The Assistive Technology Blog

Speakers at the recent VSTE state conference in Roanoke reinforced the importance of infusing technology into the classroom -- strengthening the learning process and complementing today's learners approach. Mr. Hall Davidson of Discovery Education and a member of the Discovery Education Speaker's Bureau, reinforced this message in his many engaging presentations. He reminded us of the power in customizing iPods into curriculum specific instructional devices and using freely available software tools such as Photo Story and Movie Maker. To read more from this engaging expert visit, http://discoveryedspeakersbureau.com/davidson/concurrent

Posted by Fran Smith at 9:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Noted researcher Dr. Ted Hasselbring recently shared his message at the Virginia Society for Technology in Education (VSTE) conference. As Dr. Hasselbring noted, helping students to build mental models through supporting their background knowledge and anchoring instruction can enhance their fluency and understanding. Technology can play a central role in this process. To read more on his contributions, visit http://peabody.vanderbilt.edu/The_Peabody_Difference/Reflections/Ted_Hasselbring.xml

Posted by Fran Smith at 3:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Many of us know and love the review activity "I have, who has" but hesitate to use it with our students who require some visual as well as auditory support. We were pleased to find an example of an overhead one group uses with students to help them understand and follow the activity! Click on http://www.texascollaborative.org/FordHodgeModule/sub3_2.php to see it.

Posted by Susanne Croasdaile at 1:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here's ten U.S. documents you can download to your iPod, all FREE!

• Declaration of Independence (1776)
• Constitution of the United States (1787)
• Bill of Rights (1791)
• Louisiana Purchase Treaty (1803)
• Emancipation Proclamation (1863)
• Gettysburg Address (1863)
• Civil Rights Act (1964)
• Social Security Act (1935)
• Monroe Doctrine (1823)
• Brown v. Board of Education (1954)

Just click on http://www.ipreppress.com/Pages/studyguides.htm and look on the lower right-hand side!

Posted by Susanne Croasdaile at 11:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I recently attended a session at ATIA with Linda Burkhart. I have always struggled with positioning a laptop close enough to a child along with switches and objects. Well, Linda solved this problem for me. She made a cover for her laptop keyboard using a corrugated board covered with tempo loop fabric . She then attached small "bumpers" made out of cardboard on the back side, then attached a wide piece of elastic to the corrugated board. And presto.....she was able to slide the board over the keys on her laptop, thus giving the child access to a work surface to place switches and objects, be closer to the screen and also eliminate the possibility of those little hands banging on the keys of the computer!! How great is that simple invention. Thanks so much Linda. I always learn something new from you.

Posted by Mona at 6:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Check out this site for some free music that you kids might just love! Music is very motivating for many people as they are working, learning, exercising, etc. You might find something here that “makes the connection” to your student that might be hard to reach. See what you think!

http://freekidsmusic.com/

Posted by Kelly Ligon at 11:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

We're presenting on Monday at VSTE about this topic, and since not all of you will be there, we wanted to share our digital materials (including yesterday's cartoon!). Click on http://udl4literacy.pbwiki.com/UDL+and+Web+2-Point-0 and you can experience a tiny bit of the exciting session you will miss!

Posted by Susanne Croasdaile at 9:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Of course you do! (Who wouldn't?) Click on http://udl4literacy.pbwiki.com/UDL+Principle+1 because you know you want to!

Once you're there, you can click on the SideBar on the right-hand side to hear the cartoon character talk about the other two principles of UDL.

Posted by Susanne Croasdaile at 9:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Come and see us! We'd love to see you...

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in the Age of Web 2.0 (M107)
New media such as podcasts, vodcasts, blogs, and wikis are powerful social networking tools in theWeb 2.0 age. See how these motivating tools can be used to support the Universally Designed classroom—and, therefore, all students. Participants will become familiar with popular free and low-cost technology tools, strategies, and Web sites.
Presenter: Susanne Croasdaile (sscroasdaile@vcu.edu), Virginia Commonwealth University
Copresenter: Fran Smith, Training and Technical Assistance Center (T/TAC), VCU
Monday: 8:30 – 9:30 a.m. in Shenandoah A

Posted by Susanne Croasdaile at 12:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Click on http://www.jonathanbishop.com/Web/Projects/Publications/Display.asp?NoID=62&MID=9&NID=62&Item=9&Anchor=Download#Download to read The Internet for educating individuals with social impairments, which investigates the social and practical implications of using mobile Internet technology to deliver information relating to participation in a social situation.

