音声ブラウザご使用の方向け: SKIP NAVI GOTO NAVI

Web Posted on: November 20, 1998


LINKING TECHNOLOGY IN EDUCATION

Sherri L. Taylor
North Kansas City School District
515 N. E. 106th Street
Kansas City, Missouri 64155
FAX: (816) 734-8900
Internet :staylor@nkcsd.k12.mo.us

Infusing technology into the classroom instruction can help facilitate inclusion objectives. This presentation's primary focus is on an educational electronic game called Geo-Safari. The basic electronic game is presented along with several cards designed for students with severe special needs to high functioning students with Learning Disabilities. The Geo-Safari board is battery operated or AC adaptor, with headphone capability, volume control, question feature, and positive sound when the correct answer is chosen. Cards may be designed from 10- 26 matching, 2 -choice or 4- choice questions. The dimensions of the cards are 9 1/2 " x 13".

Several graphic programs have been utilized in designing the cards, as well as, scanned items from textbooks. A demonstration using Sierra Print Artist 4.0 will be presented. A handout will provide details in designing your own cards to go along with specific lessons.

Numerous ways to use the Geo-Safari will be discussed with examples of particular cards to reinforce targeted goals. Some of these examples include: having students with learning disabilities design cards for younger students using programs like Living Books, the Mercer Mayer books with the Little Critter, ABC's, Colors, using actual apparatus glued to the cards, etc. Many cards have been designed to along with Imaginart's Pick N Sticks, Attainment's picture Cue Library, Wordwise, Intellitools Intellipics, Mayer-Johnson's Boardmaker, etc. Cards have been designed to target main concepts in units and then used as an evaluation tool in assessing comprehension of material.

A series of cards were designed to use by a classroom teacher, aides, occupational therapist and others working with a child who is deaf and also physically impaired. He had been in a state school setting for his first 5 years of school. The cards were used to test his academic level. The child was able to respond correctly to the words with 85% accuracy, indicating to those working with him that he was truly comprehending the material at a third grade level.

Cards have been used with various children with autism. Photos were scanned and placed on cards for the child to identify important people in the building, places in the building, as well as, identifying classmates. Also with the use of a digital camera, the child's schedule was placed on the Geo-Safari cards for the child to learn.

Various cards have been designed for regular content area classes in science and social studies. At the end of the unit the teacher would have a "Geo- Safari Day", which would entail using the Geo- Safari Theater, Geo-Safari Math board, Geo-Safari CD's, and cards designed to go along with the regular boards. Students are given 15 minutes at each station before moving to the next station.

The Geo-Safari Theater is a unit that lays on any standard overhead projector and uses card transparencies to project a game on the wall. The students answer with the two hand-held remote control units. The Geo-Safari Math is an electronic device that is much like the regular Geo-Safari boards; however, has the capability to ask questions randomly or sequentially. All of these units will be displayed at the presentation.

Also, other Educational Insights materials will be displayed such as the Reading Safari, Getting Ready for School with Magic Touch Pen and Super Quest, an electronic textbook.

Questions will be addressed concerning inclusionary issues and possible adaptations. My experience entails 10 years at both the elementary and high school level and 8 years at the middle school level with physically and other health impaired students, along with students with learning disabilities. I also work with six low incidence classrooms which include students who are autistic, deaf, mentally retarded, and physically and other health impaired, in adapting materials and assistive techniques.