Download & Print a More Core Stand

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Recently, several LCPS administrators participated in a short professional learning experience where they competed groups to see how many sentences they could generate from just a small set of the most frequently used words in English (known as core vocabulary). The winners of the competition received a 3D printed More Core Holder Stand to place a core board (or boards) for anyone to use. You’re invited to download the file named More Core Board Holder too! Once printed, place it in your office, library, cafeteria, or all of these places (and more) with an example of a core board that can be used anytime if needed.

Screenshot of a design made in Tinkercad of a dome-shaped object with a slit in it to hold up paper with the words More Core on the front.

More Core Board Holder

Your Invitation to Search the Inclusive Design Blog

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Use the search feature of this blog located to find information in the backlog of content. If you’re looking for specific topics or articles, the search function is your gateway to a wealth of information tailored to your interests. The search feature is located in the top right corner of any blog post. Enter keywords related to the content you’d like to explore, and you’ll find a curated list of posts, insights, and educational insights meant to help create more inclusive experiences for all learners. Whether you’re an educator, parent, or other member of the community interested in inclusive design, this feature ensures you’re just a search away from enhancing your knowledge and skills.

Here are some potential keywords to start your search: accessibility, universal design, language, literacy, word prediction, Immersive Reader, and communication. Don’t let those samples limit you! What are you curious about right now? What’s a problem or challenge you’re facing? Enter in any thing you’re curious about to explore the results to find something useful from the archives. Happy searching!

Educator Communication Partner Champions at Countryside Elementary School

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In October of 2023, in recognition and celebration of Augmentative/Alternative Communication Month, learners at Countryside Elementary School engaged in an experience where they explored augmentative/alternative communication. In a continuation of their commitment to helping all students learn language, the entire staff of Countryside Elementary were introduced to the fundamental tenets of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) by a team comprising their Speech-Language Pathologist, a 1st grade general education teacher, a Cross-Categorical teacher, and their Specialized Instructional Facilitator – Assistive Technology. The workshop focused on employing AAC as a support tool, defining effective communication partnership, and ensuring equitable and inclusive instruction for all students.

Feedback from the session was overwhelmingly positive, with numerous staff members expressing increased engagement and appreciation for the insights shared. This initiative marks a significant stride towards inclusivity and is part of Countryside Elementary’s ongoing efforts to integrate effective, innovative educational practices that cater to diverse learning needs. If you’re interested in leading a similar event, reach out to the Specialized Instructional Facilitator – Assistive Technology who works at your school!

Four teachers holding iPads with an AAC app on them in front of an interactive whiteboard that says Thank You

The team of presenters

8 teachers holding LAMP:WFL core boards

The staff at Countryside learning all about core vocabulary.

12 teachers holding up LAMP:WFL core boards

More staff at Countryside ES learning about how to teach language using augmentative/alternative communication

A group of teachers working with iPads at tables looking at the application LAMP:WFL

How many sentences can you make using just the words on the core vocabulary board?

Two teachers smiling and holding up LAMP:WFL on an iPad

Even more staff making sentences using AAC!

Learning About Braille with Lego Braille Brick Kits

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The LEGO® Braille Bricks is a play-based approach that teaches Braille to anyone using Lego bricks. LEGO® Braille Bricks have studs arranged to correspond to numbers and letters in Braille. Each brick shows the printed version of the symbol or letter inviting sighted and blind children to play and learn together. Lego provides resources for implementation and kits for free to educators.

3451 Khan Academy Resources on #GoOpenVA

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#GoOpenVA is a resource from the Commonwealth of Virginia. It provides open source materials that can be used by any educator. One of the providers of resources is Khan Academy, which provides over 3450 pre-made lessons and accessible materials on a wide variety of topics.

Khan Academy screenshot of a lesson on coordinate planes

A Screenshot of a Khan Academy lesson made in conjunction with Pixar Studios on Coordinate Planes.

Substituting Text in Google Docs

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Users can streamline the writing process using the Substitution feature in Google Docs, especially if what is being written involves typing repetitive text or special characters. To access this feature, open a Google Doc and navigate to ‘Tools’ in the menu bar. From there, select ‘Preferences’. In the Preferences window, there is a tab labeled ‘Substitutions’. Here, users can create custom shortcuts. For instance, a user can set up a substitution such as “myemail” which will automatically expand to the full email address whenever you type it. This is not just limited to text; you can also use it for symbols, like replacing “->” with “→”. Once set up, these substitutions can save significant time and effort, making the writing process both faster and more efficient. To learn more about this feature, visit the webpage Manage writing suggestions in Google Docs.

screenshot of substitution feature of Google Docs. There are two columns and seven rows each with a text substitution, like trex becoming Tyrannosaurus Rex.

Substitutions in Google Docs

Creating a Personal Dictionary Using the Check It Feature of Read&Write for Google Chrome

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When writing, learners may find they are using words that are spelled correctly, but not identified in the dictionary. Certain proper nouns, for instance, might not be in the dictionary used by Google Docs. Learners can add words to a personal dictionary using the Check It feature of Read&Write for Google Chrome. The Check It feature will underline words not in the dictionary. If the user would like to add the word to their personal dictionary, they select the word and choose “Add to Dictionary” from the drop down. For a tutorial, review the video Read&Write for Google Chrome – Check It Overview.

Add Subtitles to a Video Created in WeVideo Classroom

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WeVideo Classroom is a video creation and editing tool available to any educator and student in Loudoun County Public Schools through LCPSGo. The Subtitle Generator feature invites users to automatically create subtitles from the speech  in the video. This provides the opportunity for those experiencing the video to have a multimodal experience with text that matches the audio dialogue. To add subtitles to a video being created in WeVideo Classroom, follow the directions on the website titled Can I generate subtitles in WeVideo Classroom?

Screenshot of a WeVideo export page with subtitles shown on the left side.

Use the Subtitles button at the bottom to automatically create subtitles.

 

Moving the Screen to Follow the Mouse Accessibility Feature of ChromeOS

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The “Move Screen Continuously as Mouse Moves” option within the Full-Screen Magnifier feature of ChromeOS on a Chromebook is particularly beneficial for users of screen magnification to navigate more effectively. When enabled, it automatically moves the magnified area in the direction of the mouse cursor, creating a seamless and more intuitive navigation experience. This dynamic movement allows users to explore different parts of the screen without needing to constantly adjust the magnified area manually.

To access this feature, open the Settings on the ChromeOS device. Navigate to the ‘Advanced’ section and select ‘Accessibility.’ From there, choose ‘Manage Accessibility Features.’ Under the ‘Display and Magnification’ section, find the option for the Full-Screen Magnifier. Enable it, and then toggle on the ‘Move Screen Continuously as Mouse Moves’ feature. This unlocks a smoother and more accessible user interface, catering to those who use magnification to interact with their device effectively.Screenshot of the Display and Magnification Full-Screen Magnifier Feature

Art Is For Everyone at Kenneth Culbert Elementary School

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Addison Bender is the Art teacher at Kenneth Culbert Elementary School. He works to create opportunities for learners with all different types of abilities to express themselves through art using various assistive technologies. Examples include paint brushes made from pool noodles, duct tape, and old mop heads, various handles affixed to molded melted crayons, and much, much, more. Mr. Bender shares some of his ideas in the video Art Is For Everyone. In what ways can you make art more accessible to every learner?