Copyright
Copyright © 2012 DynaVox Systems LLC
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, by any means
(electronic, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the publisher.
Copyright protection claimed includes all forms and matters of copyrightable material and information allowed by statutory or judicial
law or hereafter granted, including without limitation, material generated from the software programs which are displayed on the
screen such as screen displays, menus, etc.
Although every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the publisher assumes no responsibility for errors or
omissions.
In North America:
For information, write to:
DynaVox Systems LLC
2100 Wharton Street, Suite 400
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15203 USA
The European Authorized Representative is:
DynaVox Systems Ltd.
Units 5 & 6 Benford Court
Lower Cape
Warwick
CV34 5DA
England
Mayer-Johnson® is a registered trademark of DynaVox Systems LLC. Boardmaker Activity Center®, Boardmaker Studio® and
Boardmaker™ are registered trademarks of DynaVox Systems LLC. The Picture Communication Symbols (PCS) © 1981-2011
DynaVox Systems LLC. All rights reserved.
All other brand and product names mentioned are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.
Part # 760/GUIDE Rev. A
First Edition
Published July 2012
Created in the United States of America
Mayer-Johnson
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Target Audience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Progress Monitoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Letter Name and Sound Identification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Phoneme Blending . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Sight Words . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Suggested Readings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Technical Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2.
2
3
4
5
5
5
5
6
8
Getting Started. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Home Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The Literacy Lab Toolbar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Preset Activity Plans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Preset Activity Plan Level 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Preset Activity Plan Level 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Preset Activity Plan Level 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
How To Get Started with a Preset Activity Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
10
11
13
13
14
15
16
3.
Browse All Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
4.
Custom Activity Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Creating A Custom Activity Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
5.
Changing Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
6.
Description Of Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Plan 1: Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Guided Purposes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Plan 1: Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Sight Word Sentences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Stamp and Write . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Plan 1: Foundational Skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Alphabet Boards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Tongue Twisters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Word Blending . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Literacy Lab User’s Guide
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27
27
28
29
29
29
30
30
30
31
i
Visual Scenes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Letter Searches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Plan 2: Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Guided Purposes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Plan 2: Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Chart Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Stamp and Write . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Write About a Picture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Plan 2: Foundational Skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Onset Rime Exploration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Visual Scenes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Word Searches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Plan 3: Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Guided Purposes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Plan 3: Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Sentence Combining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Sentence Scrambles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Stamp and Write . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Write for a Purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Plan 3: Foundational Skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Compare/Contrast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Fill in the Blanks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Making Words . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
31
32
33
33
33
34
34
34
35
36
36
36
36
37
37
37
38
38
38
38
39
40
40
40
40
7.
Background and Research . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
8.
FAQs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
9.
Setup and Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
General Interface Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Access the General Interface Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
General Interface Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Access Method Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
General Access Method Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Customize the Access Method Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
General Text to Speech Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Access the General Text to Speech Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Select a Voice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Set the Speech Rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Test the Speaking Voice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
48
48
49
51
51
56
61
61
62
62
62
10. References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
ii
Mayer-Johnson
1
Introduction
Literacy Lab software provides comprehensive, integrated, and
contextual instruction in reading, vocabulary, phonics, word identification,
and writing. The premise behind this program is that beginning students
require support, instruction, and practice in all areas of literacy instruction
if they are to read silently with comprehension and compose meaningful
texts independently. Literacy Lab provides three different activity plans to
suit a range of beginning students—from those who are just beginning to
identify letters in the alphabet, to those who are at the earliest stages of
conventional reading and writing. Each unit includes 114 unique
instructional activities, derived from nearly 20 different activity types, as
well as a library of 15 content-related beginning reading books. With
communication supports built-in to enhance interactions during
instruction, teachers have access to ready-made content, and students
have access to literacy instruction with this unique, research-based
program.
Literacy Lab User’s Guide
Part # 760/GUIDE Rev. A
1
Chapter 1: Introduction
THEMES
Each unit is based on popular science and social studies content derived from common
kindergarten through 2nd grade state academic standards. Eight themes are covered in the
Literacy Lab software. These include: Habitats, The Solar System, Community, Plants,
Animals, Transportation, Land & Water, and Weather. The instructional content within this
program is anchored by science and social studies content for three important reasons:
•
First, these topics are age neutral and appeal to a wide range of students.
•
Second, reading and writing using informational texts related to science and social studies
themes provides students and teachers alike the opportunity to integrate important
concepts and world knowledge while simultaneously improving literacy skills.
•
Third, research indicates that literacy instruction embedded in real-world contexts tends to
be more effective than that based on fictional characters (K. Erickson, personal
communication, November, 2011).
LITERACY LAB UNITS
2
Mayer-Johnson
Chapter 1: Introduction
SKILLS
While Literacy Lab provides exposure and repetition to a vast array of literacy skills and
understandings, each unit places particular emphasis on a select set of consonant onsets and
word families (referred to as, “spelling patterns,” and derived from the Wylie & Durrell List,
1970). The table below indicates the consonant onsets and spelling patterns that correlate to
each unit.
ONSETS AND WORD FAMILIES
Word
family
1
Word
family
2
Word
family
3
Word
family
4
Title
Onsets
Blended
Onsets
The Solar System
s,w,p
bl
-ay
-ight
-ing
-ook
Plants
f,d,b
pl
-ell
-ake
-ide
-it
Transportation
k,f,b
tr
-est
-ack
-ot
-un
Habitats
j,d,h
sp
-at
-ain
-uck
-ill
Animals
m,j,r
fl
-ame
-ow
-eat
-op
Weather
p,t,m
sh
-ine
-ate
-ock
-oke
Land & Water
g,c,l
dr
-ick
-ap
-ore
-ug
Community
h,n,d,t
-ake
-an
-in
-ail
Additionally, many of the books within each library, as well as all of the example sentences
within the instructional activities, use the Dolch List of 100 High Frequency Words (1965).
Many of these words are not phonetically predictable, yet they make up roughly half of all the
words we encounter in print. Presenting these words in the context of everyday reading and
writing is important in helping students develop working knowledge and usage of these
important and useful words.
Literacy Lab User’s Guide
Part # 760/GUIDE Rev. A
3
Chapter 1: Introduction
TARGET AUDIENCE
Literacy Lab software is inclusive of all learners, from those with mild or moderate disabilities,
to those with physical access issues, to those who may require augmentative or alternative
communication supports. Individual features such as the topic-based themes, graphics, and
user interface make this software appealing to both younger and older students who benefit
from instruction targeting beginning reading and writing skills. The selected themes will
engage young children being introduced to concepts for the first time and pique the interests of
older students by expanding their repertoire of informational texts.
4
Mayer-Johnson
Chapter 1: Introduction
PROGRESS MONITORING
Progress monitoring is important to both assess students’ skills and evaluate effectiveness of
instruction. Literacy Lab provides built-in supports for assessing letter-name association,
letter-sound association, phoneme blending, and sight word identification. These progress
monitoring supports can be used before you begin instruction to help determine the skills and
activities that are most appropriate for the student (i.e., which activity plan might be best for a
student), for assessment after a period of instruction, and as a guide for defining IEP goals.
The results of progress monitoring can be printed and used to monitor student needs and
performance gains. The three areas measured within progress monitoring are explained
below.
Letter Name and Sound Identification
•
Level 1 - The student is asked to scan a grid of letters and identify the consonants that
have been targeted for that theme, given the letter name. The targeted letter appears five
times.
•
Level 2 - The student listens to the sound of a letter and identifies that letter within a grid.
The targeted letter appears three times.
•
Level 3 - The student listens to the sound of a letter and identifies that letter within a grid.
The targeted letter appears one time.
Phoneme Blending
•
Level 1 - The student is presented with a spoken word and asked to find the
corresponding picture in a field of eight.
•
Level 2 - The student is presented with a spoken word with a pause between the onset
and rime and asked to find the corresponding picture in a field of eight.
•
Level 3 - The student is presented with a spoken word broken into three phonemes and
asked to find the corresponding picture in a field of eight.
Sight Words
•
Level 1 - There is no sight word assessment since this is not developmentally appropriate
for students at this level.
•
Level 2 - The student is asked to identify a sight word in a field of four, with three strongly
contrasting foils.
•
Level 3 - The student is asked to identify a sight word in a field of four, with three random
foils.
Literacy Lab User’s Guide
Part # 760/GUIDE Rev. A
5
Chapter 1: Introduction
SUGGESTED READINGS
The following is a list of mainstream children's literature corresponding to the topic of each unit
that can be used to supplement your literacy instruction. This list is by no means
comprehensive but can provide a jumpstart for parents, teachers, and clinicians who
incorporate Literacy Lab as a significant component of the literacy learning landscape.
The books suggested were selected based on their popularity, availability, readability, and their
overall quality in terms of informing and engaging beginning readers of diverse ages.
