Mp3s for IEPs

1
Mp3s for IEPs
Using Audacity audio files to accommodate
individual education plans

• A PowerPoint Presentation By
• Ben Post
• For CEP 810

2
The Problem

• Many students struggle with daily classroom
  reading assignments.
  
• This can lead to many difficulties in the
  Language Arts classroom, where reading is an
  everyday occurrence and processing, analyzing and
  synthesizing texts are built on from the
  reading.
• So, if students are struggling with reading
  comprehension, they are often left behindeven
  though the requirement is not the reading, but
  the meaning beyond the text.

3
The Goal

• Get struggling reading students the textual
  information they need without requiring them to
  read every line of text without assistance.
  
• This will allow them to participate in classroom
  literary discussions without being held back by
  their reading difficulties.

4
The Solution!

• Use digital audio technology to provide resources
  for struggling readers.
  
• For novels, teachers or students could download
  many audiobooks from itunes and put them on
  either their desktop or their mp3 players.
  
• For classroom handouts and assignments, teachers
  (or support staff) could read them into a
  microphone, turn them into an audio file through
  audacity and, again, access them through their
  desktop or mp3 player.
• Buthow do we do this?

5
How do We Do It?

• First, for itunes.
• Click open itunes, then go to music store, then
  click on audiobooks, then search the book you
  wish to download.

• Many audiobooks cost money, but this could be
  absorbed through the ISD or individual parents,
  students or even the PTO.

6
How Do We Do It? Part II

• Use Audacity.
• What is it?
• A free, open source software for recording and
  editing sounds in Linux, Mac OS X, and other
  operating...
  
• Would allow teachers, para-pros, and/or students
  to create mp3s, which could be posted on itunes
  or on our school website, then either played on a
  desktop computer or downloaded to a personal mp3
  player.

7
Potential Roadblocks to Success

• Cost Although audacity is free, headphones
  (20), support software (?) and especially
  audiobooks (10-50) can be expensive.
  
• Legality attached to cost. Will we have to
  purchase audiobook downloads separately for each
  student who downloads it?
  
• Time Will we have time to convert all
  assignments and in class readings into audio
  files? Who will do it? Who will create the
  necessary online technology?

8
Bottom Line

• Students with IEPs must be accommodated
  according to State and National Law.
  
• For struggling readers, audio texts will be
  beneficial.
  
• Cost does is exist, but is minimal compared to
  textbooks, etc.
  
• Once the system is in place, it is only a matter
  of TIME.
  
• Final question will we make the commitment to
  improve student learning?