TrueNorth Educational Cooperative 804, is a premier special education cooperative serving students in the northern suburbs of Chicago. They offer comprehensive programs tailored to the unique needs of individuals with disabilities, from early childhood (EC) through transition (age 22).
As a collaborative network of 18 member districts and several partner districts, we provide a wide array of specialized services, including but not limited to:
Their commitment to equity and accessibility ensures that all students have the tools and resources they need to thrive. To achieve this goal, TrueNorth has partnered with Wixie by Tech4Learning, a cloud-based multimedia authoring platform, and Google Single Sign-On (SSO) to create a more equitable and inclusive learning environment.
One of the primary challenges faced by TrueNorth was providing students with easy access to the necessary educational tools and resources. To address this challenge, TrueNorth implemented Wixie in conjunction with Google SSO. Wixie's intuitive interface and robust features enable educators and students to create engaging and interactive digital content, while Google SSO simplifies the login process and enhances security.
Wixie, as mentioned above, is a robust web based program dedicated to fostering creativity in a secure environment. We work with the districts to ensure their students and teachers all have equitable access to creating a variety of projects like eBooks, videos, posters, and stories across the curriculum. By utilizing Google SSO, we can meet the diverse needs of all the districts we serve, utilizing their protocols for safety and streamlining the onboarding process.
Wixie's built-in accessibility features ensure that all students, regardless of their abilities, can create, collaborate, and communicate effectively. This helps to create a more inclusive and equitable learning environment where all students feel valued and supported.
By providing students with a tool like Wixie to create their own digital content, students are more engaged and motivated. Wixie can be used to create personalized learning experiences that cater to the individual needs of each student. It facilitates collaboration and communication among students and teachers alike, fostering a more connected and supportive learning environment.
When we started including the Google SSO to our preferred implementation process, we noticed a reduced time in onboarding and getting the students and teachers started.
North Shore Academy Elementary of TrueNorth 804
North Shore Academy Elementary of TrueNorth 804 was was one of the early adopters of Wixie. Taylor Garcia, a teacher at NSAE, says, "It is easier for my kindergarteners to access Wixie through the SSO Google ClassLink. Once they get on, they have so much fun creating things on Wixie. Their principal, Jen Cooper-Wells, is also a supporter of Wixie and Google SSO." She shares, "The SSO with Google allows my students who struggle with executive functioning skills to log on and limit time wasted and intense emotions exhibited. With the decrease in frustration of trying to log in, my students build their independence and become creators, not just consumers of technology apps like Wixie."
The reason for the reduced onboarding time relates back to Google SSO providing students with a streamlined login experience, eliminating the need for multiple credentials and reducing frustration for both the student and teacher alike. This is particularly beneficial for students with disabilities who may struggle with complex login procedures. Centralized authentication through Google SSO strengthens security measures and protects sensitive student data. By reducing the risk of unauthorized access, SSO helps to ensure that student information remains confidential. Google SSO also improves the onboarding process, decreasing the amount of time needed to set up accounts and roll the information out to the end user. Once students and teachers are trained on how to use the Google SSO per their district’s criteria, they are able to access any tool the district provides. In TrueNorth 804, the Google SSO is also paired with ClassLink to provide a hub of all available resources for even easier access to tools provided by the district.
By leveraging the power of Wixie and Google SSO, TrueNorth Educational Cooperative has created a more equitable and inclusive learning environment for students with disabilities. According to Anne Truger, the Digital Learning Specialist with TrueNorth Educational Cooperative 804, "This is particularly helpful for our student population, as Wixie provides built-in universal accessibility tools that allow students to create, collaborate, and communicate in a more equitable manner. This speaks directly to our cooperative's mission to ensure that students with disabilities are able to access the same curriculum and learning opportunities as their neuro-typical peers."
In short, these tools have simplified access to educational resources, enhanced security, and empowered students to become active participants in their own learning.