Microsoft Ease of Access--Assisstive Technologies

Assisstive Technologies-


The On-Screen Keyboard is helpful for students who may be unable to type or unable to type quickly. This tool helps students click on letters, numbers, and other keys on a keyboard that a student may have difficulty using. For example, I have a friend who is paralyzed. He is unable to move his fingers well and would be able to grasp a mouse and click on keys this way. I could use this tool in the classroom for students with similar abilities like my friend.


The Magnifier tool on Microsoft allows for people to use their mouse and go over the screen on the bottom have of the screen to look at the images on the screen. The Magnifier blows the image up to a larger view so that visually impaired people may have an easier time reading on the computer. I could use this in my classroom for both normal students and visually impaired students who may need to see the type in a larger format.



The High Contrast Color Scheme enables someone to see the computer screen. Someone who is color blind may not be able to see the screen, but when the high contrast setting is on, they they will be able to distinguish the colors and words. I could use this in my classroom if I have a colorblind student or someone who needs this to contrast the colors. This way, they will be able to participate in computer-related activities without the help of a partner. They can type, surf-the-net, and do all the things related with the computer screen that others would be able to do.

Data Collection and Analysis

Part 1-

Station 8: Parts of Speech Across Languages

I worked in a group with Jonathan May to finish this project. In the station, we worked together to complete this project as if we were students. Our station said that we are juniors in a Spanish class. The teacher, Mrs. Brown, wanted us to compare and contrast English and Spanish in articles we found online. For this station, we found two articles from BBC News that were translated in both English and Spanish. Then, we copied and pasted a few sentences from each article into an online tool called "Wordle." Wordle takes words in paragraphs, sentences, and papers and creates an image of the words according to how many times they are used in the text. The more a word is used, the bigger the word appears in the image. Then, we took a screenshot of this image and put the image into a word document. Also, we put the copied text into the word document. We assigned different parts of speech to a color and identified each part of speech in the text by highlighting each word with that color. For example, we labeled nouns green, so "IPCC" was a green color. With this, we recorded how many times each word showed up and analyzed the Wordle pictures. Then we answered questions the teacher gave us.

For this project, we worked together for the most part, but I completed the citations and typed the answers to the questions. Also, I found the parts of speech and colored them in the English text.

Part 2-

These are the questions and answers to what the assignment asked:

What similarities and differences are there?
In both Spanish and English, nouns, verbs, and adverbs are generally the same amount with maybe a difference of one or two. Also, the nouns are abundant in both of them. However, the major difference is there are more prepositions in Spanish. This goes in relation to more adjectives present in English. In addition, there are more articles and no pronouns in Spanish.

What conclusions can you draw about the languages based on these similarities/differences?
The main conclusion drawn is that Spanish uses prepositional phrases as adjectives. Also, English has more of a tendency to use pronouns, whereas the Spanish language does not require pronouns with verbs. However, the basic structure of subject and verb is the same, because there are similar amounts of nouns and verbs.

What conclusions can you draw about the languages based on the Wordle pictures?
The conclusion from looking at the Wordle picture is that there are more words in Spanish to convey the same thought and information as English does. Ippc is the biggest word in both pictures. While “panel” is big in English, there is no word “panel” in Spanish. Another conclusion is that there is an abundance of nouns for both languages.

What difference in emphasis can you infer from the Wordle pictures?
The difference in emphasis of the Wordle pictures is the nouns are the biggest words in for both English and Spanish compared to the other parts of speech.

Part 3-

As the student, I believe this activity was a fun way to compare the languages, and their use of parts of speech. As a Spanish class, this would seem like a good project, because students are able to see the similarities and differences of the language they are born with and the language they are studying. If I was the teacher, I would like this project, because the activity is fairly quick and easy, and the students are learning about their language and Spanish.

However, I did not like that the project was set up for group work, but the task was difficult to work in pairs. The Wordle tool and taking screenshots are more of an individual task, so at first, we had trouble splitting the work. If I were to do the activity again, I would like to have worked alone, because I feel I would have learned more. As the teacher, the aspect of this activity I do not like is the students find their own articles. I would rather find articles myself and give the articles to the students, so that I know the articles are reliable and similar.

