Blended learning in today’s classroom

Speech-language pathologist Christine Wor thington serves as psi's speech therapy supervisor and Vir tualpsi coordinator. Here she provides ways that blended learning is enhancing traditional classroom learning outcomes.

What is blended learning?

Blended learning is an educational concept that combines traditional classroom teaching, technology, online teacher-student interaction, and digital media. This hybrid model is intended to enhance traditional learning outcomes while students engage in self-paced and customized online learning activities. Blended learning is considered to be a progressive approach to education. However, in reality, educators have been integrating blended learning elements into their classrooms for quite some time with the use of digital materials and internet resources.

What types of blended learning can parents and students expect?

By integrating and connecting traditional face-to-face learning with digital technologies and resources, a blended learning environment emerges. Some types of blended learning styles may include, but are not limited to: rotation, flex, online labs, flipped classrooms, a la carte and enriched virtual experiences, to name a few. These learning styles utilize technology at varying levels, yet all combine opportunities for face-to-face and online instruction, guided practice, self-paced learning opportunities, fixed and flexible scheduling, and access to digital resources.

What is the pace of blended learning?

Blended learning can occur at the student’s pace and accommodates the student’s need to review and relearn material. In a traditional classroom setting where the teacher provides information through a lecture-style format, students have only one opportunity to hear and process the information. With the use of digital formats like prerecorded lessons, videos, small group sessions and interactive learning experiences, a blended learning approach affords students with the opportunity to learn, relearn, repeat and review content at their own pace and control when, how, and where learning occurs.

How does this approach benefit students with special needs?

Some of the major benefits of blended learning are self-paced instruction and differentiation of content material. For students with special learning needs, blended learning may be a perfect model. Students who learn differently or need a slower pace of learning can receive their instruction through varying modes, such as pre-recorded lessons, home-based experiments, videos or collaborative assignments. Content can be repeated and reviewed through different learning opportunities, thus reducing stress to keep the pace of their peers.

Blended learning can offer more engaging and self-tailored learning experiences for students with different learning styles or needs, and also can benefit students who need a more accelerated pace of instruction. Opportunities encouraged through blended learning, such as collaboration, exploration and examination of learned material, enhance the learning experience for all students by expanding the instructional environment outside of the classroom.

Furthermore, blended learning reduces the traditional lecture-style instruction seen in traditional teaching, which results in increased student engagement for all learning styles.

How can blended learning be integrated into a classroom?

Integrating blended learning into a traditional classroom can be accomplished easily and effectively by taking what is already in the classroom and using technology to enhance and boost learning and collaboration. Teachers should first determine which instructional model would work for their own teaching style, for the content being taught, and for the different learning styles and needs within the classroom.

Additionally, using digital materials that are engaging, easily accessible, and have varying degrees of difficulty would enhance educational outcomes for all learners. For teachers new to integrating technology into their classrooms, using digital or online assessments, utilizing digital learning platforms for assignments and collaborative activities, and offering online office hours for more individualized guidance may be a good starting place.

Today’s students are not new to technology and bringing digital resources to the learning experience is a natural progression in today’s classroom. Through blended learning, students are able to learn at their own pace and engage in a variety of learning styles, and then show their knowledge in ways that a traditional classroom format does not always offer. When paired with real-life experiences and learning opportunities, integrating digital technology to support traditional instructional material may be the ideal way to foster a lifetime love of learning.

What strategies can be done at home between parents and students?

Instructional resources that enhance the learning process should include practical teaching strategies that occur in a student’s natural environment. When students learn in a stress-free, supportive environment, generalization of learned information occurs more readily. Parents can take an active role in their student’s learning by engaging in interactive assignments and participating in collaborative discussions and hands-on activities. Learning together and encouraging their child to demonstrate what they know can help parents see the depth of their understanding.

STAYING VIRTUALLY CONNECTED

30 WEBSITES, APPS AND DIGITAL RESOURCES FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

From recreation, travel and books to executive functioning and learning, we’ve compiled a list of online resources to help you stay connected, engaged and inspired.

By Lindsey Geiss

Recreation and Travel

1. INMOTION

beinmotion.org/at-home-videos

InMotion is a nonprofit center dedicated to helping people manage their Parkinson’s, take charge of their well-being, and embrace the opportunities and challenges ahead. It is providing at-home exercise videos and other events. The center also provides in-person art, music programs and support groups. Also visit facebook.com/inmotionwellness.

