"The implementation brought together staff members who had not had an opportunity to work together in the past."

During the second year we began to implement and assess the programs developed during the first year. The implementation brought together staff members who had not had an opportunity to work together in the past. Shepherd has had very little prior interest in actively and successfully integrating special education students into the regular education classroom. Therefore, special education and regular education staff have had very little experience working together and very little knowledge of each other's roles as teachers. We expected to develop some strategies to help staff appropriately include the special needs student in projects involving technology. Ultimately, we hoped to foster communication and understanding among staff and students populations.

Fall/Winter 1996
Technology arrives in classrooms.
Attend technology and included curriculum workshops.

Spring/Summer 1997 
Develop the plan and activities for Technology Mentoring Program. 
Program will include these units:

Initial Computer Training/Introduction to the Internet
Canadian Unit
Latin America Unit

September 1997
Begin implementation of Technology Mentoring Program.
Select mentor students based on volunteer participants.
Complete initial Computer Training Unit.
Assess success of the unit.

October-November 1997
Design Introduction to the Internet activities and Assessment tools.

December-January  97-98
Design Canadian Unit and assessment tools.

February-March 1998
Design Latin America Unit and assessment tools.

April-May 1998 
Review designed units and assessments.

Summer 1998
Complete design units and review assessments.

Fall 1998
Implement Initial Computer Training Unit and Canadian Unit.

Winter 1998-99
Implement Latin American Unit and Introduction to the Internet.
Compile data and report findings.

January 1999
Prepare final Presentation.

February 1999
Conduct workshop for district personnel and teaching assistants.
 

Adaptations: Adaptations refer to any adjustments that are made in order to enhance a person's ability to successfully participate in an activity. The adaptations can be temporary or permanent. 

Age Appropriate: Activities, materials, or interactions that are expected for the chronological age of the student.

Collaboration: The interactions between the regular and special educators to enhance learning activities.

Inclusion: Students with disabilities are members of the same school community as peers. When appropriate they are included in the chronological age appropriate grade, class, and activities. Inclusion does not mean all instructional time is spent in general education classrooms. 

Mental Impairment: Any student placed in a special education program due to significant cognitive delays.

Mentor: Student who provides guidance, friendship, and a positive social behavior model to chronologically-aged peers.

Minimal Assistance: Assistance given only when the student is not capable of completing the task independently.
 

Expected Outcomes
Strategies will be successful in helping staff appropriately include the students with disabilities in projects involving technology.
Communication will facilitate and strengthen understanding among staff and student populations. 

Criteria for the Success of the Project

The regular education students will participate as technology mentors.

Students will:

• act as a guide to foster independence with technology
• gain knowledge on people with a variety of disabilities
• increase computer knowledge
• communicate appropriately with special education students

Teachers and Teaching Assistants will apply strategies to include students with disabilities.

Pre-Technology Skills Survey: In the fall of 1998, special education students and technology mentors will be given a short survey to determine current skills.

Video recording of students in the mentoring program: Once every four weeks students will be video taped to monitor progress.

Student journals: Once every week all students will be asked to write about experiences in the technology mentoring program.

Electronic Portfolios: Because all students have an individual file on the school's networked system, they will save a project from one of the three included units: 

• Basic computer skills
• Painting and drawing - Canada Map (Appendix #1)
• Word processing - Recipes (Appendix #2)
• Basic Internet - Postcard (Appendix #3)

Staff Pre/Post Survey: In the fall of 1998, involved teachers and teaching assistants will be given a short survey to assess current attitudes regarding inclusion. In the spring of 1999, involved teachers and teaching assistants will be given the same survey to measure any changes in attitudes. 
 

We expect that the performance levels will show a significant increase in the areas assessed.

Pre-Technology Skills Survey
Students will respond to five questions regarding current technology skills. (Appendix #4)

Video Recording
During Technology Mentor sessions, students will demonstrate an increase in positive peer interactions. (Appendix #5)

Student Journals
All students will respond in writing about one experience each week during the technology mentoring session. 

Electronic Portfolio
All students will select their best included technology project for their electronic portfolio. 

Post-Technology Skills Survey
Using the same questions as on the pre-survey, regular education students will be able to demonstrate five new skills.

Staff Pre/Post-Inclusion Survey
Using the same questions from the pre-survey, teachers and teaching assistants will report on the progress of the program's development. (Appendix #6)

To page 6 of 7