Running head: IMPLEMENTING CURRENT TECHNOLOGIES 1

Leadership Strategies for Implementing Current Technologies within an Educational

Organization for Enhancing the Learning Ability of Dyslexic Students

Betty Klug

Date: September 23, 2010

Address: 2603 Woodland Dr

City, State, Zip: Hale, MI. 48739

Phone: 989-728-6490

E-mail: pinecrestlcschool@yahoo.com
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Abstract

The call to reform education and move it into the technology age of the 21th Century can

become an added stress to educational leaders with demanding schedules. However, in

transitioning to the digital world, leaders must revise their vision of the future and expand the

inclusion of technology in their mission. With the No Child Left Behind mandates and the

growing numbers of dyslexic and learning disabled (LD) students, leaders must assist staff and

faculty in incorporating technology to create a level playing field for dyslexic and LD students.

This white paper provides strategies for leaders to consider while encouraging faculty to

implement technology into the classroom.

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Leadership Strategies for Implementing Current Technologies within an Educational

Organization for Enhancing the Learning Ability of Dyslexic Students

Introduction

The purpose of this white paper is to provide educational leaders strategies for

implementing technology in education for Dyslexic and other learning-disabled students.

According to Osten (2001), technology leadership goes beyond managing the day-to-day

logistics of a strategic tech planning process. It is about a social-change process. An effective

technology leader should be a public advocate of the mission-driven use of technology,

maximizing relationships with various groups, both within and outside of the organization, and

empowering others to get invested and involved in planning for and deploying technology

(Osten, 2001).

Many individuals with Dyslexia perform below their ability level. This is an unnecessary

situation considering the availability of technology that exists to compensate for the

Dyslexic’s issues. According to the U. S. Department of Justice (2005), for decades, U.S.

federal laws Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Section 504 states that "no

qualified individual with a disability in the United States shall be excluded from, denied the

benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under" any program or activity that either

receives Federal financial assistance or is conducted by any Executive agency or the United

States Postal Service. The law mandates support services for children with physical and

learning disabilities (U. S. Department of Justice, 2005). Many programs are available

for free or low cost. Programs using computer-assisted instruction like speech

recognition and computer reading software, organizing programs, podcast, virtual

meeting spaces, storyboards, MP3s, and the use of virtual worlds all enhance
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educational experience of Dyslexics. Dragon naturally speaking (2009) states that

research studies and practical experience continue to show the value of speech

recognition for helping students with learning disabilities — dyslexia, dysgraphia,

working memory issues and other cognitive challenges — that interfere with their

ability to read, write and spell ("Dragon naturally speaking: Helping all students reach

their full potential," 2009, p. 6).

Leaders are often uncertain about how to encourage staff to develop procedures for

implementing technology into the curriculum to improve the learning outcomes of learning

disable (LD) students. According to Chen, C, Wu and Yang (2008), to be an effective leader and

to effect actions, a leader needs to articulate visions clearly, embody values and create the

environment to accomplish things together with team members (Chen, C, Wu & Yang, 2008).

This paper provides strategies that will assist educational leaders in facilitating the inclusion of

technology and online programs into the educational system. In addition, the incorporation of

technology will enhance the ability of learning-disabled students to achieve success while

satisfying the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) mandates. According to Hirning (2009), leaders

should explore their institutions internally to determine which pieces of the institution, if any,

would allow online education to thrive successfully. Using collaborative strategic planning, all-

inclusive internal communication, and a commitment from top-level leadership were all

identified as key success factors from the university leadership perspective (Hirning, 2009).

Leadership Strategies

Beaudoin (2003) states that few institutional leaders today would not acknowledge that

technological innovation is perhaps the single most compelling factor that is driving them toward

new organizational structures and new pedagogical models (Beaudoin, 2003). Leadership
 IMPLEMENTING CURRENT TECHNOLOGIES 5

strategies should include internal and external support systems to successfully implement the

technology strategies.

Figure 1 Leadership Strategies

The following are leadership strategies for implementing technology into the educational

environment for Dyslexic students.

1. Model behavior and Leadership vision for incorporating new technology

• Educational leaders must fully understand the technology pedagogically and its

application for academic programs needed by dyslexic students.

• Comprise a mission-vision statement that incorporates technology and the

inclusion of learning disabled (dyslexic) students.

• Motivate and act as a role model for staff and faculty.

• Assess needs of the staff in learning and implementing new technology into the

daily routine.

• Leaders should attend seminars and workshops pertaining to new technology and

its implementation into the local educational system.

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• Leaders acquire training and experience by attending online courses.

• Leaders need to be communicators and interpreters of information for faculty.

2. Informational meetings

• Inform the staff of new technology through meetings in which the technology is

used for the presentation and demonstrated to the staff.

• Communication at all levels must be accurate, complete, and continuous

• After the information meetings, require feedback from the staff on clarity,

usefulness, and the desire and willingness to incorporate new technology if

training is provided.

3. Identify innovative faculty, supporters, and mentors

• Conduct a school wide survey to identify the technology expertise of the staff.

• Survey parents, students, and community members to identify local technology

experts.

4. Implementing training programs

• Allow the innovative faculty to lead the project promotion internally

• Allow faculty academic freedom to create courses

• Include pedagogical training simultaneous with technology training

5. Implement technology in volunteer classrooms

• After indentifying the local technology experts, send out request of volunteers or

offer stipend pay to the ones willing to assist in mentoring others in need of

training.

