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Access Tomorrow Position
Statements
I. Description of the Issue Needing to be
Addressed:
As technology continues to change the skills needed to
navigate the 21st century, schools are being challenged to promote
technology-supported learning, integrate technology-based assessments, and
ensure that both teachers and students are literate in information technologies
(IT) (National Education Technology Plan, 2004). Despite the emphasis of higher
academic standards, many youth with disabilities are still leaving school
without the academic and 21st century skills needed to participate
fully in employment and postsecondary education. To address this gap, mentoring
programs have been established and appear to have significant positive outcomes
for students, such as reductions in school absences, higher college
participation rates, and better in-school behavior (Jekielek, Moore & Hair,
2002). These same authors call for more research to examine the relationship
between mentoring and academic achievement, youth employment, and postsecondary
education.
II. Plan for Addressing the Issue:
The Nisonger Center at
Ohio State University and IDEAL Group, Inc., together with national experts,
parents, students and educators, are proposing to develop a three-tiered model
called Access Tomorrow which emphasizes three components needed for improved
academic achievement and seamless transition to college/employment for students
with disabilities:
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E-Mentoring Student Curriculum:
Focuses on core IT skills, academic standards, and self-directed transition
plans; applies IT knowledge to Internet research and e-communication; and
directs a structured relationship that encourages successful post-school
transition;
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Mentor Guide:
Provides the content and awareness that mentors need to support students with
disabilities through the school-to-adult life transition process; and,
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Access
Tomorrow's IDEAL Assistive
Technology (AT) SmartDrive® Solution: This new
solution will be built upon lessons learned from Canada's
Web-4-All (W4A) solution. W4A was developed for
Industry Canada to ensure that people with disabilities (also seniors and
people of low-literacy) have computer access to services and information on
the Internet. W4A accomplished this by creating a customizable computer
interface based on universal design principles. Each user can select, save,
and deploy their own configuration of four, commercial, assistive technology
solution solutions using smart card technology.
A comparison
of approach between the
Canadian W4A solution and
Access Tomorrow's IDEAL Assistive
Technology (AT) SmartDrive® Solution can be accessed by clicking on
this link.
III. Our
Objectives:
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Identify the most
accessible and portable E-mentoring programs and technological supports that
improve the academic and transition plans of students.
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Develop the E-mentoring
product that delivers IT skills & self-directed transition plans with the
support of e-mentors. Develop the Web-4-All Open-Source Infrastructure and
documentation that supports E-mentoring program.
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Develop meaningful
opportunities for active parent involvement and peer interactions in the
transition planning process.
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Pilot the E-mentoring
program with the Web-4-All technology to test the feasibility for use with
students with disabilities.
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Evaluate the effects of
the E-mentoring program with the Web-4-All technological supports on
achievement and transition outcomes.
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Disseminate
product/effects of E-mentoring program through national centers, articles,
presentations, and a website.
IV. Planned
Results:
At the conclusion of this
project, we will have developed innovative technological products that improve
the academic and transition outcomes for students with disabilities in the 21st
Century.
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