Internet at Camp: How to DO-IT is available in HTML and PDF versions. For the HTML version, follow the table of contents below.
©1998 University of Washington. Permission is granted to copy these materials for non-commercial purposes provided the source is acknowledged.
Primary funding for the creation of these materials was provided by the NEC Foundation of America. The National Science Foundation, the State of Washington, and the University of Washington also contribute substantial resources to DO-IT's programs.
Dr. Sheryl Burgstahler is assistant director of Information Systems, Computing & Communications, at the University of Washington. She has extensive teaching experiences at the pre-college and college levels. She has taught Internet inservice courses for K-12 teachers for many years and teaches a distance learning class via the Internet. Dr. Burgstahler has been involved in projects to help K-12 schools connect to and effectively use the Internet network for curriculum development and classroom instruction. She currently directs project DO-IT (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology), which uses computers, adaptive technology and the Internet to help students with disabilities succeed in academic programs and careers. Primarily funded by the National Science Foundation, DO-IT was recognized with the 1995 National Infrastructure Award in Education for creative use of the Internet in delivering instruction and the 1997 Presidential Award for Mentoring. Through DO-IT, Dr. Burgstahler has taught children and youth at summer camps how to use the Internet for communication and information access.
Dr. Burgstahler has published articles and delivered presentations at national and international conferences in the areas of distance learning, electronic communities, computer and network technologies for individuals with disabilities, and use of the Internet to enhance learning. She is the author of the books New Kids on the Net: A Tutorial for Teachers, Parents and Students, New Kids on the Net: A NetWork Sampler, and New Kids on the Net: Internet Activities for Young Learners. She has co-authored three books with content-area specialists - New Kids on the Net: Internet Activities in Secondary Mathematics, New Kids on the Net: Internet Activities in Secondary Science, and New Kids on the Net: Internet Activities in Elementary Language Arts.
Creating and delivering successful Internet activities at summer camps and preparing these instructional materials so that others can learn from our efforts have resulted from the work of many. Special recognition for their contributions goes to Linda Baker, Susan Bean, C.J. Bowman, David Burgstahler, Cheryl Cantrell, Dan Comden, Marvin Crippen, Deb Cronheim, Ann Cummings, Rob Dahl, Jeanette Day, Lisa Gale, Laurie Hall, Scott Hall, Charlie Hinkley, Rick Light, Cynthia McAuliffe, Craig McGhee, Ron Meyer, Amy Olson, Rosemary Owens, Bob Polland, Heather Riesen, Kris Rosenberg, Serena Schubert, Peggy Smith, and Roger Upcraft.
NEC Foundation of America provided major funding for the development and distribution of these materials. The National Science Foundation contributed funds as well. Camp activities have also been supported by the American Computer Experience, Children's Hospital and Medical Center, Compaq Computer Corporation, Digital Vision, Inc., the Western Division of Kraus-Anderson, and PTI Communications.
Many manufacturers claim their product designations as trademarks. Where those designations appear in these materials and the author was aware of trademark claims, they have been marked with a ™ or ®. They include the following:
Page i-vi includes
Page 1-4 includes
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DO-IT (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology) serves to increase the successful participation of individuals with disabilities in challenging academic programs such as those in science, engineering, mathematics, and technology. Primary funding for DO-IT is provided by the National Science Foundation, the State of Washington, and the U.S. Department of Education. DO-IT is a collaboration of UW Information Technology and the Colleges of Engineering and Education at the University of Washington.
Grants and gifts fund DO-IT publications, videos, and programs to support the academic and career success of people with disabilities. Contribute today by sending a check to DO-IT, Box 354842, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195-4842.
Your gift is tax deductible as specified in IRS regulations. Pursuant to RCW 19.09, the University of Washington is registered as a charitable organization with the Secretary of State, state of Washington. For more information call the Office of the Secretary of State, 1-800-322-4483.
To order free publications or newsletters use the DO-IT Publications Order Form; to order videos and training materials use the Videos, Books and Comprehensive Training Materials Order Form.
For further information, to be placed on the DO-IT mailing list, request materials in an alternate format, or to make comments or suggestions about DO-IT publications or web pages contact:
DO-IT
University of Washington
Box 354842
Seattle, WA 98195-4842
doit@uw.edu
https://www.washington.edu/doit/
206-685-DOIT (3648) (voice/TTY)
888-972-DOIT (3648) (voice/TTY)
206-221-4171 (fax)
509-328-9331 (voice/TTY) Spokane
Founder and Director: Sheryl Burgstahler, Ph.D.
©1998 University of Washington
The videotape enclosed in this binder includes four presentations released separately under the following titles:
Camp: Beyond Summer © 1998
Working Together: People with Disabilities and Computer Technology © 1995
Equal Access: Computer Labs © 1997
World Wide Access © 1997
Permission is granted to copy these materials for non-commercial purposes provided the source is acknowledged.
Primary funding for the creation of these printed materials was provided by the NEC Foundation of America. The National Science Foundation, the State of Washington, and the University of Washington also contribute substantial resources to DO-IT's programs.
Each year since 1995 project DO-IT has coordinated Internet activities at selected summer camps run by other organizations. DO-IT staff teach campers how to send messages to their friends and family with electronic mail, use the World Wide Web for fun and education, explore Internet tools, and create World Wide Web pages for their camps. DO-IT (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, & Technology) is a nation-wide program housed at the University of Washington in Seattle. It serves to increase the productive use of technology by students with a wide variety of abilities and disabilities. It has received numerous awards, including the National Information Infrastructure Award in Education and the Presidential Award for Mentoring.
Computer and Internet activities at the camps vary depending on the campers served and the program needs of the sponsoring camp organizations. Some are day camps where local children and youth drop by for basic Internet training each day. Some are residential camps where campers stay for a week or more. In some settings campers are scheduled into the computer lab for short Internet sessions while other campers choose to swim, hike, boat, or do crafts; others offer an intense camp session for those who especially wish to learn about the Internet, employment, and college. Some are for young learners; some are for teens; some serve a mix of ages. What all offerings have in common are active learning, full inclusion, and fun.
DO-IT offers assistance to camping programs that want to add a technology component to their offerings. Free and low cost training materials, videotapes, brochures, and World Wide Web resources are available from DO-IT.
The materials provided in this packet were developed to help camps for children and youth provide Internet program offerings. It is my hope that they will help other camps "do it," too. Enjoy this challenging and rewarding adventure!
Sheryl Burgstahler, Ph.D.
Director, DO-IT
University of Washington
sherylb@uw.edu
staff.washington.edu/sherylb
Some things never seem to change. There's something timeless about kids and summer camp. There's the hot sun and cool water, the green trees and blue skies, the outdoor games and public showers, the rustic cabins and raucous dining halls. Most of all, there are the grinning faces of friends gathered around the table, the pool, and the campfire.
But summer camps these days are changing. Added to the chirps of crickets, splashes of water, clangs of dinner bells, and songs, shouts and peals of laughter are the clicks of computer keys and the hum of hard drives. Summer camps are going electronic to give kids experience with new tools for learning and fun, including challenging campers to learn to use the Internet.
Computers and network technologies are indispensable tools in virtually all aspects of contemporary life. The Internet network provides a rich environment for electronic communication and information access. People can communicate with others world-wide without the constraints of time or distance. Networking services create new options for convenient access to a wide range of entertainment and educational resources. For these reasons interest in computing and the Internet is growing rapidly. But why would a typical camp for children and youth want to add Internet activities to its program offerings?
In short, in this era of concern over low academic achievements of American youth, summer camping programs can be part of the solution while providing a new, exciting experience for their campers.
The training materials in this notebook will help you design and integrate Internet activities into your camp program. Use them for independent study or to create presentations which will stimulate discussions and action. Additional resources can be found at the DO-IT World Wide Web home page at www.washington.edu/doit.
This notebook includes the following collection of materials.
The section called How to DO-IT guides you through six steps to help you achieve your program goals. Five case studies describing experiences at specific camps give you examples to consider in your program planning.
This section includes ten ready-made sample lesson plans and activity worksheets that can be used with your camp. Permission is granted to duplicate the worksheets for use by your camp. Following the worksheets is a section on teaching strategies which can be applied by instructors regardless of the ages, abilities, and interests of your campers.
A reference list and glossary are included to help you further your understanding of concepts presented and find additional resources for developing Internet activities for your campers.
The last section includes materials that can be used for independent learning and for presentations to staff, volunteers, and campers. The five separate videotape presentations are:
Handout templates that can be duplicated and distributed to staff, volunteers, or campers individually or during presentations are included inside the notebook pouch. They can be easily duplicated and, as with the videotape presentations, permission is granted to copy them for educational, non-commercial purposes provided the source is acknowledged. The handout template titles included in this notebook are:
Although putting together any activity at a summer camp can be daunting, following the six steps listed below can guide you through successfully incorporating Internet activities into your camp curriculum.
View the presentation videotape and handout Camp: Beyond Summer, then read the details on these six steps as well as case studies highlighting the experiences of five camps provided in this section of the notebook.
By Bob Polland, Camp Courage, MN
Building a team that includes both technical and instructional expertise is an important first step. Planning and implementing Internet activities works best when people with a variety of knowledge and skills work together. Include an activity coordinator, one or more instructors, a technology coordinator, and program/computer support staff. These roles may be filled by members of your own organization, paid contractors, or volunteers, either as primary responsibilities or additions to other camp duties. In small camp programs, one person can take on multiple roles.
The division of tasks will vary from camp to camp. In general, however, the activity coordinator oversees program development, resource acquisition, and staff supervision. Specific duties include planning, budgeting, hiring, task assignment, monitoring, and evaluation. The instructor develops curriculum and delivers instruction. Specific tasks include consulting with the coordinator and camp personnel on program content and goals, planning instructional activities, developing and reproducing instructional materials, and delivering instruction on-site.
