Power of 2

The Power of 2 website is an interactive resource designed to help teachers successfully include children with special needs into the general education classroom. Professionals are able to share effective strategies, complete learning modules, and have access to useful training and teaching materials. Collaboration, co-teaching, program development, and effective teaching are just a few of the topics addressed on the Power of 2 site.

One section of the site that is helpful is the Feature Article section. The Feature Article piece spotlights articles relevant to teaching students with special needs. Some featured topics include collaboration, modifications, behavior management, and cooperative learning. When possible, authors will be available to answer questions regarding the article in an online forum. Otherwise, users will be able to engage in online discussions with peers regarding the article. The feature article provides educators with current and relevant information regarding the instruction of students with special needs. 

A second area that can be utilized on the Power of 2 website is the Teacher Vista section. This section of the site is designed to allow educators to share innovative and effective strategies for teaching all students. The vistas include a variety of ideas ranging from using social stories in preschool to utilizing PowerPoint in middle school. Teachers can see student work, example modifications, and actual lessons in this section. The Teacher Vista piece serves as a helpful resource for teachers who work with students with special needs. 

The Research section of the site is a very valuable tool for educators. This section contains a collection of research organized by grade level as well as by subject area. This research includes modification ideas, adaptations, lesson plans, content enhancement tools, and more. It also includes a list of links in each subject area that may be useful. This research has been collected from a variety of sources including teachers, librarians, and workshops, as well as the Internet. Some of the subject areas included are social studies, math, science, exploratory, and language arts. This section provides educators with a wealth of tangible ideas and modifications that they can utilize in their classrooms. 

Perhaps the most unique component of the Power of 2 website is the Learning Modules section. This section contains several interactive learning objects designed to aid in training and collaboration. The areas addressed in the modules are program development, effective teaching, collaborative consultation, co-teaching, and teams. The training materials allow users to input personal information and in many cases to receive feedback regarding their answers. There are tools to help determine compatibility and flexibility and to aid in scheduling. The results of these activities can be saved in an online portfolio and can also be printed to provide a hard copy. These learning modules provide a flexible medium in which teachers can receive additional training in areas such as collaboration and effective instruction. 

The site provides a Links section that is designed to act as a guide to Internet research. Users are given the opportunity to rate the links based upon their usefulness and to share their thoughts about the individual sites. The links are organized into categories which include national organizations, general information, technology, learning disabilities, elementary education, middle school/junior high school, and high school. The Links section helps educators sort through the plethora of Internet research available in order to find the most useful and beneficial sites that meet their needs. 

Available on the site is a FAQ component where users have asked questions pertaining to the website and covered topics. Users are able to view questions and responses related to inclusion and collaboration. 

Finally, the site features a Forum piece where many different types of discussions can take place. The different types range from question and answer sessions to online discussions with peers. Some of these discussions will be structured, and others will allow for more varied topics and interests.

Power of 2: A Scavenger Hunt 
Complete the provided scavenger hunt in order to become more familiar with the Power of 2 website. This scavenger hunt can be downloaded as a Microsoft Word document and printed. You may also use the online form and e-mail your responses to an individual.