How Does My Understanding of Teachers' Willingness to Implement New Initiatives Affect

HOW DOES MY UNDERSTANDING OF TEACHERS' WILLINGNESS TO IMPLEMENT NEW INITIATIVES AFFECT THE WAY I HELP TEACH MY COLLEAGUES ABOUT THE COMPUTER ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY IN MY SCHOOL AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO USE IT MORE EFFECTIVELY WITH THEIR STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL EDUCATION NEEDS?

INQUIRY QUESTION
How does my understanding of teachers' willingness to implement new initiatives affect the way I help teach my colleagues about the computer Assistive Technology in my school and encourage them to use it more effectively with their students with special education needs?
RATIONALE FOR CHOOSING THIS TOPIC
I have been a homeroom teacher for nine years and this spring (when I return from maternity leave) will be my tenth. I have never taught a student with a Special Equipment Amount (SEA) claim and therefore have had little exposure to the Assistive Technology (AT) available in our school and throughout the board. I am aware that throughout the province, there are some Ministry Licensed computer programs available to all students as well as a number of Assistive Technology programs available through SEA claims. Over the past few years, many of the available AT programs were demonstrated to me for the first time through Special Education Additional Qualifications courses (parts 2 and 3). I was very impressed with the possibilities for students with special education needs, and I believe many of my colleagues would be as well if they knew more about this technology, how to implement it, and the positive effects it can have. I believe that it is important for all teachers to be aware of the Assistive Technology that is available to their students, and yet the majority of teachers at my school are not aware of it or know how to integrate it into their lessons for students with special education needs. A number of recent initiatives have been imposed on teachers and there is an increasing level of teacher anxiety and dread every time something new is introduced. With this in mind, I would like to teach my colleagues about the enormous potential the Ministry Licensed and SEA AT programs hold for students with special education needs and encourage them to use the programs more often and more effectively.
MY KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCES, ASSUMPTIONS BEFORE I STARTED MY RESEARCH
In the nine years that I have taught a homeroom class, I have never had a student with a Special Equipment Amount (SEA) claim. I was unfamiliar with the SEA Assistive Technology (AT) programs provided by the Ministry and the programs available to all students through the Ontario Software Acquisition Program Advisory Committee (OSAPAC). Through professional development and taking Special Education Additional Qualifications Parts 2 and 3, I have learned the names and basic functions of many of these programs, but without much hands-on practice, I remain a novice in this area. At the school where I teach, teachers with students with SEA claims do not receive any formal training in order to learn the basics of SEA AT programs, and thus rely heavily on individual students to apply their SEA programs as they see fit. Regrettably, the SEA computers are often left in the homeroom class and not brought with students on rotary. There is a huge need at my school for teacher training and professional development in this area so that SEA equipment use can be maximized for students with special education needs and even all students in the class. Over the past few years, teachers in my school's area have been asked to implement many new initiatives with respect to balanced literacy and Rick Stiggins' "Seven Strategies of Assessment for Learning." As each change was imposed at my school, many teachers felt overwhelmed and tried their best to grasp each one, but they often became discouraged since there was not a lot of time to consolidate learning of new skills before they were expected to be visible in one's classroom. Knowing that there is a need for SEA program training at my school and that teachers already feel overwhelmed with work, I decided to research this topic in an effort to find a method of providing effective professional development for teachers while keeping them engaged and not beleaguered.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Much of the research I located acknowledges that there is a huge gap in pre-service teacher training in the area of Assistive Technology (Chmiliar, 2007; McLaren, et al, 2007; Parette, et al, 2007). With this in mind, most teachers have little familiarity with AT programs and how they can be applied in the classroom for students with special education needs. This often leaves teachers frustrated with the lack of time to be able to obtain training (Chmiliar, 2007). Some suggestions for improving teacher training have included: online courses that teachers can participate in during the times they are available (Chmiliar, 2007), an AT telephone hotline (Chmiliar, 2007), and creating a Professional Learning Community or "user group" for teachers to gain practice and discuss their experiences with AT (Owings and Kaplan, 2003; Parette, 2007). Owings and Kaplan (2003) suggest that in order for long-term change to take effect in a school, it must be done in depth and become a main focus of the school. Professional Learning Communities must be started and nurtured, and the change must be incorporated into the school's mission statement and revisited often. Teachers should be given choice about how they would like to incorporate new technology into their teaching. Lastly, Bausch and Ault (2008) suggest use of the "Assistive Technology Implementation Plan" developed by the National Assistive Technology Research Institute (NATRI). This plan clarifies who is responsible for a student's assistive technology, any training required and a timeline for all actions to take place.