2. BEYOND OUR BOUNDARIES VIRTUAL

TOURS VACATION BOX bobvirtualtours.com

Beyond Our Boundaries, a recreation service for people with developmental disabilities, offers a Virtual Tours Vacation Box that takes individuals on an interactive travel experience without leaving the comfort of their own homes. An affordable and educational way for people with disabilities to encounter a thrilling travel experience firsthand, the box includes an engaging 30-minute video hosted by a self-advocate, travel souvenirs and interactive materials to create discussion with a caregiver or family member. 3. KULTURECITY SENSORY INCLUSIVE APP

kulturecity.org/sensory-inclusive

Find sensory-friendly venues near you. One in five individuals has sensory issues, with those on the autism spectrum being the biggest group. This free app aims to help 20 percent of the population in the U.S. by listing KultureCity Sensory Inclusive Certified locations. Over 550 locations across the U.S. and the world have worked with KultureCity to become certified with continuous training, sensory bags and app integration.

4. WHEELMATE

oloplast.com/products/bladder-bowel/wheelmate

WheelMate is a free, interactive map app to find wheelchair-friendly restrooms and parking. It is powered by wheelchair users who add and verify every location themselves. The app currently has more than 35,000 locations across 45 countries, and almost 17,000 people have downloaded it. The app is available for Apple and Android, and no registration is required.

Books

5. SPECIAL BOOKS BY SPECIAL KIDS

sbsk.org

What began as an idea for a book series, developed into videos. Founded in 2016, SBSK is a multimedia movement that supports the acceptance and celebration of all members of the neurodiverse community regardless of diagnosis, age, race, religion, income, sexual orientation, gender or gender expression. The YouTube channel, which features full interviews with individuals of all ages, has over 2.4 million subscribers.

6. GEEK CLUB BOOKS

geekclubbooks.com

This nonprofit uses technology and the art of autism storytelling to produce pop culture-based autism awareness education that is innovative, engaging, positive, and opens hearts and minds to a new way of thinking about autism. The organization produces interactive comics, curriculum, school assemblies, digital books and magazines, educational videos, and blog content to change perceptions and end negative stereotypes, as well as hires adults with autism who play a key role in their creation and presentation.

7. SPECIAL NEEDS BOOK REVIEW

specialneedsbookreview.com

The website is a resource for special needs literature, including book and CD reviews as well as author interviews. Searchable by category, author, title and keyword, the book store includes reviews and links to purchase the items. The site aims to provide parents and educators of special needs children a resource where they can read, search, comment and buy books that can directly benefit them and others. However, the most recent post activity was a year ago, so it does not include recent releases.

8. STORYLINE ONLINE

storylineonline.net

The SAG-AFTRA Foundation’s Daytime Emmy-nominated and award-winning children’s literacy website streams videos featuring celebrated actors reading children’s books aloud alongside creatively produced illustrations. Students of all learning abilities can help develop literacy skills by following along with text as the literature comes alive.

9. BOB BOOKS READING APPS

bobbooks.com/product-category/apps

Award-winning learn to read phonics and sight word apps are available to purchase separately ($2.99) or as a bundle ($7.99 or $8.99). Bob Books stories and characters come to life with interactive games to make connections between letters and sounds, sound out simple words, spell words they’ve read and learn kindergarten sight words, building early readers’ confidence.

Social

10. BEST BUDDIES OHIO

facebook.com/bestbuddiesohio

Join in the fun on Facebook as they stream a variety of singalongs, information, workouts and more! Best Buddies is an international nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to establishing a global volunteer movement that creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment, leadership development, and inclusive living for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Visit bestbuddies.org/ohio for all more programming and events.

11. MAKING AUTHENTIC FRIENDSHIPS

makingauthenticfriendships.com

MAF is a responsive web-based application that helps individuals with special needs (age 13+) find friends at home or on the go, based on their geolocation, diagnosis, age and interests. Juliana Fetherman’s younger brother, who has ADHD and autism, inspired her to create the app to help everyone establish meaningful relationships. MAF has users in 35 states and 12 countries, with a large concentration in the New England area. It works like a game in that users create an avatar, find friends on an interactive map and chat with people to earn coins.