The technology coordinator handles hardware, software and telecommunications: They choose equipment and suppliers, sets up configurations, and breaks down the computer lab, computers, adaptive technology, and telecommunications connections; makes arrangements with the Internet service provider (ISP); troubleshoots; and develops electronic program materials such as camp World Wide Web pages.
Program/computer support staff provide instructional and technical assistance, run errands, and perform clerical duties. Interns, volunteers, or paid support staff can fill these positions. To locate program/computer support staff consider interviewing more advanced campers or other youth. They will gain useful job experiences by helping with the program in paid or unpaid positions. In the excerpt below, a high school student talks about his work as an intern at Camp Courage.
I found the camp interesting, being it was my first time acting like a Mentor. The thing that was most interesting was the progress of the kids on their lessons and the innovative ideas they came up with from their lessons.
- Anthony, Grand Forks, North Dakota
Be sure to provide successful interns and other helpers "To Whom it May Concern" letters of reference after their work experience is complete. This is a good way for a young person to build a resume and begin a letter of recommendation file.
The following are sample job descriptions for an Internet program at a summer camp.
Job Tasks: Provide overall coordination of program activities and supervision of staff.
Job Tasks:
Job Tasks:
Job Tasks:
Before planning the curriculum or developing materials, determine your instructional goals. In the excerpt below, a camper describes her experiences at a camp where the program goals are for young people to learn to use the Internet for information access and communication and develop skills that will help them succeed in college and careers.
Hello! My name is Tracy. I will be a high school senior this fall in South Dakota. This is my first experience at the DO-IT/Camp Courage Internet and College Prep camp. I learned more about e-mail, discussion groups, gophers, and finding my way around the World Wide Web. This camp gave me an opportunity to meet new people, learn more about college life and employment, and access the wealth of information on the Internet. The staff was friendly and helpful. I hope I will be able to come back next summer.
- Tracy, Camp Courage participant
Maple Lake, Minnesota
Learning something about your campers is a good place to start. Asking prospective campers about their previous computer and Internet experiences and about their interests will help you plan an entertaining and educational curriculum appropriate for them. A simple survey or a few questions on your camp application form can provide the information you need to determine participants' computer experience. Sample questions are listed on the following page. Write your own or tailor these to suit your particular needs.
Answer the following questions if you have used a computer.
If you discover that your campers spend time playing computer games but have never explored the Internet, you will have to cover some basics. If they already use their computers to develop animated home pages, you can skip some of the basics and explore advanced topics. You will most likely find that you need to develop alternative activities for a diverse group or to offer a program for a select group of campers. For example, you may choose to offer a program for campers with no previous Internet experiences, and make the program goals clear so that only beginners sign up for the Internet activities.
There are many methods for organizing your camp Internet offerings. Open labs, short activity offerings, or comprehensive instruction for a small group may work best for you. Here are three examples of program formats:
Think about what knowledge and skills you would like the campers to take with them when they leave. Consider how much your campers know already, how much you would like them to learn, their ages and ability levels, and how much time they will spend in the computer lab. Be sure to consider your overall camp goals and the wishes of parents and others associated with your camp as you develop your Internet training goals.
Both during the summer camp and at the conclusion of the camp, collect comments and suggestions from staff, participants, and parents that you can use to improve your program for the next year's activities. Don't forget to write down direct quotes that you can spark interest in future campers in your press releases and publications.
Please help us capture the spirit of camp by recording comments you hear about the computer activities made by campers, camp staff, or parents. We may publish comments in our program materials to share our camp's experience with others.
Camp Name______________________________________________________________
Your Name (optional)______________________________________________________
Circle one:
Camper
Camp Staff
Parent
Age _____________ (optional)
Comments:
Please take a few minutes to answer the questions below. We need your impressions, expertise, and insights to help us develop the best possible program for next time. Return the form in the included envelope, and it will go directly to our project evaluation staff. Thanks.
Your position (circle one):
staff
volunteer
visitor
camper
parent
other_______________
The Internet activities at your camp should show campers how to use technology to access people and information resources. Most of the activities in your Internet program will probably use the World Wide Web (WWW). The WWW is now the most comprehensive and popular tool for organizing Internet resources. To access the Web, use WWW browser software such as Lynx, Microsoft Internet Explorer™, and Netscape Navigator™.
As time permits, teach your campers how to use electronic mail. Electronic mail allows participants to communicate with others. You can use Web services to obtain free electronic mail accounts for your campers. They include HotMail at www.hotmail.com and Eudora Mail at www.eudoramail.com. Many other electronic mail programs exist. They include PINE™, Eudora™, and PegasusMail. Some, like PINE, run on your host computer. Others, like Eudora, run on each personal computer in the lab.
Once campers develop electronic mail skills, you can engage them in interactive activities such as e-mail story building. The instructor starts a story by writing a paragraph. Then they send the paragraph via electronic mail to a camper. This camper adds a paragraph and sends it on to the next camper, and so on. In the end everyone will have contributed to an unpredictable piece of prose. This activity is the Internet equivalent of the story building we used to do around the campfire. You can also teach campers to join and participate in electronic discussion lists. See the Resources section of this notebook for references to on-line lists of discussion lists.
If you offer more comprehensive training sessions, you will be able to explore other Internet tools with your campers, including Telnet and FTP. Telnet is a software tool that allows you to log on to other computers. Telnet is often used to access host computers, community bulletin board systems, and databases. File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is an Internet tool that transfers files between computers; so, if you want to download a game to your computer, FTP can help. More advanced campers can also learn to create their own World Wide Web pages.
Whatever topics you choose to teach, it is best to limit the amount of time you lecture. Develop activities that allow campers plenty of time to practice and explore. Allowing time for exploration promotes self-directed learning, and people of all ages learn better if they discover the answer rather than just hear it. Provide opportunities for creativity and discovery, and you will be pleasantly surprised by the talents of your enterprising campers.
Developing quality materials for any curriculum takes careful thought and planning. You can create a complete notebook with a detailed daily syllabus to hand out at orientation, you can use daily handouts or, once your students are up and running on the Internet, you can e-mail instructions for daily activities. When developing materials keep in mind for whom you are designing them, and focus on your program goals. For example, if you are teaching sixth graders how to use e-mail, the language, activities and examples should be appropriate for that age group. If "audience" and "purpose" are two words that stay in your mind as you work on this part of the project, you will most likely stay on target and create materials that serve everyone well.
Consider developing a Web page with pre-selected links to Web sites of most interest to your campers. Beginners can immediately explore the Web by selecting the choices presented on the screen. Creating a special home page tailored to your campers' interests, abilities, and skills can help guide camper activities and make access to sites efficient. For example, on the next page is part of a home page used in a camp for youth in the State of Washington.
See Camper Links
Below are some sites to consider including on your camp Web page and using to develop specific activities.
In the Teaching Strategies section of this notebook you'll find ten sample lessons, roughly ordered from simplest to most difficult. Consult the Resources section of this notebook for references to books and Web sites that can help you decide what to teach and choose references on which to build activities. You can also search for other appropriate sites that address the specific needs and interests of your campers. There are many search tools to choose from, including those at the following URLs:
Campers with more advanced Internet skills can be asked to create a Web page for your Internet camp program. It can include pictures and bios of campers, descriptions of activities, a daily log of activities, and links to Web sites of interest to the campers. For example, at Camp Courage (see Case Study #6) the advanced group formed a "company" named Anything Goes Web Designs. With input from the beginning group they designed a company logo. Then they created a home page with the following options:
The pages they developed can be found at depts.washington.edu/doitsum/Courage/computer_camp.html.
Check out their Week in Review section.
When campers complete assigned activities be sure that they have productive ways to continue exploring the Internet. Include a reference table in the computer lab with Internet books such as those listed in the Resources section of this notebook. Your local book store will provide many ideas for books to include. Also, teach campers to use Internet search tools to find resources of interest to them. Several can be found at the following URLs.
Once your camp session is complete, some of your campers will be able to continue Internet use through their home or school. Consider implementing an electronic discussion list to facilitate communication throughout the year. Include campers, counselors, and camp staff who have Internet accounts.
DO-IT provides an example of how the summer camping experience can be extended year-round by using the Internet. The enclosed handout and video presentation called Opening Doors: Mentoring on the Internet provides details on the mechanics and benefits of supporting year-round mentoring relationships on the Internet. At the end of DO-IT Internet Camp program, campers are encouraged to join DO-IT Pals, an electronic community of teens with disabilities and adult mentors. A DO-IT Pals brochure is distributed to all campers and parents. A copy is included in the front pocket of this notebook. As DO-IT Pals, campers continue to communicate with each other and with DO-IT Mentors. "It's a great way to extend their summer camp experience. These kids can keep up their friendships with the other campers, with the counselors, and with the staff and they meet a lot of other interesting people on the Internet throughout the year," reports Sheryl Burgstahler, Director, DO-IT.
Life will be easier for you if you can use a facility that already has computers connected to the Internet. This could be at your camp site or at a local school, educational service district office, business, or library. If that isn't possible, there are other options.
Most metropolitan areas support businesses that rent or lease computers. Just as with renting any piece of equipment, this can be expensive, and you may be required to purchase extra insurance as part of the deal. However, you may find just the right camp supporter who will pay for the computer rental.
Sometimes computer companies, schools, or universities will let you borrow computers, free of charge, for the duration of your camp. It will probably take a few phone calls to find a group willing to lend machines, but the effort is worthwhile.
If you have the funding and plan to incorporate computer activities regularly into camp programs, buying the equipment may be a reasonable option. If you decide to buy, it is important to purchase computers that can serve your needs for many seasons - this requires research and careful planning. Purchasing bargain, low-end computers can be more expensive over the course of several years, as upgrades will most likely be required in the future.
Your computers must at least have the capacity to run communications software (to connect them to the Internet) and Web browser software. If you use Apple computers, you'll need Power Macintoshes with at least 16 MB of RAM and System 7.1 or higher. For Pentium class computers use at least Windows 95 and 16 MB of RAM. For either platform be sure you have enough hard disk space to save the programs you will run.
