Technology helps kindergartner integrate with class
By Earl Horlykehorlyk@siouxcityjournal.com | Posted: Sunday, December 21, 2008
Northwest AEA therapist Krista Harpenau talks to Marcus kindergarten student Kelly Schwarz while using a vibrating massager to exercise his hands at his home in Marcus. Schwartz, wheelchair bound, attends school via Skype as his health condition doesn't allow him to attend regular classes. (Staff photo by Tim Hynds
MARCUS, Iowa - Like his classmates, Kelly Schwarz's eyes light up in anticipation of the lessons he'll be learning in kindergarten.
But the 6-year-old boy isn't among the kids stomping through the snow into Kay Ogren's Marcus-Meriden-Cleghorn Elementary School kindergarten class on this wintry day. Instead, he's viewing school on a television screen and interacting with his class through a specially designed switch from his living room a mile away.
The wheelchair-bound Kelly contracted meningitis when he was 3 months old. The illness resulted in a brain injury that affected his vision, hearing and speech. The Marcus boy has a feeding tube and other medical apparatus and must breathe through a tracheostomy tube.
"We always wanted Kelly to learn and interact with other kids," Kelly's mom, Cindy Schwarz, said as she adjusted a computer and Web camera that give her son a window into Mrs. Ogren's classroom. "Because of this technology, Kelly now has that opportunity."
Since Kelly's condition makes him highly susceptible to health-related bugs his immune system cannot fight, Cindy knew he wouldn't be able to attend class in a conventional way.
Last year, Cindy began brainstorming ways to integrate her son into kindergarten.
"We actually started experimenting with Cindy's computer to allow Kelly to participate in preschool activities over the Internet," said Kelly's Northwest Area Education Agency occupational therapist Krista Harpenau.
To the delight of Kelly's mom and Harpenau, he was quickly engaged by the high-tech, long-distance learning system. The next step in Kelly's education was to bring the technology that incorporated video into his home.
"It was my idea to use Kelly's big-screen television as a computer monitor," Cindy Schwartz recalled. "Then I had my dad and husband rig a computer, a wireless router and the TV so they'd all work together."
Earlier this year, Harpenau learned about a software program called Skype at an Area Education Agency AEA professional development meeting.
"Skype allows users to do stuff like videoonferences and instant messaging over the Internet with other users," she said. "The software also integrated stuff like video conferences and instant messaging."
In collaboration with the Marcus-Meriden-Cleghorn School District, the Northwest Area Education AgencyAEA technology supervisor Jeff Sypersma outfitted the Schwarz home and Kelly's kindergarten class with Skype at the beginning of the school year.
"Kelly's life had been pretty isolated," his mother admitted. "Because of our worry of germs, he's never been able to leave the house much. He's also never been able to socialize with kids his own age."
"As soon as Kelly heard the voices of other kids, his face lit up," Harpenau said after the school-to-home video hook-up proved successful. "He's had a permanent grin on his face ever since."
Cindy Schwartz said being able to be part of his class has changed her son's life.
"Kelly now has the structure of a day that he never had before," she said.
He also has a classroom full of friends.
"Kelly's class came by to visit him back in September, and both Kelly and I attended the Halloween party," Cindy Schwartz said.
Adding her son regularly receives homework assignments and artwork made by his classmates, Cindy Schwartz said Kelly feels like he's truly a part of the kindergarten.
The feelings are mutual.
"Whenever one of the kids pass by the (Web) camera, they'll sneak a peak and say, 'Hi ,Kelly.'" she said, laughing.
"This is reality TV at its finest," Kelly's nurse, Kathy Boever, said jokingly. "It's better than 'The Real World' because it actually is the real world if you're a kindergartner."
According to teacher Kay Ogren, the set-up has been just as educational for Kelly's classmates as it's been for Kelly.
"The students have a much better appreciation of what it means to be different," she said. "They know Kelly's life is different than theirs, but they know he's a kindergartner just like they are."
Cindy said she's happy her son is helping to break down stereotypes.
"Kelly's my little boy," she said softly. "I can't even imagine life without him in it. Because of his condition, he's been out of sight. So I'm glad we've been able to show the community what a special guy he is."
Cindy smiled as Kelly's class sang him a song on his TV screen.
"This technology has definitely improved Kelly's quality of life," she said emphatically. "It's improved the quality of life for his family as well."
Technology enhances learning options
Installing Skype was easy, said Northwest Area Education Agency technical supervisor Jeff Sypersma.
"The good thing about Skype," according to Sypersma, "is that downloading the program is free."
Computers donated by the Northwest Area Education Agency were placed at Kelly Schwarz's home and inside his Marcus-Meriden-Cleghorn Elementary School kindergarten class.
"We tested Skype at both locations in September," Sypersma said, "making sure that both the download and software worked."
Although some minor technical glitches occured initially, he said, those have been worked out.
