Blog #4: Google for Educators

Google for Educators offers so many different tools and activities for teachers to use! As a teacher I plan on using a ton of them, however the one that I am most interested in Picasa. This allows me and my students to edit and post pictures. A class that I took taught me to keep your students interested by allowing them to express the information in a creative way and nearly all of the ideas I was given included taking pictures and presenting them in some way. Some examples are making powerpoints, flyers, research presentations, and posters. Using a digital camera and then an application such as Picasa allows the students to be creative with the pictures that they take. And teaches them how to used a digital camera then edit and post their pictures. These are skills that they will use for many years to come.

Another tool/activity that I would like to use from google is the google sketch app. This tool allows for anyone to digitaly create, modify and share 3-D models. I plan on teaching third or fourth grade in these grades I will teach geometery and advanced measering. Being able to make these digital models and print them will spark creativity and give the students a "real-world" example of how they will later use this information.

Their is one more project that I plan on doing with my students that google apps can help me with. In this project the students will plan a road trip; they will have to draw a to-scale map of where they would like to go, visit different landmarks that we have studied and then write a journal of their trip and present it to the class. Google Earth and Google Maps will help my students with this project in fact they would not be able to complete a project like this without the help of the internet and oogle. I am so glad that Google provides teachers with so many, free, opportunities and advantages in the classroom!

Blog #3: IDEA/ADA/ATA

Dear Parents, 

Due to the fact that we have a small population of students with disabilities I have decided to send you some information on some of the programs out there. If you have any questions please feel free to comment back. 

People, children in particular, have struggled with receive a Free Appropriate Public Education for a years. Thanks to newer laws governed by that IDEA, ADA, and ATA students with disabilities are now given a fair chance at a public education. In fact until the 1970's  children with disabilities were often not even allowed in the classroom. Some would be shipped away to a special school or even taught in the basement of a general school. Groups of people (parents, teachers, friends) finally got together and forced the american government to require these children receive fair and/or equal education. 

One of these groups began the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This act provides each state with regulations, guidelines, and requirements that ensures adequate education is provided through public schools. This act also provides things such as transportation, psychiatry, and rehabilitation for these students. Children ages 0-21 are covered under this act and there are thirteen different disabilities that allow a student to be eligible. Some of these include; autism, blindness, hearing or visual impairment, emotional disturbance, and specific learning disabilities. Once a child is identified with one or more of these disabilities they are decided by an expert to be eligible for services and written an IEP (Individual Education Plan) to help with their specific needs. 

Another Group that has provided people with disabilities with fair and equal treatment is the ADA , Americans with Disabilities Act. This act states that if a person with a disability is just as qualified or more qualified than a person without a disability, the person with the disability shall be given an opportunity equal to that of the person without the disability. Therefore "no covered entity shall discriminate against a qualified individual on the basis of disability in regard to job application procedures, the hiring, advancement, or discharge of employees,employee compensation, job training and other terms, conditions, and privileges of employment." The ADA has made it possible for a person who has a disability to apply for and hold a good job. 

The Assistive Technology Act of 1998 provides access to technology programs for people with disabilities. It also provides financial assistance for these programs and information centers. This act increases the overall knowledge and advances in technology and helps to enable people with disabilities to advance in the technical world. The funding varies from state to state due to the fact that each state has it's own unique grants that are allocated. This Act was updated in 2004 to be more effective and provide the best access to the technology available for these people. 

Due to programs such as the three listed people with disabilities are given a more equal shot. These acts allow for better education, more advanced career options and an enhanced way of life. People with disabilities used to be outcast in society but these regulations and funding allow for the disabled to be active and able members of their community. These groups will continue to update and make amendments to these laws to keep them current and efficient. 

Thank you 

Jia Acree

Works Cited:

This post is a collaboration of posts from Group A:  Jessica Burns, Heather Davis, Crystal Fronk, Rylee McClellan, Janelle Otterburg, Tanya Rush, Jocelyn Stearns, Will Wardwell, and Tim Youngblood.

http://jiamarieacree.blogspot.com/
http://cfdraw.blogspot.com/
http://heatherdavis202edtech.blogspot.com/
http://jocelynstearns.blogspot.com/
http://ryleemcclellan.blogspot.com/
http://timyoungblood.blogspot.com/
http://trush-trush.blogspot.com/
http://willwardwell.blogspot.com/

The listed websites are where we received our information and where you can receive more information.  

