu.au/pd

Project Summary

a)  Focus
What was the project focus?
-Supporting teachers to use learning technologies in the classroom
“Developing Social skills for Children with Autism Spectrum Orders using Information, Communication and Technology”
b)  Successes and Impacts
In what ways did your project meet the appropriate outcomes below-
All project Activity Areas
·  strengthen the currency and depth of teachers pedagogical knowledge and skills
Staff demonstrated knowledge and skills through brain storming sessions during training days, compiling drafts based on classes specific area, planning programs and accessing ICT equipment and/or items. John Clear provided a training day on various ICT programs/ideas/suggestions which was beneficial.
Pedagogy
·  strengthen the currency and depth of teachers learning area knowledge and understanding?
Staff have developed and implemented specialised programs which has incorporated Key Learning areas (Board of studies outcomes/indicators) as well as Aspect’s comprehensive approach with the focus on the core competencies of Autism Spectrum Disorders (Social skills, Behaviour, Communication and Sensory) to encourage the development of social skills for students with autism. Two new staff members who were a part of this project required mentoring to develop understanding of how students with Autism learn using visual supports. Through the mentoring, the staff were able to tailor their specific goal/program to ensure it was “autism” friendly with various visual supports such as social procedures, art activities with photos etc.
ICT
·  increase their capacity (through interactions with students) to provide all students with opportunities to access and apply relevant learning in ICT
Staff have learned how to use to technology effectively and how to apply it in the class as part of a social skills program. Staff have used flip cameras, talking photo albums and/or go talkers. Flip camera footage has been showed on the smart board to desensitise students to viewing their own image. Staff have been trained in flip camera software, taking snapshots within video footage, Aspect IT team has also been involved in providing training in downloading flip camera footage into Windows Live Movie Maker. Staff have had training in using notebook software (IWB) and how to copy power point files to notebook software.
Standards
·  enable teachers to apply professional standards to make judgements about the success of their practice and areas for future development?
Programs were continually reviewed and adjusted to suit student’s needs and strengths. In the future, the staff involved in this grant will present their specific social skills program at staff meetings/staff development days as well becoming mentors for other staff who will be accessing the programs for 2012. Specific gaols/programs will be linked to appropriate classes e.g. ES1 class- Imitation/Joint Attention. We are also looking at how we can present programs at whole Aspect staff development days (across our schools).
c)  Sustainability
How will the school overcome the effects of changes, such as personnel and funding, to see the project initiatives sustained?
We are looking at staff who were involved in the project to be buddy’s/ mentors and work together with a similar class (student’s needs and strengths).
We will be placing all resources (electronically and hard copies) at our two main base schools for staff to be able to access.
Project staff will be presenting at staff meetings to show staff various programs, assessments, visual supports, templates, work samples, video footage and resources.
d)  Resources
Please list and describe the resources/products developed e.g. learning resource, unit/s of work, audio files, worksheets, teaching designs
Imitation and Joint Attention
·  Games/Items – The beetle game, Lego etc
·  Visual supports – templates, social procedures
·  Board maker plus - Mayer-Johnson USA, 1981-2008 c
·  Flip Camera
·  Camera
·  Aspect – Early Play Program 2008
Greetings/Listening Skills
·  All animated pictures are sourced from
o  ‘Boardmaker Plus’ – Mayer-Johnson USA, 1981-2008 c
o  *Pictures included in ‘saying hello right/wrong way’, and ‘space invader’ notebook files, are sourced from ‘The social skills picture book; teaching play, emotion, and communication to children with autism’ – by Jed Baker, Ph.D.
o  *Pictures used in ‘who do we greet?” worksheet, are sourced from ‘So safe’- user manual 2nd edition, published by Educational Edicts (EdICTs), Canberra ACT
·  Flip camera
·  Camera
·  Action prompts www.eslflashcards.com
·  Bingo- Sound Files were obtained from: http://www.freesound.org
·  Aspect designed assessments
·  Websites- see program
Waiting/ Turn taking
·  Turn taking templates
·  Board maker plus - Mayer-Johnson USA, 1981-2008 c
·  Flip Camera
·  Aspect designed assessments
·  Social Skills Assessment- Claire Shepherd
·  Notebook software- Interactive White Board
·  Websites- see program
Feelings
·  Feelings Books by Trace Moroney
·  Feelings Books by Jane Bingham
·  Feelings Book- When my worries get too big by Kari Dunn Buron
·  Emotions puppet- Modern Teaching Aids
·  Feelings, pragmatic and scenario cards by Super Duper Publications
·  Feelings picture cards – with questions by Educational Colours P/L
·  Feelings picture cards – TeachThis.com.au
·  Feelings picture cards/visual supports - following resources used
o  Board maker plus - Mayer-Johnson USA, 1981-2008 c
o  Softpics Professional..Simon Fabian and Ylana Bloom, Innovative Programming 2000
o  Stickids –Muscles, motion ‘n touch 2005- http://stickids.com/
·  Mind Reading CD by the University of Cambridge, Jessica Kingsley Publications
·  (interactive guide to emotions)
·  ASPECT website – Thomas the Tank Engine- Emotions- http://www.autismspectrum.org.au/a2i6i5i1l435l483/thomas-the-tank-engine.htm
·  Websites- see program
·  Notebook software- Interactive White Board
·  Managing Behaviour – Feelings, Autism & PDD: Adolescent Skills Lessons, Lingui Systems Inc
·  Aspect designed websites
·  Social Procedures – Notebook, Interactive Whiteboard
·  See electronic resource list- visual examples of resources
·  Camera
·  Flip Camera
·  Talking Photo Album
Bullying and Teasing
·  Flip Camera
·  Camera
·  Notebook- Interactive Whiteboard
·  Websites- see program
·  Room 14 A Social Language Program by Carolyn C. Wilson
·  Promoting Social Success A Curriculum for Children with Special Needs” by Gary N. Siperstein & Emily Paige Rickards
How can they be accessed? Please provide contact details for resources that are not made available for the AIS website.
-  Files are accessible electronically (USB connection within package)
-  Other resources- see above