12. SIBLING SUPPORT PROJECT

siblingsupport.org

Siblings of people who have disabilities can connect with one another online through closed Facebook groups that provide members with validation, information and advice: SibNet for adult siblings, Sib20 for ages 18-30 and SibTeen for teens. For first through sixth grade typically-developing siblings, Sibshops provide peer support and guidance in a recreational setting. Lively three-hour workshops mix information, discussion and fun activities such as games, art, music and cooking. Search the online directory to find in-person or virtual Sibshops near you and view the curriculum online.

13. CONVERSATION PLANNER

happyfrogapps.com/product/ conversation-planner-social-skills-4-asd-kids

Available for free on the App Store for iPhone and iPad (offers in-app purchases), Conversation Planner teaches your child a step-by-step method to prepare for any conversation or social situation. Kids learn to think about who they are talking to, what that person will expect, when to know the person is ready for the conversation, etc.

Learning

14. RED TREEHOUSE

redtreehouse.org

This resource site supports the well-being of families and children with challenges, disabilities and health care needs (prenatal to age 25) by helping individuals find information and connect to tools, organizations, services and events in their communities. Features include an interactive map and searchable guides, toolkits, support groups and more. A program of Ronald McDonald House of Cleveland, Inc., Red Treehouse has been serving families across Ohio since 2011.

15. LIVESPECIAL.COM

livespecial.com

Find free online resources, information and support services for families, professionals and individuals with special needs. LiveSpecial.com offers support for all ages, from birth to the elderly. The site also offers a video gallery with helpful videos. It's a project of NCJW/Cleveland.

16. DO2LEARN

do2learn.com

Do2Learn provides thousands of free pages with social skills and behavioral regulation activities and guidance, learning songs and games, communication cards, academic material, and transition guides for employment and life skills. Premier products include View2do, JobTIPS, and books for purchase.

17. ARTICULATION STATION

littlebeespeech.com/articulation_station.php

This speech and language app was created by a certified speech-language pathologist for parents, SLPs and other educators to help work with children and adults with speech sound delays. The comprehensive articulation program offers practice at the word, sentence and story levels in 22 sounds in English. Available on the App Store, the free app includes the P sound program. Purchase additional programs for $1.99-$7.99 each or upgrade to PRO for $59.99 to access all 22 programs and over 1,200 target words. 18. 123 HOMESCHOOL FOR ME

123homeschool4me.com/ home-school-free-printables

The website offers tips, resources and over a million pages of free homeschool worksheets, games, lapbooks and lesson plans.

Executive Functioning

19. CHOICEWORKS AND

CHOICEWORKS CALENDAR beevisual.com

These picture-based learning tools are available for iPhone and iPad. Choiceworks ($9.99) helps children complete daily routines (morning, day and night), understand and control their feelings, improve their waiting skills (taking turns and not interrupting) and make choices. It is designed for caregivers to provide clear and consistent support to foster a child’s independence, positive behavior, and emotional regulation at home and in the community.

20. IALLOWANCE

jumpgapsoftware.com/allowance/ index.html

Available for iPhone and iPad, the app ($2.99) allows you to manage your child’s finances, chores and rewards that can be cashed in when set goals are reached. Teach children about earning, saving and spending. Schedule the frequency that you want chores to occur and set point or dollar values for each task, reminders with alarms, and approvals. 21. TIME TIMER

timetimer.com

Currently free, the visual timer app for Apple and Android devices features a red disk that disappears as seconds go by to improve time management skills, create structure and make time make sense in a more concrete way. It can be used to help ease transitions, establish routines and encourage more independence.

22. FIRST THEN VISUAL

SCHEDULE HD goodkarmaapplications.com/ ftvshd-first-then-hd.html

This comprehensive universal scheduling app works on all Apple iOS devices. FTVS HD ($14.99) lets you create and use all of these visual supports in one app: First Then boards, visual schedules, task analyses, social stories, choice boards and video models. Customize with your own photos and sound, set a timer for an entire schedule or individual steps, attach a choice board or video to any step, choose from five viewing options, and print and share schedules via email.

