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TABLE 1<br />
Teacher Demographics 1<br />
Teacher Educati<strong>on</strong> Level Yrs Experience Classroom<br />
Barbara B.A. 10 At-risk<br />
Carole B.A. 17 At-risk<br />
D<strong>on</strong>na M.A. 12 Special needs<br />
Ellen B.A. 30 Special needs<br />
Jane B.A. 1 At-risk<br />
Karen B.A. 5 At-risk<br />
Sara B.A. 18 Special needs<br />
T<strong>on</strong>i M.A. 35 Special needs<br />
Teri B.A. 3 At-risk<br />
1 All teachers hold state teaching certificates<br />
explore <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> perspectives <strong>and</strong> gain insight into<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> feelings, emoti<strong>on</strong>s, <strong>and</strong> thought processes<br />
of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> participants (Creswell, 2002; Strauss &<br />
Corbin, 1998). The study of perspectives of<br />
teachers who were designated to participate in<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> implementati<strong>on</strong> of a school-wide AT program<br />
lends itself to qualitative methodology<br />
precisely because it is a phenomen<strong>on</strong> about<br />
which little is known. Additi<strong>on</strong>ally, underst<strong>and</strong>ing<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> perspectives of teachers as users<br />
of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> AT was deemed essential prior to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
implementati<strong>on</strong> of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> AT program.<br />
Interview questi<strong>on</strong>s were developed to address<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> research questi<strong>on</strong>s (Kvale, 1996) <strong>and</strong><br />
semi-structured interviews lasting approximately<br />
a half-hour were c<strong>on</strong>ducted with all<br />
participants. Semi-structured interviews allowed<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> researchers to ask for clarificati<strong>on</strong><br />
or additi<strong>on</strong>al informati<strong>on</strong>. (See Table 2 for a<br />
list of interview questi<strong>on</strong>s.) All interviews were<br />
audio-taped <strong>and</strong> transcribed verbatim to ensure<br />
accuracy.<br />
The Early Language <strong>and</strong> Literacy Class-<br />
TABLE 2<br />
Interview Questi<strong>on</strong>s<br />
1. Describe your classroom.<br />
2. Describe <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> literacy activities in your classroom.<br />
3. Can you tell me about your experiences with assistive technology?<br />
4. Describe your involvement with AT.<br />
5. Tell me about your feelings using assistive technology with your students.<br />
6. What additi<strong>on</strong>al informati<strong>on</strong> would you like c<strong>on</strong>cerning assistive technology?<br />
7. How do you think assistive technology can help your students?<br />
room Observati<strong>on</strong> (ELLCO) Toolkit, (Smith,<br />
Dickins<strong>on</strong>, Sangeorge, & Anastasopoulos,<br />
2002) was used to assess envir<strong>on</strong>mental variables<br />
related to language development <strong>and</strong><br />
literacy in each of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> teachers’ classrooms<br />
(i.e., morning classes for <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> 3-year-old students<br />
<strong>and</strong> afterno<strong>on</strong> classes for <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> 4-year-old<br />
students). The ELLCO has three distinct<br />
parts: <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> (a) Literacy Envir<strong>on</strong>ment Checklist,<br />
(b) Classroom Observati<strong>on</strong> <strong>and</strong> Teacher Interview,<br />
<strong>and</strong> (c) Literacy Activities Rating<br />
Scale.<br />
Two researchers observed each classroom<br />
to determine <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> extent of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> diversity of<br />
reading <strong>and</strong> writing materials <strong>and</strong> classroom<br />
layout. Next, interacti<strong>on</strong>s between teachers<br />
<strong>and</strong> students were observed during reading<br />
<strong>and</strong> writing instructi<strong>on</strong>, use of technology,<br />
oral language use, <strong>and</strong> assessment strategies.<br />
Finally, student-teacher <strong>and</strong> student-student<br />
interacti<strong>on</strong>s were observed for <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> number of<br />
times <strong>and</strong> length of time for book reading <strong>and</strong><br />
writing during classroom activities. Inter-rater<br />
Preschool Teacher Percepti<strong>on</strong>s / 79