• Contact instructors that are willing to participate in a new technology pilot

programs.
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6. Focus group for staff, teachers, community members, and board members

• Create a focus group to keep a pulse on the satisfaction, progress, and acceptance

of the new program.

• Empower the group by encouraging research, trial of new products or programs

that will allow them to provide input for the new programs.

• Create a team of local technology expects to train and mentor the school staff and

students.

7. Bring in Experts

• Once the initial search for local talent has been completed, hire experts to lead the

training initiative for faculty, staff, and students and the project management

team.

• Provide expert training for faculty in the use of virtual environments with dyslexic

students

• Experts assist in developing an afterschool Help Desk for faculty and students

• After the experts train the team in the new technology to be implemented into the

educational system, conduct a school wide in-service to introduce the team and

establish mentor relationships.

8. Discuss financing

• Identify costs of technology and support staff needed to implement program

• Assess available funds from State and Federal programs

• Pursue grant funding

• Call on community assistance for donations and discounts for upgrading

technologies to meet the needs of the dyslexic students

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9. Provide opportunity for staff and board members to examine new technologies

• Identify the faculty’s knowledge and experience with technology

• Assess the faculty’s understanding of the dyslexic student’s needs for technology

• Leaders offer support for the project team’s detailed strategy plan for exploration

of possible technologies that will enhance the learning ability of the dyslexic

students

• Keep course technology basic by focusing on quality of content and ease of use

• Establish training offered at a variety of times and places for each technology

training session. Repeating sessions will assure that all staff has an opportunity to

attend the training at a time convenient to them.

• When possible use technology for the training.

• Allow the staff to choose the times they will attend training sessions that fits their

technological needs.

10. Deal with “naysayers”

• Phase in negative faculty slowly

• Encourage use of online course as supplement to assist the dyslexic student

• Limit mandates of faculty online requirements and incorporation of technology

• Incorporate extra planning time for staff and faculty to implement new technology

• Start slow and small

• Offer incentives and bonuses when possible

11. Accountability-NCLB
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• Keep academic standards high by incorporating supportive technology in the

classroom for dyslexic students

• Allow the project team to be innovative and unique in technology development

• Provide a list of strategies and processes for incorporating technology into the

classroom by offering mentors

• Develop a culture of assessment for the new technology to allow for continuous

improvement to assure quality education to meet the needs of the dyslexic and

other LD students

• ADA compliance needs to be incorporated into all programs

12. Teamwork-form partnerships

• Project team faculty should train other faculty in understanding technology and

pedagogy of online education and the benefits for dyslexic students

• Partner with college/university to provide preparation for faculty in the

development disability help programs

• Partner with community employers for assessing needs of dyslexic students in the

job market

• Provide internal IT department and external community IT support.

Forming a technology team comprised of volunteer and paid staff and other stakeholders

is key. The team needs to motivate and excite others about the benefits of technology, as multi-s

ensory strategies are also advocated by the International Dyslexic Association (2000) “to enhanc

e memory and learning.” Researchers note that such strategies are greatly facilitated by the use o

f computer software for instruction since the technology not only provides the multi-sensory appr

oach but can also totally individualize instruction (CEI staff, 2007-2008, p.6).
 IMPLEMENTING CURRENT TECHNOLOGIES 10

The cost, usage, and access for the technology must be addressed. This will enable

leaders to assist instructors, parents, students, and the educational institution to build awareness

of the methods, programs, and technology available to enhance Dyslexic individuals learning

abilities.

Conclusion

Incorporating technology into educational curriculums enhances the performance of

Dyslexic learners. Educational leaders need to lead the way for the educational community by

incorporating strategies for technology use in the educational system. According to Dugan,

Cobb, and Alwell (2006), information and communication technology is making significant

contributions to identify and meet the needs of children with special needs. These new

applications of computer-base technologies, coupled with new and improved software

applications and with improved adaptive devices, may hold the key for children with disabilities

to complete their education experience and become more productive contributors to society

(Dugan, Cobb & Alwell, 2006). Educational leaders will enhance the chances of meeting the

NCLB requirements by encouraging staff implementation of technology in the classroom.

Kouzes and Posner (2007) state that leaders are people who seize the initiative with enthusiasm,

determination, and a desire to make something happen. They embrace the challenge presented

by the shifts in their industries or the new demands of the marketplace and commit themselves to

creating exciting new possibilities that make a meaningful difference (Kouzes & Posner, 2007, p.

165).
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References

Beaudoin, M. F. (2003). Distance education leadership for the new century. Online Journal of

Distance Learning Administration, 6(2). Retrieved from

http://www.westga.edu/~distance/ojdla/

CEI staff. (2007-2008, Winter). Why ELS works for Dyslexics (4-9). Retrieved August 20, 2010,

from Creative Education Institute:

http://www.ceilearning.com/correlations_docs/els/ELS_Dyslexia.pdf

Dugan, J. J., Cobb, B. R., & Alwell, M. (2006, August 22). The effects of technology-based

interventions on academic out comes for youth with disabilities. Retrieved from

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Hirning, B. B. (2009). Leadership strategies for implementing online education in traditional

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http://www.nuance.com/naturallyspeaking/pdf/wp_DNS10_Education_FINAL.pdf

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http://www.techsoup.org/learningcenter/techplan/archives/page9810.cfm

U. S. Department of Justice. (2005, September). Individuals with disabilities education act (504).

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