"It was really something when Kelly was able to see his classmates on camera and his classmates being able to see Kelly in his normal surroundings," Sypersma said, adding that other families have expressed interest installing Skype in their homes.
"Kelly will never be able to attend class in a regular classroom," Sypersma said. "This technology will go a long way in providing the quality of education that he deserves."
But the 6-year-old boy isn't among the kids stomping through the snow into Kay Ogren's Marcus-Meriden-Cleghorn Elementary School kindergarten class on this wintry day. Instead, he's viewing school on a television screen and interacting with his class through a specially designed switch from his living room a mile away.
The wheelchair-bound Kelly contracted meningitis when he was 3 months old. The illness resulted in a brain injury that affected his vision, hearing and speech. The Marcus boy has a feeding tube and other medical apparatus and must breathe through a tracheostomy tube.
"We always wanted Kelly to learn and interact with other kids," Kelly's mom, Cindy Schwarz, said as she adjusted a computer and Web camera that give her son a window into Mrs. Ogren's classroom. "Because of this technology, Kelly now has that opportunity."
Since Kelly's condition makes him highly susceptible to health-related bugs his immune system cannot fight, Cindy knew he wouldn't be able to attend class in a conventional way.
Last year, Cindy began brainstorming ways to integrate her son into kindergarten.
"We actually started experimenting with Cindy's computer to allow Kelly to participate in preschool activities over the Internet," said Kelly's Northwest Area Education Agency occupational therapist Krista Harpenau.
To the delight of Kelly's mom and Harpenau, he was quickly engaged by the high-tech, long-distance learning system. The next step in Kelly's education was to bring the technology that incorporated video into his home.
"It was my idea to use Kelly's big-screen television as a computer monitor," Cindy Schwartz recalled. "Then I had my dad and husband rig a computer, a wireless router and the TV so they'd all work together."
Earlier this year, Harpenau learned about a software program called Skype at an Area Education Agency AEA professional development meeting.
"Skype allows users to do stuff like videoonferences and instant messaging over the Internet with other users," she said. "The software also integrated stuff like video conferences and instant messaging."
In collaboration with the Marcus-Meriden-Cleghorn School District, the Northwest Area Education AgencyAEA technology supervisor Jeff Sypersma outfitted the Schwarz home and Kelly's kindergarten class with Skype at the beginning of the school year.
"Kelly's life had been pretty isolated," his mother admitted. "Because of our worry of germs, he's never been able to leave the house much. He's also never been able to socialize with kids his own age."
"As soon as Kelly heard the voices of other kids, his face lit up," Harpenau said after the school-to-home video hook-up proved successful. "He's had a permanent grin on his face ever since."
Cindy Schwartz said being able to be part of his class has changed her son's life.
"Kelly now has the structure of a day that he never had before," she said.
He also has a classroom full of friends.
"Kelly's class came by to visit him back in September, and both Kelly and I attended the Halloween party," Cindy Schwartz said.
Adding her son regularly receives homework assignments and artwork made by his classmates, Cindy Schwartz said Kelly feels like he's truly a part of the kindergarten.
The feelings are mutual.
"Whenever one of the kids pass by the (Web) camera, they'll sneak a peak and say, 'Hi ,Kelly.'" she said, laughing.
"This is reality TV at its finest," Kelly's nurse, Kathy Boever, said jokingly. "It's better than 'The Real World' because it actually is the real world if you're a kindergartner."
According to teacher Kay Ogren, the set-up has been just as educational for Kelly's classmates as it's been for Kelly.
"The students have a much better appreciation of what it means to be different," she said. "They know Kelly's life is different than theirs, but they know he's a kindergartner just like they are."
Cindy said she's happy her son is helping to break down stereotypes.
"Kelly's my little boy," she said softly. "I can't even imagine life without him in it. Because of his condition, he's been out of sight. So I'm glad we've been able to show the community what a special guy he is."
Cindy smiled as Kelly's class sang him a song on his TV screen.
"This technology has definitely improved Kelly's quality of life," she said emphatically. "It's improved the quality of life for his family as well."
Technology enhances learning options
Installing Skype was easy, said Northwest Area Education Agency technical supervisor Jeff Sypersma.
"The good thing about Skype," according to Sypersma, "is that downloading the program is free."
Computers donated by the Northwest Area Education Agency were placed at Kelly Schwarz's home and inside his Marcus-Meriden-Cleghorn Elementary School kindergarten class.
"We tested Skype at both locations in September," Sypersma said, "making sure that both the download and software worked."
Although some minor technical glitches occured initially, he said, those have been worked out.
"It was really something when Kelly was able to see his classmates on camera and his classmates being able to see Kelly in his normal surroundings," Sypersma said, adding that other families have expressed interest installing Skype in their homes.
"Kelly will never be able to attend class in a regular classroom," Sypersma said. "This technology will go a long way in providing the quality of education that he deserves."
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