CHANGES (IF ANY) ABOUT MY ASSUMPTIONS AFTER I COMPLETED MY RESEARCH
Before beginning my research, I was not aware of how little training teachers receive in the area of Assistive Technology. I knew that at my school we were not receiving proper preparation to incorporate AT into the classroom, but my research showed this to be a problem that extends across the country and through the United States. Most schools rely on a technology expert and do not foster a community where teachers can develop their own expertise in this area. In order for AT to be used effectively by students, teachers must become more proficient and principals must make AT a school focus. In this way, all students will be able to use assistive technology in order to access the curriculum and reach their full potential.
MY "LEADERSHIP ACTION PLAN" FOR THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR
A)The Question
How does my understanding of teachers' willingness to implement new initiatives affect the way I help teach my colleagues about the computer Assistive Technology in my school and encourage them to use it more effectively with their students with special education needs?
B)The Collection Site
This inquiry will take place at a K-8 school.
C) The ‘Evidence’ to be Collected
Pre-‘Evidence’ Sources
At the beginning of the school year, I plan to survey all staff about their satisfaction with their current knowledge of Assistive Technology, how they currently use it in class, any previous professional development they have had in this area (see Appendix B). As well, I plan to survey students with SEA claims about their knowledge of and satisfaction with current AT available to them and how it is used at school and at home (see Appendix C). I plan to survey teachers and students in September, then revisit the survey to track any changes in January and again in June.
Teaching Intervention
This project will have a number of aspects to it. Firstly, I plan to create a Professional Learning Community (PLC) within my school to address Assistive Technology within my school. To do this, I would need to approach my principal near the end of this school year and plan with her for next year. In order for the PLC to be successful, it will need to tie into the School's Plan for Continuous Improvement and become part of a school-wide vision (McLaren, et al, 2007; Owings & Kaplan, 2003). The PLC could be started in June at the last Professional Development day, so that all interested teachers could sign up and think over the summer about their knowledge in Assistive Technology. The goal would be to have the PLC meet every two weeks in the form of a lunch and learn throughout the school year beginning in September. The group would meet in the computer lab where teachers could try various applications of the SEA programs together. This hands-on practice is recommended by Parette, et al (2007) in order to make learning meaningful. In the early PLC meetings, training could be provided about how the various SEA claim programs work and how they could be applied in a classroom for special education students as well as all students. To do this, the technology resource teacher from the school board could be invited to lead some hands-on information sessions as well as representatives from Strategic Transitions (the company that sells SpeakQ, WordQ, Inspiration and Kidspiration in the GTA). A different teacher would lead each PLC meeting (Parette, et al, 2007). This would be so that the group does not feel that only one teacher is a leader, resulting in a hierarchy of knowledge. The goal of a PLC is for teachers to collaborate, share knowledge and problem solve together (McLaren, et al, 2007). Anyone with knowledge to share about a particular aspect of SpeakQ, WordQ, Kurzweil, Dragon Professional, or Inspiration would be able to lead the discussion about how they use it and what works for them. As well, teachers would be able to pose questions to the group about how a program can be best used to suit students.

After every meeting, I would post the meeting notes for PLC members on a Moodle website that I would create so that everyone would have a record of what was shared and what was planned. The sharing of meeting notes was recommended by Parette, et al (2007) to increase accountability of every PLC member. The Moodle site would also be in place so that teachers could ask each other questions about Assistive Technology and respond to each other with what has worked in the past and other recommendations. This would help teachers get quick feedback about issues without having to wait until a PLC meeting. The Moodle site would be used instead of an Assistive Technology hotline which was recommended by Chmiliar (2007).
In addition to a Professional Learning Community, I would ask that teachers adopt the use of the "Assistive Technology Implementation Plan" designed by the National Assistive Technology Research Institute (NATRI) (Bausch & Ault, 2008) (see Appendix D). This would clarify all aspects of a child's SEA claim and who would be responsible for what.
Lastly, I would encourage all staff at my school to take advantage and attend as much as possible any Professional Development (PD) and any courses in Assistive Technology that are offered by the school board and the Ministry of Education. I would post any notices about upcoming PD on my Moodle website. The Ontario College of Teachers recently approved a new one-session Additional Qualifications course called, "Use and Knowledge of Assistive Technolgy," (Ontario College of Teachers, 2010) but universities have yet to offer it to teachers. I would notify teachers as soon as this course was being offered. As well, I would ask that my principal incorporate AT professional development into staff meetings.
Post-Intervention ‘Evidence”
Throughout the school year, I plan to gather 5 types of ‘evidence.’
•I will observe teachers who are in the PLC throughout the year and take anecdotal notes about their use of SEA equipment and programs in the classroom.
•I will observe students with SEA claims throughout the year and take anecdotal notes about their use of SEA equipment and programs in the classroom.
•I will track changes in report card results for students with SEA claims to see if the increased use of SEA equipment improves their marks.
•I will survey PLC staff in September, January, and in June to determine the effects of the PLC, Moodle website, and any Professional Development (see Appendix B).