Costs of computers and software depend on many variables. And, as we all know, last year's hottest item is this year's old hat. Sometimes if you buy equipment that is not the newest version, you can get bargain prices. But be careful not to buy something that is inadequate for Internet use and/or may be hard to service or upgrade. Below are rough cost estimates for products you might want to include in your lab.
Access to the Internet from your camp requires an electronic connection between your computers and a server computer that is already connected to the Internet. The server is usually a more powerful computer than the computers your campers use. It provides much of the software necessary to manage your accounts, direct Internet traffic, and access Internet tools and resources. Once you have located the computers you will use and have made sure they have network capabilities via modems or network cards, you need to arrange for Internet service if the facility does not already have Internet access. If you already have a connection, ask your service provider or system administrator to let you know what Internet tools are available on your host system and how to best access them.
If your facility is not already connected to the Internet, you may be able to purchase accounts through a local commercial Internet service provider (ISP). Someone with technical expertise will need to complete this task. There are many options for getting connected to the Internet. Contact Internet service providers in your region and ask about options for connecting through their service and find out the cost of a connection that will provide you with the tools that you need for your Internet program. A local library, college, or yellow pages of the telephone directory may be able to refer you to Internet service providers; or, take a look at the WWW site at www.thelist.com for information on Internet service providers in your area.
Many Internet service providers offer connections to the Internet and different service providers offer different kinds of network connections and services. Options vary in cost, speed, and range of Internet tools supported. Whoever the provider, there are several issues to consider.
Internet connectivity discussions can get very technical very fast. Let's skip the jargon and review a layman's description of options for connecting to the Internet. Thus, the descriptions below are oversimplified by design and are meant to provide an overview of the process rather than a complete set of instructions.
The fastest and most expensive way to connect your camp to the Internet is through a direct connection. There are different types of high speed data, including 56KB, T1, and T3. The more speed and capacity, the greater the cost. Your computers will need to be networked together to connect to the single high speed line. Your local telephone company and ISP can provide more information about cost and availability for your area. See Case Studies #1, #2, #5, and #6 at the end of this section to learn about specific camps who use high speed Internet connections.
You can use standard telephone lines to connect your camp computers to the Internet. A device called a modem allows each computer to connect to the Internet over a telephone line. You will usually need a modem, separate phone lines, and an ISP account for each computer. This option can get expensive and you'll have a lot of lines in your lab but, for some camps, this is the only reasonable way to get connected for a short period. It is also a great way to experiment with an Internet program at your camp without making a long-term, expensive investment. See Case Studies #3 and #4 to learn about camps who used modems, phone lines, and an ISP to gain Internet access for their programs.
The Internet can also be accessed through satellite transmission, although this type of access is not common. In addition, cable television companies are gearing up to offer Internet access through their cable lines. Cable access promises to offer the functionality of a direct connection at a cost that is reasonable for home use. Technologies will continue to emerge to make Internet access faster and cheaper, bringing more functionality to your desktop, wherever it might be.
Adding Internet education to your camp program can be rewarding, but, to maximize the impact, integrate the Internet into other camp activities. If your Internet training is only one of many program offerings, be sure to schedule the program in such a way that Internet activity participants can still join other campers in swimming, crafts, and other regular camp activities. There are a number of ways to do this.
In all the excitement of integrating Internet activities into your camp, don't forget that the Internet was originally used by adults. Take steps to ensure that your campers use the resource responsibly and safely.
Although most instructors have positive experiences when using the Internet as a teaching tool, there are people on the Net who post text and photos that are not appropriate for your campers. The best protection is to be aware of what your campers are doing at all times. If you provide them with focused, stimulating activities, they will be less likely to get into trouble out of boredom or because of misguided searches. However, there are also software programs available that block access to sexually explicit Internet resources. The titles listed below are samples of such software programs; a local computer store can provide details on options and costs.
Your campers should be made aware that they are responsible for using the Internet ethically and legally. Most Internet service providers have what is called an "acceptable use policy." These policies are designed to prohibit file theft or violations of informational privacy. Make sure that you and your campers read and adhere to the policies of your service provider. Discuss Internet safety, acceptable use, and ethics with program staff, parents, and participants. Below is an excerpt from a form signed by high school participants and their parents before Internet access is provided.
Hawking Access Form (DO-IT Scholar)
DO-IT (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology)
University of Washington
Name (Please print)______________________________________________________________
Home Address_____________________________________________________________________
street address city state zip
School Address___________________________________________________________________
street address city state zip
Social Security #_______________________________Phone # (h)______________________
School and/or School District Affiliation________________________________________
Preferred logon name (if any)__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __(maximum of 8 characters)
Project DO-IT (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology) is primarily funded by the National Science Foundation. One goal of the program is to encourage communication and scientific inquiry between high school project participants, post-secondary students, professors, and practicing engineers and scientists, many with disabilities themselves. Communications and information access are to promote success in academics and careers and successful transition to college and employment. The Internet network is used to support this effort. Project participants are given accounts on a computer named hawking.u.washington.edu, which is located at the University of Washington. To facilitate communication between project participants, we share participant names, logon names, states of residence, interests, and other information.
Over the Internet participants have access to people and materials from all over the world. The University of Washington does not have control of the information on the Internet, nor does it provide any barriers to account holders accessing the full range of information available over the Internet. Other sites accessible via the Internet may contain material that is defamatory, inaccurate, illegal, or potentially offensive to some people. Please note that the University of Washington and our Internet service provider, NorthWestNet, make no warranty of any kind, expressed or implied, regarding Internet resources and services or the contents of resources or electronic messages over the Internet, nor shall they be liable in any event for incidental or consequential damages, direct or indirect, resulting from use of this information. Objectionable messages sent to your electronic mail address should be reported immediately to the DO-IT staff.
Your computing account is provided to enable instruction, communication, and research. You are expected to use your Internet account in a considerate, ethical and lawful manner. Use privileges are non-transferable. Do not share your account with others. Account theft, file theft, violations of information privacy, and/or penetration or harm to the operating system are prohibited. Unauthorized and/or inappropriate use may result in loss of privileges and/or prosecution. Parents are expected to supervise the Internet activities of their child when accessed from home.
All people who use computers at the University of Washington agree to the following conditions:
I agree to use my account for purposes consistent with the goals of project DO-IT, the University of Washington use responsibility policies, and the guidelines presented in this form. I understand that violation of the conditions of this agreement may result in loss of privileges and/or prosecution. I will provide reports of my use when requested. I give my permission to share my name, account address, postal address, phone number, disability, and other information.
Participant name___________________________________________________________
Participant signature_________________________________ Date________________
As a parent or guardian of this child, I have read the materials in the Hawking Access Form. I agree to the conditions described above and give my permission to issue an account to my child. I understand that the University of Washington and NorthWestNet cannot take responsibility for the content of materials available on the Internet and take responsibility for the supervision of my child. I have received a copy of the brochure "Child Safety and the Internet." I have also read and agree to the program conditions in "Guidelines for DO-IT Scholars and Ambassadors." I hereby give permission to issue an account to my child.
Parent/Legal Guardian name________________________________________________
Parent/Legal Guardian Signature____________________________ Date__________
Return this form to:
DO-IT
University of Washington
Box 354842
Seattle, WA 98195-4842
206-685-DOIT (3648) (voice/TTY)
888-972-DOIT (3648) (voice/TTY)
206-221-4171 (fax)
509-328-9331 (voice/TTY) Spokane
doit@uw.edu
https://www.washington.edu/doit/
Publicizing your program is an important step that shouldn't be overlooked. It is easy to become so involved in the logistical duties of planning any kind of camp that you overlook recruiting and public relations--a pity, because promoting your efforts can be fun. There are a number of places you can advertise your program. The most established are your standard mailings to organizations and previous campers. When you update your brochures, don't forget to highlight your new Internet activities. The local newspaper is another good place to start promoting your program; most have a section that lists upcoming events--often providing the listing without charge. The deadline for these listings can be several weeks before the publication date, so plan ahead. Even a thirty-five word blurb on page 27 of the last section will get the word to someone you need to reach. A sample of a short news announcement follows.
High School sophomores with disabilities who have a knack for numbers, neutrons and the like are invited to apply to a unique program through the University of Washington.
Now in its second year, DO-IT (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking and Technology) uses home computers and electronic mail to link talented high school students year-round with each other and to others around the world. Students also attend two weeks on the UW campus in Seattle in the summer. Call 206-685-DOIT for information.
Radio stations also provide the same kinds of services, and a call to the station will get you the information you need for providing text or a taped message. If you work with special populations, you may be more likely to get a promotional spot free or at a reduced rate. When you call radio, TV, or newspapers, let them know who comes to your camp and make sure that you show your enthusiasm during the conversation. The people you talk to may want to send their kids, or they may want to volunteer their time or services. Find the team member who likes to speak to groups and book them to present at school or civic functions. Often organizations like the Rotary Club or the Jaycees sponsor luncheons with featured speakers. Your representative can talk about your camp and explain how you plan to add Internet activities to the curriculum. You can do the same kind of thing at school sponsored meetings or neighborhood gatherings. These kinds of speaking engagements can be formal or informal, and they provide an excellent forum for your camp.
If you have a team full of people who are afraid of public speaking, now is a good time for them to gain some valuable experience. Start with smaller, informal settings, and work your way to the big meetings. Preparation, enthusiasm, and practice are all it takes to sell your camp via the public speaking route. And, don't forget to bring handouts to distribute to the group; encourage them to spread the word in their schools and communities. Who knows, someone may be impressed enough to donate money to your cause.
The sample speech that follows is an example of a short talk appropriate for a group like the Jaycees. The speaker is interested in telling the audience about the new Internet activities that will be introduced in his camp. The format is relaxed and informal. The use of visual aids will help the audience more fully appreciate the message because they can both hear and see it.
