Wiki's+and+OHI


 * Wiki and Other Health Impairments**

First question we need to answer is what is Other Health Impairment or OHI? OHI means having limited strength, vitality or alertness, including a heightened alertness to environmental stimuli, which result in limited alertness with respect to the educational environment. The lists of chronic or acute health problems are endless. It involves anything that adversely affects the child’s educational performance in which they need special education or other related services. Wiki’s are a great web 2.0 tool for students who suffer from any OHI’s. Using a wiki gives students who struggle with writing an alternative to writing a traditional research paper. It also allows students to collaborate and let then be a part of something. OHI students often have problems with disorganization, procrastination, distractibility, underachievement and search for high stimulation. Wiki’s allows OHI students to organize their work and thoughts and helps with creative writing. According to ldoline.org “This format not only provides students with LD valuable feedback on their writing, it can also give them a platform for sharing something they know a great deal about. Many students with LD may have low self-esteem or feel anxious and depressed because of their difficulties in school. Becoming an "expert" on a wiki page could boost a student's self-concept and help them recognize their strengths.” Because students with OHI may need to be out of school for long periods of time, wikis are a great tool for the student to work from home and the teacher may make corrections for them on the site instead of waiting for the student to turn in their homework. It also provides immediate feedback privately between the teacher and the student also contributing to the positive self-concept. On the collaborating piece, it encourages peer relationships which are very vital for these students since most are lacking social skills. Obstacles can be a problem with implementing any technology piece into the classroom. A wiki might not be an option for some teachers because the district or school my block the feed. According to Bobby Hobgood and Lauren Ormsby, “findings indicated that teachers largely do not feel prepared to address students’ diverse needs. Furthermore, teachers felt pressured by the necessity to cover a wide range of content in a short amount of time, the excessive classroom management needs of the classroom, and lack of time to prepare lessons.” Teachers will have to put in an effort to help differentiate for those students. Students may also not have typing skills and it might take them awhile to type out their responses. Having another student with them and model what it should look like or type for them may help.
 * This article describes how to use wiki's with Other Health Impairments, how it would work and what are some barriers.**

Resources: //Inclusion in the 21st-century classroom: Differentiating with technology,//Bobby Hobgood, ED.D and Lauren Ormsby, retrieved from internet 6/6/12 [] [] []