Posted by Susanne Croasdaile at 8:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I found a great blog that explores reading and writing technology tools for people with more significant disabilities. David Koppenhaver from Appalachian State University, has done years of research in the area of literacy development for this population, shares some great resources.

http://dis-lit-tech.blogspot.com/

Posted by Kelly Ligon at 11:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

At the annual EDUCAUSE ELI conference in San Antonio, TX last week, several presentation shared ideas, innovations, and new products using Web 2.0 technologies. Many shared experiences on how these are being explored in college classrooms, with instruction, and how they impact student learning. To learn more, visit http://hosted.mediasite.com/hosted4/Catalog/?cid=cd40888eed5940f2bbd8daa8c09b4ecc

Posted by Fran Smith at 2:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

At the annual EDUCAUSE ELI meeting, Professor George Siemens - University of Manitoba shared several new web spaces that are offering ways to visually represent data. As he notes, "data visualizations help make meaning and communicate the trends hiding in data. While visualizations have existed for years as graphs and figures, open access to data and the ability to create mashups is allowing a resurgence in visualizations". To review a few of these web spaces, visit:

http://services.alphaworks.ibm.com/manyeyes/home

http://www.quintura.com/

http://www.worldmapper.org/index.html

http://www.xobni.com/

Posted by Fran Smith at 3:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Did you know that the new Windows VISTA operating system includes speech recognition? This added functionality adds a new dimension to the Windows operating system and allows a user to train their voice in less that a few paragraphs. Once trained, they can then use that speech engine behind any open program. Try it in Word for a voice activated word-processing experience. To explore and customize,

Open the Control Panel in VISTA
Open Speech Recognition Options
Start speech training!!

Posted by Fran Smith at 3:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Researchers at Pennsylvania State University recently shared their web portal and how they are "pushing the limits" of Web 2.0 technologies for digital expression. To take a virtual tour, visit http://ets.tlt.psu.edu/

Posted by Fran Smith at 3:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Meville to Weville from AbleNet and Start to Finish Literacy Starters from Don Johnston have combined their literacy efforts to create lessons that meet the needs of older students with significant disabilities. What makes the MEville to WEville with Literacy Starters Program different is that it offers extended lessons and age-appropriate content for older students, including three sets of Start-to-Finish Literary Starters books and switch accessible computer books, written specifically for MEville to MEville curriculum — all in one convenient package. You can see it for yourself and download a sample lesson. Go to:

http://www.ablenetinc.com/me2westarters

Posted by Kelly Ligon at 10:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In the recent issue of the EDUCAUSE EQ Review, author John Seely Brown's addresses the growing use of Web 2.0 technologies and the impact on today's learner in his article, "Minds on Fire". To review, visit http://connect.educause.edu/Library/EDUCAUSE+Review/MindsonFireOpenEducationt/45823?time=1202243256

Posted by Fran Smith at 2:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Interested in creating an accessible PDF document in Word 2007? Something that a user who is blind can access? Visit http://abilitynet.org/uk/webarticle87 for more information.

Posted by Fran Smith at 2:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Several online webinars will be presented through the National Center on Technology Innovation this spring. To learn more, browse below:

The Role of Technology in Response to Intervention (RTI)
February 11th at 11:00 am ET & February 28th at 3:00 pm ET

Finding the Technology that Supports Your Reading, Math, and Writing Instruction
March 18th at 11:00 am ET, 2007 & March 24th at 3:00 pm ET

The Assistive Technology Planner: A Guide for Implementing AT
April 14th at 11:00 am ET & April 29th at 3:00 pm ET

Evaluating Your Technology Implementation Program
May 2nd at 11:00 am ET & May 12th at 3:00 pm ET

To read more on each of these and register, visit http://www.cited.org/index.aspx?page_id=140&#upcoming

Posted by Fran Smith at 2:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Although we're usually frustrated because our teaching travels faster than and beyond the reaches of technology, sometimes our teaching does not keep up with the tech we have!

With free, easy-to-use computer-based test-to-speech programs increasingly available (Reading Bar and Read Please from www.readplease.com; Natural Reader from www.naturalreaders.com, the Apple/Mac text-to-speech enabled operating system, etc.), we just need to have interesting, frequently changing digital text for our students to read!

Classroom blogs are ideal for this: http://epencil.edublogs.org is an example of a "living" blog from a 6th grade teacher and students. Text-to-speech programs help students access the vocab of the week on this site as well as their peers' own writing; other materials on the blog are visual in nature.

Posted by Susanne Croasdaile at 4:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I know we’ve shown you switch adapted digital cameras before, but we found another one you might be interested in. This camera features a flexible LCD viewing screen and it can also take short video clips. The price is still reasonable and it’s light weight. Check it out on the web and see what you think.

http://zabonne.com/?action=product&id=10498&category=10042

Posted by Kelly Ligon at 10:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Amy Quinn of Virtual Hosting emailed us about their article " Test Me: 25 Freebie Website Accessibility Checkers" (http://www.virtualhosting.com/blog/2008/test-me-25-freebie-website-accessibility-checkers), writing that she thought our readers would find it interesting. Take a look-there are some well-considered comments already posted there, too!

Posted by Susanne Croasdaile at 4:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)