Technology Tools help make content accessible

If you are just learning about UDL and how to use technology to make learning more accessible for your ELLs, don't worry--you are not alone. There is no need to reinvent the wheel. There are a number of places you can go for technology tools that will make material accessible without requiring hours of research and planning.

A good place to start is this website, designed by CAST, which includes a number of tools:
http://www.cast.org/teachingeverystudent/tools/. This site has a program that will enable you to get a class profile of how your individual students learn, a goal setting program for students, and a tool with template that helps you recognize barriers to learning.

Another great place to get started is http://www.unitedstreaming.com/. There, you can download and view video and audioclips in seconds on almost every topic imaginable. Many schools already have a subscription, and this site is run by Discovery Education, so the quality of material is very good and educationally appropriate. If, for example, you are teaching about how plants grow, you can actually find time-lapsed videos showing the entire process, from seed to pland and back again.

One program that is especially beneficial for ELLs is Kidspiration (called Inspiration for older learners). This is a program that creates interactive graphic organizers. It also speaks, and can incorporate multiple color changes and images to increase understanding. It can be used by the teacher to help show the student relationships, but students can also use Kidspiration to demonstrate understanding in a way that is not so text-heavy. Try this site as an example:
http://www.centerforleadership.org/blog/2007/10/04/kidspiration-as-a-udl-friendly-instructional-tool/

Websites that facilitate learning are another tool that you can use to make content accessible to English Language Learners. Some great examples of interactive websites that help ELLs or students who learn differently include:

• http://bensguide.gpo.gov/ If you have to teach government, this site makes it interactive and fun. I especially like the interactive maps and the explanations of symbols and places.
• http://www.manythings.org/ac/family.html This is kind of like audio concentration, and it works great for kids who learn well by listening. It is especially good for kids who are learning to speak and listen to spoken English.
• www.windows.ucar.edu/ When you are teaching about space, interactive sites such as these can accommodate students on a number of levels.
• http://www.scholastic.com/kids/homework/maggie_science.htm Often students who do not speak English well can show you what they know if you give them a visual such as a diagram. This website is a great place to start.
• http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/StarChild.html When teaching astronomy to children, this website is extremely interactive. Additionally, the site is written at different levels, so that the same students can be working on the same topic simultaneously, but at their own reading level.

I have additional websites under Teacher and Student Resources on my ikeepbookmarks page:
http://www.iKeepBookmarks.com/Mrs._Eaton