Technology Skills & Business Experiences To Prepare For Employment & Independence

Introductions• Students

• Teachers: Vickie Kambic, Cari Douglas

• Administrator Claudia Beckner

• Dr. Kendra Williams Diehm

• Rick DeRennaux

History• Tech-Now Began in 1999

with a two year grant from the Oklahoma Developmental Disabilities Council

• Numerous funding partners over the sixteen years of the program

• Current funding partners• The Oklahoma

Department of Rehabilitation Services (DRS)• The Oklahoma

Department of Career & Technology Education• Each program site

Standards Alignment ISTE• The International Society

for Technology in Education’s National Educational Technology Standards for Students (NETS•S), Performance Indicators for Students

• Required Activities/ Areas of Emphasis For Transition of the Workforce Innovations And Opportunities Act (WIOA) Reauthorization

Progress Report Tool• Evaluation Areas:• Dependability,

Punctuality, Motivation, Working Independently, Working With Others, Work Speed, Following Instructions, Accepting Criticism, Following Training Rules, Learning New Tasks, & Appearance & Dress

• Documents Students’ Technology Skills Development Through Monthly Project Samples

• Documents Students’ Transition/ Employability Skills Based On The DRS Progress Report Form Via Teachers’ Observations

OU Study Findings Slide 1 of 3•Research Results

• 3-year ,pre- post-design study• Experimental Group:

TechNow Students (n=147)• Control Group:

Comparable Student with Disabilities (n=105)

• Measures Used • AIR Self-Determination

Scale• Transition Acquisition and

Goal Generator (TAGG)• Technology Survey (ITSE

standards)

OU Study Findings Slide 2 of 3•Technology Acquisition Results• TechNow Students are gaining

technology skills at a significant rate (p=.09)• This means TechNow students

ARE learning technology

• Students with an ED label gaining faster than other disability categories

• Students who are Hispanic and Native American are gaining faster than other ethnicities

• Students equally gaining across socio-economic groups

OU Study Findings Slide 3 of 3•Self-Determination Results• TechNow Student are

gaining self-determination skills at a mild rate compared to peers• This means TechNow

students ARE gaining self—determination skills (a little bit) faster 

• Students with an Autism or ID label gaining faster than other disability categories• Students who are Hispanic

are gaining faster than other ethnicities• Students equally gaining

across socio-economic groups and gender

• Students in TechNow reporting increased rates of Self-Determination learned at school

Methodology • Instructor Trainings

• Turnkey System For Success

• Computer Aided Instruction

• Guided Practice & Independent Practice

• Scalable Hands-On Activities

• Text, Email, Voice, and Limited Onsite Technical Support

Core Activities• Desktop Publishing

• Photo Editing & Compositing

• Web Research

• Individual, And Team Product Development & Production

• Expense & Effort Data Recording

• Marketing

Video Of Program Activities• This Is A Narrated Video

Of Program Activities.

School & Community Connections

• Candy Gram

• Drama Club Tickets

• School Event Posters

• Food Drive

• T-Shirt Design For S.O.

• Award Certificates

• Graduation Announcements & Photos

• Holiday Gifts

Micro Businesses • Bracelets

• Bookmarks

• Calendars

• Positive Behavior Intervention Strategies Posters

• Cards

• Buttons

• Wallets

• Bags

Secondary Benefits• Instructors’ Technology

Skills Increase

• Students Use Their Technology Skills To Assist In Completing Assignments For Other Classes

• Self Esteem Increases As Students See Their Skills/ Products Displayed And Valued

• Students Connect To The School Through Atypical Experiences

Establishing A Tech-Now Site• It Takes A Committed School

District To Have A Tech-Now Site

• An Administration That Understands The Importance Of A Student’s Successful Transition To Post High School Life And Supports Its Teachers Efforts

• A Teacher(s) That Is Excited About Transition & Technology

• Time In The Class Schedule And A Room For The Technology

• The Yearly Fee

• State Competition Transportation

Final Discussion Session• Panel Members Please

Address Overlooked Items

• Panel Member Testimonies

• Numerous Student Work Samples Are Displayed On The Tech-Now Vendor Table In The Main Hall

• Make The 10th Annual Oklahoma Transition Institute A Memorable Event!

• Don’t Forget The Free Photos For You And Your Team Members

Contact Us!• tech-now@hotmail.com

• Rick DeRennaux• derennaux@hotmail.com

• Kendra L. Williams-Diehm, Ph.D.Associate ProfessorDepartment of Educational Psychology, Special EducationJeannine Rainbolt College of EducationZarrow Center for Learning Enrichment AssociateUniversity of Oklahoma

Email  klwd@ou.edu