Using a visual aid listing the title of your speech, your name, and your affiliation will get you off to a good start. A visual aid showing examples of the Internet sites your campers will be visiting would also enhance your presentation.
Good morning. I'm John Smith from Camp Does A Lot, and I thank you for inviting me to speak to you about our summer programs. We appreciate how much the Jaycees have done for our camp in the past, and we want to introduce you to one of our most exciting new additions-Internet activities.
Remember when you were ten and you and all your pals packed your new stuff into overstuffed packs in preparation for the bus ride to camp? You were sure you would be the best cowboy of the bunch, but you were a little worried about learning to sail. And your older brother didn't help when he kept telling you that the boat would sink and you would flap around until some girl had to save you.
Well Camp Does A Lot does still teach horseback riding, and we do also teach sailing; and no one has suffered long-term humiliation from either activity yet. But this year we are introducing an exciting new activity: We are offering Internet classes for both young novice computer users (probably users like us only younger), and advanced classes (probably best suited for people like your ten year old, who knew enough about technology to reinstall all your software after you inadvertently deleted it).
The novice Internet classes will cover basic tools, interesting educational sites, and helpful search techniques. The advanced class will learn how to design great Web pages, and their finished product, the camp home page, will be proof of all they learned about design, linking, team work, and deadlines.
As you can see from these examples, our campers will learn valuable skills, but they will learn through a fun camping experience. They will come home with the usual memories of camp food, bug bites, and new friends, but they will also have worked in teams to learn lessons that will serve them at home and at school, as well as in their future when they join the work force.
Thank you for allowing me to give you a preview of the future of summer camps as we at Camp Does A Lot envision it. I'll leave camp brochures and applications for you. I'll be happy to answer any of your questions. Please help us spread the word about this great program.
And don't forget to publicize the success of campers after the program is complete. Let them share their stories in presentations or in your newsletter. For example, Camp Courage in Minnesota offers a 10-day program on Internet use and college preparation for teenagers (See Case Study #6). In the following newsletter article a camper shares her insights.
Experiences from Camp
by Tiffany
This was my first year ever at Camp Courage. I enjoyed it a lot. Here at camp, we do everything from horseback riding to surfing the Net. It was really fun and interesting. Every day here was different because the counselors plan different activities every day. It was impossible to get bored. My favorite activities here were the Talent Show and chatting on the Global Chat service. My friend's favorite activities were swimming in the pool and walking on the paths through the woods.
Camp Courage is not like any other camp you've been to. Everyone there is disabled from things like Cerebral Palsy to blindness. In fact Camp Courage is the only one of its kind in the entire U.S. Last year, three brand new cabins were built with money donated from companies like TCF Banking. The cabins are like mini resorts rather than cabins.
Camp Courage is located on Cedar Lake. We tube and swim on that too. If you like to help people or if you want to be a camper at some summer camp, you should definitely look into Camp Courage.
Now that you've thought through the process, it's time for you to "do it" for your camp. Answer these questions:
The following template can be used to help you "do it." The case studies that follow give you examples of how other camps have done it. For more information about these and other Internet camps in which DO-IT has been involved, consult https://www.washington.edu/doit/programs/more-successes-do-its-twenty-year-history/do-it-campers.
Camp Name
Camp/Program Description
Instructional and Technical Team
Goals
Materials
Facility and Computers
Internet Service
Program Integration
Publicity
The county sponsors Camp Lots of Fun, a day camp for children and youth, most of whom have developmental disabilities. DO-IT hosts an Internet lab at the camp.
DO-IT staff members provide overall coordination of the Internet Fun program. A special education teacher is the lead instructor. Camp counselors help individual campers in the lab.
The goal of the Internet Fun program is for campers to learn basic computer skills and explore recreational activities on the Internet.
Internet browser and filtering software are used to access Internet resources. Campers come to the lab on a drop-in basis. A Web page with links to Internet resources appropriate for the ages, interests, and skill levels of campers is created. As campers enter the lab, they are presented with this Web page and assisted in making selections. More advanced students learn to use electronic mail and perform Web searches. Staff take digitized pictures and help campers write bios to put up on a camp program Web page. Each camper receives a certificate of participation.
Camp Lots of Fun uses an existing high school computer lab for the Internet Fun program. There are one or two campers at each computer station. DO-IT provides adaptive technology and other accommodations for campers who cannot use standard computer devices.
The facility used for the lab has an established Internet connection.
All campers have opportunities to participate in the Internet lab activities that are offered in the morning and afternoon. The home page presented to them as they enter the lab is tailored to camper interests and abilities. The page is dynamic and is changed over the course of the camp as new resources are found, interest in old resources is exhausted, and campers express their interests. Most campers are escorted by adult assistants who are part of the Camp program and assist campers with Internet activities.
The Internet Fun program is publicized through regular Camp mailings and is also publicized in the DO-IT News newsletter. No special registration for Internet Fun is required of campers.
Camp Lots of Fun
Scott Hall, Pierce County Parks & Recreation Department
9112 Lakewood Drive SW, Suite 121
Tacoma, WA 98499-3998 206-593-4176
Camp Easter Seal serves children, youth and adults with physical and developmental disabilities throughout the summer. DO-IT provides an Internet Adventures open lab during several summer camp sessions.
DO-IT staff members provide overall coordination and technical set-up of the Internet Adventures program. A special education teacher is the lead instructor. High school and college students provide technical and instructional assistance.
The goals of the Internet Adventures program are for campers to become familiar with a variety of Internet resources and to develop basic Internet exploration and communication skills.
Internet browser and filtering software are used to access Internet resources. A Web page with links to Internet resources appropriate for the ages, interests, and skill levels of campers is created for each session. As campers enter the lab, they are presented with this Web page and assisted in making selections. More advanced students learn to use electronic mail and perform Web searches. Staff take digitized pictures and help campers write bios to put up on a camp program Web page. Staff print copies of bios and pictures for campers to take home. Each camper receives a certificate of achievement.
Easter Seals owns the grounds and facilities where camp sessions are offered. A room in an existing camp building is used for the Internet program. Compaq Computer loans computers for the Internet Adventures program. Digital Vision, Inc., loans digital cameras and video capture boards. There are one or two campers at each computer station. DO-IT provides adaptive technology and other accommodations for campers who cannot use standard computer devices.
Internet service to the camp is provided by a local Internet service provider. Dialup with extra phone lines is installed at the camp.
All campers have opportunities to sign up for the Internet lab during morning and afternoon sessions. The home page presented to them as they enter the lab and is tailored to camper interests, ages, and abilities. The page is dynamic and is changed over the course of the camp as new resources are found, interest in old resources is exhausted, and campers express their interests.
The Internet Adventures program is publicized through regular Easter Seals camp mailings and newsletters and in the DO-IT News newsletter. No special registration for Internet Adventures is required of campers.
Camp Easter Seal West
Andi Reed, Director
PO Box J
Vaughn, WA 98394
253-884-2722
The Northwest Burn Foundation sponsors a camp for teenagers who have survived serious burns. DO-IT provides an Internet Exploration open lab during this summer camp session.
DO-IT staff members provide overall coordination and technical set-up of the Internet Exploration program. A teacher is the lead instructor. High school and college students provide technical and instructional assistance.
The goals of the Internet Exploration program are for campers to become familiar with a variety of Internet resources and to develop basic Internet Exploration and communication skills.
NCSA Telnet and Internet browser filtering software are used to access Internet resources. A Web page with links to Internet resources appropriate for the ages, interests, and skill levels of campers is created for each session. As campers enter the lab, they are presented with this Web page and assisted in making selections. More advanced students learn to use electronic mail and perform Web searches. Staff take digitized pictures and help campers write bios to put up on a camp program Web page. Staff print copies of bios and pictures for campers to take home. Each camper receives a certificate of achievement.
The Northwest Burn Foundation rents Camp Waskowitz for their program. A crafts room in an existing camp building is used for the Internet program. Compaq Computer loans computers for the Internet Exploration program. Digital Vision, Inc., loans digital cameras and video capture boards. There are one or two campers at each computer station. DO-IT provides adaptive technology and other accommodations for campers who cannot use standard computer devices.
Ten phone lines are installed in the lab for the Internet Exploration program. Computers are equipped with modems. A local Internet service provided provides access to the Internet: accounts are purchased for the minimum time allowed, one month, for $20 each.
All campers have opportunities to sign up for the Internet lab during morning and afternoon sessions. The home page presented to them as they enter the lab is tailored to camper interests, ages, and abilities. The page is dynamic and is changed over the course of the camp as new resources are found, interest in old resources is exhausted, and campers express their interests.
The Internet Exploration program is publicized through regular camp mailings by the Northwest Burn Foundation. It is also publicized in the DO-IT News newsletter. No special registration for Internet Exploration is required of campers.
Summer Camp for Young Burn Survivors
Patti Simon, Program Director
Northwest Burn Foundation
1515 NW 52nd Street, Suite A
Seattle, WA 98107-3858
206-789-6838
The Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) sponsors camps throughout the United States. The MDA camp at Camp Waskowitz serves children and youth with muscular dystrophy, ages 6 - 21. DO-IT provides an Internet Exploration open lab during this summer camp session.
DO-IT staff members provide overall coordination and technical set-up of the Internet Exploration program. A teacher is the lead instructor. High school and college students provide technical and instructional assistance.
The goals of the Internet Exploration program are for campers to become familiar with a variety of Internet resources and to develop basic Internet Exploration and communication skills.
A Web page with links to Internet resources appropriate for the ages, interests, and skill levels of campers is created for each session. As campers enter the lab, they are presented with this Web page and assisted in making selections. More advanced students learn to use electronic mail and perform Web searches. Staff take digitized pictures and help campers write bios to put up on a camp program Web page. NCSA Telnet and Internet browser and filtering software are used to access Internet resources. Staff print copies of bios and pictures for campers to take home. Each camper receives a certificate of achievement.