Literacy Lab
Title
Independent Literature
Informational Texts
Read Aloud Literature
Community
Truck by Donald Crews
Fire! Fire! by Gail Gibbons
Tar Beach by Faith Ringgold
I Read Signs by Tana Hoban
At the Supermarket by Ann
Rockwell
Officer Buckle and Gloria by
Peggy Rathmann
Alphabet City by Stephen T.
Johnson
Community Helpers from A
to Z by Bobbie Kalman
Mike Mulligan and His Steam
Shovel by Virginia Lee Burton
The Lion and the Mouse by
Jerry Pinkney
What Do You Do With a Tail
Like This? by Steve Jenkins
and Robin Page
City Dog, Country Frog by Mo
Willems
Brown Bear by Eric Carle
Actual Size by Steve Jenkins
Owl Moon by Jane Yolen
Animal Alphabet by Bert
Kitchen
How Do You Sleep by
Louside Bonnet Rampersaud
Bear Snores On by Karma
Wilsons
Construction Zone by Tana
Hoban
School Bus by Donald Crews
Dig, Dig, Digging by Margaret
Mayo
My Car by Byron Burton
Five Trucks by Brian Floca
Oxcart Man by Donald Hall
Freight Train by Donald
Crews
Boats by Anne Rockwell
Duck on a Bike by David
Shannon
Roaring Rockets by Tony
Mitten and Ant Parker
I Want to Be An Astronaut by
Byron Burton
Space Case by Edward
Marshall and Jamesa
Marshall
A is for Astronaut: Exporing
Space A to Z by Traci N. Todd
The Moon Book by Gail
Gibbons
If You Decide to Go to the
Moon by Faith McNulty
Papa, Please Get the Moon
for Me by Eric Carle
On the Launch Pad: A
Counting Book About
Rockets by Michael Dahl
Stars, Stars, Stars by Bob
Barner
Animals
Transportation
The Solar
System
6
Mayer-Johnson
Chapter 1: Introduction
Literacy Lab
Title
Plants
Weather
Habitats
Land & Water
Independent Literature
Informational Texts
Read Aloud Literature
A Tree is Nice by Janice May
Udry
From Seed to Pumpkin by
Wendy Pfeffer
Miss Rumphius by Barbara
Cooney
Growing Vegetable Soup by
Lois Ehlert
A Tree is a Plant by Clyde
Robert Bulla
Strega Nona’s Harvest by
Tomie DePaola
The Carrot Seed by Ruth
Kraus
The Reason for a Flower by
Ruth Heller
The Gardener by David Small
The Cloud Book by Tomie
DePaola
Flash, Crash, Rumble, and
Roll by Franklyn Branley and
True Kelley
Cloudy with a Chance of
Meatballs by Judi Barrett
The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack
Keats
Clouds by Anne Rockwell
Snowflake Bentley by
Jacquelin Briggs
W is for Wind by Pat Michaels
and Melanie Rose
Animals in Winter by Helen
K. Davie
The Curious Garden by Peter
Brown
A House for Hermit Crab by
Eric Carle
Whose House is This? by
Elizabeth Gregoire
A House is a House for Me by
Mary Ann Hoberman
Animals in Winter by
Henrietta Bancroft
Amazing Whales by Sarah L.
Thomson
The Mitten by Jan Brett
What Lives in a Shell by
Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld
I See a Kookaburra by Steve
Jenkins
How to Hide a Butterfly by
Ruth Heller
In the Small, Small Pond by
Denise Fleming
Where the Land Meets Sea
by Allen Fowler
Hello, Ocean by Pam Muñoz
Ryan
The Earth and I by Frank
Asch
Our Earth by Ann Rockwell
Night in the Country by
Cynthia Rylant
Into the A, B, Sea by Deborah
Lee Rose
Deserts by Gail Gibbons
All the World by Marla Frazee
Literacy Lab User’s Guide
Part # 760/GUIDE Rev. A
7
Chapter 1: Introduction
TECHNICAL SUPPORT
United States & Canada
1-800-588-4548
M - F: 8:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. (EST)
[email protected]
8
Mayer-Johnson
2
Getting Started
Literacy Lab has been designed to accommodate a range of classroom,
home, and therapeutic settings. In the home setting, Literacy Lab can be
employed as a fun way to build literacy skills through engaging activities
and interesting books that do not require knowledge of literacy instruction
on the part of an adult. In the classroom, Literacy Lab is a key component
to the overall literacy curriculum, with ready-made content that addresses
all of the key areas of a balanced literacy curriculum. In the therapeutic
setting, Literacy Lab can be tailored to the precise learning goals of a
student or group. These are just a few of the possible applications for this
engaging and flexible tool.
Literacy Lab can be approached in one of two ways. It can be applied in a
structured and predictable way that simply requires following the
directions of a preset sequence. This structured approach is called a
Preset Activity Plan, where students are matched to an activity plan level
according to developmental need.
Alternately, Literacy Lab can be tailored to directly address the targeted
needs of a particular student or students by allowing the teacher to select
the order of activities to be completed. This approach is called a Custom
Activity Plan. Both the Preset Activity Plan (see Preset Activity Plans)
and Custom Activity Plan (see Custom Activity Plan) are discussed in
this guide.
Literacy Lab User’s Guide
Part # 760/GUIDE Rev. A
9
Chapter 2: Getting Started
HOME SCREEN
When you double-click on the desktop icon for Literacy Lab [ ], the Home Screen will open.
Icons representing the first four Literacy Lab units are shown. Click Next to view the next four
units. To open any unit, click on its icon.
LITERACY LAB HOME SCREEN)
10
Mayer-Johnson
Chapter 2: Getting Started
THE LITERACY LAB TOOLBAR
A toolbar is present at the top of each screen in the Literacy Lab.
NOTE
The toolbar is not visible in Full Screen mode. (See Mode button below). You can set up the
software to enable the toolbar to roll down when the cursor is moved to the top of the screen in
Full Screen mode. (See Toolbar Rolldown.) You can also click Esc to briefly display the toolbar.
The Literacy Lab toolbar contains the tools you need for adjusting setup and options, printing
pages, accessing help documentation and the onscreen keyboard, locking the toolbar, and
toggling between Full Screen and Windowed modes.
LITERACY LAB TOOLBAR
1
File menu
Print Page - Opens the Print Setup dialog so the facilitator
can print the page to have a record of the currently open
screen. (Print icons are also available on selected screens in
each unit.)
Setup and Options - Literacy Lab allows you to customize
some software settings. You can choose the mode in which
the software opens (Full Screen or Windowed), lock and
password protect the toolbar and enable the toolbar to be
displayed in Full Screen mode, select and customize the
access method, and set general text to speech settings. See
Setup and Options for detailed information on customizing
the software settings.
Exit - Closes the Literacy Lab software.
2
Keyboard
Opens the Microsoft onscreen keyboard. This keyboard lets
you enter text when you are not physically at your computer
(for example, if you are using an interactive whiteboard).
3
Lock button
Toggles between Lock Toolbar and Unlock Toolbar. (If the
toolbar is not password protected, the Lock button will be
grayed out.)
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Part # 760/GUIDE Rev. A
11
Chapter 2: Getting Started
REFERENCE
See Lock the Toolbar and Toolbar Password for instructions for locking and password
protecting the toolbar.
4
Help button
Opens the Literacy Lab User’s Guide (this guide), a PDF file
providing detailed information on Literacy Lab.
5
Mode button
Toggles the display between Windowed and Full Screen
modes. When the software is in Full Screen mode, the
display will fill the entire screen, and the toolbar will be
hidden.
REFERENCE
See Toolbar Rolldown to learn how to roll down the toolbar in Full Screen mode.
12
Mayer-Johnson
Chapter 2: Getting Started
PRESET ACTIVITY PLANS
Literacy Lab addresses a range of beginning instructional needs by offering three Preset
Activity Plans for varied developmental stages, called Levels 1, 2, and 3. Brief developmental
descriptions for each level help you to map each learner to the right activity plan or level. Once
a student begins an Activity Plan, they are presented with a sequence of activities organized
into sessions. Sessions are easy to follow and predictable in progression and format. Each
one includes two new activities, followed by a built-in Practice Time, during which students will
have the opportunity to practice previously completed activities. Students will also have
access to the entire library of 15 theme-related books during Practice Time. The opportunity to
practice is of critical importance to the learning process. Success with new skills requires a
balance of exploring the new while revisiting and building on the old. A session is registered as
"complete" once a student has progressed through the two new activities and also explored at
least one practice activity. Descriptions of the three activity plans that represent the range of
beginning readers and writers follow.
