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Presented by: Chad Downes, Teacher/SEA Trainer, London District Catholic School Board
About this webinar:
All too often, Assistive Technology (AT) is provided as a solution or accommodation to learning challenges. However, not often enough are students provided ample opportunity to become proficient with the tool before being expected to produce academic assignments.
In this webinar, we explore how you can support your child or student in learning to use Assistive Technology so that they can be successful in gaining independence in distance learning and beyond! Both teachers and parents are encouraged to watch.
This webinar will focus on skill development with the following technology:
- Voice to Text
- Text to Voice
- Mind mapping
- Learning Management Systems

Chad Downes is a Teacher with the London District Catholic School and holds the position of SEA Trainer. A graduate of Media Information Techno-culture from Western University, he earned a Master’s in teaching by studying the impact of computer technology on literacy. Chad holds a strong commitment to Universal Design for Learning (UDL) through a strength-based approach so that all students can achieve. Chad was the Assistive Technology Advisor for the Amethyst Provincial Demonstration School, a member of the Accessible Formatting team for EQAO, and he helped rewrite the AQ course on Assistive Technology for the Ontario College of Teachers. Chad is currently writing a course on Educational Technology for Fanshawe College. He has presented and developed capacity on 21st Century learning skills, with a focus on students with learning disabilities, at conferences around the province, including ASET, CEC, and LD@school’s Educators’ Institute.
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