1- Building the Legacy of IDEA 2004.   http://idea.ed.gov

2- All About IDEA.      http://specialed.about.com/od/idea/a/ideadefined.htm

3- IDEA related services.    http://www.autism-pdd.net/services.html

4-All About IDEA
http://specialed.about.com/od/idea/a/ideadefined.htm
5-The Americans with Disabilities Act,
Http://www.eeoc.gov/policy/ada.html
6-ATA source
http://www.section508.gov/docs/AT1998.html

7-The Americans with Disabilities Act, Http://www.eeoc.gov/policy/ada.html § I, V et seq. (1990).

8-http://www.cec.sped.org/Content/NavigationMenu/PolicyAdvocacy/CECPolicyResources/CEC_AT_Update.pdf
9-http://www.afb.org/section.asp?SectionID=3&TopicID=135&DocumentID=2478

10-http://www.ncdae.org/activities/papers/carol/atapnews.htm

 

What is the IDEA?

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) ensures special services to children with disabilities nationwide. This act provides each state with specific regulations, guidelines and requirements that guarantee every child a fair education. There are many aspects of education that are made to be extremely difficult when a child with a disability enters the classroom and often in the past these children were not given the chance to receive an adequate education. The IDEA along with other groups/organizations have allowed these children to be given an impartial opportunity in our classrooms and our world. 

Children with disabilities are often identified in the early elementary grades and sometimes even pre-school. Normally a teacher or qualified professional identifies the child however a parent can ask for an evaluation if they believe their child may need extra attention. There are thirteen different ways for a child to qualify under the IDEA for special related services; autism, deaf, blind, developmental delays, emotional disturbed, hearing impaired, visual impairment, mental retardation, multiple disabilities, orthopedic impairment, health impairment, specific learning disability, speech/language impairment and traumatic brain impairment (Gifted and Talented children are also considered in some circumstances and in only specific states). Once a child has been identified they must be evaluated and a decision must be made as to whether or not the child truly is disabled?

There are nine steps that are made when a child is under consideration; 1- Identification, 2-Evaluation, 3-Evaluator(s) must determine their eligibility, 4- If the child is eligible they schedule an Individual Education Plan (IEP) meeting. This meeting must be set in the thirty days following the determination of eligibility and usually includes the general classroom teacher, school psychiatrist, special education teacher and sometimes a paraprofessional and principle. 5-They all sit down and write an IEP, 6-the teachers and parents carry out the plan determined, 7-they measure the students progress, 8-the team gets back together and reviews and/or rewrites the IEP and 9-the student must be reevaluated. This nine step program helps to ensure the students growth and advancement. The IDEA uses programs such as this to make a Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) available to every student.

A child/student that qualifies under one or more of the thirteen criteria listed above is eligible for many different services. These services are provided to make possible the education of all students. Some of these services include; transportation, speech pathology, audiology, psychology, medical care, counseling, and rehabilitation along with many others. The legislation is consistently revamping the criteria that is provided under IDEA so make sure that you are receiving current information when researching the IDEA. Here are some website that can give you more information on the topics that I have presented to you today. 

1- Building the Legacy of IDEA 2004.  http://idea.ed.gov

2- All About IDEA.      http://specialed.about.com/od/idea/a/ideadefined.htm

3- IDEA related services.    http://www.autism-pdd.net/services.html

About Me

Hey Everyone, my name is Jia Acree. I am 20 years old and I live in Nampa, Idaho. The people that are most important to me are William, my significant other and Shae'a my two month old son. I love the water.... my favorite thing in the world is the ocean; I enjoy swimming, diving, surfing, and just playing. I am currently attending Boise State University, trying to receive a BA (eventually a Masters) in Elementary Education. I am currently a part-time manager at Ann Taylor (an upper class woman's clothing store). And Will manages a Quiznos therefore I am also there quite a bit too. Between a newborn, working, going to school and baby-sitting William my time is limited so this should just about sum up my current lifestyle.