Preset Activity Plan Level 1
Activity Plan Level 1 is for students who are at the most beginning stages of literacy
development. These are learners who are just beginning to understand concepts of print and
develop an alphabetic awareness, and they have limited phonological awareness. These
students have only just begun to make connections between written and oral language. These
students may have limited interest in shared storybook reading, but demonstrate some
interest or inquiry into things, people, or the world around them.
The activities within Activity Plan Level 1 are open-ended and exploratory in nature. There are
six different activity types that make up this level or plan. These are:
•
Visual Scenes
•
Letter Searches
•
Word Blending
•
Sight Word Sentences
•
Tongue Twisters
•
Alphabet Boards
Literacy Lab User’s Guide
Part # 760/GUIDE Rev. A
13
Chapter 2: Getting Started
Preset Activity Plan Level 2
Activity Plan Level 2 targets students who have acquired some of the aforementioned skills but
are not yet employing written language in a meaningful way. Often, these students are
showing a beginning interest in shared storybook reading and may have some ability to link
graphic supports like pictures, illustrations, and/or photographs to written text. There are six
activity types at this level. These are:
•
Chart Writing
•
Onset-Rime Exploration
•
Stamp and Write
•
Visual Scenes
•
Word Searches
•
Write About a Picture
The activities contained within this level are still exploratory in nature; however, students are
asked to demonstrate more knowledge of the relationships between letters and sounds and
sounds and words.
The activities within Activity Plan Level 2 are just slightly more challenging. At this level,
students are beginning to have some success identifying letters, listening for rhymes, and
employing phonological knowledge to decode simple words. There are more opportunities to
explore and interact with content vocabulary, and students may also begin to use
developmental spelling to represent words in writing. This means that their knowledge of
letters and sounds is being demonstrated, even if words aren’t displayed in conventional
ways. This is an important step in writing development since it builds writing confidence and
allows writers to focus more on what they want to express and less on what they feel they can
express in conventional ways.
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Preset Activity Plan Level 3
Activity Plan Level 3 provides meaningful learning opportunities for students who are having
some success with written language, but require continued support in decoding words,
reading with comprehension and fluency, and writing to communicate effectively with others.
The activities contained within this level have a greater emphasis on direct instruction. Often,
these students are able to participate in shared storybook reading and identify some letters
and correlate them to their sounds. These students may have the ability to identify a very small
number of sight words. There are more opportunities to explore and interact with syntax and
composition. Students at this level often use a mix of conventional and developmental spelling
to represent words in writing. This is an important step in writing development since it builds
writing confidence and allows writers to focus more on what they want to express and less on
what they feel they can express in conventional ways.
There are seven activity types at this level. These are:
•
Making Words
•
Write for a Purpose
•
Stamp & Write
•
Sentence Combining
•
Sentence Scrambles
•
Fill in the Blanks
•
Compare/Contrast
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Chapter 2: Getting Started
HOW TO GET STARTED WITH A PRESET ACTIVITY PLAN
When you first launch Literacy Lab, you will be asked to choose an Activity Plan. The preset
Activity Plans are listed as "Level 1", "Level 2", and "Level 3".
CHOOSE AN ACTIVITY PLAN
A brief description of each level is provided onscreen, or refer to the
above descriptions for more detail. The "Custom" option is for teachers
who do not want to use a preset Activity Plan, and is described in more
detail in the Custom Activity Plan chapter (see Custom Activity Plan).
Select the level most appropriate for your student, then select the
continue button.
Continue button
Once you've selected a level, press Start to begin the first session. Each Activity Plan contains
18-20 sessions. Students will initially be presented with two new activities, and then progress
to Practice Time, during which students will have the opportunity to practice previously
completed activities.
In order to complete a session, the students must select at least one activity. However,
students should be encouraged to select as many activities as they like, and repeat activities
they enjoy.
At any point after completing at least one activity in Practice Time, select Done to end the
session. The Session Progress screen will show your progress in the current Activity Plan.
Select Play to continue to the next session, or select Stop to return to the Main Menu.
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Chapter 2: Getting Started
During Practice Time, students will also have access to the entire library of 15 theme-related
books. When selecting the Read with an adult option, prompts will be displayed in gray text
on the lower right side of the screen. These instructional prompts are intended to be spoken
aloud by the adult who is supporting a beginning reader. The purpose of these prompts is to
provide a thoughtful scaffold so that students are better able to understand the text and
interpret the forms and functions of print.
The instructional prompts vary. Some provide direct support in helping a student to make
meaning from a text. An example of this would be to highlight and define a challenging
vocabulary word. Other prompts provide support in helping a student to consider the form and
function of print. An example of this would be to highlight a common spelling pattern as a
potential tool in helping students read words that are unfamiliar. Still other prompts provide
support by asking students to use the information they have, including knowledge of syntax or
information from pictures to help them to decode text. While there are many different kinds of
instructional texts, all serve the same end goal - to help students develop the variety of tools
that are required to read silently with comprehension.
The opportunity to practice is of critical importance to the learning process. Teachers should
make sure to set aside adequate time for Practice Time and encourage students to select as
many activities as interest them, since the opportunity to explore and refine newly acquired
skills is as important as the opportunity to engage in new learning.
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Browse All Activities
The Browse All Activities option lets the teacher select from and play any
of the activities included in Literacy Lab. This allows teachers to focus on
specific skills they want to target at that moment. Choosing activities
outside the selected Activity Plan Level also helps address students with
splinter skills who may benefit from doing some activities outside of their
level.
The Browse All Activities button is always available from the Main Menu
and from the Practice Time screen. The button is password protected to
prevent students from entering this mode.
NOTE
The default password is "password." See the Changing Settings chapter for information on
how to change this password.
In the Browse All Activities screen, all the activities are shown and
organized by level, with Books and Student Books in separate categories.
Select a category and then an activity type to see all the activities of that
type. Click on an activity to play it.
The number of times each activity and activity type has been opened is
displayed to the right of the activity/activity type name. This is helpful for
keeping track of which activities your student has already completed. It
also provides a gauge for which activities your student is selecting during
Practice Time.
The Preview Mode check box provides a way to play the activities without
affecting the usage count (the number of times each activity has been
opened). This allows you to explore the activities to see what they are,
without affecting the tracking of which activities your student has
completed.
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Chapter 3: Browse All Activities
PREVIEW MODE CHECK BOX
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4
Custom Activity Plan
With the Custom Activity Plan, Literacy Lab can provide you with readyto-use literacy content that can address the particular needs or goals of
your students. The Custom Activity Plan allows you to create sessions
from the bank of 114 instructional activities that represent 20 different
activity types (word search, word blending, visual scenes, etc.). You can
create a session on the fly (since it takes only seconds to select and
organize instructional activities), or you can plan up to 20 sessions in
advance. Literacy Lab allows you to create a literacy instructional
program that is uniquely aligned to the individual needs, interests, or
development of your students. For example, if you are focusing on
supporting a student's foundational skills, you might select from any of the
individual activities that pertain, such as Word Blending, Making Words,
or Onset-Rime Exploration.
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Chapter 4: Custom Activity Plan
CREATING A CUSTOM ACTIVITY PLAN
In order to create a Custom Activity Plan, you must have selected Custom from the initial
Choose an Activity Plan screen. After selecting the Continue button, you will be brought
directly to the Edit Custom Activity Plan screen.
If you chose one of the preset Activity Plans and now wish to switch to a Custom Activity Plan,
you will need to switch your Activity Plan to "Custom" – see the Changing Settings chapter.
A Custom Activity Plan can have up to 20 sessions, with each session holding up to six
activities.
EDIT CUSTOM ACTIVITY PLAN SCREEN
The Edit Custom Activity Plan screen will show the sessions you have currently created, as
well as the activities in each.
To Add a New Session:
1. Select Add a New Session. This will open the Edit Session screen.
2. Select the level that contains the activity you wish to add.
3. Select the activity type you want to add from the Activity Type list.
4. Drag the Activity from the Activity Name list to the Session list on the right of the screen.
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Chapter 4: Custom Activity Plan
For each session, you can include up to six activities. Activities will be presented in the
order listed. You can drag the activities up or down to reorder them.
5. Select Save when you've finished building a session.
NOTE
You can preview the activities by clicking on the activity name. When you exit the activity, you will
be returned to the Edit Session screen.
DRAG ACTIVITIES TO BUILD SESSIONS
To delete a session:
1. From the Main Menu, select the Settings button.
2. Enter your password. (The default password is “password.”)
3. Select the Edit Custom Activity Plan tab. Find the session you wish to delete.
4. Select Delete Session.
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Chapter 4: Custom Activity Plan
To Edit an Existing Session:
1. From the Main Menu, select the Settings button.
2. Enter your password. The default password is “password.”
3. Select the Edit Custom Activity Plan tab. Find the session you wish to edit.
4. Select the pencil icon located in the upper right portion of the session button.
5. Edit the session as desired, and save changes.
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5
Changing Settings
Select Settings from the Main Menu to change the settings or selected
level, or to view student progress and history. First, you must enter a
password. (The default password is "password.")