23. CALM

calm.com

This top-rated app for sleep, meditation and relaxation offers sleep stories for adults and children, breathing programs, stretching exercises, and relaxing music. Beginner, intermediate and advanced users can practice mindfulness techniques. Topics include deep sleep, calming anxiety, managing stress, focus and concentration, Calm Kids and more. A free 7-day trial is offered, and a subscription to the whole catalog costs $14.99/month.

Assistive Technology

24. BE MY EYES

bemyeyes.com

Be My Eyes is a free app for iOs or Android that connects blind and low-vision people with sighted volunteers and company representatives for visual assistance through a live video call. Be My Eyes connects you with a global community of volunteers and company representatives who are ready at a moment’s notice to help you see — to lend their eyesight and support with everyday tasks.

25. PETRALEX HEARING AID APP A phone-based hearing aid and hearing amplifier app, Petralex is available for free (with in-app purchases) for iOS and Android. The hearing aid will automatically adjust to specific features of your hearing. You only need a simple headset to use it.

26. APPLE ACCESSIBILITY

apple.com/accessibility/mac

Apple outlines various assistive technologies built into Mac devices. Users can turn on accessibility features in system preferences.

BALANCING NEEDS

27. ACCESSWORLD

afb.org/aw

“AccessWorld: Technology and People Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired” is the monthly online magazine of the American Foundation for the Blind. It provides app reviews, book reviews, product reviews and other objective, cutting-edge news and commentary.

*Editor’s note: Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) apps may offer a lower cost alternative to dedicated communication devices. While several are available, we highlight a few below. Full reviews by SLPs, teachers and parents can be found online.

28. COUGHDROP

mycoughdrop.com

CoughDrop is a full-featured Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) app that empowers individuals and the teams around them, including those with autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, Angelman syndrome, Rett syndrome, or other complex communication needs. A two-month trial/evaluation period is free, then pricing is $6 per month. 29. ASSISTIVEWARE

assistiveware.com/products

AssistiveWare makes award-winning AAC apps including Proloquo2Go, Proloquo4Text and Pictello. Proloquo2Go is a symbol-based AAC app for iOS ($249.99) and macOS ($124.99) that can be used as a daily communication tool and to build language skills. Proloquo4Text ($119.99) is a text to speech AAC app for iOS for those who cannot rely on their voice to speak. Pictello is a talking visual story creator app ($18.99) for iOS that allows you to create and share visual social stories and schedules.

30. TOBII SONO FLEX

tobiisonoflex.com

Tobii Sono Flex is an AAC vocabulary app that turns symbols into speech. It offers language to nonverbal persons who are not yet in full control of literacy. Sono Flex offers structure, flexibility and a framework for language development, matching individual and situational communication needs. $99.99 and a free lite version is available.

*Editor’s note: These descriptions are based on information from the developers;

they are not reviews or endorsements.

When the COVID-19 pandemic “We have done things we never thought hit and the country went we would do,” her mom, Elaine Eisner, says. into lockdown, it affected all “We try to think of more field trips that she Americans differently. Those most deeply can do.” affected are families with loved ones with The Eisner/Gohns have tried ways to special needs. Alana Gohn, 11, who was engage Alana in the outdoors, such as diagnosed with microcephaly as an infant, is working in the garden, swimming in the medically fragile with multiple pre-existing pool, going to parks or setting up the Slip’N conditions. Alana’s parents have kept their Slide, which has been good for physical daughter sequestered to keep her safe therapy when walking up the small hill. and COVID-free. This has created many “Talk to other parents about other opportunities as well as challenges. Alana Gohn creative ideas,” Eisner suggests. “Share

Alana's parents have created a dedicated ideas of a toy or good art project.” space in their basement, decorated with her favorite things, She says it’s helpful to have constant communication so she can participate in virtual experiences. with your team of doctors.

Like most kids adapting to these activities, some days it “Evaluate your loved one’s isolation and how it’s goes well and other times, it’s a struggle. impacting their mental health,” Eisner says. “Don’t stop

With the world changing daily and these online asking or fighting for what is right for your family — opportunities on the rise, families are finding ways to whether with the school or team of doctors. We have been balance their loved one's need for connections to the able to do things because we have been good advocates.” community. It’s also important to remind other families to be

Alana has participated in virtual yoga, music classes, inclusive when getting together isn’t always possible. FaceTime with friends, etc., but there are other ways she “Keep trying to think outside the box,” Eisner says. can interact with the outside world. — Angela Gartner