Lessons Learned Developing a Digital Literacy Program for Students with Disabilities

1. Lessons Learned Developing a Digital Literacy Program for Students with Disabilities Presenters: Patrick Lowenthal,Boise State UniversityMichael Humphrey,Boise State UniversityShannon M. Taylor,Idaho Falls School District Additional Contributors: Alison Lowenthal,Idaho Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Quincy Conley,Pearson Education Idaho Training Clearninghouse, University of Idaho & Idaho Department of Education

2. Session Description Students need basic digital literacies to complete a college or job application today. In this session, we will present a blended digital literacy program developed for students with disabilities. We will discuss how the program was developed, lessons learned testing it with students and teachers, and the ways we are collaborating with other agencies to improve the program.

3. Agenda • Background on digital literacy 2. Purpose of the project 3. Description of the project 4. Lessons learned with our partners & collaborators 5. Changes in the Project 6. Future of the Project

4. < BACKGROUND >

5. What does digital literacy mean to you?

6. Literacy has always been a collection of cultural and communicative practices shared among members of particular groups. As society and technology change, so does literacy… …the twenty-first century demands that a literate person possess a wide range of abilities and competencies, many literacies. Literacy

7. Literacy and Change Literacy has always been a collection of cultural and communicative practices shared among members of particular groups. As society and technology change, so does literacy… …the twenty-first century demands that a literate person possess a wide range of abilities and competencies, many literacies.

8. P21 Framework for 21st Century Learning

9. Partnership for 21st Century Skills

10. A Digitally Literate Person • Possesses skills (technical and cognitive) to find, understand, evaluate, create, and communicate digital information in a wide variety of formats; • Is able to use diverse technologies to retrieve information, interpret results, and judge the quality of that information;   • Understands the relationship between technology, lifelong learning, personal privacy, and stewardship of information; • Uses these skills and appropriate technology to communicate and collaborate with others; and • Uses these skills to actively participate in civic society and contribute to a vibrant, informed, and engaged community.

11. Ideal Conditions for Transition Services • Individuals with Disabilities Act • Every student succeeds Act • Workforce innovations and opportunities act

12. Purpose of Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) “To ensure that all children with disabilities have available to them a free appropriate public education that emphasizes special education and related services designed to meet their unique needs andprepare them for further education, training, employment, and independent living”. “Subpart A of the Part B Regulations Title 34: Education PART 300.1”

13. Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) • Signed in law on December, 2015. • Includes provisions that authorize schools districts to plan how they will assist schools in developing programs to provide students an opportunity to develop digital literacy skills and improve academic achievement. • ESSA discusses the importance of technology and digital literacy as fundamental to improving academic achievement to better prepare our students for college and careers in the digital age.

14. Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act (WIOA) • Aims to increase access to and opportunities for employment, education, training, and support services, particularly for individuals with the greatest barriers to employment. • Signed in law on July 22, 2014. • Designed to help job seekers access employment, education, training, and support services to succeed in the labor market. • Mandates 15% of the federal grant to each state be spent on “students”.

15. < PURPOSE of PROJECT >

16. How did you get your first job?

17. my first job

18. Meet Jordan

19. Jordan’s Job Hunt

20. AlbertsonsApply Online

21. Purpose of High School A primary goal of secondary education and thetransition services associated with special education is to prepare students for life beyond high school. However, life beyond high schoolhas changed a great deal during the past 10-15 years and transition services forstudents with exceptionalitiesneed to change appropriately.

22. Original Collaborators

23. Overview of the Project Secondary Transition Digital Literacy Skills Program focuses on: • Increasing digital literacy skills of students with disabilities; • Knowledge and skills needed to find a job and/or continue on to post-secondary education; • Offering a blended/flexible learning experience that can be done online / f2f or large group / small group / alone

24. Design and Development Project Guided by student first, disability second... • What digital literacy skills do all students need to access employment or college? • What is needed to make online instruction accessible? • How do we make the instruction situated, authentic, & relevant?

25. < DESCRIPTION of PROJECT >

26. Content Focus TRACK 1: Getting a Job (i.e., Employment Track) TRACK 2: Going to College (i.e., College Track)

27. Two Delivery Formats Teacher-Led Format (Classroom) Introduction Videos eLearning Pretests Content (PowerPoints and handouts) eLearning Posttests Student-Led Format (Online) Introduction Videos eLearning Pretests Content (Self-study Guides) eLearning Posttests

28. Employment Track Overview Module 1: Introduction to Communicating Online Module 2: Building Your Employment Profile Module 3: Finding Your Next Job Module 4: Entering the Job Market Module 5: Following Up

29. College Track Overview Module 1: Introduction to Communicating Online Module 2: Deciding on a Technical Education or College Module 3: Applying for College or Housing Module 4: Applying for Financial Aid Module 5: Following Up

30. General Module Layout Introduction Video Pretest Content & Activities Posttest

31. Let’s Demo Part of a Module

32. < LESSONS LEARNED >

33. Round 1: Formative Evaluations • Tools for Life March, 2017 • Nampa School District, May 2017 • Boise Schools and Idaho Falls, Spring 2018

34. Round 2: Formative Evaluations • Trained Teachers in Boise Schools, January 2018 • Trained Teachers in Idaho Falls, Spring 2018

35. Lesson 1: Accessible, Usable, & Inclusive Content aren’t the same

36. Lesson 2: Too Much Content. Chunk Modules into Lessons

37. Lesson 3: Simplify Reading Level; Reduce Amount of Reading

38. Lesson 4: Teachers Need More Training and Support

39. Lesson 5: Play by the rules (even when they change). Find more collaborators & creative ways to get the curriculum in teachers hands

40. < CHANGES & FUTURE DIRECTIONS >

41. Interagency Collaboration In partnership with the Idaho Training Clearninghouse, we are creating a teacher version of the modules so teachers can complete the course online as professional development.

42. Creating a Course for Teachers • Modules will be available soon at https://idahotc.com/ • Educators can chose to pay to receive credit for going through the training • Educators will receive all the module materials to use with their students after going through the training

43. It takes a Village! Current Collaborators

44. What questions do you have?

45. Contact Us? Pre-employment Transition Services for Students https://vr.idaho.gov/site/students Patrick Lowenthal patricklowenthal@boisestate.edu Shannon Taylor TaylShan@d91.k12.id.us Alison Lowenthal alison.lowenthal@vr.idaho.gov Michael Humphreymichaelhumphrey@boisestate.edu