Select one of the tabs at the top of the screen:
•
Current Status - On this tab, the current session number is shown
and outlined in green. Select a different session number to change
sessions.
•
View History - Use this tab to see how many times each activity type
has been opened, as well as the date the activity was last opened.
Click on DETAILS to see the history for each specific activity.
•
General Settings - This tab allows you to change your password, the
keyboard layout for writing activities, and the auto-narrate setting for
the books.
• Change Teacher Password - You can change the teacher
password, which is required to access the Browse All Activities
screen, Progress Monitoring activities, and Settings. (The default
password is "password.")
• Keyboard Layout - This determines the keyboard layout for the
onscreen keyboards included in the Stamp and Write, Write About a
Picture, and Write for a Purpose activities. You can choose
between a standard "QWERTY" layout or an alphabetical "ABC"
layout.
• Auto-Narrate Books - This determines whether the text will be
automatically narrated by the computer for each page of the books.
Activity Plan Levels 1 and 2 have this setting enabled by default.
Level 3 has this setting disabled by default.
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Chapter 5: Changing Settings
•
Change Level - Use this tab to change the student's Activity Plan.
These are the same choices that were provided upon initially
launching Literacy Lab. See the Changing Settings chapter for more
detail on each option.
• Level 1
• Level 2
• Level 3
• Custom
•
Edit Custom Activity Plan - You will see this tab only if you are using
a Custom Activity Plan. See the Custom Activity Plan chapter for
more information.
SETTINGS MENU
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Description Of Activities
PLAN 1: READING
In order to read with comprehension, students must make personal connections to the text
they are reading, and they must hold information and build mental schema as they read
books. Guided-purpose activities are supportive of these objectives, and they help students
develop strategies for drawing meaning from literature-based and informational texts.
Guided Purposes
BOOK FROM LITERACY LAB - COMMUNITY
At this level, students read five different books at least three times each as a way to expand
comprehension of each text. These books appear on the first level of the Bookshelf; however
the entire library is available during practice sessions. First, students are prompted to find a
personal, world, or text connection with the topic or feature of the book. Many, if not most, of
these questions have no clear right or wrong answer since the objective is to simply develop a
relationship with the text. Then, the text is read (or the student reads it) with the stated
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Chapter 6: Description Of Activities
purpose in mind. Afterwards, students are asked to apply the knowledge gained during
reading by answering questions or completing related activities. Instructional feedback is
provided to confirm correct assumptions. It is also offered as a way to clarify any incorrect or
misguided assumptions that the student has made. Guided-reading activities provide students
with a methodology to begin to think deeply about books in general.
Library
While each activity plan explores five books, each unit comes with a complete theme-based
library of fifteen books. This library is available in its entirety during Practice Time. Within each
library, key concepts are explored (i.e., concepts related to a theme, the alphabet, etc.) and
key language structures are presented so that beginning readers of all abilities can begin to
have some success decoding words and deriving meaning from pictures and narrative. While
each theme-based library is diverse in terms of topic, students will confront repeated and
similar language structures across units.
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Chapter 6: Description Of Activities
PLAN 1: WRITING
Sight Word Sentences
The purpose of this activity is twofold; the first is to give students opportunities to interact with
the sight words that are the foundation of all reading and writing. The second is to demonstrate
the role that syntax plays in conveying meaning. Students select from a bank of first-grade
high-frequency words and order them with the purpose of creating meaningful sentences.
Students can check if they have created a meaningful sentence by selecting the Check
button. This provides the very important voice that all writers employ as they endeavor to
create sentences that are syntactically meaningful. Students can also ask for a hint by
selecting the Hint button. This provides a correct model of possible sentences, but must be
closed before continuing the activity, so that students are not encouraged to simply copy the
right answers. Once a student creates a syntactically correct sentence, instructional feedback
confirms this choice.
NOTE
When using this activity with the Scanning access method, words will automatically be added to
the end of the sentence when selected. The student cannot rearrange the words in the sentence.
This was done to simplify the operation of the activity.
Stamp and Write
The purpose of this activity is to provide an open-ended context for very beginning writing and
developmental spelling. Students create a picture by selecting symbols and depositing them
onto the blank canvas. They are then given the opportunity to select letters and begin to label
the image they’ve created. They may also select from a bank of words tied to the symbols that
they have selected or use the word-prediction bank. Because students at this level are truly
beginners, there may be no conventional connection between the picture they’ve created and
the text they’ve selected. Still, this is a critical stage in writing development that all writers must
journey through. Just as with any beginning writing effort, all attempts at representing thoughts
or ideas in print are valued.
NOTE
The same Stamp and Write activity is present in all three Activity Plans (Levels 1, 2, and 3). The
format of the activity remains the same, but the expectations of the student's writing will change
between each level.
NOTE
When using this activity with the Scanning access method, stamps will be randomly positioned in
the picture when selected. This is done to eliminate the cumbersome task of positioning stamps
through scanning.
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Chapter 6: Description Of Activities
PLAN 1: FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS
Alphabet Boards
The purpose of this activity is to demonstrate the relationship of individual letters relative to
each other while also demonstrating the relationship of each letter to its corresponding sound.
When students select a letter, it is enlarged. Three words that have the corresponding initial
onset to this letter are presented with symbol support. Students are first shown one of the
targeted letters for the unit, and then are encouraged to independently explore as many letters
as they choose. Because the nature of this activity is exploratory, students may select the
Done button to complete this activity at any time. However, students should be encouraged to
play and explore for as long as attention spans dictate.
ALPHABET BOARD
Tongue Twisters
The purpose of this activity is to provide a mnemonic device to help students to remember
letters and their corresponding sounds. Students can experiment with sounds, words, and
meanings by selecting a consonant onset and listening to the how the sentence is changed
when the onsets of each word are changed. Since three of the four onsets are incorrect, the
student will inevitably be creating nonsense sentences that will likely sound funny. This kind of
engaging play helps students to develop positive associations with literacy learning while also
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Chapter 6: Description Of Activities
demonstrating how different a word can be when only one letter is changed. When the student
selects the onset that makes the sentence meaningful, they are rewarded with a simple
animation that ties to the meaning of the sentence.
Word Blending
The purpose of this word blending activity is to demonstrate how words can be learned within
the context of common patterns or rimes and also to see how meaning is changed with each
new onset letter. When onset letters are dragged to the rime, illustrations pop up to reinforce
meaning and decoding. Each Literacy Lab unit targets four rimes or spelling patterns. Each
word blending activity is dedicated to one of the four targeted word endings.
Visual Scenes
The purpose of this activity is to use knowledge of letter sounds to identify objects in
contextual scenes. When a student selects an object that correlates to the letter sound, the
word is displayed with its onset highlighted for reinforcement. Each scene contains four to
eight clickable objects.
VISUAL SCENE
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Chapter 6: Description Of Activities
Letter Searches
The purpose of this activity is to identify letters and to encourage beginning readers to scan
print for meaning. The student is asked to locate the five instances of the targeted letter,
hidden within a grid of random letters. Each Literacy Lab theme targets three consonant letters
and a blended consonant onset. Each letter search is dedicated to one of the targeted
consonant onsets specific to that unit.
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Chapter 6: Description Of Activities
PLAN 2: READING
Guided Purposes
In order to read with comprehension, students must make personal connections to the text
they are reading, and they must hold information and build mental schema as they read
books. Guided-purpose activities are supportive of these objectives and they help students
develop strategies for drawing meaning from literature-based and informational texts. At this
level, students read five different books at least three times each as a way to expand
comprehension of each text. These books appear on the first level of the Bookshelf; however
the entire library is available during Practice Time. First, students are prompted to find a
personal, world, or text connection with the topic or feature of the book. Many, if not most, of
these questions have no clear right or wrong answer since the objective is to simply develop a
relationship with the text. Then, the text is read (or the student reads it) with the stated
purpose in mind. Afterwards, students are asked to apply the knowledge gained during
reading by answering questions or completing related activities. Instructional feedback is
provided to confirm correct assumptions. It is also offered as a way to clarify any incorrect or
misguided assumptions that the student has made. Guided reading activities provide students
with a methodology to begin to think deeply about books in general.
Library
While each activity plan explores five books, each unit comes with a complete theme-based
library of fifteen books. This library is available in its entirety during practice. Within each
library, key concepts are explored (i.e., concepts related to a theme, the alphabet, etc.), and
key language structures are presented so that beginning readers of all abilities can begin to
have some success decoding words and deriving meaning from narrative. While each themebased library of books is diverse in terms of topic, students will confront repeated and similar
language structures across units.
