Using Technology to Differentiate Instruction

Technology allows for Universal Design for Instruction i.e., the design of instructional materials and activities that make the learning goals achievable by individuals with wide differences in their abilities to see, hear, speak, move, read, write, understand English, attend, organize, engage, and remember. Universal design is built-in differentiation. Through modern technology we have access to myriad tools for scaffolding the learning process from intake - through processing and conversion - to output of information. 

Below are several scaffolding tools that may be applied as needed to differentiate instruction and assist students through the learning process. One should consider the following in designing curriculum projects to allow optimal success for all students:

  1. Provide various options for intake of information

  1. Accessibility Options are important considerations for students with visual, hearing or motor difficulties.
  2. Text - Besides traditional reading intake, digitized text can be manipulated onscreen for easier reading.  Text fonts can be changed and resized.
  3. Sound
    • a text reader can help English language learners as well as students with visual difficulties. It would also be useful to regular Ed students with reading difficulties.  Read Please, a  text to speech program allows the reader to manipulate the size of the text and the reading speed. It can also read several languages. Download a free version of the text reader from http://www.readplease.com/rpfree.php
    • Recorded readings of various literary genre
  4. Visuals
    • Videos w/close captions
    •  Photographs & drawn or computer generated images
  5. An online Dictionary offers immediate access to unfamiliar words.

  1. Provide various means of engaging students in processing and transforming information.

  1. Cooperative Learning Groups can be formed with each student having specific tasks to perform based upon their own strengths or need for skill development.
  2. Thinking Maps really do make kids think!  The process of developing a thinking map serves to deepen the thought process. It engenders questioning and evokes higher reasoning powers
  3. Various other Graphic Organizers and concept maps assist students in organizing their work for production.
    • Tools such as Mind Manager or Inspiration  can be used to create thinking maps and graphic organizers. A free trial version can be downloaded from their respective websites.
  4. Process Guides will help students through various tasks.
  5. Project templates help students in the production of their final product of a unit.
  6. Interactive programs, websites and on-screen manipulatives grab students attention and help keep them focused on the assignment.
  7. KWHL Charts help students access their own prior knowledge of a topic, plan their inquiry and assess what they learn from the process.
  8. A talking word processor such as Intelli-Talk allows students to hear the text as they type it.  This is useful for students with visual difficulties as well as English Language Learners.
  9. An on-screen keyboard can assist students with motor difficulties.
  10. A speech to text conversion program such as ViaVoice would be good for students with motor difficulties as well as dyslexic students. It can also be used by anyone who does not have good keyboarding skills and needs to input information quickly.
    • This technology enables students to take notes as they read, view, or listen to information.
  11. Calculators
    • Onscreen calculator (listed under Accessories in the Windows Operating system)
    • Free Calculators Online for every purpose imaginable
  12. Commercial programs such as Intelli-Mathics can help students build and express their knowledge and understanding of a math concepts.
  13. Digital Sensors can be used to gather data for all kinds of scientific experiments.

  1. Allow various ways for students to show what they know.

  1. Write
    • Work Processed Document
      A word processor program allows for spell and grammar checking by the students. Revision is quick and easy as writers can change and move text around within the document.  Teachers or peers can add comments or questions to the document to guide the student further in the drafting/revision/proofreading process.
       
    • Web page
      Composing writing pieces as web pages calls upon students to apply a variety of skills in thinking, reading, writing and designing. The teacher can provide online resources to serve as scaffolds for student learning.  The student employs the writing process to develop the piece, and may link to resources from which ideas are drawn.  Since the web is a visually medium, it takes both content and technology standards into consideration.  We not only view and evaluate the content and style of the writing piece, but also the design of the page on which it is displayed.  
       
  2. Draw, Photograph
    • Any Paint or draw program that comes with the computer operating system can used to express what a student understands.
    • Hand-drawn student artwork or photos can be scanned into a computer to add to a project.
    • Digital cameras allow for quick transference into a computer for editing and adding to a project.
    • There are many commercial programs such as MS PhotoDraw, Adobe Photoshop, or  Intelli-Pics or KidPix for younger students, that can help students express their knowledge and understanding of a topic.
  3. Speak
    • Students may have their understanding assessed orally while using a PowerPoint or HyperStudio presentation to demonstrate as they speak.
  4. Perform
    • Role-playing, dancing, playing an instrument, engaging in a sport
  5. Record
    • Sound recorders, video cameras and editing software give students access to a wonderful medium for  showing what they know.

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- C. O. Burleson