Description:
Attempting to successfully adapt the curriculum for a learner of any age takes customization and time.  Instead of struggling with the question of how to adapt a particular topic for a learner, our focus should be on how to adapt ANY topic for that learner, so that the outcome fosters using consistent teaching formats and predictable AT supports to decrease cognitive demand and increase motor learning - whether that topic is academic, life skills, or social language. Learn how to set up a systematic framework outlining 4 basic steps to build comprehension and improve communication by designing Learn About, Read About, Write About, & Talk About modules using inexpensive office supplies and things you may already have in your closet, sitting on your shelf, or accessible to you on your computer. Obtain sample learning objectives, more ideas for structured teaching, and sample instructional lessons when setting up this system.

Speaker Biography:
Phyl T. Macomber, Assistive Technology Specialist, is an award-winning national speaker and author on topics of adapted curriculum and teaching, augmentative communication, collaborative team building, and specialized software. She is the President of PracticalATSolutions.com and Make A Difference, Inc. Phyl has authored an adapted curriculum framework called T.H.E. P.A.C.T. - an acronym standing for Technology Helps Easy & Practical Adapted Curriculum Teaching - which outlines how to set up and design Learn About, Read About, Write About, and Talk About modules for special needs learners of any age. Phyl is also authoring the PracticalATSolutions.com Book Series, with the initial book in the series titled, The Power of T.H.E. P.A.C.T. - the first of several volumes that will be written about the framework. Phyl is donating 50% of the profits from this book series to fund ovarian cancer research in honor of her mother who passed away from ovarian cancer in 2007. Phyl has also released T.H.E. P.A.C.T. Multimedia System, which is a collection of resources which teaches each team member how to set up and execute the framework. Since completing a fellowship at Johns Hopkins Hospital's Kennedy Kreiger Instiute in 1988, Phyl has provided customized consultation and skill-building training to team serving individuals with disabilities in New England and on a national basis.

Learning Outcomes:
As a result of this activity, participants will be able to:

1. The participant will be able to state four underlying principles of language-based instruction which are essential when adapting academic, life skills, or social language curriculum for a learner of any age.

2. The participant will be able to outline and describe the four modules of T.H.E. P.A.C.T. framework  - which stands for Technology Helps Easy & Practical Adapted Curriculum Teaching - as these modules relate to how a learner builds comprehension and improves expression in language-based instruction for any topic in the following manner: (1) the Learn About module when teaching vocabulary, (2) the Read About module when adapting literacy-based materials, (3) the Write About module when setting up brainstorming and composition writing tasks, and (4) the Talk About module when increasing a learner's participation of sharing knowledge and communicating what was learned .

3. The participant will be able to list at least three examples of consistent teaching formats & predictable AT solutions for each of the 4 language-based modules of T.H.E. P.A.C.T. using basic office supplies, inexpensive low technology solutions, and specialized software tools.

 

Additional Information: http://www.atia.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3628

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CEUs
This activity is offered for up to 0.2 CEUs (1.5 hours of instruction).

To register for CEUs, click on the link below to download the Evaluation and Learning Assessment Form, complete the form, and save the file using this file name model:

2011-ATIA-Webinar-AT11-WEB14-4Step.rtf.

Then send the file as an email attachment to ceus@aacinstitute.org. If any difficulty is encountered in using this form, write to ceus@aacinstitute.org to request an alternative file format. In the body of the email, include:

Name
Assistive Technology Role (SLP, OT, family, etc.)
State (if USA), Province (if Canada), or other country

Download Evaluation and Learning Assessment Form now.

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Certificates are sent as .pdf email attachments.