1. Tech Tools for Writing and
Organization
Shawn Tran
Assistive Technology Specialist
Poway Unified School District

2. Session Agenda
 Premise of the Guide
 Tier 1 – Writing and Organization
 Definition, Roles & Responsibilities, Tools, Data
Collection
 Tier 2 – Writing and Organization
 Definition, Roles & Responsibilities, Tools, Data
Collection
 Tier 3 – Writing and Organization
 Definition, Roles &
Responsibilities, Tools, Assessment & Follow-up

3. Assistive Technology Guide
www.assistivetechnologyguide.org

4. Premise of the Guide
 Teachers will learn how to consider the student, the
environment, and the tasks in order to identify the appropriate
tools to support learning (SETT)
 AT Specialists will support school site teams by providing training
and consultation
 Three-tiered model that includes ideas for tools, strategies, and
data collection at each level
 80% of student needs will be met at Tier 1 using tools and
strategies that teachers have available and can readily implement
 Remaining 20% of students will require more specialized
technology provided through Tiers 2 and 3

5. Areas of Focus
WRITING
 Fine Motor – handwriting and keyboarding
 Organization – brainstorming and pre-writing
 Drafting and Editing – draft writing and publishing
 Spelling
ORGANIZATION
 Study Skills – task organization, managing
materials, note-taking
 Time Management – student planners, calendars

6. Description of Tier 1
 Targets building academic skills for all students using resources
readily available in the classroom
 Teachers gather basic student profile information about academic
skills and formulate clear, realistic goals.
 Teachers identify tasks and barriers within the curriculum where
students are unable to participate and modify the environment
based on those needs.
 Use of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles guide the
modification to support the widest number of learners
 Use of Tier 1 supports will meet the academic needs of the
majority of students

7. Roles and Responsibilities – Tier 1
IEP Team AT Specialist
 Creates a positive learning environment  Supports school site staff through general
through use of readily available classroom AT trainings
resources
 Answers questions about the Tier 1 Tools and
 Implements ideas from the Tier 1 Tools and Strategies list
Strategies list
 Gathers basic student profile information
about written language
 Accesses free and available district
resources
 Accesses trainings for Tier 1 support tools
 Identifies needs for further interventions
through data collection

8. Tier 1
Writing Tools
Fine Motor Organization Drafting & Spelling
Editing
• Adapted pencils & • Graphic organizers • Highlighters • Personal print
pens • Story starters & • Erasable pens dictionary
• Pencil grips prompts • Writing & editing • Standard dictionary
• Adapted paper, • Writing frames checklists • Thesaurus
color-coded lined • Index cards • Dictionary and • Word walls
paper, & raised-line thesaurus
paper • Highlighters
• Writing & signature
guides
• Word, number,
alphabet, & name
stamps
• Magnetic letters
• Hard copy printouts

9. Tier 1
Writing Tools
 Low Tech Tools: Onion Mountain Technology
 Graphic Organizers: Great Source iWrite
 Scholastic Story Starters
 Writing and Editing Checklist
 Personal Print Dictionary:
 K-2 Printable (grades K-2)
 Mr. Myers (grades 3-8)

10. Tier 1
Data Collection for Writing
Fine Motor Composition
• Student's handwriting level with • Written language samples
and without Tier 1 tools and • Examples of dictated work
strategies compared to handwritten work
• Handwriting samples • Spelling scores
• Pencil grip method • Rubric scores
• Keyboarding rate • Standardized test scores

11. Obtaining a Keyboarding Rate
 Select a sentence that includes every letter of the alphabet at once.
 The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dogs.
 The king and queen wore fuzzy slippers when jumping over the cardboard box.
 It was not until daylight that the very dizzy farmer spied the jumpy old fox by the square chicken
coop.
 Time the student while he/she is typing the sentence.
 Count the number of correct letters typed. Do not count
errors, spaces, or punctuation.
 Use following formula to determine the student’s keyboarding speed:
Correct # of Letters ÷ Seconds × 60 = LPM
LPM ÷ 5 = WPM
Adapted from Assistive Technology Assessment: Developing a Written Productivity Profile by Denise DeCoste