MDA rents Camp Waskowitz for their program. A crafts room in an existing camp building is used for the Internet program. Compaq Computer loans computers for the Internet Exploration program. Digital Vision, Inc., loans digital cameras and video capture boards. There are one or two campers at each computer station. DO-IT provides adaptive technology and other accommodations for campers who cannot use standard computer devices.
Ten phone lines are installed in the lab for the Internet Exploration program. Computers are equipped with modems. A local Internet service provider provides access to the Internet: accounts are purchased for the minimum time allowed, one month, for $20 each.
All campers have opportunities to sign up for the Internet lab during morning and afternoon sessions. The home page presented to them as they enter the lab is tailored to camper interests, ages, and abilities. The page is dynamic and is changed over the course of the camp as new resources are found, interest in old resources is exhausted, and campers express their interests.
The Internet Exploration program is publicized through regular MDA camp mailings and newsletters and in the DO-IT News newsletter. No special registration for Internet Exploration is required of campers.
Muscular Dystrophy Summer Camp
Rosemary Owens, Camp Director
Muscular Dystrophy Association
801 Pacific Avenue
Tacoma, WA 98402
253-627-7575
Each year, the DO-IT program selects twenty college-bound high school Sophomores with a variety of disabilities to participate in a multi-year program to study science, engineering, mathematics and technology and develop strategies for succeeding in college and careers. As part of the program, Scholars attend two summer session "camps," at the University of Washington. They live in the dorms, experience college life, and engage in a academic and leadership activities.
DO-IT staff members coordinate and implement all camp activities.
Beginning Scholars develop skills that will help them use technology to support education and employment; prepare for college and employment; and succeed in college and careers in the fields of science, engineering, mathematics, and technology. Advanced campers learn to create WWW pages, organize Internet projects and work in teams to accomplish tasks.
The materials used during the camp session are similar to those used at Camp Courage (see Case Study #6 for details). A variety of Internet browsers, mail and telnet programs are used, depending on Scholar need. Filtering software is installed. During the program participants create Web pages with their pictures and bios. Each Scholar receives a certificate of achievement and a DO-IT Snapshots publication with pictures, bios and e-mail addresses of all Scholars.
DO-IT Scholars use an existing campus facility for summer session Internet activities. There is one Scholar assigned to each computer with appropriate adaptive technology installed as needed.
The facility used for the lab has an established Internet connection.
Specific topics for daily labs are related to overall program goals. The order and content of lessons are modified for each group, but similar to those used at Camp Courage. See Case Study #6 for details.
The DO-IT Scholars program is publicized through regular DO-IT mailings, during conference presentations and exhibits, and in the DO-IT newsletter.
DO-IT Scholars
University of Washington
Box 354842
Seattle, WA 98195-4842
206-685-DOIT (3648) (voice/TTY)
888-972-DOIT (3648) (voice/TTY)
206-221-4171 (fax)
509-328-9331 (voice/TTY) Spokane
doit@uw.edu
https://www.washington.edu/doit/
The Internet and College Preview Program is a special option for about 15 beginners and 10 advanced students as part of a ten-day residential program, "Teen Camp," hosted by Camp Courage in Maple Lake, MN. Camp Courage primarily serves children and youth with physical and sensory disabilities. The Internet and College Preview Program is the result of a partnership between Camp Courage and project DO-IT at the University of Washington.
The director of DO-IT provides overall coordination of instruction. A high school math and computer teacher coordinates technical set-up and support. Specific staff assignments are as follows:
Beginning campers develop skills that will help them:
Advanced campers learn to:
A VCR and monitor, overhead projector, computer projection system, and flip chart are used by instructors in the Internet and College Preview Program. Books, printed handouts, videotapes, and electronic resources are the primary instructional materials.
The book New Kids on the Net: A Tutorial for Teachers, Parents and Students is used as a student tutorial for those who want to work in lab sessions by proceeding step-by-step through activities at their own pace and as a student/teacher reference. Daily lab handouts are selected from the tear-out worksheets in the book New Kids on the Net: A NetWork Sampler.
The following DO-IT handouts are provided to each beginning student in a notebook.
Short (8-15 minutes each) DO-IT videotapes are shown during the Internet and College Preview Program. They include:
World Wide Web materials used in the program include a home page and bookmarks created specifically to facilitate beginning activities; Internet sites from around the world, and Hot Mail, a Web-based electronic mail. Telnet and Internet browsers, and filtering software are used to access Internet resources. Each participant receives a certificate of achievement at the end of the program.
Initially, lounges within existing camper residences were used, one for the beginning and one for the advanced group. A donor was found to pay for the rental of fully-configured Macintosh computers. Recently, as a new residence was built for the camp, a daylight basement area was created for a large computer lab. There are one or two campers at each computer station. DO-IT provides adaptive technology and other accommodations for campers who cannot use standard computer devices.
A 56 KB dedicated high speed line is installed to the camp and Internet service is arranged through the local telephone company.
Internet program participants eat meals and participate in late afternoon and evening recreational activities with the other campers at Teen Camp. Topics for the Internet Scavenger Hunt and other activities support camp and program themes and work within the overall Camp schedule as indicated by the beginning group's detailed schedule below. There is a lot of interaction between students and staff. The names in parentheses only indicate the primary people responsible for making sure that the activity is a success.
The advanced group forms a "company" and "hires" Jerry as a consultant. They are "employed" by the beginning campers to create a Web site for their program with pictures, bios and a daily log of activities. Each morning the advanced group reports their progress, makes assignments, and summarize next steps to the beginning group. Under Jerry's supervision, they work throughout the day in a lab separate from the beginning group.
Computer lab setup completion.
Camper check in.
Morning
Camp orientation, breakfast, lunch, and church options.
1:30 - 3 pm
Theme: Using technology to support education and employment
Activities (Sheryl):
3 - 5 pm
Choose camp activities or open computer lab (Kris, Christin, Tiffany).
5:30
Dinner
In the evening, participate in Camp activities or open computer lab (Camp Courage counselor reporting to Kris).
8:30 am
Breakfast
9:30 am - 12 noon
Theme: Using technology to support education and employment
Activities:
12:30 - 1:15 pm
Lunch
1:30 - 2:15 pm
Theme: Preparing for college and employment
Activities:
2:15 - 3 pm
Continue computer lab exercises (Kris, Christin, Tiffany).
3 - 5 pm
Choose camp activities or open computer lab (Kris, Christin, Tiffany).
5:30
Dinner
In the evening, participate in Camp activities or open computer lab (Camp Courage counselor reporting to Kris).
9 am - 1:30 pm
Take a field trip to Saint Cloud State University (Roger, Camp counselors). Tour campus radio/TV station, attend college survival skills class, have lunch in student union building, listen to presentation of disabled student services, and visit a dormitory.
1:30 - 3 pm
Open computer lab (Kris, Christin, Tiffany).
3 - 5 pm
Choose camp activities or open computer lab (Kris, Christin, Tiffany).
5:30
Dinner
In the evening, participate in Camp activities or open computer lab (Camp Courage counselor reporting to Kris).
8:30 am
Breakfast
9:30 am - 12 noon
Theme: Using technology to support education and employment
Activities (Kris):
12:30 - 1:15 pm
Lunch
1:30 - 2:15 pm
Theme: Preparing for college Activity (Sheryl, Kris, Tiffany):
2:15 - 3 pm
Continue lab exercises (Kris, Christin, Tiffany).
3 - 5 pm
Choose camp activities or open computer lab (Kris, Christin, Tiffany).
5:30
Dinner
In the evening, participate in Camp activities or open computer lab (Camp Courage counselor reporting to Kris).
8:30 am
Breakfast
9:30 am - 12 noon
Theme: Using technology to support education and employment
Activities (Kris):
12:30 - 1:15 pm
Lunch
1:30 - 2:15 pm
Theme: Preparing for and succeeding in college
Activities:
2:15 - 3 pm
Continue lab exercises (Kris, Christin, Tiffany).
3 - 5 pm
Choose camp activities or open computer lab (Kris, Christin, Tiffany).
In the evening, participate in Camp activities or open computer lab (Camp Courage counselor reporting to Kris).
8:30 am
Breakfast
9:30 am - 12 noon
Theme: Using technology to support education and employment
Activities (Rick, Kris):
12:30 - 1:15 pm
Lunch
1:30 - 2:15 pm
Theme: Succeeding in college
Activities (Sheryl, Dave):
2:15 - 3 pm
Continue lab exercises (Kris, Christin, Tiffany).
3 - 5 pm
Choose camp activities or open computer lab (Kris, Christin, Tiffany).
5:30
Dinner
In the evening, participate in Camp activities or open computer lab (Camp Courage counselor reporting to Kris).
Theme: Using technology to support education and employment
Activities (Kris, Sheryl, Rick):
12:30 - 1:15 pm
Lunch
1:30 - 2:15 pm
Theme: Preparing for and succeeding in employment
Activities (Roger):
2:15 - 3 pm
Open lab (Kris, Christin, Tiffany).
3 - 5 pm
Choose camp activities or open computer lab (Kris, Christin, Tiffany).
5:30
Dinner
In the evening, participate in Camp activities or open computer lab (Camp Courage counselor reporting to Kris).
8:30 am
Breakfast
Lab take down (Rick, Kris, Christin, Tiffany).
Campers leave between 9:30 am - 12 noon.
Meet individually with parents to discuss Internet experiences, Internet access from homes and schools, and participation in DO-IT Pals (Sheryl).
Camp Courage Internet & College Preview Program
Maple Lake, MN
Courage Center Camping Department
3915 Golden Valley Road
Golden Valley, MN 55422
612-520-0245
camping@MTN.org
To be most effective your Internet activities should be fun, engaging, and educational. Regardless of age, interests, abilities, and disabilities, all campers should actively participate. This section helps you realize these goals. While working with campers, be sure to adjust to different learning styles - in other words, the different ways in which students take in and process information.
