Microsoft Supports for students with LD

Microsoft Supports for students with LD Tara Wagg and Miranda Barry YRDSB Student Services

Learning Goals Participants will: • Establish a common understanding using the YRDSB Learning Disabilities Processing Chart • Explore how Microsoft Office tools support specific processing skills of a student with a learning disability • Become familiar with a variety of tools embedded in Microsoft Office Suite 2007

Setting the Context • In York Region District School Board, we believe that: ALLstudents can achieve high standards given sufficient time and support • Learning for All, Kindergarten to Grade 12 outlines many instructional and assessment strategies are “good for all, necessary for some”

What is possible when Limitations are removed? YouTube video: Rick Mercer Bungee Jumping Elbow Partner Sharing Share your thoughts with an elbow partner.

Learning Disabilities “Learning Disabilities” refers to a variety of disorders that affect the acquisition, retention, understanding, organization or use of verbal and/or non-verbal information. These disorders result from impairments in one or more psychological processes related to learning in combination with otherwise average abilities essential for thinking and reasoning. Learning disabilities are specific not global impairments and as such are distinct from intellectual disabilities. Learning Disabilities of Ontario, 2001

Learning Disabilities Cont’d Provincial data from 2010/2011 confirms that approximately 43% of exceptional students have a learning disability.

Assistive Technology • ANY technology that allows a teacher to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of a student with special learning needs. • Assistive technology is “good for all, essential for some”.

Microsoft Word 2007 A widely used Commercial Word Processor developed by Microsoft. MS Word offers several features to ease document creation and edition, including: • Spell Check • Text Level Features • External Support • Page Level Features

PowerPoint PowerPoint is a Presentation Software that offers word processing, outlining, drawing, graphing, and presentation management tools. • Presentations are a series of slides • Users can print audience handouts

Microsoft Excel 2007 A Commercial Spreadsheet Application used for various activities including: • Calculations • Graphing • Organization of data • Spreadsheet

Microsoft Publisher Publisher is a desktop publishing application. Users can create cards, posters, banners etc. Emphasis is placed on page layout and design rather than text composition and proofing.

WordQ • An OSAPAC Licensed software • Word Prediction, Editing, and Text-to-Speech software

Phonological Processing Refers to the use of phonological information, especially the sound structure of oral language, in processing written and oral information. Two key parts are phonological awareness and phonemic awareness

Phonological Processing - STRATEGIES Built in support in Microsoft Office Suite, Includes: • Spell check • Speak cells feature in Excel

Phonological ProcessingSTRATEGIES WordQ • Text-to-Speech software • Highlight and select words to hear how word is pronounced

LANGUAGE PROCESSING Language can be divided into comprehension and expression across all of its domains—oral, non-verbal, reading and writing—any of which can be affected in individuals with LDs.

Language ProcessingSTRATEGIES Built in support in Microsoft Office Suite, Includes: • Sound objects (PPT, MS, Excel). • Auto-grammar features • Look up word(s) and Synonym feature

Language ProcessingSTRATEGIES WordQ • Supports with predicting as they write • Software reads assignments, test questions to support reading fluency

VISUAL-MOTOR SKILLS Refers to the ability to co-ordinate the eyes and hands to produce/guide physical movements such as the production of written work. A deficiency in this area can make it difficult to co-ordinate small or large movements.

Visual-Motor SkillsSTRATEGIES Built in support in Microsoft Office Suite, Includes: • Provide notes from PPT • Ability to create graphic organizers in Microsoft Word • Sound Objects

Visual Spatial (Perceptual) Skills Refers to the ability to organize visual information into meaningful patterns. Visual spatial processing deficits can show up as problems understanding and making sense of visual information

Visual Spatial (Perceptual) SkillsSTRATEGIES Built in support in Microsoft Office Suite, Includes: • Excel to format and organize information in tables and charts • Graph paper in Excel • Ability to make graphic organizers in MS Word

Memory Refers to the ability to retain information. Four types of memory: Short Term Long Term Working Memory Retrieval

MemorySTRATEGIES Built in support in Microsoft Office Suite, Includes: • MS page breaks • PowerPoint use of visual information and short nuggets of information • Excel use formula when computation skills are not the focus

Processing Speed Refers to the ability to perform simple talks quickly and efficiently. Delays in the ability to perform these small , simple tasks can delay the ability to perform more complex tasks

Processing SpeedSTRATEGIES Built in support in Microsoft Office Suite, Includes: • WordQ to support need to decode text and word prediction • Sound Object to record student answers

ATTENTION Refers to the ability to focus selectively on some activities, while ignoring others, to sustain concentration for periods of time, to resist distraction and to shift attention among tasks.

AttentionSTRATEGIES Built in support in Microsoft Office Suite, Includes: • Opportune use of PowerPoint and Publisher to increase engagement • MS word shapes to create Graphic Organizers • Highlight

Executive Function Refers to the ability to plan and organize and monitor learning behaviour, and emotions. Executive function develops over time.

Executive Function Built in support in Microsoft Office Suite, Includes: • MS Word highlight feature • PowerPoint to support organization and planning of assignments

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Microsoft Supports for students with LD