TECHNOLOGY SOFTWARE FOR SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTSBy: Amanda Bradley1

MENU FOR TECHNOLOGY SOFTWARE FOR SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTS

•Title Page Page 1•Menu Page Page 2•“Texas District” Summary 1 Page 3•“Texas District” Summary 2 Page 4•Personal Reflection of “Texas District” Page 5•“Software Helps Schools” Summary 1 Page 6•“Software Helps Schools” Summary 2 Page 7•Personal Reflection of “Software Helps Schools” Page 8•“Denver Public Schools” Summary 1 Page 9•“Denver Public Schools” Summary 2 Page 10•Personal Reflection of “Denver Public Schools” Page 11•Choice of Quote Page 12•Conclusion Page 13

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“TEXAS DISTRICT TAKES SPECIAL ED MANAGEMENT ONLINE” SUMMARY 1

BY: DAVE NAGELTEXAS DISTRICT ARTICLE

The article “Texas District Takes Special Ed Management Online” focuses on Round Rock Independent School District’s (RRISD) decision to manage the lesson plans of its special needs populations online. The program that Round Rock Independent Schools are adopting is called Encore (Nagel). By using Encore, it will reduce the number of data entry assistants, those individuals that assist with paperwork, by half (Nagel). This effectively positions those individuals into positions where they now will be dealing directly with the students instead of organizing paperwork according to Rock Round Independent School District’s superintendent of Instruction Toni Garcia (Nagel).

Linda Noy, director of special education for Round Rock Independent School District, stated “Our district’s goal is to move to a more technology driven philosophy, so, with this new philosophy in sight, we researched computerized special education programs that would meet our district’s needs and leave behind our old way of completing [individualized education plans] by hand” (Nagel).

Dave Nagel, "Texas District Takes Special Ed Management Online," T.H.E. Journal, 11/26/2007, http://www.thejournal.com/articles/21635

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“TEXAS DISTRICT TAKES SPECIAL ED MANAGEMENT ONLINE” SUMMARY 2

The article emphasized that while the new software program Encore will not only increase the time spent with special needs students, it will also allow the teachers to create more personalized lesson plans for the students. The program itself also in accordance with the district’s reporting system (PEIMS) and align with the standards (Nagel). It complies with the standards by using its built-in compliance check (Nagel).

The conclusion of the article focused on the amount of students in the Round Rock Independent School District in Texas. It stated that Round Rock Independent School District serves 39,000 students through 27 elementary schools, 8 middle schools, and 4 high schools (Nagel). In addition, it also serves three alternative learning centers (Nagel).

Dave Nagel, "Texas District Takes Special Ed Management Online," T.H.E. Journal, 11/26/2007, http://www.thejournal.com/articles/21635

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PERSONAL REFLECTION OF “TEXAS DISTRICT TAKES SPECIAL ED MANAGEMENT ONLINE”

I found the content of the article “Texas District Takes Special Ed Management Online” to be both interesting and pragmatic. I liked the fact that it not only included the new software the school district was switching over to, but also the reasons why the switch was occurring.

I believe the Encore Software will suit both the teachers of special needs students and the students themselves well. It is allowing teachers to individualize lesson plans online which follow the standards and cuts down the time they have to spend on paperwork. This will increase each teacher’s time with his or her special needs students, which will in turn most likely increase the special needs students’ scores.

This software will also help to bring technology into education. This will help modernize both the classroom itself, but also the school district as a whole. What school district doesn’t want to be known as technologically savvy?

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“SOFTWARE HELPS SCHOOLS MANAGE SPECIAL POPULATIONS” SUMMARY 1

SOFTWARE HELPS ARTICLE “Software Helps Schools Manage Special Populations”

focuses on San Diego Unified School District’s usage of Spectrum K12’s Encore® software. This software helps serve the needs of 15,000 special education students in the district (“Software”).

One of the major reasons this district adopted the Encore software is because the administrators wanted a centralized place to view for individual lesson plans. They also wanted one where they would be able to view large volumes of information at a time (“Software”).

It also allowed administrators to be able to see more easily if the lesson plans were in accordance with state and federal guidelines and standards (“Software”). That feat in itself is a time consuming process, but trying to figure that out with handwritten plans is altogether nearly impossible!

6"Software helps schools manage special populations." District Administration 44.4 (02 Mar. 2008): 7-7. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. [IUPUI University Library], [Indianapolis], [IN]. 16 Nov. 2008 <http://web.ebscohost.com.proxy.ulib.iupui.edu/ehost/pdf?vid=1&hid=112&sid=95e4899c- 54fc-4719-ba39-1d54234b5f3c%40sessionmgr104>

“SOFTWARE HELPS SCHOOLS MANAGE SPECIAL POPULATIONS” SUMMARY 2

Sue Reilly, operations specialist for the district’s special education division said the following about Encore, “Encore enables us to look at the effectiveness of those programs and services, as well as ensuring students are receiving the services they need” (“Software”).

The article goes on to describe how the software Encore operates. Encore enables special educators to log document student information into a form-based entry (“Software”). From using Encore, special education providers can learn whether a student requires specialized instruction materials, such as large-print books, and whether those materials have been provided (“Software”). This is especially useful because if a student transfers, a teacher does not have to wait for their information if it has already been placed into the Encore system (“Software”). Another perk to using Encore is that it can be accessed from just about anywhere (“Software”).