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Chapter 6: Description Of Activities
PLAN 2: WRITING
Chart Writing
The purpose of this activity is to present language in such a way that all can begin to
experience success in word-by-word reading and writing. This activity also provides a no-fail
way to explore and learn content vocabulary as it relates to the theme. A simple stem
sentence with a blank is presented. Students select words to complete the sentence. After
eight sentences have been generated, they are automatically converted into book format,
complete with illustrations, so that students can read the composition they have created.
Books are saved to the Bookshelf so they can be read during Practice Time.
CHART WRITING
Stamp and Write
The purpose of this activity is to provide an open-ended context for beginning writing and
developmental spelling. Students create a picture by selecting symbols and depositing them
onto the blank canvas. They are then given the opportunity to write about their image. At this
level, students may be able to select letters that correspond to the images they’ve selected.
They may even begin to compose words in developmental spelling. They can also select from
a bank of words tied to the symbols that they have selected, or use the word-prediction bank
to support their spelling.
NOTE
The same Stamp and Write activity is present in all three Activity Plans (Levels 1, 2, and 3). The
format of the activity remains the same, but the expectations of the student's writing will change
between each level.
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NOTE
When using this activity with the Scanning access method, stamps will be randomly positioned in
the picture when selected. This is done to eliminate the cumbersome task of positioning stamps
through scanning.
Write About a Picture
The purpose of this activity is for students to begin to compose meaningful text about
everyday subjects. Students are given a picture to set the topic of their writing. Students can
select letters from the keyboard to create words and sentences, or they can employ an aspect
of the writing framework, which includes starter phrases, vocabulary, and word prediction. The
goal of the writing framework is to ease the burden of text production and facilitate the speed
with which students can compose thoughts in print.
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Chapter 6: Description Of Activities
PLAN 2: FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS
Onset Rime Exploration
The purpose of this activity is to explore words that can be created using a set of fixed
consonant onsets and three rimes or word endings. Students are asked to make nine words
using combinations of the consonant onsets and rimes. Most often, within the nine attempts,
students create several real words and several nonsense words. Once the words are
generated, students then sort the real words from the nonsense words. Last, students are
asked to categorize and sort words that share the same spelling pattern. This ability to analyze
words is a critical tool in helping students develop strategies to read, spell, and write unfamiliar
words.
Visual Scenes
The purpose of this activity is to use knowledge of rhyming words to identify objects in
contextual scenes. When a student selects an object that correlates to the rhyming word, the
word name is displayed with the word ending highlighted for reinforcement. Each scene
contains four to eight clickable objects. The everyday contexts and theme-based objects
provide an engaging format for thinking about rhymes.
Word Searches
The purpose of this activity is to scan print to find meaningful words and to search for patterns
in word endings. Each of the five words embedded in the word search share one of the
common rimes targeted for each unit. The student must select the first letter of each word.
WORD SEARCH
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PLAN 3: READING
Guided Purposes
These provide strategies and opportunities to draw meaning from literature-based and
informational texts. At this level, students read and reread five different books from the themebased library. These books appear on the third level of the Bookshelf that is available in its
entirety during Practice Time. First, students are prompted to find a personal, world, or text
connection with the topic or feature of the book. Once this has been established, the text is
read (or the student reads) with the stated purpose in mind. After each reading, students are
asked to apply the knowledge gained during reading by answering questions or completing
related activities. Guided reading activities encourage students not only to learn about this
particular book but to extrapolate this kind of thinking to books in general.
Library
While each activity plan explores five books, each unit comes with a complete theme-based
library of fifteen books. This library is available in its entirety during Practice Time. Within each
library, key concepts are explored (i.e., concepts related to a theme, the alphabet, etc.), and
key language structures are presented so that beginning readers of all abilities can begin to
have success decoding words and deriving meaning from narrative. While each theme-based
library of books is diverse in terms of topic, students will confront repeated and similar
language structures across units.
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PLAN 3: WRITING
Sentence Combining
The purpose of this activity is to help students connect ideas by creating syntactically correct,
compound sentences. The capacity to write in more complex ways allows students to think in
more complex ways. This is particularly important for students with language impairments,
since the opportunity to explore and interact with this concept in language is often scant. This
activity is also valuable in supporting students in their syntactical abilities. In this activity,
students are presented with two sentences and asked to combine them by placing them in the
correct order with the conjunctions, “and,” or “or.”
Sentence Scrambles
The purpose of this activity is to help students create sentences that are ordered in
syntactically conventional ways. In order to compose meaningful texts, students must develop
an idea, frame it in a way that makes sense, and then hold this as long as it takes to produce it
in texts. This is particularly challenging for students with disabilities due to the various
obstacles (physical, intellectual, etc.) they face in terms of their ability to produce text. In this
activity, students are presented with a sentence model and then asked to recreate the
sentence in the correct order. Students can select the Hint button to briefly see the correct
model.
Stamp and Write
The purpose of this activity is for students to begin to compose meaningful text about
everyday subjects. Students create a picture by selecting symbols and depositing them onto
the blank canvas. They are then given the opportunity to write about their image. At this level,
students may be able to write words, phrases, or very beginning sentences that correspond to
the images they’ve selected.
At this level, we encourage students to use whatever knowledge of print they have, including
developmental spelling, since the thrust of this activity is more about what the student wants to
express and less about how he or she is able to do so conventionally. In addition to composing
their own texts, students can also select from a bank of words tied to the symbols that they
have selected or use the word prediction bank to support their spelling.
NOTE
The same Stamp and Write activity is present in all three Activity Plans (Levels 1, 2, and 3). The
format of the activity remains the same, but the expectations of the student's writing will change
between each level.
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STAMP AND WRITE
NOTE
When using this activity with the Scanning access method, stamps will be randomly positioned in
the picture when selected. This is done to eliminate the cumbersome task of positioning stamps
through scanning.
Write for a Purpose
The purpose of this activity is to provide everyday contexts and purposes in which to write.
There are four purposes in which to write. These are:
•
Make a List
•
Write About Your Favorite Book
•
Write a Book
•
Write a Note
Giving students real purposes and real audiences to which to write is a hallmark of good
writing instruction. By writing for everyday purposes, students discover the conventions of
different formats. Additionally, writers tend to write better and more clearly when they are
considering the audience for whom they are writing. Each of the Write for a Purpose activities
uses the same writing framework, which provides vocabulary, word prediction, and sentence
starters (except for Make a List and Write a Book) to ease the burden of text production and
facilitate beginning attempts to compose thoughts in print. By practicing with all four different
purposes, students are facilitated in their understandings of the various conventions that apply
to writing endeavors.
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Chapter 6: Description Of Activities
PLAN 3: FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS
Compare/Contrast
The purpose of this activity is to encourage students to analyze words in relation to their
spelling patterns and to find similarities and differences. Four words representing the four
targeted rimes are presented. These words are the models for the underlined words found in
each sentence. Students are asked to consider which of the four model words is most similar
to the underlined word. This ability to analyze words relative to their similarities and
differences is critical to a student’s ability to problem-solve when encountering words that are
unknown.
Fill in the Blanks
The purpose of this activity is to help students identify core words and to employ their
knowledge of syntax and meaning to correctly place these words within a sentence. Students
are presented with a sentence that contains a blank. The correct core word and two foils are
presented. Students must select the correct core word to complete the sentence.
FILL IN THE BLANKS (EXAMPLE)
Making Words
The purpose of this activity is to manipulate a set of letters into simple words and to
demonstrate that by changing, adding, or deleting a single letter, the word and its meaning are
changed. Students begin with a simple word of one to three letters. Prompts are given to add,
delete, exchange, or rearrange the letters into new words. Each new word is presented within
the context of a simple sentence to help students employ knowledge of meaning, syntax, and
grammar to help them build the word. Once a set of words has been created, students are
asked to sort them by number of letters, onset letter, and by rime. The last stage of this activity
provides students with the opportunity to transfer knowledge of these letters, sounds, and
words to newly presented letters and words. This activity is important in helping students
employ and expand phonemic awareness.
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Background and Research
Historically, literacy programs designed for individuals with disabilities
have tended to focus on only one or two constructs at a time. For many
years there was a prevailing belief that individuals with developmental
disabilities, including individuals with complex communication needs,
could be taught to read sight words, but that they could not learn to
decode words using phonics-based strategies. As a result, instruction
tended to focus on whole-word recognition with limited attention placed
on the internal make-up of words or comprehending words in connected
text. Consequently, they had limited knowledge of phoneme-grapheme
relationships and were unable to figure out unfamiliar words when
reading. Various researchers (Fallon, Light, McNaughton, Drager, &
Hammer, 2004; Hanser & Erickson, 2007) have now demonstrated that
this belief was unfounded, and individuals with developmental disabilities,
including those with complex communication needs, can respond
positively to analytic reading instruction.
