iPads open up a world of possibilities for St Paul's College students |
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Children with disabilities will have increased access to life-changing educational technology thanks to the generosity of a local community organisation.
Villa Maria’s St Paul’s College in Kew was grateful to receive a grant from Hawthorn Community Chest in late 2011 to purchase iPads for its students aged 5 to 18 with a wide range of intellectual, physical, profound multiple and sensory disabilities.
On Thursday March 15, Hawthorn Community Chest will host a President’s Cocktail Party in Hawthorn East, with funds raised going to Villa Maria’s St Paul’s College to purchase additional iPads.
Principal Cheril Dewhirst said the school was “extremely grateful” to Hawthorn Community Chest for its support, particularly given the fantastic benefits the iPads had brought to both students and teachers.
“As a not-for-profit organisation, Villa Maria relies heavily on the generosity of the community to keep its vital programs and services alive. These iPads will enable St Paul’s College to offer the same state-of-the-art learning devices to its students as other specialist and mainstream schools. Children of all abilities deserve access to tools that can assist them in increasing their self-esteem and skills to reach their full potential.”
Independent Assistive Technology Consultant Gerry Kennedy, who has been training St Paul’s teachers to use the iPads, said the portable technology had so many advantages for children with disabilities.
“It’s not as cognitively demanding as a computer, with no real need to master keyboard skills or mouse skills,” Mr Kennedy said. “Children with limited mobility can use simple, everyday gestures to operate the iPad, such as swiping or tapping with various parts of their body, allowing them to access it quite easily.”
Mr Kennedy said the use of iPads within schools had become extremely popular over the past year. “There are various educational Apps that promote fine motor control such as pointing, locating and dragging. Built-in cameras also allow for instant photography and video footage that can be manipulated by students or staff with certain Apps. The content is so captivating, there’s lots of colour and animation going on so the children are fully engaged.”
Hawthorn Community Chest President Richard Jones said the organisation, which has been supporting the local community since 1958, had chosen to assist St Paul’s College because they felt it would make a positive difference to the lives of students.
“Following excellent feedback from the school and discussions with Principal Cheril Dewhirst, the Committee also decided to allocate funds raised from the Cocktail Party to purchase additional iPads so that more students were able to benefit.”
Mr Jones encouraged the public to attend the event, which would be a celebration of local community spirit and act as a launch for the ‘new look’ Hawthorn Community Chest and its vision for the future.
The Hawthorn Community Chest President’s Cocktail Party will be held on Thursday, 15 March from 6.30-8.30pm at Bilia Volvo, 139 Camberwell Road, Hawthorn East. Tickets $35.00. For bookings please visit www.trybooking.com/BDED. For more event information call Janet Lowe on 9818 7950.
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