Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Week 10, cont'd. - Intro and Module 1

In the intro for the Discovering AT blog, it reviews the lifelong learning habits and under exercise #3 it asks what we hope to learn from this tutorial. I have to say I'm hoping to become more aware and rounded in my knowledge of disabilities and how they affect the information seeking process. I'd also like to learn more about assistive technology options to help overcome disabilities and also to have personal knowledge of how to use and apply assistive tech.

I wonder if anyone else looked at the "scorecard" for their state on the LD.org site? I really hate to think how deficient so many states are when it comes to providing for the learning disabled. My state of Pennsylvania is deemed "needs assistance" and the money that comes from the federal government as opposed to what is actually allocated is shameful! This which comes from supposed government regulated standards lacks so much implementation! (Looks like those assistive technology tech plans need to be evaluated and properly applied! :-])

JAN, the Job Accommodation Network has a lot of information for employers, employees and others interested in all kinds of disabilities. I was impressed by the wealth of information on it and SOAR, the Searchable Online Accommodation Resource. It not only provides tons of information about disabilities, it helps assess how much assistance a person might need and what to do to accommodate him. For further assistance, it even links to sources to research and/or purchase the needed equipment.

Now, if I can just put all this together to generate a tech plan suitable for doing what Jurkowski quotes (from Information Power) on page 167 of the text, I'll be doing great! It states, "Acting as a technologist (rather than a technician) and a collaborator with teachers, the library media specialist lays a critical role in designing student experiences that focus on authentic learning, in formation literacy and the curricular mastery - not simply on manipulating machinery."

Jurkowski, O. L. (2006). Technology and the school library: A comprehensive guide for media specialists and other educators. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press.

1 comment:

  1. good point about being a technologist -- also good taht you saw your state's stats

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