The Internet offers opportunities to meet the diverse learning needs of your students. Some campers may be more comfortable using a site where they can manipulate objects right on the screen; other students might be more comfortable doing at least some work off-line. Lessons that use the Internet have the capacity to shift the focus from teaching to learning and place much of the responsibility for learning on the student. You can concentrate on individual learners rather than full class instruction.
Howard Gardner, a professor at Harvard University, has developed a theory of multiple intelligences, suggesting that there is great variability in types of intelligences that are developed at different times, in different ways, and to different levels. These natural talents or affinities make it easier for different people to learn different things. For example, some people find music easy to learn; some do not. Some express themselves best verbally; others do not. Gardner actually identifies eight such intelligences:
With its multi-media capabilities, the Internet is an excellent tool for a group of children with a wide variety of learning styles and intelligence strengths. For more information on learning styles and multiple intelligences, consult the following Web sites:
Even if your camp is not specifically designed for children or youth with disabilities, you can assume that at least some of your campers will have disabilities - some visible, some not. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) does not allow programs to discriminate on the basis of disabilities and requires that reasonable accommodations be made to allow people with disabilities to participate. Although accommodations vary widely, a little advance planning on your part will allow you to respond appropriately and quickly to the specific needs of your campers. Consider both teaching and technical issues.
Following these guidelines helps maximize the participation of all campers. They reflect a sensitivity to the potential presence of a wide variety of disabilities including blindness, low vision, hearing impairment, mobility impairment, health impairment, attention deficit disorder, and specific learning disability.
Many teachers start their lessons with a presentation to introduce new material. To best communicate with campers, regardless of abilities and disabilities, consider applying the following teaching tips into your presentation.
Allowing campers to share their experiences and discuss their ideas is important. The guidelines below can help you incorporate lively discussions into your sessions.
Prizes and certificates can add fun to your program and a sense of accomplishment for your campers. There is one rule to follow when prizes are involved - try to make everyone a winner! So, if a grand prize is awarded for exceptional achievement, have smaller prizes for everyone who participated. Younger campers always enjoy reward stickers; some older campers do, too. At the end of a comprehensive program, a formal certificate of achievement is appropriate. Try ending the program on a light note with funny awards (Who was the "Best Dressed" camper anyway? And, who was the "Most Persistent Internet Explorer"?).
In order to make your Internet program accessible to all of your campers, consider issues related to the following:
In making your camp computer lab accessible, principles of universal design should be employed. Universal design means that rather than design your facility for the average user, consider a broad range of abilities and disabilities. Keep in mind that campers may have learning, visual, speech, hearing, and mobility impairments. Addressing the general access questions provided in the enclosed videotape and handout, each titled Equal Access: Computer Labs, will help assure that your facility is accessible to campers who use wheelchairs and have other mobility impairments, signs and labels can be accessed by those with visual impairments, and lab staff are prepared to interact with campers who have a broad range of abilities and disabilities. The handout also lists resources that can be used to help you address facility access issues.
People with disabilities face a variety of barriers to providing computer input, interpreting output, and reading documentation. Adaptive hardware and software have been developed to provide functional alternatives to standard operations. Campers with disabilities may be able to bring adaptive technology that they need to access computers in your lab. Or, they may be able to at least let you know what they need. The enclosed handout and videotape presentation, each titled Working Together: People with Disabilities and Computer Technology, provide examples of adaptive technology that allow people with disabilities to use computers.
In your camp you may not have enough warning to provide adaptive technology for a camper with a disability in your computer lab. If this is the case, to maximize participation, consider pairing them with someone who has a different or no disability. For example, a camper who is blind could be paired with a camper who cannot use his/her hands. The blind camper could type and manipulate the mouse; the camper with a mobility impairment could read the screen, describe the graphics, and guide the blind camper as they provide input. The bottom line is to maximize the participation of everyone.
The World Wide Web has rapidly become the most popular Internet resource, combining hypertext and multimedia to provide a huge network of educational, governmental, and commercial resources. Yet, because of the multimedia nature of the medium, many Internet surfers cannot access some of these materials. Some visitors:
If you develop a Web site as part of your camp program, follow universal design principles to ensure that all Internet users can get to the information at your Web site regardless of their disabilities or the limitations of their equipment and software. Use the guidelines provided in the enclosed videotape presentation and handout, both titled World Wide Access, to ensure that your Web pages are accessible to a diverse audience. The handout also lists resources to consult for further information about developing accessible Web pages.
For more information about teaching strategies and making your program accessible, consult the DO-IT home page at www.washington.edu/doit.
Ten sample lesson plans appropriate for a variety of camp settings follow. For each lesson, a one-page description for the instructor describes the audience, objectives, Web sites, and presentation guidelines. Next appears a one-page activity sheet that is ready for duplication and distribution to campers. These basic ideas can be easily modified to create lessons tailored to the interests, ages, and abilities of your participants.
This lesson is designed for young campers. Reading skills are not necessary for this activity. Read instructions to non-readers. The Web site used in the lesson is fun. It was tested by the experts, kids.
Your campers will learn to make choices as they enjoy building their own monsters using the Build a Monster Web site.
Build a Monster
www.rahul.net/renoir/monster/monster.html
Very little lecture time is necessary for this activity. You will need index cards for an off-line activity associated with the lesson. Since you will be working with young campers you may want to access the site for them before you begin. Give an explanation of what the campers can do at this site and, then, just let them go to it. A potential presentation outline follows.
Name(s):_____________________________________
Today you get to be an artist as you explore the Build-a-Monster Web site. Follow these instructions to find the monster building site and build your own monster.
This lesson is designed for campers who are at an early elementary reading level. The site used, KidPub, was developed by a father who wanted to encourage his daughter to write. KidPub allows campers to write and share stories with other kids.
Your campers will write and share their own stories. You can encourage them to write about any topic or you can have them focus on stories associated with their experiences at camp.
KidPub
www.kidpub.org
Very little lecture time is necessary for this lesson. You will need to provide the URL and give an explanation of what the campers can do at this site. Then, just let them go to it. A possible presentation outline is offered below.
Name(s):_____________________________________
Today you will become a published writer as you explore the KidPub Web site. Follow the instructions to find the site and write your own story.
My Story by Travis
When I went to Camp Courage Robbie and I went swimming and rode horses. A funny thing happened one day Rick put me and Robbie up in the rafters of the cabin. We ate in the cafeteria and played at Robbie's cabin.
Besides free time I like math. I go to Laurelhurst Elementary School. I have two gerbils and two gold fish. Their names are Cookie and Brownie and Goldie and Swimmy.
This lesson is designed for campers who are at the early elementary reading level but is fun for older kids, too. The site you'll be using, Build-A-Card, is one of several Web sites that allows you to make and send greeting cards via the Internet. Campers must have e-mail addresses in order for this activity too work for your group.
Your campers will appreciate the opportunity to design and personalize their own greeting cards. They will also have the option of sending cards to friends at the same camp or to friends and family elsewhere (if they know their e-mail addresses).
Build-A-Card
www.buildacard.com
Very little lecture time is necessary for this lesson. You will need to provide the URL and give an explanation of what the campers can do at this site. Encourage them to be creative as they design and write their own personalized the cards. A possible presentation outline is offered below.
Name(s):_____________________________________
Today you will create and send greeting cards to friends at camp. Follow the instructions below to find the card-building site and create and send your own card. Send cards to friends and family members if you know their e-mail addresses. You can even send a card to yourself.
This lesson is designed for younger campers who are in kindergarten through third grade. The site you'll be using, My Hero, will give you a chance to talk about positive influences in your campers' lives.
Your campers will have the opportunity to think about people or things that have influenced them in their young lives. You may be surprised to discover the interesting and sensitive stories you will hear from campers who have only been alive for even six or seven years.
My Hero
https://myhero.com/
Although you will not need a great deal of formal presentation time for this lesson, you do need to start a dialog on the meaning of "hero." A possible presentation outline is offered below.
Name(s):_____________________________________
Today you will write about a hero in your life at the My Hero Web site. Follow the instructions to find the site and write a story about one of your heroes.
Why Bunnies are Best
I have a bunny as a friend. I don't call her a pet because she really is my friend. She makes me feel better when I'm lonely, and she reminds me to enjoy all the good things in my life. She gets great pleasure in waking me up in the morning, and then she enthusiastically nibbles her breakfast of banana and oats. She leaps with joy when she plays and stretches out for the most luxurious naps. Although some people think of people as heroes, I nominate my bunny because of all the good things she contributes to my day. But remember an important lesson, if you have a pet or animal companion, that animal depends on you for all its health and happiness. Be a caring and responsible pet owner and you will be a hero to your animal friend.
This lesson is designed for campers who are at about a middle school reading level and who can find and follow the directions and links in a Web site. The Web pages used in the lesson include information that is appropriate for this audience, as well as for more advanced students.
By the time your campers have finished this lesson, they should be able to name the nine planets in order and to state specific information about Uranus. The activities described in the worksheet will encourage them to do some creative writing and think about celestial bodies and how they are named.
The Nine Planets, by Bill Arnett
www.asi.org/nineplanets
Limit lecture time to allow campers time to practice, explore, and learn at their own pace. Here is one way you can organize this lesson:
Name(s):_____________________________________
Use your Internet skills to explore a Web site called The Nine Planets, written and compiled by Bill Arnett. You can use this site to refresh your memory on solar system basics (Can you name the planets in order?) while you discover some interesting facts about Uranus. Follow these instructions to navigate through the planets.
This lesson is designed for campers who are at least a middle school reading level and who can find and follow a specific Web site. The Web site used in this activity includes information that is appropriate for this audience, but much of it is appropriate for more advanced readers.
