Capstone Project Team 3

Capstone Project
Laurie Adkism
Elsa Cardenas
Brooke Doughtie
Hunter Somerville
Texas A&M University Commerce
ETEC 588

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Introduction

History
The problem for students with learning disabilities entering school is the lack of
information about technologies to assist these individuals with their daily lives. Many individuals
with learning disabilities may require only slight modifications to their environments to help
them to be successful. Under the current laws, children with learning disabilities are only
protected until the age of 21. At this point, the Americans with Disabilities Act are the only
coverage for individuals with learning disabilities. Stigma is well known to result in people not
seeking help for disability and especially in the case of mild disabilities. There are third party
advocates but these are limited to cities that have funding. Regardless of specific individual
circumstances, living with a learning disability has the potential to be a major life stressor
Mellard & Patterson, (2008) especially in situations involving formal learning performance
Taymans, (2012). The definition of learning disabilities is important to understand because it
influences the type of technology that can be used to assist the student in learning. The American
Psychiatric Associations May release of the new DSM-5 has changed the language to Specific
Learning Disorder. "Specific learning disorder is now a single, overall diagnosis, incorporating
deficits that impact academic achievement. Rather than limiting learning disorders to diagnoses
particular to reading, mathematics and written expression, the criteria describe shortcomings in
general academic skills and provide detailed specifies for the areas of reading, mathematics, and
written expression" APA (2013).

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Knowledge /Persuasion
There are over seventeen Screen Reader software program products available for the
Visional impaired that includes COBRA 10, BRLTTY, CakeTalking, Dolphin Pen, Jaws, and
Speakup. However our team discovered that with all the plethora of Screen Reader software
programs, none of them has a touch device that will automatically adjust the volume, signally for
the teachers with the current benefits of the teacher not having to read the test aloud, and have
VOIP ABT (2014). It was from that moment ihear touch device was developed. We believe the
automatic touch volume, and signal for teacher will be a benefit 1); reduces test anxiety for a
uncomfortable testing volume 2); allow teacher to assist other students and 3); significantly
impact the overall test scores. The automatic volume adjust available on the touch device is
equipped with frequency sensors that monitor emotions such that of anxiety that is powered by
the standard USB Port. The students can also touch a prompt on the device that will alert the
teacher electronically on his or her computer. During the research and development stage it was
necessary for our team to utilize the current technology trends, as well as consider the school
organization structural management, that will eventually adopt the innovation to their school
campus.

Technologies
Learning disabilities or specific learning disorders are manageable and once understood
by the individual with the disability can ask for assistance. Modern technologies can help
students and adults in the workplace function better and be more productive. Assistive
technologies are those technologies that can be purchased or downloaded to assist the individual
see the computer monitor, enhance hearing, or change colors of documents to make them more

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legible. Applied technologies are taking technologies that already exist an applying them in a
manner that helps the student to succeed. Applied to technologies could be utilized by adding the
technology to a curriculum that doesnt require the function for a student without a learning
disability. For example, a screen reader that is available on computer is an assistive technology
that becomes applied when used for the student with a seeing disability. Applied technologies are
taking technologies that already exist an applying them in a manner that helps the student to
succeed. Applied to technologies could be utilized by adding the technology to a curriculum that
doesnt require the function for a student without a learning disability. For example, a screen
reader that is available on computer is an assistive technology that becomes applied when used
for the student with a seeing disability.
Decision stage
Considerations surrounding the diffusion of the new Screen Readers promote the benefit for
teacher to not have to read aloud the test for students with disabilities, and responded to a signal
promoted by our new device ihear touch device, while giving the students the ease of test anxiety
directly related to volume. This innovation decision is based on perceived benefit of the design
attributes, communication channels, perceptive nature of the social system, and the efforts of the
change agents implementation strategies. There are three types of innovative diffusion decision
that can be made they are authority, collective or optional. Individuals with distinguished
credentials generally make optional decisions. Such examples of an optional decision make are
doctors and lawyers. All participants of the decision process make collective innovation
collectively. Authority decisions are made by the whole social system in which they directly
influence. Within the realm of our innovation of the new Screen Readers the decision stage is
collective.

