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Indianapolis, IN
The PATINS
PROJECT (Partnerships
for Assistive Technology
with INdiana Schools)
is an Indiana Department of Education assistive technology
initiative. The PATINS PROJECT provides a range of support
services to impact both the organizational capacity
and the professional capabilities of Indiana public
schools. These services include training, resources,
technical assistance and collaboration.
One of the many activities of
the project is designed to create a statewide network
for recycling technology for education. These activities
are carried out in partnership with the National Cristina
Foundation and Recycled Computers for the Disabled,
Inc., a local non-profit organization. Through the efforts
of a volunteer work force, community partners and corporate
donors, Indiana school age students who are disabled,
disadvantaged or at-risk can obtain access to technology
tools that will enable them to have the skills to control
and direct their own lives.
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Keila
Student |
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Keila, an eighth grade student
in Indiana, has a visual impairment that reduces her
visual functioning to the extent that she requires
adapted materials and adaptive equipment for completion
of many school assignments. For note taking in high
school, Keila is using a laptop computer. The laptop
that Keila uses was donated by the PATINS Project
with the help of the National Cristina Foundation.
In addition to using it for taking notes, Keila also
listens to Music CDs while doing homework, plays Solitaire
and writes poetry.
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Antonio Drummond - Gary Huffman's class
East Allen County Schools
New Haven, IN |
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"My name is Antonio Drummond.
I like to use my computer for the ASL dictionary and
practice test for spelling and signing words. It helps
me learn words so that I can talk better. I like to
use it every day."
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M.H.
CLASSROOM |
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The National Cristina Foundation
has enabled us at Anderson Elementary School, in Madison,
Indiana, to give disabled students a new avenue for learning
through the use of a recycled computer.
The students are learning basic
concepts and how to follow directions from different
software programs. At the same time, they become more
independent and their self-esteem improves.
The long-range plan for the computer
is to have a student take it home over the summer to
practice what he or she has learned. We would also like
to try to get a second computer for the classroom next
year.
Without the National Cristina
Foundation donation, the disabled children in our school
building would not have a computer or be making these
accomplishments.
Nancy
Richey
Teacher of Multiply Handicapped Students
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O.I. CLASSROOM |
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The classroom for students with
orthopedic impairments at Southwestern Elementary School
in Hanover, Indiana, is very fortunate to have computers
donated by the National Cristina Foundation.
This student is able to have
a computer in the O.I. Resource Room that he uses on
a daily basis for spelling, writing, reading and English.
The computer has an IntelliKeys keyboard and keyguard
attached. His worksheets are scanned into a PaperPort
scanner, and then he is able to tab through each paper
and fill in the blanks. The worksheets are printed,
and he has a finished product similar to the other students'
papers.
Whenever he writes, he always
uses Inspiration to organize his thoughts. Until recently,
he had wanted to use only the graphic organizer. This
week, he tried putting it in outline form and had much
success. The outline was rearranged the way he wanted,
and then he told me he could work alone! That is progress
that a teacher loves to see.
He is mainstreamed for math,
science, health and social studies. Again, we are fortunate
to have a computer for him to use in one of his mainstream
classrooms from the National Cristina Foundation. It
also has an IntelliKeys keyboard, scanner, and printer
attached. He uses the number keyboard with a keyguard
and can work independently on any timed math tests using
MathPad software. Other math problems and worksheets
are scanned in if possible.
It would not have been possible
for our students to have the success that they are having
if we had not been able to have these computers. Thank
you.
Mary Hallgarth
Teacher of the Orthopedically Impaired
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