Computer Literacy Project for Children Dealing With Learning Disabilities

In conjunction with: the Bezek Company, The Karton Unique Center for Computer Uses, the National Insurance Institution (HaMosad L'Bituach Leumi" - the fund for opening services to the handicapped, and Nitzan.

The program enables students who have been assessed with learning disabilities to make use of advanced technology as a means of bypassing their difficulties and to actualize the potential they have hidden inside.

The program exposes the students to the experience of giving by the employees of Bezek who change their daily schedules in order to help advance the students.

Complete professional responsibility for the project is in the hands of the Karton Center - A Unique Center for the Computer Uses for the special needs populations, which is directed by the Rehabilitation Industries Fund.

Project Rationale

Computer literacy is a term that refers to the ability to use the computer and to take advantage of electronic information. The use of technology has become in recent decades and international language accepted in the western world as the language of the future. Computer technology influences today all possible aspects of life. A person who doesn't have a command of this language will practically have difficulty to connect with those surrounding him in an effective way.

It's important to note that people with learning disabilities encounter many difficulties, which derive from their need to deal with reading, writing, listening, speaking, expression, and thinking skills in school or in the workplace. People without learning disabilities make use of these skills automatically; however, adults and children with learning disabilities must deal with difficulties in using these skills on a day-to-day basis.

For them, the technological development should serve as a way to compensate for disabilities so that it will be possible to bypass the skills that are affected by the disability (e.g. reading and writing) and to be more able to use materials and information that were not available in the past.

In the research literature they term the technological correlation to the unique needs as "assistive technology".  The term assistive technology was first brought in the American Federal Law from the year 1988. The practical meaning of this law is the giving of technological aid to handicapped people, and the creation of conditions that allow handicapped students to express themselves on a level that corresponds with their intellectual abilities.

Assistive technology makes it possible to separate between the impairment, which is an objective state, and the disability, which is a state that can somewhat be controlled. This possibility emphasizes the ability to be helped by assistive technology to fix, improve and aid, and similarly it can be used as compensation or replacement to circumvent the disability, opening the door to learning through taking maximum advantage of one's potential.

From here can be seen the great importance of the computer literacy program of Nitzan, which sees as an obligation for itself to enable effective integration of children and adults with learning disabilities, and adaptative and functional difficulties in all aspects of life and specifically in learning and work.

Project's Goals

• Turning the computer into a usable learning tool for children with learning disabilities
• Learning basic computer uses with children with learning disabilities in a group setting
• Developing free-time activities in Nitzan branches

For the children of Nitzan, the "computer literacy project" is the beginning of a progressing and meaningful learning process. The change that will occur with the use of computers will improve the academic performance and will narrow the gap between them and their peers and will in such contribute to their self-confidence and ability to succeed.

The use of assistive technology strengthens Nitzan's approach with regards to variety in treatment methods and the assistance to people with learning disabilities. An approach that believes in finding ways to get around the difficulty and to connect to the strong points of the individual, instead of the popular approach of the past that it's necessary to "fix" the learning disability.

Research from around the world proved that despite the testimonies regarding the effectiveness of assitive technology, parents and professionals still don't conceive of technology as useful in the learning development of students with different disabilities. Nitzan, who for the last 42 years has set a goal for itself to deepen the consciousness of the public in the topic and to advance the state of people with learning disabilities. Nitzan sees in this program a intermediary to raising the consciousness that the computer is a vital tool for this population and that it should be made available to students with learning disabilities at school and at home. We see a great significance in aiding each student to reach his or her potential that is hidden inside and to bring a benefit to society. We see ourselves as partners with the Bezek Co. and the National Insurance Institution (HaMosad L'Bituach Leumi) as giving our contribution to a better society and helping the children of Nitzan realize their dream "to be like everyone else".

The program is operated in the first stage in the Nitzan branches: Hertzliya, Ashdod, and Kefar Saba. This first stage will serve as a pilot in preparation for expanding the program to other branches.

Computer Operations Course for Graduates of Nitzan Onim

Nitzan in cooperation with Nes Technologies College offer special courses, which deal with computer operations for graduates of Nitzan Onim. The computer classes take place at Nes College, IT Business College. The courses cover advanced operations in Office including internet, using email, word, and powerpoint. Upon completion of the course, participants are awarded a Certificate of Completion.

The first course was offered in March 2006 and since then classes continue to be formed.

Eilat Branch of Nitzan Launches Program for Location, Evaluation, and Treatment of Learning Disabilities and Difficulties Amongst the Students of the City of Eilat

The Nitzan Branch in Eilat under the directorship of Mrs. Bati Shechter, in cooperation with the Education Administration of the Municipality of Eilat under the directorship of Mrs. Penina Ziv, began to operate a program for aiding students, residents of Eilat, who suffer from learning disabilities and difficulties.

The program aims to locate, evaluate, treat and even support emotionally some 40 students and their parents from families in poverty. This welcomed initiative began after the increase in the number of families suffering from poverty. The poverty situation caused a delay in the needed treatment of children suffering from learning disabilities and difficulties as a result of a lack of funding for evaluations and treatment.

The program offers for every student that was found to have a learning difficulty or disability a personal and group treatment program designed for him or her to help narrow the learning gaps. Mrs. Bati Shechter, resident of Eilat who leads the program, is an evaluator of learning disabilities and a teacher with extensive experience in the area of learning disabilities. She invests great effort in advancing the project for the children of Eilat who are in need of evaluations and treatment.