12. Tier 1
Organization Tools
Study Skills Time Management
• Cloze technique for note-taking • School Planner
• Color-coded folder & notebook • Calendar
system • Checklists
• Teacher web sites for homework
and notes

13. Tier 1
Data Collection for Organization
Study Skills Time Management
• Examples of notes taken in various • Examples of completed planner
classes pages
• Type of organizational method for • Types of checklists provided
assignments & papers • Documentation of met & missed
• Student preference for due dates
organizational method

14. Description of Tier 2
 Teachers identify individual students whose academic needs are
not being met by use of UDL and Tier 1 tools and strategies.
 Teachers use data to target needs and barriers that require
further support and strategies.
 IEP team begins to trial specialized equipment and gather data
about the effectiveness of the equipment.
 AT Specialist guides the team in selecting appropriate
equipment, providing the equipment for the trial, and supporting
implementation.

15. Roles and Responsibilities – Tier 2
IEP Team AT Specialist
 Implements ideas, strategies, and supports  Provides training for ideas, strategies, and
from the Tier 2 Tools and Strategies list supports from the Tier 2 Tools and Strategies list
 Identifies and clarifies additional needs and  Provides IEP team with information and
barriers resources regarding AT
 Requests consult from AT Specialist  Provides consultation for individual students per
district procedures
 Provides data from the trials of Tier 1 tools
and strategies  Models and provides access to
trainings for specific tools, software, and devices
 Collects data on newly implemented
strategies and/or equipment  Supports IEP team with technology trials and
provides data collection forms
 Accesses training resources
 Follows district procedures for repair and
 Includes AT supports and equipment in IEP maintenance of equipment
Special Factors

16. Tier 2
Writing Tools
Fine Motor Organization Drafting & Spelling
Editing
• Word processing • Graphic organizer • Word processing • Handheld
program websites program dictionary & spell
• Portable word • Microsoft Word checker (with or
processor forms – checklists, without auditory
multiple choice, fill- feedback)
• Keyboarding
websites & in-the blank • Word processor
software • Portable word spelling & grammar
processor check
• Audio recorder
• Text-to-speech
software add-ons
• Computer
operating system
features

17. Tier 2
Writing Tools
 Keyboarding Websites: Dance Mat Typing (elementary) &
Typing Web (middle & high)
 Graphic Organizers: Holt Interactive Graphic Organizer
 Free Text-to-Speech: Natural Reader
 Interactive Writing Support: ReadWriteThink
 Portable word processor: NEO, Writer, Fusion, Forte

18. Tier 2
Data Collection for Writing
Fine Motor Composition
• Student's handwriting level with • Written language samples with the
the use of Tier 2 tools and use of Tier 2 tools and strategies
strategies • Spelling scores
• Handwriting samples • Rubric scores
• Pencil grip method • Standardized test scores
• Keyboarding rate

19. Tier 2
Organization Tools
Study Skills Time Management
• Digital recorder • Talking watches
• Electronic flashcards • Online calendars
• Electronic datebook or
calendars
• Portable word processor with
built-in calendar
• Time-tracker software
UDL Tech Toolkit

20. Tier 2
Data Collection for Organization
Study Skills Time Management
• Examples of electronic notes • Examples of completed
taken in various classes electronic calendar pages
• Type of organizational method • Types of organizers trialed
for assignments & papers • Documentation of met & missed
• Student preference for due dates
organizational method

21. Description of Tier 3
 Targets students with the most complex needs
 Identified needs have not been adequately met through access to tools and
strategies at Tiers 1 or 2
 Students require a specialized evaluation to determine individual needs
 IEP team works collaboratively with AT Specialist to complete an evaluation of
needs and identify appropriate technology and services
 Implementation plan is developed to define roles and responsibilities of IEP
team members
 Students may require additional follow-up and technical interventions to
support recommended technology
 Long-term trials may be required along with an on-going assessment

