Hamilton school board create digital initiative to help children with developmental disabilities during distance learning
- Craig Clark
- 15 Apr 2020
Distance learning has started in Ontario with school boards around the province looking to get all of their students online while trying to finish the curriculum.
To help further support all of their students, Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB) developed a digital initiative designed for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder or a Developmental Disability who are on an alternative learning program at school.
Alternative learning programs are offered to students who require work that is more specific to their learning needs. Some programs might be more dependent on visuals or audio content, while others could be working with tasks at a different grade-level or with different expectations.
We are thrilled to introduce Learning4Success, which houses learning tasks for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder or a Developmental Disability, on a modified/alternative program. A team effort to help all students learn at home during closures: https://t.co/U1JmasKjVM pic.twitter.com/mpwgdnkOvp
— HWDSB (@HWDSB) April 9, 2020
Learning4Success is a digital resource created by HWDSB Specialized Services that includes learning tasks for families to use with their child at home. All tasks use items that can be commonly found at homes.
“We consider this a starting point — we know that families will use these tasks as a springboard for creativity to adapt and personalize for each child’s age group,” said the Specialized Services Team in a statement.
The website includes videos that show a variety of different tips and tricks in order to create a successful learning environment at home. There are also learning tasks designed to support literacy, numeracy, and communication skills. As well as a collection of website suggestions to extend learning.
According to the statement, learning tasks are progressive in that students can complete them with one set of materials and learning prompts, then repeat the task with a different set of materials and prompts.
Learning4Success also includes additional resources that are intended to supplement the tasks provided by the classroom teacher.
“We continue to enhance and develop Learning4Success to meet the needs of students and families. You will see additional videos and resources posted weekly, so please visit the site often,” said the team.
We have posted an update for families about HWDSB's COVID-19 response with details on our plan to support students who have identified a need for a device. See images, also found at https://t.co/WiqZEBeoi2 pic.twitter.com/OxH7XCExhx
— HWDSB (@HWDSB) April 9, 2020
Ensuring that each student is properly supported after the launch of Ontario’s Learn at Home Program has been one of the biggest struggles for school boards. HWDSB has opted to provide a tablet and Internet connection to families who can’t access online classrooms.
Parents have also been scouring the web for resources and support that is suitable for the needs of their children. At the beginning of the school closures, the provincial government shared a variety of resources that can be used for homeschooling.
Learning4Success is the first learning initiative released by HWDSB that is available to support children with Autism Spectrum Disorder or a Developmental Disability that require an alternative learning program.
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