The Eilat branch of Nitzan offers both group and individual counseling, support groups for parents, lectures for parents, teachers, and treatment providers, workshops, remedial teaching, and homeopathic treatment.

Educational-Treatment Based Afterschool Care for Children in the City of Petach Tikveh

The Petach Tikveh branch of Nitzan has been running for close to three years a treatment based afterschool care program elementary aged students. The afterschool program which operates in cooperation with the Welfare department of the municipality of Petach Tikveh, is a product of the initiative of Nitzan and funding by businesses that contribute to the community: Adgar, Zur-Shamir Maintenance Co., Bituach Yashir Financial Investments Inc., Yashir A.D.A. - Insurance Co. Inc., and the Norkeit Co.

Each child in the program receives a personally designed program including remedial teaching, art therapy, creative art classes, and more. The parents of the children are guided by a workshop once every two weeks by professional workshop leaders that specialize in leading parent groups on the topic of learning disabilities, ADHD, life skills, and forming relationships with government and welfare officials.

The recognized improvement in the functioning of the children and in their academic achievements and the dedication of the treatment staff are highly appreciated by the parents and the professional staffs.

Advancement of Readiness for 1st grade - Assistive Instruction Integrated with Hydrotherapy, Hadera Branch of Nitzan

The Hadera Branch of Nitzan, under the management of Mrs. Eda Levi, runs a program for the advancement of readiness for 1st grade by means of assistive instruction together with hydrotherapy.

The program is the product of the joint initiative of the education administration of the city of Hadera under the leadership of Mr. Amnon Arey, the management of Nitzan under the leadership of Mrs. Maly Danino, executive director of Nitzan, and the Psychological Services.

The project is intended for kindergarten children that have been located by Psychological Services in Hadera and which there is an uncertainty regarding leaving them for another year in kindergarten. The activity takes place in a framework of two weekly meetings for 4-5 months, including a program for assistive instruction for an hour and swimming for half an hour.

The treatment staff includes a teacher in the core classes who is skilled in "preparatory work", a hydrotherapy teacher, and a psychologist.

Project Goals

Evaluation and location of the difficulties of the child and giving of aid in the areas of difficulty, evaluating the child's progress, narrowing gaps, and attempting to prevent the experience of failure in 1st grade.

About the Program

The idea of integrating assistive instruction with hydrotherapy comes from the conception that "the action is the basis for thinking and thinking is an inner action" (Montesorri). Also the theory of sensory integration (Jean Iris) deals with the connection between the sensory-motor area and learning and addresses the contribution to improving learning skills by strengthening the senso-motor functioning.

The experience of water is a primary experience and therefore its importance. The water serves as a treatment tool that relaxes and releases. The floating and the space allow the child to perform movements that he isn't able to perform outside of the water. The resistance of the water strengthens the muscles and contributes to the good feeling of the child.

The experience of trying an activity together with others contributes also to the children's social adaptation and decreasing of aggressiveness. The strict following of the instructions of the coach teaches listening habits while focusing and avoiding distractions.

The combining of assistive instruction with hydrotherapy allows the child to test himself in a wide variety of motor, sensory, social, and emotional activities that serve as an inseparable part of learning situations. The child is given opportunities to acquire and improve necessary skills for the entire process of learning.

The evaluation of the child's improvement is done by means of testing improvement in his functioning in four main areas: visual processing, hand-eye coordination, phonologic skills, and readiness for math. Throughout the instruction and guidance of the child in his work there is an evaluation and observation of the way the child relates to his work, the child's ability to acquire correct work habits, the ability to maintain focus and attention for appropriate functioning, etc.

For more information contact: Mrs. Eda Levi, Branch Director, Tel (04) 634-2985.

Early Location and Identification in Preschools of Nes Tziona

The Nes Tziona branch, under the management of Mrs. Li Weiner, operates a project for early location and identification of children with learning disabilities in the city's preschools. The project, the product of the initiative of Mr. Mani Shani, executive director of Nitzan Nes Tziona, operates in cooperation with: Mr. Yosi Shavo, mayor of the town of Nes Tziona, Mrse. Dorit ben Yehuda, manager of education administration of the town municipality, Mrs. Vered Levi, director of the preschools, Mrs. Shalva Shneider, supervisor of the preschools, and Mrs. Maly Danino, executive director of Nitzan.

Professionals that are accompanying the project: Mrs. Anat Katznelson, psychologist, Mrs. Chava ben Yosef, movement therapist, Mrs. Shulamit Yekuhal, occupational therapist.

Program Rationale

Locating children of preschool age that are found in a high risk group for developing learning disorders, with the goal of narrowing the development of learning disabilities and/or learning difficulties in the future.

The location will focus on three central areas: fine and gross motor skills (including graphomotor skills), langauage area, and the emotional area, including social understanding and social integration.

Project Goals:

• To assist professionals who are in day-to-day contact with children in the preschool stage in locating the learning difficulties at a young age
• To arouse uncertainty regarding the fit development in any area and to recommend to preschool teachers to refer the children to professional in the are of child development
• To help parents in locating the difficulty of the child and to enable them to help their children and by such to diminish possible difficulties in school and to obtain maximum readiness for learning.

Location activities take place  in some 40 preschools (ages 4-5) in Nes Tziona and is funded by the Township of Nes Tziona that sees in this project great importance for the community.