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Technology with Children
[ Appropriate Practices ] [ Tech. Environment Design ] [ Software Selection ]
[ Assistive Tech. ] [ Tech. Integration ] [
Online Activities for Children ]

The following links provide information and resources for using technology with young children in a center or classroom setting.

Appropriate Practices

Technology Environment Design

  • Computer Ergonomics for Elementary School Students
    This website developed by Cergos and supported by Oregon OSHA provides tips and strategies for designing an appropriate computer environment, taking into consideration equipment placement and child positioning.
  • EC-TIIS: Introduction to Computer Environment - Sample Workshop
    This online workshop developed by the Early Childhood Technology Integrated Instructional System at the Center for Best Practices in Early Childhood, Western Illinois University, contains physical environment considerations and equipment requirements for a preschool computer center. Users can register for other free workshops at the website.
  • ITLC Online- Technology Environment
    Workshop developed by the Interactive Technology Literacy Curriculum Online Project contains information, strategies, and an environment checklist to guide educators in designing and managing a computer center in the preschool classroom.
  • Preparing the Preschool Computer Environment
    This article on the National Center for Innovative Practice website provides ideas for introducing the computer center and using off-computer materials to support software content.

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Selecting Software for Young Children

  • Children's Software Workshop
    Interactive Technology Literacy Curriculum Online workshop focuses on children's software and contains information on software evaluation, levels of interactivity, and examples of literacy software and modifications.
  • Children's Technology Review's Software Evaluation Instrument
    This webpage on the Children's Technology Review's site contains an instrument for evaluating software to use with young children.
  • Selecting Software
    The Software Selection section of the Early Connections website contains information on different types of software to consider for early childhood.
 

Including All Learners Through Assistive Technology

  • Assistive Technology in K-12 Schools
    This section of the Alliance for Technology Access' website contains a variety of information ranging from definition of AT to case studies of young children using technology as a tool.
  • Center for Best Practices in Early Childhood Education
    The Center housed at Western Illinois University has federally-funded projects focusing on the use of technology and assistive technology in early childhood. The site contains articles, curriculum ideas, and research reports.
  • Family Center on Technology and Disability
    The website hosted by this federally funded project contains newsletters, discussions, AT organizations and resources, fact sheets on aspects of technology including adaptive toys, and AT success stories.
  • KITE: Kids Included Through Technology are Enriched
    Project KITE at the Pacer Center in Minneapolis provides information in the form of newsletters and booklets to parents and teachers to more effectively include young children with disabilities in their homes and classrooms in culturally sensitive ways through the use of assistive technology.
  • Let's Play Project
    The Let's Play Project at the Center for Assistive Technology, University at Buffalo, provides educators and families with ways to play with their infants and toddlers with disabilities, through the use of assistive technology. Information on toy selection, universal design, and other AT resources are included.
  • Tots -n-Tech
    This national research project's website contains a variety of ideas for using AT with infants and toddlers for communication, mobility/positioning, and play.
  • Universal Design for Learning
    CAST: Center for Applied Special Technology provides articles, policies, and publications related to designing learning experiences for all children.
 

Technology Integration Examples


Online Activities for Children
The following links are websites that contain interactive activities for children to use with other children or with an adult. Most of the activities are designed for children to explore visual effects and sounds, learn early math and literacy concepts, or to create artwork or stories.

  • ABCya!
    This website contains a variety of activities related to drawing, counting, categorizing, letter recognition, and mouse manipulation.
  • Boohbah
    Children can make visual effects appear and change as they move the mouse. This simple activity helps children explore mouse movement and activation in an appealing way.
  • Bomomo
    This website contains a blank slate and drawing tools for children to create different visual effects which can be made into a drawing to save for later printing.
  • Count Us In
    A variety of math activities can be downloaded in Windows or Macintosh format from this website.  A teacher or parent would need to set this up ahead of time and select activities, such as patterns, that would be interactive and appropriate for preschool children.
  • Kerpoof
    This website contains open-ended activities for young children to draw, create a picture, or make a story. The many options at this site insure interactivity for children.
 

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