20TRA026 Session 2 Further Education Teachers – Supporting Inclusion and Progression through Assistive Technology

Further Education Teachers – Supporting Inclusion and Progression through Assistive Technology

This workshop is offered by IT Tralee as part of the SOAR project for broadening participation in third level education.

Further Education is an important stepping-stone to third level study and provides a window of opportunity for developing self-directed learning skills.  For students with disabilities, a range of rapidly developing technologies can reduce or remove many of the barriers they face in education and support their successful progression to degree level and beyond.  Further Education courses provide an important opportunity for students to experiment with these, and to develop an effective learning process using the most appropriate tools for their own individual learning preferences.

In fact, many of the technologies now available have much wider application and are used effectively and productively by students and professionals across the board.  The need for all students to have access to a full range of technology for learning has been brought strongly to the fore by the current COVID crisis.

The first workshop will introduce a wide variety of mainly free and easily available assistive technology options which may be made available for students, allowing them to experiment with different means of representation and of expression as per Universal Design for Learning.

A follow up session will provide a forum for participants to share their experiences of applying the technologies in their classrooms, raising any difficulties encountered and sharing helpful practices.  Participants are asked to commit to attending both sessions.

Biography

Jane Brennan is the Enabling Transitions Facilitator for the SOAR project at IT Tralee.  Enabling Transitions works with educators in the second level and further education systems to promote the independent learning skills of students, including those with disabilities, through the use of a range of appropriate technologies.

Jane is a teacher with over 30 years experience in second level, further and higher education.

Register here