7"Software helps schools manage special populations." District Administration 44.4 (02 Mar. 2008): 7-7. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. [IUPUI University Library],

[Indianapolis], [IN]. 16 Nov. 2008 <http://web.ebscohost.com.proxy.ulib.iupui.edu/ehost/pdf?vid=1&hid=112&sid=95e

4899c-54fc-4719-ba39-1d54234b5f3c%40sessionmgr104>

PERSONAL REFLECTION OF “SOFTWARE HELPS SCHOOLS MANAGE SPECIAL POPULATIONS”

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This article helped cement to me why Encore is such an amazing tool for special needs students. While reading this article, I was amazed that in just the San Diego Unified School District this program was going to help and serve the needs of 15,000 special needs students.

I also find the whole portion on transfer students very interesting. I know the information on students on Encore can only be transferred immediately online if the student comes from a school that previously had Encore. I think it should be a goal that every school in America used this system. Not only would it save a lot of time, but it would also help special needs students. It would give teachers more time to actually spend with them on lessons and less time with them shuffling through piles and piles of paperwork.

I also took note of the portion where this article discussed how using Encore to process information about the student could actually help speed the process of getting materials for a special needs student. Encore would help the teacher know what books the student needs, whether the student requires large print, what exactly the disabilities of a student are, etc.

“DENVER PUBLIC SCHOOLS SELECT ENCORE! FROM SPECTRUM K12 SCHOOL SOLUTIONS FOR COMPREHENSIVE SPECIAL ED DATA MANAGEMENT” SUMMARY 1

DENVER ARTICLE This article discusses how Denver Public Schools

(DPS) has chosen Encore! to manage its special needs education program. 75,000 students, through 151 schools, are in this district and have the possibility to use this software (“Denver”).

DPS originally had a software problem that was installed on computers throughout the district, however numerous problems stemmed from it-one being that it was hardly ever available on the web (“Denver”). In effect, teachers were obligated to fill out paper individual education plans (“Denver”). This was very time consuming from teachers and it took away from the amount of time that could be spent on them teaching their special needs students.

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"Denver Public Schools Selects ENCORE! from Spectrum K12 School Solutions for Comprehensive Special Ed Data Management". Business Wire. . FindArticles.com. 16 Nov. 2008. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2006_Nov_16/ai_n27057473/pg_1

“DENVER PUBLIC SCHOOLS SELECT ENCORE! FROM SPECTRUM K12 SCHOOL SOLUTIONS FOR COMPREHENSIVE SPECIAL ED DATA MANAGEMENT” SUMMARY 2 The article goes on to discuss Encore! and how it

helps to increase the effective of special needs programs. It does this by speeding up the process of collection and reporting processes by reducing the paperwork issue. Encore! also makes sure that the paperwork is completed accurately and on time when it is entered into the computer (“Denver”). This allows for the teachers to have more hands on time with the students.

The deciding factor to choose Encore!, according to Lisa Bernadett, director of operations for student services at Denver Public Schoos, was “its built in compliance engine” (“Denver”) . She says, “It prompts the user when data entered into the system aren’t compliant so the data can be corrected before the completion of the IEP meeting” (“Denver”).

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"Denver Public Schools Selects ENCORE! from Spectrum K12 School Solutions for Comprehensive Special Ed Data Management". Business Wire. . FindArticles.com. 16 Nov. 2008.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2006_Nov_16/ai_n27057473/pg_1

PERSONAL REFLECTION ON “DENVER PUBLIC SCHOOLS SELECT ENCORE! FROM SPECTRUM K12 SCHOOL SOLUTIONS FOR COMPREHENSIVE SPECIAL ED DATA MANAGEMENT”

While reading this article, I was very pleased to find that Encore! worked well for Denver Public Schools. I noticed that the first computer software program they used did not work out well for them. I am not surprised by this because I am a cynic when it comes to technology at times. However, I was happy to find that they did not give up on the special needs students and strived to find a better solution.

Another part that really stuck out to me was the fact that when data is entered Encore! it immediately checks to make sure the IEP was filled out accurately and in time. It also makes sure that the IEP coincides with both the state and federal education guidelines. This is a sufficient tool because if caught in time, a teacher can fix their IEP that has a fault and prevent themselves from receiving a scolding!

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CHOICE OF QUOTE "The people at Spectrum K12 focus exclusively on

special education. They know the complexities inherent in the process, and have built a solution that will save our teachers time, and allow them more time to deliver quality instruction while increasing the quality of the collected data“

-Lisa Bernadett , director of operations for student services at Denver Public Schools from “Denver Public schools select encore! From spectrum k12 school solutions for comprehensive special ed data management”

I believe this quote sums up what Encore is all about. Although only featured in one article, it is the general consensus of all 3 of my articles used for this assignment. It states that Encore! is a solution to the tedious and time consuming ways of paperwork. Encore! Eliminates that hassle and allows teachers to spend their time delivering instruction to special needs students. 12

CONCLUSION OF TECHNOLOGY SOFTWARE FOR SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTS

In conclusion, all 3 articles offered insight on software aimed at helping both students of special needs and special education teachers.

Encore! is the software the was featured in the 3 articles I chose. After reading all 3 articles it was discovered that Encore! eliminates the paperwork duties by half, allows data entry for IEP by computer, increasing teachers time with special needs students, allows for teachers to make custom lesson plans, makes sure IEP complies with state and federal guidelines, makes sure IEP’s are filled out correctly and on time, etc.

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