Successfully implementing decoding or phonics intervention is only one
component of the comprehensive instruction beginning readers require.
Intervention must also address comprehension, fluency, and myriad other
skills and understandings. Isolated word reading deficits only account for
a small portion of the difficulties identified across all poor readers (Catts,
Fey, Zhang, & Tomblin, 1999; Nation, Clark, Wright, & Williams, 2006).
Successful approaches to building literacy for all learners are
comprehensive and they are also integrated. Cunningham’s (1993)
Whole-to-Part Model of Silent Reading Comprehension highlights the
reading and language-based constructs that underlie successful silent
reading comprehension and comprise comprehensive, integrated
instruction. The model is consistent with findings of the National Reading
Panel (2000) and the National Early Literacy Panel (2009) while offering
an important framework for organizing and understanding all of the critical
components of comprehensive beginning literacy instruction. The primary
constructs represented in the Whole-to-Part Model are word identification,
language comprehension, and print processing (see Cunningham, 1993
or Erickson, Koppenhaver, & Cunningham, 2006 for a detailed
description). At the same time, comprehensive instruction also supports
learners in applying or generalizing the knowledge and skills they are
acquiring to novel and self-selected contexts.
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The ability to generalize or apply knowledge and skills is often particularly difficult for students
with disabilities, and yet it is the thing that helps readers and writers develop and experience
increasing success across reading and writing contexts.
Lastly, effective, integrated, and comprehensive approaches to literacy must also provide
students with a balance of directed, interactive, skill-building instruction, guidance in applying
those skills in meaningful contexts, and opportunities to independently apply newly acquired
knowledge and skills through practice with self-directed reading and writing. Literacy learning,
by its nature, requires learners to problem-solve across a variety of skill sets in order to read
with comprehension and write with purpose and meaning. While the opportunity to explore
new content is critical to growth, so is the opportunity to practice and refine previously gained
knowledge. Beginning readers and writers require multiple opportunities to revisit content as a
way to refine newly acquired skills and understandings.
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FAQs
1. What if my student is “too low?”
Since Literacy Lab is designed for all beginners, there is no student that is "too low" for
this program. Activity Plan 1 caters to students who are just beginning on their journey of
literacy learning, and the opportunity to explore books and foundational activities in a nofail way is suitable to even the most beginning of beginners.
2. What do I do once my student has finished an activity plan?
Literacy Lab is designed not only to support developing literacy skills, but also to cultivate
the understandings that are required to read with comprehension and to compose
meaningful texts independently. Given this, most students will engage with the same
activity plan across several units before moving on to a higher level. Learners continue to
work at a level that feels “easy” as a way to build on successes and establish some
confidence before advancing to the next level. If you feel it is important to provide direct
instruction for each letter and word family, you may want to follow an activity plan across
all eight units.
3. How does my student access the library?
While each activity plan contains five books and fifteen guided purposes, the entire library
is available for all students either by progressing to the Practice Time within each session
of the activity plan, or by the teacher selecting the book tab with the Browse All Activities
button. Clearly, some books are designed as beginning readers and are intended as
books that students can explore independently. Others, due to concept, language
structure, or length, are intended to enhance knowledge of the world and of language and
vocabulary. Your student will likely gravitate toward books from which he or she will get the
most benefit.
4. How does Literacy Lab align with academic standards?
Literacy Lab aligns to the major threads of the English Language Arts Standards within the
Common Core. Within Literacy Lab, students read for information, read literature, practice
writing, and cultivate key foundational skills that are required to read with comprehension
and compose texts meaningfully. For more information about the English Language Arts
Common Core standards, go to: http://www.corestandards.org/.
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5. What is Progress Monitoring and how should I use it?
There are three components to Progress Monitoring. These are letter name/sound
identification, phoneme blending, and sight word identification. These three components
provide information about student development and provide assessment opportunities
about student growth. While many find it helpful to administer Progress Monitoring at the
outset as a way to provide a baseline and then again after a student has completed an
activity plan level, it can be administered at a frequency that you deem appropriate for
your student. Targeted onsets and rimes are evaluated within Progress Monitoring
activities. Progress Monitoring can also be used to help draft and define IEP goals around
literacy.
6. What is “teacher text” and how is it used?
Students are given multiple opportunities to explore the library of books independently
through the practice component of each lesson. When selecting a book, students can
indicate that they are reading independently or with an adult. When a student selects
Read with an Adult, the book is presented in the familiar format, however, gray text
intended to be read by an adult is added at the bottom right of the screen. This text
endeavors to support comprehension, knowledge of vocabulary, strategies for thinking
about words, and to facilitate personal connections with the text. The teacher text is
intended to provide a conversational scaffold around the book so that meaning and
enjoyment are maximized for the student.
7. Does Literacy Lab support comprehension?
Literacy Lab is highly centered on supporting reading comprehension. Each unit contains
a library of fifteen beginning reader books that represent the formats and language
structures that beginning readers have the most success with. Each book is available for
independent practice or practice with an adult, but each book is also linked to three
additional readings for different purposes. This combination of independent practice plus
multiple readings for novel purposes is what facilitates comprehension, not only of each
text, but also of reading in general.
8. Why do we keep reading the same book?
Multiple readings of the same book provide the student with the opportunity to not only
master the reading of the book (though this may not be the goal), they also offer students
a real opportunity to comprehend a given text. These multiple readings are a good
example of what we mean when we say that students need repetition with variety. The
book is the same (the repetition), but the purpose changes (the variety). Each purpose
supports students in developing a relationship with a text. These many connections are
retrieval routes toward remembering and understanding. The more retrieval routes a
student has about a given topic, the more likely he or she is able to understand, integrate,
and remember the topic. In addition to the guided readings, students also have
opportunities to read independently and to read with an adult. Both of these experiences
are important. The former provides opportunities to refine understandings about text and
print and narrative, the latter provides an important scaffold or bridge to thinking more
deeply about the text.
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9. Why won’t the program register our session as complete?
A session is not complete until a student has spent some time in Practice Mode. Practice
is important in helping the student test new assumptions and refine developing
understandings. After a student has pursued two activities, they are invited to select an
activity type to practice. The only activities available for practice are the ones a student
has already completed. In addition, the full library of books is available throughout each of
the three activity plans. The student must select at least one activity before selecting the
Done button on the Practice Time screen, thus completing the session.
10. Aren’t these books too easy?
In order to learn to read silently with comprehension, learners need lots (and lots!) of
practice with books that lend themselves to mastery. This is why you will recognize many
of the language structures you find in some of the most popular mass market children’s
books. This is also why you will see such a high degree of predictability within these texts,
both in terms of supporting graphics and in terms of language structure. Learning to read
is an extremely complex task that requires multiple meaning-making processes to be
active at the same time (i.e., Does it look right? Does is sound right? Does it make
sense?). By providing highly reinforcing and predictable texts, we are aiding students in
their ability to attend to these meta-linguistic processes.
11. Aren’t these books too hard?
As with language learning, we don’t suppress the language environment until a toddler is
ready to speak. Rather, we immerse them in the depth, breadth, and complexity of the
language around them. In this way, we also provide beginning readers with books that
may be written at a level that is higher than their ability to decode. When a student
encounters a book that they are unable to decode independently, it is okay to employ the
computer narration to support their experience and understanding of the text. In order to
read silently with comprehension, students must be developing a mental scaffold of the
world. These books provide support for this process.
12. How do I get a full view of the entire program so that I know what has to offer?
At the bottom of the start page, you will see a gray button that says Browse All Activities.
This button presents all of the activity types and all of the instructional activities according
to the Activity Plan to which it is aligned. There is a separate tab for books that provides
access to the full library of 15 books and all 45 comprehension lessons. There is also a tab
for student books. These are the books that the student creates during the activity called
Chart Writing found in Level 2, or during the Write For a Purpose activities found in Level
3.
NOTE
The Browse All Activities button is password protected to prevent accidental student access. The
default password is "password."
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13. What is the difference between the Stop button and the Done button?
The Done button is used when the student is finished with a particular activity, and is ready to
continue to the next activity in the Activity Plan. The Stop button is used to exit an activity and
return to the Main Menu, without completing a session.
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9
Setup and Options
You can customize some settings in Literacy Lab. You can:
•
Change the access method.
•
Lock and password protect the toolbar.
•
Select sound and voice settings.
Change settings using the Setup and Options dialog available through the
File menu. Changes you make will affect the settings in all units in
Literacy Lab.
FILE MENU - SETUP AND OPTIONS
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GENERAL INTERFACE SETTINGS
Use the Interface > General settings on the Setup and Options dialog to:
•
Open the unit in Full Screen or Windowed mode.