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The concept of diffusion of innovation within diverse fields is that is evolving and reflects
globalization and technological changes. Researches are finding new ways to address and make
suggestion to aid school campus in finding a success path through the school campus structure.
Because of the diverse complexities of school campus development sub-categories are designed
to focus on the specific area of technology trends. Concerning the technology trends within
school campus development based on diffusion innovation there are three categories traditional
pragmatic, and scholarly. The traditional trends entail the school campus views and perspectives
concerning values, and beliefs. It is within the scope of traditional views that employees will
become humanistic that may eventually affect production and performance, which is the primary
the goal, and effort of the collective decision to move toward innovation for student mobility.
The traditional trends entail the school campus views and perspectives concerning values, and
beliefs. It is within the scope of traditional view that employees will become humanistic that may
eventually affect production and performance. However, the traditional trend in school campus
will bring about corporate citizenship. In comparing and contrasting traditional view to
pragmatic is that traditional trends and view may be one-sided in school campus thinking and
behavior whereas compared to the pragmatic trends and views does not promote individually.
Traditional trends compares and contrasted to the scholarly trends is that the school campus
development a result of high resistance to change because the school campus cultures, whereas
contrasted to scholarly trend as the continuous learning and study of the field and issues in
suggest immediate changes to reflect research to align the school campus with both assistive and
applied technologies. The pragmatic trend and view will shift the primary focus of the school
campus to a relevant practice. When it comes to pragmatism because of skill level and high
employment involvement school administration has to distinguish between management and

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employees through certification credentials. An example of pragmatic professional school

campus would be in architect, construction, and information technology technicians. The
scholarly trend and view will connect researchers and school campus through a fundamental
study of continuous school campus improvement through research, understanding, learning,
predicting, and managing change within the school district.
People involved in the process of the new Screen Readers with ihear device are administration,
teachers, support, and PTA. The implementation process participants stems from the vision and
mission of the future organization development that can technology evolve because schools face
diverse issues every day and will often seek new ways to create a more dynamic curriculum in
order to innovate the school products and services. Having said the traditional view of
organization development can be labeled as the schools technology leadership. This explains
that technology leadership, is the organization definition of monitoring effective inputs, and
outputs, and deciding whether or not the inputs, and outputs reflect the current trends, and
technology Brooks-Young (2006) (p.47-48).
In regards to becoming the innovator to change agents various factors of adaptability will
prove the organization core competencies in the effective ability to elect change driver to lead
an aid in sustaining the schools technology transition to create a productive culture within the
school. Indeed one of the transition phases of becoming change agents is to focus on the
communication cycles and activities directly impact roles in management interaction with staff
regarding impact feedback and performance. Roles in leaderships and effective communication
may become the essential and fundamental contribution factor for success of the school
technology leadership, and adoption (replication) as well as reinvention (adoption).

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Intended Audience
Intended audience for the diffusion innovation of the new Screen Readers are opinion leaders
(PTA) power actors teachers with working knowledge regarding of the benefit of integrating,
adopting, and adapting technology within the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge
(TPACK). Todays teaching skills requires a pedagogy that incorporates technology to work with
the written format of content (lesson plans). The vision of the design of Screen Readers for
student with disabilities was developed by our team in order for school to effectively compete
within the educational demands. Based our team research some schools may choose to adopt an
organization structural design including functional structure, divisional structure, matrix
structure, process structure and customer-centric structure, and network structure. When an
organization chooses to adopt a functional structure the organization commits departmentalized
utilizing span of control, authority, and specific job tasks. Functional structures are usually
effective within an organization who employees posses certain specialized skills, and highly
effective with routinely job tasks. The advantage of functional structure is that it promotes
feedback, and open communication as often times the department is small to medium size, which
allow administration to interact to the close circle of employees concerning campus and
classroom improvement as well as performance. Companies that utilize functional structure core
competency are maximized because of proficiency and efficiency. However the disadvantages of
functional structure are that it is prone to developing a humanistic, organizational culture as the
organization is departmentalized that may limit diversity and inadvertently contribute to low
morals, values, and ethics. When a school organization matrix or company adopts a divisional
structure it commits to a self-contained-unit structure, much like functional divisional structure
focuses on specialization, high level of skills and departmentalization. Some of the key

