A Killeen ISD functional skills teacher won a $5,070 grant Tuesday that will help her young non-verbal students communicate more effectively and creatively.
Skipcha Elementary School teacher Martha Cadena won the Region 12 grant for her project, Empowering Every Voice: Enhancing Assistive Technology for Inclusive Communication.
The bulk of the grant will help purchase a vinyl board with pictures and symbols that will allow non-verbal students to communicate with peers and adults. The outdoor board will facilitate greater interactivity on the playground.
She will also receive iPads with apps to enhance learning through touch screens.
Now in her sixth year teaching, Cadena works closely with Region 12 to take advantage of specialized training and resources.
When she found out about the technology grant, she knew her students could benefit.
“It really spoke to me, so I wanted to make a grant to help them communicate with other students and with adults,” she said.
“It’s a way for them to be more independent in communication and to make better connection with the general education population.”
Sometimes, Cadena said she sees people of all ages hesitate to interact with children who are not verbal and she wants to do what she can to remove those barriers.
“I love working with my students. You get to build a very strong connection with families. A lot of them have medically fragile students that require a lot of intense care – communication needs, physical needs, gross motor skills needs.
“We wear a lot of hats and it’s really exciting to figure out a way to make that connection with students.
“They might not understand what you’re saying, but a little at a time, especially with communication you can see them make choices and trying to build that connection with you even though they can’t speak.”
Representatives from the Education Service Center Region 12 Technology Foundation joined KISD Superintendent King Davis, other district leaders and campus administrators in making the award presentation at the school.
Photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/killeenisd/albums/72177720332457442/