Peer Review

Making Technology Work in the Inclusive Classroom:

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Reviewed:: Jun 30, 2003 by Teacher Education

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Ratings

Overall Rating:

Content Quality:

Effectiveness:

Ease of Use:

Overview:: This research article describes the CHECK (Check-Hunt-Examine-Change-Keep) word
processing strategy for students with disabilities in the area of written
expression. The mechanics of everyday writing for these students in an
?inclusive? classroom is a significant challenge. The author of this ?strategy?
outlines for these students a step-by-step way for these students to use a word
processing program and a spell-checking program to build more efficient and
acceptable writing skills.
Type of Material:: Reference article.
Recommended Uses:: Teacher training programs, in-service settings for teacher of students in grades
3-12, general and special education are the intended users.
Technical Requirements:: A browser is needed in order to read the article. To actually teach the
strategy, a computer with a word processing program and spell check features is
needed. In a training setting, the presenter will need a teaching station with
computer and projector.
Identify Major Learning Goals:: Students with learning disabilities will understand and use the CHECK strategy
as a way to improve their writing skills via a word processing and
spell-checking program.
Target Student Population:: The target audience is in-service teachers of students in grades 3-12 who may
have a disability in the area of written expression. Pre-service teachers,
teacher educators in both general and special education training programs also
will benefit from including this strategy in their curriculum.
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:: Some experience in word processing and use of a spell check feature is helpful.

Content Quality

Rating:
Strengths:: The article is well written and referenced. The strategy presented by the
author, is framed in best practices and cognitive psychology. The logical
sequencing of the steps for the strategy CHECK, and the concrete examples of the
draft stages for word processing are clear and specific. The strategy uses
appropriate mnemonics for ease of learning. With only a minimum amount of
practice time, most learners should be able to master this strategy and be on
their way to better writing.
Concerns:: None

Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool

Rating:
Strengths:: The strategy represents a resurgence of the Constructionist approach to teaching
and learning, and the use of ?strategies? to assist the learners who are not
able to construct their own strategy for meeting a learning skill?s challenge.
The extensive list of references that accompany this research article, can
provide a starting point for an in-class introduction on learning disabilities,
on-line investigations, or summary research, depending on the interest and needs
of both the teacher educator and their students in pre-service programs and
in-service teacher?s professional development activities.
Concerns:: With all of the different types of learning objects available on-line, a
well-written standard article such as this, may be overlooked purely because it
is static, and the reader may not realize it?s contribution to the
teaching/learning process for students with disabilities.

Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty

Rating:
Strengths:: The on-line article is clear and visually appealing. The mnemonic chart is very
well organized and makes remember the CHECK strategy easy. Key steps are
highlighted in color.
Concerns:: Teaching of this strategy must be done in a classroom with a computer that is
accessible to a number of students with disabilities at any given time for both
guided and independent practice.

Other Issues and Comments:: Users of this strategy are urged to review the work coming out of the Center for
Research on Learning from the University of Kansas. The Strategic
Instructional Model (SIM) urges the ?teacher? to follow a seven-step process for
teaching strategies and also urges the learner to make a commitment for both
learning and using the strategy.
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