Case Study 1:
Using ICT to Present and Exchange Ideas

Before You Start…
Welcome to the Swansea Bay Online Learning Partnership case study series for teachers of SEN. Before you start work on this case study, you will need to ensure that you have confidence in using the skills and ICT packages the case study uses.

The most important packages to be comfortable with before you start the case study are:

• A word processor, ideally Word version 6 or higher - you should be able to create, save and print simple documents with Word.
• A CD-ROM, such as Encarta or one of the other popular CD encyclopaedias available - you should be able to load and run a disc, and understand how to search through it for specific topics. These materials can be accessed to use visual reinforcements to support students learning. There are a number of CDs that are specifically designed for SEN. Writing with Symbols is a useful CD that creates line drawn symbols to support any text that is entered into the word processing facility.
• The Internet - you should be able to get onto the Internet, use one or more of the common search engines, and understand how Internet addresses are formed.
• E-mail - you should understand how to send, receive and reply to e-mails.

If you do not feel comfortable with any of the above, please refer to your skills-check and discuss with your mentor the best way of getting your skills ready before you start. If you are missing just one or two of the skills, and you are happy to develop them while you are working on the case study, go ahead with the next part.

Introduction