"I used to be stuck in that spot," said Brandee Green as she pointed to her chair in front of her fourth- and fifth-grade students at Aiken Elementary School.
As part of a 1:1 computing pilot program in the Aiken County School District's schools, Green's classroom has gone paperless.
She has seen that the use of laptops and Microsoft's Office 365 is fun and engaging for students.
Technology also has given her freedom to inspire students across the board on their individual levels.
The ability to differentiate instruction and accommodate every student on his or her level is especially critical in Green's classroom, she said.
She and special-education teacher Christine Chandler have established an ongoing collaboration.
Green's classroom is a model for full inclusion, meaning that students on Individual Education Plans - also known as IEPs - are not separated in special-education classes, but are fully integrated into the regular classroom.
Many of the special-education students began the year on a first-grade reading level and were classified with mild intellectual ability.
With the full-inclusion model and increased use of technology, "we've seen tremendous growth." Chandler said. "Those same students are accessing fourth-grade curriculum, along with the other students in the room."
Recently, students used their computers to prepare a brief report. That assignment included opportunities for students to demonstrate reading comprehension and their ability to conduct online research, using search engine Bing.
They can download material from the Internet and incorporate electronic images into their work. The research program offers strict filters with enhanced private protections to help prevent adult content.
Office 365 offers another feature that Chandler said can level the playing field for students who were struggling to complete assignments without help from a teacher.
Specifically, the computer can "speak" written text for words that are giving them trouble.
"Before, Mrs. Chandler and I were the only resource," Green said. "It's almost uncomfortable, because students don't need me as much ... Yet, it's freeing. I can move about, reach and inspire more students across many different levels. ... I'm having to raise my expectations for my students. They've already met what I've always expected of them."
Plans are underway for fifth-graders to meet with first-graders, introducing them to 1:1 computing.
Stacia Nuessle brings her first-graders to Green's class for 30-minute sessions several times a week.
Aiken County teachers will be invited to apply for the School District's "Full Circle" grant. A total of 35 teachers will receive a laptop and "hybrid" student laptops, as well as access to technical support.
They also will receive three hours of graduate credit from The College of Charleston and a $500 stipend.