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advantages of divisional structures are that it the finished product relies heavily on subsidiary
department creating interdepartmental dependencies. Another advantage is that if there is a
strong organization culture that the organization engages high employment involvement in the
communication. However the darker side of divisional structure is that it primary successful in
larger companies and schools, but gives way to uncertain work environments, and it may limit
cultural, and advancements. When a school adopts a matrix like structure the organization
chooses to commit to maximizing core competencies. In a matrix structure organization the
leadership behavior is lateral, but promotes balance of power with a hierarch line that consist of
top manager or administrator, the matrix bosses, and two-boss managers, this chain of
command reports directly to upper management and reports bottom-down in efforts to create a
balance of powers. The advantages of matrix structure are that promotes flexibility, and makes
easy for an environment to adapt to immediate changes. The disadvantages of the matrix
structure are that it can be somewhat difficult reward management competency over mechanical
methodological competencies. Schools that utilize the matrix structure should have a core
competency of being able to share resources within time sensitive informational-processing.
When a company adopts a process structure the company commits to using a managerial
platform that embraces multidisciplinary teams to guide, force, and or direct core
competencies. Therefore it becomes imperative that the decision process is collectively made
among peers directly related to the problem to quickly adopt the solution and benefit of the new
Screen Readers.

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Communication Channel/Social System

Communication channels will include staff meeting, PTA meetings, community newsletters and
email delivery. Based on our research our team suggests the best timeline for this diffusion of
innovation should be implemented immediately. In addition we suggest the communication cycle
have a continuous process for at least six months.
According to our research our team projects the perceived social system interrelationship will
exist between administration, teaching staff, PTA, parents, and supportive community members.
We project this social systems have an active and supportive network structure ranging from
close family members to social media outlets. Because of the strong network structure, we
believe the school will commit to using platforms that entails a vast variety and complexity
collaboration relationships that will promote the new use of our technology product of Screen
Readers.
Implementation/Confirmation
In order to ensure that all members of the educational systems concerns are addressed in
implementing Screen Readers and ihear devices into learning disability accommodations. The
Sped department at each campus will be the support person to address applied technologies to
help students. Teacher and staff will be given a survey to help the district and campus learn what
is beneficial for learning disability students and how implementing Screens Readers with the
new ihear technology device will be beneficial for their students with visual disability. It will
also create awareness to district and teacher and staff that there are available systems such as
Apple, which is the Voice-Over, and Windows, which is Narrator. The adoption process will be
train teachers how to access, use and implement Screen Readers and the touch ihear device for
test taking and daily assignments.

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Some potential barriers or negative effects to adoption and implantation are the cost of software
if teachers are looking for more features. When will teachers have time for training and is it user
friendly. The built in software of Window, Narrator may not be fully accessible or fully featured
to the whole operating system to read all the text that the student may need like the and Apple
Voiceover on Mac. Some of the negative effects would be that Windows computers could only
function with basic tasks reading texts and not all areas where the arrow or curser hovers over.
The district also needs to decide what professional development training would work better for
teachers to use the system such as hands on training, webinars just to name a few strategies.
Some of the functions to Screen Readers are not all accurate in pronunciation or able to read all
text. Some consequences to the adoption that are unanticipated with students could make them
become dependent on Screen Readers if not monitored properly where they will have the system
do the work for them without them motivating themselves to use it as a supplement to their
accommodations. Also, a undesirable consequence that consideration needs to be made on how
students will work on homework assignments from home if they do not have a computer to
access the Screen Reader.
Some of the potential advantages or positive effects to the adoption and implantation of Screen
Readers to learning disability students is that all school levels are able to use this system because
they are built into Window and Apple computers and students will begin to enjoy reading no
matter what their disability is. Some anticipated advantages are that teachers can use
differentiated instruction and learning styles since Screen Readers help students that are visually
handicapped, as well as student with dyslexia and dysgraphia. Screen Readers can also work as a
support of inclusion in class. Teacher will be able to be available to more students and do not
have to read out load to each/specific students because they will have programs available to help

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them with their students disability. Screen Readers have the ability to read text, web pages, and
word documents out loud. Some desirable advantages of Screen Readers are applied
technologies that help disabled students be more independent and to work independently to
accomplish task. Students can hear words by seeing them and have more confidence to learn.
In order to further confirm this innovation the district will take into consideration the input of
administrators, teachers, and staff at each campus from Elementary to High School. A collective
decision will be made as to what system will work best for each campus or potential stumbling
blocks that could impede Screen Reader from being a successful accommodation for learning
disabilities. There also needs to be a study done with various students during six weeks to see the
improvement on test score and assignments when Screen Readers are their accommodations.
Screen Readers and ihear touch devices will be integrated into the educational system by
professional development opportunities for all faculties. These trainings will help teach teachers
to use differentiated instruction in their lesson plans and become familiar with their Sped
(Special Education Department). Students accommodations as well as understand their IEP.

