Welcome To Learning Support

Learning Support at Bert Church

Learning Lead:  Ms. K. Parlee / Mr. I. Ferguson

Learning Support provides baseline services in Rocky View Schools.  This branch of the Learning department is primarily responsible for assessment and programming for the diverse student population in the district.

The focus of their work is "improving learning for each learner". This occurs through capacity-building with school-based staff, and supporting the diverse needs of learners through consultation and informal and/or formal assessment. Areas addressed include the social/emotional needs, behaviour support, academic support/strategies, and cognitive abilities as it relates to the student's school success.

Please follow the link to read about RVS's learning support model.  Click Here

Assistive Technology for Learning

What is Assistive Technology?

As defined in Chapter 9 of Individualized Program Planning: Infusing Assistive Technology for Learning into the IPP (Alberta Education, 2006), Assistive Technology for Learning (ATL) is the devices, media and services used in learning environments to overcome barriers for students with physical, sensory, cognitive, speech, learning or behavioural special needs to actively engage in learning and to achieve their individual learning goals. The primary goal of ATL is to support all students, including those with special needs, in achieving the learning outcomes of the curriculum or their individual learning goals.  ATL is directly related to the delivery of learning outcomes in the Alberta programs of study.

Like other technologies, ATL ranges from simple tools to complex systems.  It can be as simple as providing a pencil grip for writing or as complex as a computer with screen reading software for reading and learning.  It is different from educational or instructional technology. Educational technology is generally used by all students. ATL is more specialized and often more complex technology that allows access to learning for students who have barriers due to their disabilities.

Continuum of Assistive Technology

The term assistive technology represents a continuum of tools ranging from low- to high-tech. Low-tech and many mid-tech tools are often available in office supply stores or electronics stores, and are common in most classrooms. High-tech tools are frequently computer-based solutions that focus on the specialized needs of an individual student, although there are cases in which a high-tech tool provided for one student can benefit other students in the classroom. For example, a sound-field FM amplification system, which uses a classroom speaker system to boost the voices of the teacher and individual students, allows the voices to be clearly heard by all students in the classroom, not only the individual student with hearing difficulties.

Choosing Appropriate Assistive Technology Solutions

Investigating whether or not individual students might benefit from assistive technology, and which solution would be most appropriate in meeting their needs, is an ongoing process that involves working as a team to explore alternatives, gather information and set up opportunities for students to try potential ATL solutions across learning environments.

Evidence shows that ATL plans are more likely to be well-implemented when the student’s entire learning team is involved in the initial decision making. Teachers, parents and the students themselves should all be involved in identifying and selecting ATL solutions. As with any kind of accommodation, the ultimate goal of assistive technology for learning is to help students become more independent, so it is essential that they participate as fully as possible in the selection, implementation and monitoring of ATL solutions.

As the learning team begins to explore ATL solutions, using a set of investigative questions such as the SETT framework developed by Joy Zabala might be appropriate.  The SETT framework uses a set of questions to guide the team in gathering information about the student, the environment, the learning task(s) and the tools.

In Rocky View, to determine what assistive technologies are the best fit for individual students, schools are required to complete a referral for assistance.  Once the referral has been completed and returned to the appropriate person(s), a meeting with the student's IPP (Individualized Program Plan) Planning Team will occur and a plan will be developed.

Software Solutions in Rocky View Schools

Read&Write lets everyone read, write and express themselves more confidently.
Our easy-to-use toolbar makes documents, files and web pages more accessible. Read&Write is a big confidence booster for anyone who needs a little support with their reading and writing, at school or in the workplace. And its friendly literacy features help English Language Learners, as well as people with dyslexia or other learning difficulties.

From hearing emails or documents read out loud to text prediction, picture dictionaries and summary highlighters, Read&Write makes lots of everyday literacy tasks simpler, quicker and more accurate.

http://www.rockyview.ab.ca/techsupports/read-write/assistive_technology