Microsoft Supports for students with LD

Tara Wagg and Miranda BarryYRDSB Student Services

Learning GoalsParticipants 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 ContextIn York Region District School Board, we

believe that: ALL students 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 JumpingElbow 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 TechnologyANY 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 2007A widely used Commercial Word Processor developed by Microsoft. MS Word offers several features to ease document creation and edition, including:

Spell CheckText Level FeaturesExternal SupportPage Level Features

PowerPointPowerPoint 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 2007A Commercial Spreadsheet Application used for various activities including:

CalculationsGraphingOrganization of dataSpreadsheet

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.

WordQAn OSAPAC Licensed

softwareWord Prediction,

Editing, and Text-to-Speech software

Phonological ProcessingRefers 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 - STRATEGIESBuilt in support inMicrosoft Office

Suite,Includes: Spell checkSpeak cells feature

in Excel

Phonological ProcessingSTRATEGIESWordQText-to-Speech

softwareHighlight and select

words to hear how word is pronounced

LANGUAGE PROCESSINGLanguage 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 ProcessingSTRATEGIESBuilt in support inMicrosoft Office

Suite,Includes: Sound objects (PPT,

MS, Excel). Auto-grammar

featuresLook up word(s) and

Synonym feature

Language ProcessingSTRATEGIESWordQSupports with

predicting as they write

Software reads assignments, test questions to support reading fluency

VISUAL-MOTOR SKILLSRefers 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 SkillsSTRATEGIESBuilt in support inMicrosoft Office

Suite,Includes: Provide notes from

PPTAbility 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) SkillsSTRATEGIESBuilt in support inMicrosoft 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

MemoryRefers to the ability to retain information.

Four types of memory:1. Short Term2. Long Term 3. Working Memory4. Retrieval

MemorySTRATEGIESBuilt in support inMicrosoft Office Suite,Includes: MS page breaksPowerPoint 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 SpeedSTRATEGIESBuilt in support inMicrosoft 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.

AttentionSTRATEGIESBuilt in support inMicrosoft 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 FunctionBuilt in support inMicrosoft Office

Suite,Includes: MS Word highlight

featurePowerPoint to

support organization and planning of assignments

Questions? CommentsOther…