•
Lock and/or password protect the toolbar, and enable the toolbar to be displayed in Full
Screen mode.
NOTE
When you have finished customizing all the settings for Boardmaker Activity Center, select the OK
button to save all of your settings and close the Setup and Options dialog. If you select the Cancel
button, however, all of the changes you have made to the settings will be lost.
Access the General Interface Settings
To access the Interface > General settings:
1. Select File Menu > Setup and Options. The Setup and Options dialog will open.
2. Select Interface > General from the navigation pane.
GENERAL INTERFACE SETTINGS
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General Interface Settings
Set Screen Mode
The software will, by default, open in Full Screen mode. If you want it to open in Windowed
mode, clear the Full Screen check box.
FULL SCREEN CHECK BOX
NOTE
You can also click F1 to toggle between Full Screen and Windowed modes.
Lock the Toolbar
You can lock the toolbar to prevent unauthorized access. You must enter a password to lock
the toolbar. (The Lock Toolbar check box will be grayed out until a password is entered.)
1. Enter a password in the Unlock Toolbar Password text box. (See Toolbar Password.)
The Lock Toolbar check box will be enabled when a password is entered.
2. Select the Lock Toolbar check box.
LOCK TOOLBAR CHECK BOX
Toolbar Password
To ensure that the toolbar is not subject to unauthorized access, you can lock it. If the toolbar
is locked, a dialog will open when the Unlock button in the toolbar is selected. The correct
password must be entered in the dialog to unlock the toolbar.
1. Enter a password in the Unlock Toolbar Password text box. (Asterisks will be displayed
when the text is entered.)
UNLOCK PASSWORD TEXT BOX
2. Select the Lock Toolbar check box (under On Startup). (See Lock the Toolbar.)
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NOTE
Make sure you write down the password so that you don’t forget it!
Toolbar Rolldown
When in Full Screen mode, the toolbar is not visible. You can choose to display (roll down) the
toolbar when the cursor is moved to the top of the screen (over the area in which the toolbar is
normally displayed).
To enable toolbar rolldown, select the Enable Toolbar Rolldown in Full Screen check box.
ENABLE TOOLBAR ROLLDOWN IN FULL SCREEN CHECK BOX
NOTE
You can also press Esc to display the toolbar in Full Screen mode. The toolbar will open
momentarily to allow you to make a selection from it (unless it is locked).
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ACCESS METHOD SETTINGS
Literacy Lab is designed to be accessible to students with a wide spectrum of physical and
cognitive needs. Simple Touch is the default access method, and is appropriate for a standard
computer mouse or touchscreen, but you can select from four other access methods - each of
which can be customized to enhance each student’s experience with Literacy Lab.
General Access Method Settings
Use the Access Method > General settings on the Setup and Options dialog to select an
access method, switch input, highlight style and color, and audio cue settings.
Access the General Access Method Settings
1. Select File Menu > Setup and Options. The Setup and Options dialog will open.
2. Select Access Method > General from the navigation pane.
GENERAL ACCESS METHOD SETTINGS
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Select an Access Method
Simple Touch is the default access method. You may select a different access method from
the Access Method drop-down list:
ACCESS METHOD DROP-DOWN LIST
•
Simple Touch - This is the default setting for the software. The object is immediately
selected when it is clicked on. This method is appropriate for a standard computer mouse
or touchscreen.
•
Touch Enter - As with the Simple Touch access method, an object is selected when it is
clicked. With Touch Enter, though, you can adjust the hold and release times to prevent
unintentional selections for motor movement support. For click-and-drag activities, the
user first selects the object they want to drag, then selects the location to which they want
to drag it. The mouse button does not need to be held down while doing so.
This is a good access method for a user with impaired motor skills who might have hand
tremors or difficulty with click-and-drag operations.
REFERENCE
Settings for the Touch Enter access method can be customized to meet the student’s unique
needs. See Touch Enter Settings.
•
Touch Exit - The user clicks an object, holds down the mouse button for a specified
period of time (hold time), and then releases the mouse button. The object is selected
when the mouse button is released. You may also adjust the release time for this access
method.
For click-and-drag activities, the user first selects the object they want to drag, then
selects the location they want to drag to. They do not need to hold down the mouse button
while doing so.
This is also a good access method for a user with poor motor skills.
REFERENCE
Settings for the Touch Exit access method can be customized to meet the student’s unique needs.
See Touch Exit Settings.
•
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Scanning - If a user’s motor skills prevent him or her from using one of the touch selection
methods, Scanning offers the ability to operate Literacy Lab using only one or two
switches. When Scanning is active, the objects on the screen will be highlighted one-byone, and the switches are used to select objects.
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Chapter 9: Setup and Options
Two options are available - Autoscan and 2 Switch scanning. With Autoscan, the software
automatically scans the page at the speed and using the scan pattern you have selected.
(See Scanning Settings.) With the 2 Switch method, one switch (a keyboard key) is used
to advance the scan highlight, and a second switch (a different keyboard key) is used to
make selections. (See Select a Switch Input and Scanning Settings.)
NOTE
The operation of certain activities when using the Scanning access method has been simplified
and will work slightly differently. See Description Of Activities for details.
REFERENCE
Settings for the Scanning access method can be customized to meet the student’s unique needs.
See Scanning Settings.
•
Mouse Pause - An object is selected by moving the cursor over the object and pausing for
a set period of time. When the allotted time has passed, and the cursor remains paused
on the object, the object is selected.
This is a good access method option for a user who can maneuver a mouse but has
difficulty pressing down on the mouse button to make a selection. This access method is
most commonly used in conjunction with a head mouse or eye-gaze system.
The Mouse Pause access method also includes an option for using a switch (keyboard
key) to make a selection.
REFERENCE
Settings for the Mouse Pause access method can be customized to meet the student’s unique
needs. See Mouse Pause Settings.
Select a Switch Input
If you want to use either the Scanning or Mouse Pause (with switch) access method, select a
switch input. Different switch interfaces send different keystrokes or mouse clicks as inputs to
the computer. Consult the documentation that came with your switch interface to determine
which inputs your switches are sending.
NOTE
The default switch inputs are the left arrow for switch 1 and the right arrow for switch 2.
For Autoscan and Mouse Pause (with switch):
Select the Switch 1 Input drop-down list to choose the keyboard key that will provide a
switch input to signal the software to make a selection.
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For 2 Switch Scanning:
1. Select the Switch 1 Input drop-down list to choose the keyboard key that will provide a
switch input to signal the software to advance the scan highlight.
2. Select the Switch 2 Input drop-down list to choose the keyboard key that will provide a
switch input to signal the software to make a selection.
SWITCH INPUT DROP-DOWN LISTS
Select a Highlight Style and Color
1. Use the Highlight Style drop-down list to select how a selected object(s) will visually stand
out on the page.
HIGHLIGHT STYLES
2. Select a highlight color.
a. Select the Color button. The Color Selector dialog will open.
COLOR SELECTOR DIALOG
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b. Select a standard color or create a custom color:
•
To select a standard color, use the Standard Colors drop-down list.
•
To create a custom color, adjust the Intensity and Opacity sliders and the red,
green, and blue sliders in the bottom right pane.
Audio Cue Settings
Audio Cue
An audio cue is single word or a short message that is spoken through the computer’s
speakers to identify an object when the cursor (or scanning highlight) moves over the object.
AUDIO CUE SETTINGS
Select the Speak Audio Cue check box to enable audio cues.
Select a Unique Voice for Audio Cues
You can select a different voice to speak audio cues than the voice you use for activities:
REFERENCE
See General Text to Speech Settings for information on selecting general voice settings to be
used for activities.
Select a voice for audio cues from the Voice drop-down list.
Set the Audio Cue Volume
Use the Volume slider to set the volume from 0 (mute) to 100 (loudest).
Set the Speech Rate for the Audio Cue
Use the Rate slider to adjust the speaking rate. Dragging the slider from left to right increases
the speech rate.
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Test the Speaking Voice for the Audio Cue
Select the Test Voice button to hear how the voice and rate of speech you have selected
sounds. You can change the voice and increase or decrease the rate of speech until you are
happy with the voice and the speaking rate you have chosen for the audio cue.
NOTE
The default text in the Test Speech text box is, "This is how the voice currently sounds." To change
the text in the text box, select it and enter your own personalized message.
Customize the Access Method Settings
After you have chosen an access method, you can customize the method’s settings.
Simple Touch Settings
Simple Touch is the default access method for the software. It is automatically enabled, and, if
you want to use this method, you do not need to define any custom settings. This setting is
appropriate for a standard computer mouse or touchscreen.
Touch Enter Settings
You can adjust the hold and release times for the Touch Enter access method - this will help to
prevent accidental selections for motor movement support. To prevent making unintended
selections, the user clicks an object and holds down the mouse button for a specified period of
time (hold time) to select the object.
