Lee Erwin Reporting
lerwin@clarksvillenow.com
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – The Clarksville Association for Down Symdrome (CADS) has been very busy over the past few days presenting ipads to teachers to help with the success in the classroom of special needs children.
Over the past week the nonprofit organization has given out 25 ipads to teachers in 14 Clarksville-Montgomery County, elementary, middle and high schools and two at Dover Elementary School in Stewart County.
The program is part of the Technology for Teachers grant which provides teachers with tablet touch technology to support the academic and social success of all special needs children. The program is open to Montgomery County and all surrounding counties special education teachers.
The teachers who receive the grant must indicate how the technology will be used in the classroom to achieve classroom goals. The technology is used for developmental and educational activities which enhance a teacher’s ability to provide instruction to students with special needs.
Trish Hanna, Director of CADS talked about the program. “Our goal is that every special needs child in every classroom gets an ipad and this program will continue until we achieve that goal. A lot of kids use touch screen technology and that’s the best way for them to learn. Not to take away from academics but they can learn so much better with touch screen technology,” said Hanna.
On Wednesday, January 29 Ms. Whitney Smith was presented with her ipad at Norman Smith Elementary School in Clarksville. Smith said the ipad will get a lot of use in her classroom. “I am very excited, my kids are very excited and they really excel with the ipads so I’m anxious to see what they do with it,” Smith said.