22. Roles and Responsibilities – Tier 3
IEP Team AT Specialist
 Contacts the AT Specialist for assistance  Collaborates with IEP Team to complete the AT
assessment
 Supports the AT evaluation with data
collection and monitoring of trials with  Secures equipment for assessment trials
technology
 Prepares a written report that includes data from
 Identifies student needs and preferences for technology trials and recommendations
tools and/or devices
 Attends IEP meetings as needed to review AT
 Implements suggested items from the Tier 3 assessment results
Tools and Strategies list
 Assists in the development of the Implementation
 Participates in trainings Plan
 Includes AT supports and equipment in IEP  Explores funding options and assists in the
Special Factors ordering of equipment
 Supports student use of tools/devices and  Provides training for all assistive technologies
continues to collect data on AT supports
 Assists in troubleshooting and repair of
equipment as needed

23. Tier 3
Writing Tools
Fine Motor Organization Drafting & Spelling
Editing
• Voice recognition • Voice recognition • Voice recognition • Electronic word
software software software walls
• Tablet devices • Graphic organizer • Scan & read • Voice recognition
• Laptop & netbook software software software
computers • Scan & read • Text-to-speech • Word prediction
software software software
• Writing software • Writing software • Text-to-speech
with picture support with picture support software
• Evernote (Mac, • Writing software
PC, & mobile with picture support
devices)
• OneNote (PC &
mobile devices)

24. Tier 3
Writing Tools (Software)
 Voice recognition software: Dragon Naturally Speaking & Speak Q
 Organizational software: Inspiration, Draftbuilder, OneNote, Evernote
 Scan & Read software: Kurzweil 3000, Read and Write
Gold, WYNN, SOLO Suite
 Picture-supported writing software: Writing with Symbols 2000, Clicker
6, Symwriter
 Text-to-speech software: Write OutLoud
 Word prediction software: CoWriter & Word Q
 Electronic word wall: Clicker 6

25. Tier 3
Writing Tools (iDevice Apps)
 Voice recognition app: Dragon Dictate (free)
 Must have active wireless or cellular service
 Word prediction app: Typ-O HD ($14.99)
 Also includes text-to-speech and speech-to-text
 Must have active wireless or cellular service for speech-to-text
 Voices for text-to-speech are more realistic with an active
wireless or cellular service
 Graphic organizer app: Inspiration Maps ($14.99)
 Inspiration Lite (free)
 Evernote & Evernote Peek (free)
 One Note (free)
 Book-writing app: Pictello ($18.99)

27. Tier 3
Organization Tools
Study Skills Time Management
• Smartpens that link written notes • Handheld electronic organizer
and audio
• Evernote (Mac, PC, & mobile
devices
• OneNote (PC & mobile devices)

28. Tier 3
Organization Tools (iDevice Apps)
 Reminders & Notes (included on all iDevices)
 My Homework (free)
 $1.99 to enable syncing to website
 Voice Memos – many options free and paid
 FlashCards – many options free and paid
 Evernote & Evernote Peek (free)
 OneNote (free)
 Must create a Hotmail or Windows Live email account

29. Tier 3
Assessment and Follow-Up
 Assessment is guided by data collected in Tiers 1 & 2
 Use the SETT framework to match student needs with options for technology supports
 Assessment procedures may include observations, direct assessment measures, and
technology trials
 Conduct short-term and/or long-term AT trials
 Develop a formal, written report documenting the results of the AT assessment and
future AT recommendations
 Develop an Implementation Plan to identify the roles and responsibilities for each
member of the IEP team
 University of Kentucky Assistive Technology (UKAT)
 Oregon Technology Access Program (OTAP)
 National Assistive Technology Research Institute (NATRI)
 Acquire equipment and provide necessary trainings for successful implementation