Role of the change agent

The Visually Impaired & Orientation and Mobility Specialist will play the role of the change
agent. They will seek to diffuse the new Screen Readers and ihear touch device in an educational
system. Developing a need for change in the minds of the administration, teachers, support, and
PAT can best be accomplished with presentations based on facts, examples, and testimonies. The
VI and O&M Specialist will assist in developing a need for change. They will remind their coworkers that students with disabilities have IEPs, Individualized Educational Programs, which
include accommodations that are provided during state and district assessments.

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Accommodations are changes to materials or procedures that enable students with disabilities or
English language learners (ELLs) to participate meaningfully in learning and testing
Accommodation Resources (2015). The change agent will establish a relationship with the staff
by being involved in team meetings, campus planning, and eagerly providing additional support
when requested. Observing classrooms, modeling, and helping to enable staff and students will
also build that relationship.
Oral/signed administration is an accommodation a student could be eligible for. The
criteria includes but are not limited to; the student receives special education services, the student
is identified with dyslexia or a related disorder per, the student has evidence of reading
difficulties, and/or the student receives Section 504 services. The change agent will discuss that
currently teachers and paraprofessionals are reading aloud text and therefore creating students
that are co-dependent and siphoning away chunks of the teachers time. The change agent will
attend common planning times, thus being available for updates on current skills being taught,
hearing the client's problems, and providing assistance.
After the change agent establishes a relationship and has analyzed the clients problems,
they can proceed to creating intent to change in the educational system. The change agent desires
to provide all who work with students with a resource needed to assist them in becoming
successful, the Screen Reader. The change agent will create awareness to the district, teachers,
and staff that there are available systems such as Apple, which is the VoiceOver, and Windows,
which is Narrator.
Team leaders, grade and content, and Technology Leaders will work close with the
change agent to assist in influencing teachers to use the new Screen Reader. Professional
Learning Communities will provide an opportune time for these various professionals and

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champions to discuss the progress. The change agent will stabilize the adoption by providing
constructive feedback to teachers and staff on using the Screen Reader. They will also document
and keep data of students work, when using the Screen Reader, and provide that information
back to the district.
The change agent will now take a step back and allow the PAT, opinion leaders, to take
ownership, answer questions among the teams, and provide the feedback.
Strategy of Diffusion
Our innovation to be diffused into an educational system is the Screen Reader. This
technology is found on Windows Computers, Narrator, and Mac, Voice Over. Screen Readers
will benefit students with learning disorders. The technology is already available, therefore it is
an assistive technology, but when utilized for students with learning disorders, it is an applied
technology. The change agent, the Visually Impaired & Orientation and Mobility Specialist, will
first help the district realize the need for change; by utilizing the Screen Readers, teachers will
not spend time reading tests out loud and students with learning disabilities will be equipped
with a resource that will benefit them as lifelong learners. The agent will establish a relationship
with teachers and staff and familiarize themselves with students who would utilize this
innovation. Then, the change agent would meet with teams of teachers and staff members, in
their Professional Learning Communities, diagnose the problem and create intent to change. This
time would be a valuable time to model the Screen Reader and allow the team to explore the
features and provide immediate feedback with questions. The educational system would
transition the innovation into action at this time. The change agent will make frequent visits to
classrooms to assist the educators and students. Once the innovation is stabilized, students are
successfully utilizing Screen Readers; the change agent will step back and allow team leaders

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and technology coaches, the opinion leader and champions, to become contact personnel for any
questions. The opinion leaders will also lead purposeful discussions in PLCs concerning the
innovation.
The Adopter Category
An educational system is going to have early adopters, early majority, late majority, and
laggards. Opinion leaders, PAT, will be the early adopters and convey ideas of the innovations to
co-teachers and staff. The early majority will be educators that are willing and even excited to
adopt this resource for the benefit of the students. They most likely feel comfortable operating a
computer and system and feel comfortable seeking guidance. The late majority will be educators
that adopt the resource hearing of success other educators are having utilizing it. The laggards
will be the resistant educators that are not comfortable with operating computers and are not
comfortable with change.

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References

Accommodation Resources." Accommodation Resources. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Feb. 2015.

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doi:10.1177/0022219411426857.
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Taymans, J. M. (2012). Legal and definitional issues affecting the identification and education

Wikipedia. (2015).Diffusion of Innovation. Retrieved February 26, 2015 from;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diffusion_of_innovations#Decisions