•I will survey students with SEA claims to determine the effectiveness of this inquiry (see Appendix C). The student survey will take place in September, January and June.
CONNECTIONS TO PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS
According to the Ontario College of Teachers (2008), there are 5 Standards of Practice for the Teaching Profession: Commitment to Students and Student Learning, Leadership in Learning Communities, Ongoing Professional Learning, Professional Knowledge, and Professional Practice. This inquiry project touches on all 5 Standards of Practice. Commitment to Students and Student Learning means teachers try to optimize the conditions in the classroom so that all students may learn at their best and become contributing members of society. Teaching individuals with special education needs how to use their abilities in conjunction with SEA claims computer equipment to read and effectively express themselves in writing supports this standard. Leadership in Learning Communities means that teachers create a safe, collaborative learning environment in which they, themselves, can learn. The Professional Learning Community that I aim to create supports this standard. Ongoing Professional Learning means continued learning for teachers to update their knowledge, skills, and practice. Teachers who participate in the PLC will be participating in Ongoing Professional Learning. Teachers' Professional Knowledge will increase through discussion in the PLC and on the Moodle website as well as through ongoing professional development. Lastly, the goal is to affect teachers' Professional Practice by gathering knowledge about Assistive Technology and applying it in the classroom for students with special education needs as well as all students, where possible.
According to the Ontario College of Teachers (2008), there are 4 Ethical Standards for the Teaching Profession: Care, Trust, Respect, and Integrity. I am always trying to include all 4 ethical standards into my lessons and interactions with teachers and students. This inquiry project lets me focus on Care and Respect for my students and colleagues. Care involves developing students' potential through compassion, interest, and acceptance. I accept all my students as they are and try to make them the best learners possible. For many students with special education needs, this means teaching them how to use Assistive Technology effectively and incorporate the equipment into my lessons. Respect involves maintaining student dignity, emotional wellness and cognitive development. Incorporating Assistive Technology into teaching practice allows for students with special education needs to learn at their best, which would not be possible otherwise.
FINAL REFLECTIONS
It is unfortunate that our board does not provide release time to train all teachers involved with students with special education needs about how to effectively incorporate Assistive Technology into their lessons. Hopefully, a Professional Learning Community that meets regularly, a Moodle website for teachers to ask questions and discuss Assistive Technology issues, ongoing professional development in Assistive Technology, and the use of the "Assistive Technology Implementation Plan" (National Assistive Technology Research Institute, 2010) will improve teachers' knowledge and positively affect their teaching practice. This will lead to more effective integration of Assistive Technology into the classroom despite discouragement that many teachers face through current school and Ministry initiatives.
ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY
Bausch, M. E. & Ault, M. J. "Assistive Technology Implementation Plan: A Tool for Improving Outcomes." TEACHING Exceptional Children. Reston: Sept-Oct 2008. Vol. 41, Iss.1, p. 6-8, 10-14 (8 pp.)
This article addresses the issue of properly implementing Assistive Technology for a student with special education needs following an IEP meeting. It advises educators to use the "Assistive Technology Implementation Plan" created by the National Assistive Technology Research Institute (NATRI). This plan reduces the schools' and teachers' dependence on AT specialists and ensures all the specialized steps of AT implementation are addressed since they are not mentioned in the IEP. Lastly, the implementation plan makes sure individuals are accountable for each step of implementation. The plan is very comprehensive and clearly identifies a single contact person for a student's AT needs. It outlines who receives what training, who will be the trainer (ensuring the training refers to accessing the curriculum) and the timeline for training and follow-up. The plan addresses the student's goals as stated in the IEP and how AT will be used to accomplish them. The "Assistive Technology Implementation Plan" increases the likelihood that all aspects of AT training and implementation are accomplished for each student.
Chmiliar, L. "Perspectives on Assistive Technology: What Teachers, Health Professionals, and Speech and Language Pathologists Have to Say." Developmental Disabilities Bulletin. Edmonton:2007. Vol. 35, Iss.1/2, p.1-17 (17 pp.)
This article summarizes the findings of an Albertan survey of teachers', health professionals' and speech and language pathologists' opinions on current levels of training in AT and their satisfaction with these levels, obstacles to the implementation of AT, and the availability of support. The majority of teachers surveyed described a lack of training and that they were dissatisfied with their level of proficiency in AT. In addition, time was a huge obstacle to getting training and becoming proficient in this area. The author recommends much more pre-service training for teacher candidates in the area of Assistive Technology. As well, since many of the workshops available to current teachers were hard to get to due to distance or lack of time, the author suggests online workshops that could be done from any location at any time, an AT telephone hotline, a provincial AT newsletter, more conferences for teachers to attend and network. Access to an individual or team of individuals who were specialists in AT was also proposed. Support from school administrators would be necessary in order to provide time for training and programming tools.