•
Hold time is the length of time that the user must maintain contact with a screen object
(hold down the mouse button) before the object is selected.
•
Release time is the window of time after a screen object is selected during which the
software will not accept a new selection. This can help prevent accidental selections. The
release time countdown starts when the mouse button is released. If another object is
selected before the release time window closes, the clock will start over again.
1. Select File Menu > Setup and Options. The Setup and Options dialog will open.
2. Select Access Method > Touch Enter from the navigation pane.
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ACCESS METHOD - TOUCH ENTER SETTINGS
3. Select and slide the Hold Time slider bar to adjust the hold time for selections.
4. Select and slide the Release Time slider bar to adjust the window of time after one
selection during which the software will not allow a new selection.
Touch Exit Settings
With the Touch Exit access method, you can adjust the hold and release times.
•
Hold time is the length of time that the user must maintain contact with a screen object
(hold down the mouse button) before the object is selected. When the user releases the
mouse button, the object is selected.
•
Release time is the window of time after a screen object is selected during which the
software will not accept a new selection. This can help prevent accidental selections. The
release time countdown starts when the mouse button is released. If another object is
selected before the release time window closes, the clock will start over again.
1. Select File Menu > Setup and Options. The Setup and Options dialog will open.
2. Select Access Method > Touch Exit from the navigation pane.
TOUCH EXIT SETTINGS
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3. Select and slide the Hold Time slider bar to adjust the hold time for selections.
4. Select and slide the Release Time slider bar to adjust the window of time after one
selection during which the software will not allow a new selection.
Scanning Settings
The Scanning selection method will systematically highlight all of the objects on a page. When
the desired object is highlighted, a selection can be made by activating a "switch" (keyboard
key).
1. Select File Menu > Setup and Options. The Setup and Options dialog will open.
2. Select Access Method > Scanning from the navigation pane.
SCANNING SETTINGS
3. Select either of the following scan types:
•
Autoscan - The software will automatically scan the page. You select the speed of the
scan, its pattern, and the number of passes the scan will make before it rests.
•
2 Switch - Two separate keyboard keys are used as switches. Switch 1 advances the
scan, and Switch 2 makes the selection. You select the scan pattern.
REFERENCE
Select the keyboard key(s) you want to use as switches when you set your general access
method settings. (See Select a Switch Input.)
4. (Autoscan only) Select and hold the Scan Speed slider bar to adjust the speed at which
the scan highlight will move through the objects on the page.
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5. Select the Scan Pattern drop-down list and choose a scan pattern option - the order in
which objects will be scanned - either by rows, by columns, or linearly (starting in the top
left corner, moving to the right, and then down).
For the majority of Literacy Lab activities, the scan pattern has been preset for the most
logical and simple sequence for a given activity. The scan pattern setting you select
applies only to those sections where there are many objects organized into a grid (i.e.,
onscreen keyboards, writing grids, word search / letter search activities).
NOTE
Tell users to keep their eye on the target - each time the target is highlighted, select the switch.
6. Select the Zoom check box if you want to automatically enlarge each object as it is
scanned.
7. (Autoscan only) Select the Number of Passes drop-down list and choose the number of
times the scan pattern will repeat before stopping.
8. Select the Then drop-down list to choose what the scan will do after it has completed the
selected number of passes:
•
Back One Level - moves the scan pattern "back" to the previous level. (That is, if you
are using Row/Column scanning, and the scan pattern is scanning the individual
objects in a row, selecting the Back button would move the highlight back to scanning
row by row).
•
Reset - restarts the scan.
9. Select the buttons you want to display onscreen from the Show drop-down list.
10. Define a grid size in the Freeform Target Grid Size field to define a target area for a
freeform object that is not laid out on a grid.
NOTE
The operation of certain activities when using the Scanning access method has been simplified
and will work slightly differently. See Description Of Activities for details.
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Mouse Pause Settings
With the Mouse Pause access method, you have the option of selecting an object by pausing
on the object for a set period of time or by using a switch (keyboard key) for selection.
1. Select File Menu > Setup and Options. The Setup and Options dialog will open.
2. Select Access Method > Mouse Pause from the navigation pane.
ACCESS METHOD - MOUSE PAUSE SETTINGS
3. Make a selection from the Select With drop-down list:
•
Select Pause if you want the selection to take place if the movement of the cursor is
stopped on an object for a specified amount of time. (You will select a pause time in
the next step.)
•
Select Switch if you want to use a keyboard key to activate the selection.
4. (Pause method only) Select and slide the Pause Time slider bar to adjust the amount of
time that the cursor must remain on the object before the object is selected.
NOTE
The Pause Time slider bar will be grayed out if you have selected Switch as your access method.
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GENERAL TEXT TO SPEECH SETTINGS
Use the Text to Speech > General settings on the Setup and Options dialog to select a
speaking voice and the rate at which it will speak. Then you can test the voice and adjust the
settings.
This applies to the computer voice that is used throughout Literacy Lab. In addition to the
computer voice, you will hear human recordings in all of the books. General text to speech
settings do not apply to the human recordings.
NOTE
You can select a different voice to speak audio cues. Audio Cue Settings
Access the General Text to Speech Settings
1. Select File Menu > Setup and Options. The Setup and Options dialog will open.
2. Select Text to Speech > General from the navigation pane.
TEXT TO SPEECH GENERAL SETTINGS
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Select a Voice
Choose a speaking voice from the Voice drop-down list. You can listen to the different voices
by selecting the Test Voice button.
Set the Speech Rate
Use the Rate slider to adjust the speaking rate. Dragging the slider from left to right increases
the speech rate from -10 (far left - very slow) to +10 (far right - very fast).
Test the Speaking Voice
Select the Test Voice button to hear how the voice and rate of speech you have selected
sounds. You can change the voice and increase or decrease the rate of speech until you are
happy with the voice and the speaking rate you have chosen.
NOTE
The default text in the Test Speech text box is "This is how the voice currently sounds." To change
the text in the text box, select it and enter your own personalized message.
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References
American Medical Association. Ad Hoc Committee on Health Literacy for the Council on
Scientific Affairs. JAMA 1999; 281:552-7.
Catts, H. W., Fey, M. E., Zhang, X., & Tomblin, J. B. (1999). Language basis of reading and
reading disabilities: Evidence from a longitudinal investigation. Scientific studies of
reading, 3(4), 331-361.
Erickson, K. A., Hanser, G., Hatch, P., & Sanders, E. (2009). Research-Based Practices for
Creating Access to the General Curriculum in Reading and Literacy for Students with
Significant Intellectual Disabilities. Monograph prepared for the Council for Chief State
School Officers (CCSSO) Assessing Special Education Students (ASES) State
Collaborative on Assessment and Student Standards (SCASS).
Erickson, K. A., Koppenhaver, D. A., and Cunningham J. W. (2006). Balanced Reading
Intervention in Augmentative Communication. In R. McCauley and M. Fey (Eds.),
Treatment of Language Disorders in Children (p. 309-346). Baltimore, MD: Brookes.
Erickson, K. A., Hanser, G., Hatch, P., & Sanders, E. (2009). Research-Based Practices for
Creating Access to the General Curriculum in Reading and Literacy for Students with
Significant Intellectual Disabilities. Monograph prepared for the Council for Chief State
School Officers (CCSSO) Assessing Special Education Students (ASES) State
Collaborative on Assessment and Student Standards (SCASS).
Fallon, K., Light, J., McNaughton, D., Drager, K., Hammer, C. (2004). The effects of direct
instruction on the single-word reading skills of children who require augmentative and
alternative communication. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 47,
1424-1439.Giordano, G. (1996). Literacy programs for adults with developmental
disabilities. Singular: San Diego.
Hanser, G., & Erickson, K. A. (2007). Integrated Word Identification and Communication
Instruction for Students with Complex Communication Needs: Preliminary Results. Focus
on Autism and Developmental Disabilities, 22(4), 268-278.
Lerman, R. I., & Schmidt, S. R. (1999). Functional literacy and labor market outcomes. Paper
presented at the Urban Institute conference, "Helping Low-Wage Workers: Policies for the
Future," US Department of Labor, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy, May 6-7,
1999. Retrieved online December 29, 2004. http://www.dol.gov/asp/programs/history/
herman/reports/futurework/conference/ nalsfina/nalsfina.htm.
Nation, K., Clarke, P., Wright, B., & Williams, C. (2006). Patterns of reading ability in children
with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 36, 911919.
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Chapter 10: References
National Institute for Literacy (2009). Developing early literacy: Report of the National Early
Literacy Panel. Washington, DC: Author.
National Reading Panel (2000) Report of the National Reading Panel: Teaching children to
read (Reports of the Subgroups). Bethesda, MD: National Institutes of Health.
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