After completion of this lesson, campers will be able to describe special features of a city. The worksheet and activities should encourage them to do some creative writing while they think about traveling across the United States.
USA CityLink
www.usacitylink.com
Limit lecture time to allow campers time to practice, explore, and learn at their own pace. Here is one way you can organize this lesson:
Name(s):_____________________________________
Today you will use your Web browsing skills to travel across the United States, virtually. Follow the instructions below to start your trip.
The topic for this lesson is appropriate for young campers, but the vocabulary and some of the theory presented in this Web site is a challenge to many elementary school students. Middle school campers should find this lesson challenging and fun without much additional teaching, but younger participants may need help. The sections that present the physics of rainbow formations will be challenging for even high school students. Spend time previewing the site so that you can direct your campers to sections appropriate for them.
By the time your campers have finished this lesson, they will be able to explain what a rainbow is and describe how it is formed.
About Rainbows, by Beverly T. Lynds
eo.ucar.edu/rainbows
Limit lecture time to allow campers time to practice, explore, and learn at their own pace. The Web site used in this activity covers a topic suitable for youngsters, but the content of the site can be complex. Allow extra time to answer questions and to work with campers one-on-one. Here is one way you can organize this lesson.
Name(s):_____________________________________
Today you will explore a Web site called About Rainbows that can teach you everything you ever wanted to know about rainbows. You'll learn what rainbows really are and how they are created. You'll also learn that rainbows and physics go together.
The topic for this activity is appropriate for many grade levels and is particularly entertaining for elementary school students. Campers should find this lesson fun.
By the time your campers have finished this lesson, they should be able to enter words to create an interesting story.
Wacky Web Tales™
www.eduplace.com/tales
Limit lecture time to allow campers time to explore at their own pace. Help campers who have difficulties interacting with the site. The list below is one way you can organize this lesson.
Name(s):_____________________________________
Today you will use the World Wide Web to create a funny story. Follow the instructions below to get started.
This lesson is designed for campers who are at about a middle school reading level and who can find and follow the instructions and links in a specific Web site. The site used in the lesson includes information that is appropriate for this audience, as well as for more advanced students. Although some of the vocabulary is complex, the author, Dr. Kadar, provides helpful definitions for most terms.
When campers have finished this lesson, they will be able to list the immune system's three types of defense responses, and provide examples for each response. Campers will also be able to apply what they've learned as they think about how different diseases affect the body.
Dr. Avraham Kadar's Immunology Home Page
http://www.cloud9.net/~thekads
Limit lecture time to allow campers time to practice, explore, and learn at their own pace. The topic of this lesson is a good one to use for discussion. Your campers may find in this activity a good opportunity to bring up questions about illness and disease.
Here is one way you can organize this lesson:
Name(s):_____________________________________
Today you'll explore a great place to learn doctor lingo. Not only will you pick up some impressive ER vocabulary, but you will actually learn what the words mean. Your parents will be so proud. Using the Web site called Dr. Avraham Kadar's Immunology Home Page you'll learn how your body reacts to foreign particles like viruses and illnesses. The following steps will lead you through today's activity.
This Internet scavenger hunt can be tailored to suit almost any situation or age group. You can use it to strengthen other lessons or to explore sites of interest to your campers. As you can see from the worksheet example, almost any person or object can be used as part of the hunt.
Your campers will work in teams to apply search skills in finding specific information on the Internet.
Many
The outline below can help you with this lesson.
Name(s):_____________________________________
Today you will engage in an exciting Internet scavenger hunt with a fellow camper. In this Internet activity you will use your Web search skills to explore different sites in order to find as many objects from the list below as you can. When you haxve an object displayed on your screen, ask a staff member to initial your worksheet. Of course, there are fabulous prizes for the winners.
___Whitehouse ___Cat ___Snoopy ___Bicycle ___Dinosaur ___Horse ___Elvis ___Computer ___Donut ___Frog ___The Mona Lisa ___Statue of Liberty |
___Canoe ___Bird ___Cabin ___Lake ___Swimming ___Campfire ___Mosquito ___Hiking ___Bear ___Marshmallow ___Raccoon ___Oar |
There are many useful Internet books that can be found in just about any book store. They can teach you more about Internet tools and resources that you can use with your computer. You can also find information about the Internet on the Internet itself. Below is a list of small sample of Internet guides and other publications. Some are printed books; some are available at Web sites. Many of these and other Internet books can be purchased via on-line bookstores like Amazon.com™ at amazon.com. Consult the following resources to gain ideas for developing educational Internet activities for your campers and to learn about other camping programs.
Education on the Internet
Ellsworth, J. H. (1994). Sams Publishing.
Educator's Internet Companion
Giagnocavo, G.; McLain, T.; Distefano, V.; & Stum, C. N. (1995). PA: Wentworth Worldwide Media, Inc.
Internet Activities: Adventures on the Superhighway
Ashton, G. L.; Barkadale, K.; Rutter, & M.; Stephens, E. J. (1997). OH: South-Western Educational Publishing.
Internet Adventures
Leshin, C. B. (1998). MA: Allyn and Bacon.
Internet Directory for Teachers
Jasmine, G., & Jasmine, J. (1997). IL: IDG Books Worldwide, Inc.
Internet for Kids
Frazier, D., Kurshan, B., Armstrong, S. (1998). CA: Sybex.
Internet for Kids
Haag, T. (1996). CA: Teacher Created Materials, Inc.
Internet for Kids: A Beginner's Guide to Surfing the Net
Pederson, T.; & Moss, F. (1995). NY: Price Stern Sloan, Inc.
Internet for Parents
Strudwick, K., Spilker, J., and Arney, J. (1995). Resolution Business Press.
Internet Kids Yellow Pages
Polly, J. A. (1996). CA: Osborne McGraw-Hill.
New Kids on the Net: A Tutorial for Teachers, Parents and Students
Burgstahler, S. E. (1997). MA: Allyn and Bacon.
New Kids on the Net: Internet Activities for Young Learners
Burgstahler, S.E. (1998). MA: Allyn and Bacon.
New Kids on the Net: NetWork
Sampler Burgstahler, S. E. (1997). MA: Allyn and Bacon.
New Kids on the Net special topic series (including language arts, science, mathematics)
MA: Allyn and Bacon.
Students Guide to the Internet
Clark, D. (1995). Alpha Books.
The Internet for Teachers
Williams, B. (1995). IDG Books Worldwide.
The Internet Resource Directory for K-12 Teachers and Librarians
Miller, B. (1996). Libraries Unlimited, Inc.
Teaching With the Internet
Series CA: Classroom Connect.
Way of the Ferret
Harris, J. (1995). OR: ISTE Publications.
World Link: An Internet Guide for Educators, Parents and Students
Joseph, L. C. (1995). OH: Original Works.
Argus Clearinghouse, Argus Associates
clearinghouse.net/
A Beginner's Guide to HTML
beginnersguidetohtml.com/
Electronic Frontier Foundation's (Extended) Guide to the Internet, Adam Gaffin
w2.eff.org/Net_culture/Net_info/EFF_Net_Guide/netguide.eff
Electronic Mail, Rob Kabacoff
www.rxn.com/services/faq/email
Electronic Mail Directory Service
people.yahoo.com
E-mail Discussion Groups
www.rxn.com/services/faq/email
HyperText Markup Language (HTML)
www.w3.org/hypertext/WWW/MarkUp/MarkUp.html
Information about Keypals (online penpals)
Send e-mail to chrism@classroom.net with "Keypal Request Here!" in the subject line
Internet Guides
www.cln.org/guidebooks.html
Internet Resources, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
informs.hw.ac.uk/tag/internet-resources-newsletter
Internet TourBus, Patrick Crispen and Bob Rankin
internettourbus.com
John December's List of Mailing Lists, John December
www.december.com/cmc/info
The Scout Toolkit, Net Scout Services
scout.wisc.edu
World Wide Web List of Lists
lists.w3.org
WWW 4 Teachers
www.4teachers.org
Yanoff's Internet Services, Scott Yonoff
www.spectracom.com
Accessible: In the case of a facility, readily usable by a particular individual; in the case of a program or activity, presented or provided in such a way that a particular individual can participate, with or without auxiliary aid(s); in the case of electronic resources, accessible with or without adaptive computer technology.
Accommodation: An adjustment to make a program, facility, or resource accessible to a person with a disability.
Adaptive technology: Hardware or software products that provide access to a computer that is otherwise inaccessible to an individual with a disability.
Address: A sequence of characters that identifies a network user or computer.
ALT attribute: HTML code that works in combination with graphical tags to provide alternative text for graphical elements.
American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII): A standard for unformatted text which enables transfer of data between platforms and computer systems.
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): A 1990 comprehensive federal law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in employment, public services, public accommodations and services operated by private entities, and telecommunications.
Applet: Computer program that runs from within another application.
ASCII (The American Standards Code for Information Interchange): A standard format for representing text that can be understood by all computers.
Assistive technology: Technology used to assist a person with a disability, e.g. wheelchair, handsplints, computer-related equipment.
Auxiliary aids and services: Includes a) qualified interpreters or other effective methods of making aurally delivered materials available to individuals with hearing impairments; b) qualified readers, taped texts, or other effective methods of making visually delivered materials available to individuals with visual impairments; c) acquisition or modification of equipment or devices; and d) other similar services and actions (Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990).
Baud: Approximately one bit per second transfer of data.
Binary file: A file containing information that is not represented in the file by ASCII characters. This may be a graphic, a formatted file, or even a computer program.
Bookmark: A marker that your World Wide Web browser allows you to keep so that you can automatically connect to the resource at a later time.
Braille: System of embossed characters formed by using a Braille cell, a combination of six dots consisting of two vertical columns of three dots each. Each simple Braille character is formed by one or more of these dots and occupies a full cell or space.
Captioned film or videos: Transcription of the verbal portion of films or videos displayed to make them accessible to people who are deaf.