The most interesting part of this activity is that although both articles were the same, except one is in English and the other is in Spanish, their use of parts of speech differed somewhat greatly. I was interested in this difference, and I feel this is good for students to know when studying another language: they differ in using parts of speech. Also, Wordle is interesting to use and the outcome is surprising to see which words are used more than others.

Evaluation of InspireData

This tool provides pre-made data sets for students to use in evaluation of graphs or date sets for many application of math. InspireData is a software program for the computer. The program is valuable as both a reference tool and a drill-and-practice tool. As a reference tool, students may look up data to use in a presentation or project they are working on that needs available data. InspireData provides this information to students so they do not have to find information on their own. As a drill-and-practice tool, students are able to use these data sets and go over previously covered material from a lecture. If a teacher is reviewing graph plotting or finding data trends, then the student may use this program to explore the content and use this tool as a review tool. I believe this tool is more of a reference, but in certain cases, this could be used as a drill-and-practice tool if the teacher wants the students to practice taught applications of math to review for a test.

InspireData allows students and teachers to look at and organize data sets with the field area. The example I looked at showed body proportions, and teachers or students could use this to find a relation in body height and arm length, if one exists. Or, they can organize the different people who gave body measurements into groups according to different lengths of body parts, gender, or age.

The education value this program holds is students do not have to look up data sets for projects or further learning, because the program already has data sets. This program saves time and increases efficiency for students and teachers who need an available data set. Mathematics always uses statistic information, and this efficient use make InspireData an easy and fun way to look at data. The content areas I believe will most benefit from this tool are higher level math classes such as statistics, algebra, or graphing.

Summary of "Using VideoAnt Annotations to Provide "Audience-based" Assessment to Students' Video Productions"

VideoAnt
In this podcast, a professor evaluates and shows how to use VideoAnt Annotations. Here, teachers are able to write annotations directly on the student's video. They can navigate easily and jump to the timeline where they delete, add, or edit comments. Students and teachers are able to visually see where comments are and what the comments are and able to line up comment exactly where you want it on the timeline. The podcast is thorough and highlights the basics of the site, showing what the benefits are of using the site. I learned that other people can see annotations and the video project. This enables others to comment, which gives a thorough review and help for the students. This podcast even gives a student and teacher's opinion about the site. The site allows for more personalized and precise comments, instead of a general grading system by a teacher at the end of the video presentation, and students get feedback from peers, teachers, and audience. The podcast does a good job showing how the professor used the site to comment on a student's video. Viewing this podcast shows viewers how to use VideoAnt Annotations, benefits of the site, and why teachers should use this to grade or review students' video work.

PBS Teachers Evaluation

PBS Teachers

This website is a resource for teachers who are looking for classroom resources, discussions, and professional development.

This site increases efficiency by allowing teachers of all grade levels and subject areas to join and eliminate the hassel of looking for multiple websites. Teachers can go here and find resources in the classroom, for their development, and help from other teachers.

This site increases effectiveness of classroom learning by providing a place for teachers around the world to meet and discuss classroom issues, ideas, and information. The effectiveness is also increased by the professional development link which shows many areas where teachers may become better teachers.

This site increases the enhancement of a classroom, because there are mulitple tools for teachers. A teacher may find resources for a classroom lesson plan or find word problems for student engagement. The discussions tab allows for teachers to connect and share ideas or other resources that are useful in the classroom.

AnnenbergMediaLearner.org Evaluation

Annenberg: Teacher Develpment Tools

Annenberg Media Learner's site provides tools for teachers' professional development in different subject areas.

This website provides teachers of all grade levels with tools toward their professional development.

Because all grades and subject areas are included, this one website increases efficiency for allowing more than one grade level to use it. All grade level teachers may use this resource instead of having to search through search engines.

The website is effective, because multiple subject areas are covered and the easy-to-click links provide a quality that is increased here. Teachers may find their subject, grade level, and criteria.

Also, the site enhances the use of these tools, because videos are provided, articles are available, and insight is given into teaching. There is a tool for finding workshops and courses, which will enable teachers to provide their own source of professional development.