Chat: Real-time communication on the Internet where one person types words on a computer and others can see them on their screens almost instantaneously.
Client software: A software program that allows you to use a service from a server on the Internet.
Closed Circuit TV Magnifier (CCTV): Camera used to magnify books or other materials to a monitor.
Command: A direction that you give a computer.
Communication software: A program that allows your personal computer to communicate with other computers over phone lines.
Compensatory tools: Adaptive computing systems that allow people with disabilities to use computers to complete tasks that they would have difficulty doing without a computer (e.g. reading, writing, communicating, accessing information).
Cyberspace: Essentially, the whole Internet.
Dial-up: Connecting to a computer by using a telephone line.
Digital: Computer formatted data or information.
Disability: Physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities; a record of such an impairment; or being regarded as having an impairment (American with Disabilities Act of 1990).
Discrimination: Act of making a difference in treatment or favor on a basis other than individual merit.
Discussion: A group of people interested in a topic who are subscribed to a list which is maintained on a computer on the Internet.
Download: To move files from a remote computer to your computer.
Electronic information: Digital data for use with computers or computer networks including disks, CD-ROMS, World Wide Web resources.
Electronic mail (e-mail): A message transmitted over a network.
Ethernet: A method for directly connecting a computer to a network in the same physical location.
Facility: All or any portion of a physical complex, including buildings, structures, equipment, grounds, roads, and parking lots.
FAQ: Frequently asked questions.
File: A collection of information stored on a computer.
FM Sound Amplification System: Electronic amplification system consisting of three components: a microphone/transmitter, monaural FM receiver and a combination charger/carrying case. It provides wireless FM broadcast from a speaker to a listener who has a hearing impairment.
File Transfer Protocol (FTP): A process that allows you to copy files from one computer to another on the Internet.
Freeware: Free software programs.
Gopher: A text-based system for connecting to resources on the Internet.
Graphical User Interface (GUI): Program interface that presents digital information and software programs in an image-based format as compared to a character-based format.
Hacker: A person that breaks into computer systems and accounts.
Hardware: Physical equipment related to computers.
Hearing impairments: Complete or partial loss of ability to hear caused by a variety of injuries or diseases including congenital defects. Frequently limitations include difficulties in understanding language or other auditory messages and/or in producing understandable speech.
Helper: An external program that can be called up by a Web browser to display specially formatted material, such as word processed documents or video/sound pieces. The Helper program is launched by the Web browser as a separate application to view or play the file.
Home page: The first page that appears on your screen when you access a WWW site.
Host: A computer that holds Internet resources for access by others, or the computer that maintains your Internet access and electronic mail account.
HTML validation: A process that analyzes HTML documents in comparison to standard HTML rules, identifying HTML errors and non-standard codes.
Hyperlink: Highlighted word or graphic on a Web page that when selected allows the user to jump to another part of the document or another Web page.
Hypermedia: Documents which combine hypertext links and multimedia elements.
Hypertext: Documents which contain links to other documents within them.
Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP): Communication protocol used by the World Wide Web to transfer text, graphics, audio, and video.
Hypertext Markup Language (HTML): Programming language or code used to create World Wide Web pages.
Image map: Picture or graphic on a Web page in which hyperlinks are embedded.
Input: Any method by which information is entered into a computer.
Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN): A very fast digital service provided over phone lines.
Internet: Computer network connecting government, education, commercial, other organization and individual computer systems.
Internet Protocol (IP): The Internet standard protocol that provides a common layer over dissimilar networks, used to move packets among host computers.
Internet Service Provider (ISP): A service that provides access to the Internet.
Interpreter: Professional person who assists a deaf person in communicating with hearing people.
IP address: The numeric address of a computer connected to the Internet; also called Internet address.
Java: Programming language used to create programs or applets that work with some World Wide Web browsers to include features with animation or other characteristics not available through standard HTML.
Log off: To disconnect from a host computer.
Log on: To sign on to a host computer.
Login name: The name you use when you log on a computer.
Logout: To quit using (or, log off) a computer.
Lynx: Text-based World Wide Web browser.
Major life activities: Functions such as caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, working, and participating in community activities (Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990).
Mainstreaming: The inclusion of people with disabilities, with or without special accommodations, in programs, activities, and facilities with non-disabled persons.
Microsoft Internet Explorer™: A graphical Web browser.
Mobility impairment: Disability that affects movement.
Modem: Hardware that allows your computer to transmit data over phone lines.
Multimedia: The combination of several forms of media including text, graphics, audio, full-motion video, fax, and telephone to communicate information.
NCSA Telnet: Internet software that allows you to log on to another computer on the Internet; it was developed at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) at the University of Illinois.
Netiquette: Network etiquette.
Netscape Navigator™: A graphical Web browser.
Network: A group of computers connected together.
Offline: Not connected to a computer network.
Online: Connected to a computer network.
Operating system: Basic software that runs a computer (e.g., Windows, UNIX, VMS, or Macintosh™ System 8).
Optical character recognition (OCR): Technology system that scans and converts printed materials into electronic text.
Output: Any method of displaying or presenting electronic information to the user through a computer monitor or other device.
Physical or mental impairment: Any physiological disorder or condition, cosmetic disfigurement, or anatomical loss affecting one or more of the following body systems: neurological; musculoskeletal; special sense organs; respiratory, including speech organs; cardiovascular; reproductive; digestive; genitourinary; hemic and lymphatic; skin; and endocrine; or any mental or psychological disorder, such as intellectual disability, organic brain syndrome, emotional or mental illness, and specific learning disabilities (Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990).
Plug-in: Separate program written to be launched by a specific Web browser to display or run special elements in Web pages, such as animation, video or audio that the Web browser does not have the capability to display.
Point of Presence (POP): A place where your computer dials in to access the Internet.
Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP): Procedure that allows a computer to use Internet protocols using regular telephone lines and high-speed modems.
Posting: The act of sending a message to a discussion list, Usenet newsgroup, or bulletin board.
Protocol: A mutually determined set of formats and procedures governing the exchange of information between systems.
Qualified individual with a disability: An individual with a disability who, with or without reasonable modification to rules, policies, or practices, the removal of architectural, communication, or transportation barriers, or the provision of auxiliary aids and services or the participation in programs or activities provided by a public entity (Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990).
Reader: Volunteer or employee of a blind or partially sighted individual who reads printed material in person or records to audio-tape.
Remote access: The ability to access a computer from outside a building in which it is housed. It requires communications hardware, software, and physical links.
Search engine: A program that searches for resources on the Internet.
Server: Any computer that stores information that is available to other users, often over the Internet.
Shareware: Software you can try before you purchase.
Sign language: Manual communication commonly used by deaf. Sign language is not universal; deaf persons from different countries speak different sign languages. American Sign Language (ASL) is the most commonly used sign language in the United States.
Software: Computer programs.
Specific learning disability: Disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, which may manifest itself in difficulties listening, thinking, speaking, reading, writing, spelling, or doing mathematical calculations. Frequent limitations include hyperactivity, distractibility, emotional instability, visual and/or auditory perception difficulties and/or motor limitations, depending on the type(s) of learning disability.
Speech impairment: Problems in communication and related areas such as oral motor function, ranging from simple sound substitutions to the inability to understand or use language or use the oral-motor mechanism for functional speech and feeding. Some causes of speech and language disorders include hearing loss, neurological disorders, brain injury, intellectual disability, drug abuse, physical impairments such as cleft lip or palate, and voice abuse or misuse.
Standard HTML: Version of HTML accessible by all browsers.
System administrator: Someone who operates and maintains a computer system.
T1, T3: Very fast data transmission lines used by Internet providers.
Tag: HTML code that prescribes the structure and formatting of Web pages.
Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD) or Teletypewriter (TTY): A device which enables someone who has a speech or hearing impairment to use a telephone when communicating with someone else who has a TDD/TTY. TDD/TTYs can be used with any telephone, and one needs only a basic typing ability to use them.
Telnet: An Internet tool that allows you to connect to a remote computer.
Text: Words or other sequences of letters and numbers.
Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP): A system that allows computers to communicate with one another over the Internet network.
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI): Open and closed head injuries resulting in impairments in one or more areas, such as cognition; language; memory; attention; reasoning; abstract thinking; judgment; problem-solving; sensory, perceptual, and motor abilities; psychosocial behavior; physical functions; information processing; and speech. The term does not apply to brain injuries that are congenital or degenerative or brain injuries induced by birth trauma.
Universal design: Designing programs, services, tools and facilities so that they are usable, without modification, by the widest range of users possible, taking into account a variety of abilities and disabilities.
Universal Resource Locator (URL): A standard format for an address a specific resource on the Internet. For example, DO-IT's URL is http://www.washington.edu/doit/.
Unix: The operating system that most Internet host computers use.
Upload: To copy a file from your computer to a remote computer.
Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML): A tagging language for conveying three dimensional information over the Internet using a VRML browser.
Virus: A program designed to spread itself to computer, stay undetected, and cause problems on the computer systems it infects.
Vision impairment: Complete or partial loss of ability to see, caused by a variety of injuries or diseases including congenital defects. Legal blindness is defined as visual acuity of 20/200 or less in the better eye with correcting lenses, or widest diameter of visual field subtending an angular distance no greater than 20 degrees.
Web Browser: Software that allows you to navigate through the World Wide Web.
Webmaster: A person in charge of maintaining a Web site.
Wireless network: A method which uses infrared, ultraviolet, or radio waves to connect computers into a network.
World Wide Web (WWW, W3, or Web): Hypertext and multimedia gateway to Internet resources.
The videotape enclosed in this binder can be used for staff or camper training and includes five presentations released separately under the following titles:
To accompany the videotape presentations are handout templates that can be easily duplicated for distribution to staff and other camp program associates.
Permission is granted to copy these materials for non-commercial purposes provided the source is acknowledged. For information about other free and low cost materials available through DO-IT, refer to www.washington.edu/doit.