The Assistive Technology Blog

This is a fun tool useful in a variety of areas. YackPack is an online audio messaging system that allows the user to give comments, messages and feedback to individuals or groups. Messages are stored and listeners can hear the message at their convenience. YackPack is being used by educators for foreign language learning, distance education, collaboration, and providing narrative feedback. You assign members to your Pack and then you can communicate with all members of your pack or select individuals.

Watch this short video that explains how YackPack works. Then give it a try!

Posted by Mona at 6:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here are two websites that allow you to record PDF, Word, plain text, PowerPoint files, ,RSS news feeds, emails and web pages and convert them to speech automatically. These files can then be used to imbed into a powerpoint file, website, or placed on an mp3 player.

Check out Spokent Text or Read the Words

Posted by Mona at 6:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This is so exciting and a wonderful resource. On the Tar Heel Reader you’ll find a collection of easy-to-read books on a wide variety of topics. Each book is switch accessible and speech enabled. You may download the books as a slide show in PowerPoint, Impress, or Flash format. The Tar Heel Reader is an experimental prototype that is a result of a collaboration between Center for Literacy and Disability Studies and the department of Computer Science on the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. The collaboration of Gary Bishop, Karen Erickson, David Koppenhaver, Gretchen Hanser, and more in UNC Chapel Hill's Computer Science Department and The Center for Literacy and Disability Studies is a powerful and amazing example to us all. The website also allows others to write and contribute books thus creating a great open source library for ALL readers. Be sure to visit often and bookmark this page. I see great things coming of this!!

Posted by Mona at 6:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

CAST has recently released a new online series entitled, UDL Editions, which provides online texts and embedded digital strategies to assist the reader. In combination with TextHELP tools, the user can add highlighting, activate speech, navigate from the text to the web to search for deeper meaning and listen to the text in another language. To take a tour, visit: http://udleditions.cast.org/

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

Click on http://www.readingmadeez.com/products/ktavpod.html to learn more about the Key to Access video player from Premier. From the website:

The Key to Access VPod enables you to take your Assistive Software with you on a portable USB MP4 Player. Connect the MP4 Player to any USB Port, double click the Key to Access Icon, the floating tool bar will appear giving you access to 10 powerful literacy tools. The software NEVER needs to be installed on your computer. All your personal settings are saved on your Key to Access so that no matter which computer you use, your access will be the same.

Posted by Susanne Croasdaile at 5:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Finally a way to assess students’ use of symbols and monitor progress toward conventional literacy! Sequentially identifies behaviors in Communication, Reading and Writing, from using and understanding symbols to communicate, to using pictures to support reading and writing text. Items describe student behaviors with examples. Each PAL Assessment booklet has four scoring/observation periods. Use the PAL Assessment to monitor literacy growth with or without picture assistance. Perfect for developing IEPs, reporting progress and including in student portfolios.http://www.slatersoftware.com

Posted by Kelly Ligon at 12:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

If you've been irritated about how PC users are the only ones who can take advantage of Premier's low-cost AT tools, you can now stop complaining: a press release this week announced that Premier will now offer its software for both PC and Mac platforms.(Click on http://www.prweb.com/releases/2008/05/prweb934344.htm to read more; click on http://www.readingmadeez.com/products for Premier's website).

Posted by Susanne Croasdaile at 4:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

OK, so a million people have told you that you just HAVE to download ReadPlease, a free assistive technology tool that reads aloud digital text-anything that you type into the reading window or copy-and-paste into it. The problem is that you just haven't gotten around to figuring out how to do it. No problem! Click here and the nice folks at ATRC will help you: http://atrc.utoronto.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=125&Itemid=48.

Posted by Susanne Croasdaile at 4:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here something shared by one of our reading colleagues,

"ReadWriteThink.org is a site designed to help children and teens continue to build their literacy learning outside of school. The site now offers even more activities for children ages 4 to 18. In addition, the site includes booklists, reading logs, book review podcasts, and best practice videos to help caregivers and tutors make the most of summer reading and writing opportunities. To see all of these features and more, please visit http://www.readwritethink.org/beyondtheclassroom/summer.
ReadWriteThink.org is a nonprofit website maintained by the International Reading Association and the National Council of Teachers of English, with support from the Verizon Foundation and in association with the Thinkfinity.org program."

Posted by Fran Smith at 10:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I was surfing Teacher Tube (www.teachertube.com) the other day and found the motherlode of student-created PhotoStory talking books! Click on http://www.teachertube.com/uvideos.php?UID=51495 to see "Professor McGonagall's" students' books-from No David to The Giving Tree! She even has a TeacherTube video about how she had the students make them! Got to love her...

Posted by Susanne Croasdaile at 5:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

One school is offering a "learning strategies course [that] provides each...student with one Computer on Wheels (COW), essentially their own laptop complete with up-to-date software and programs. The computers allow the students to gain access to an online source of learning tools. That source includes about 40 titles in the board's online library, though they hope to compile more....Since January, eight students, four from Grade 10 and four from Grade 9, have been meeting for one period a day to work on the COWs. 'We spent the first six weeks working with text-to-voice software.' ." Click on http://www.wellandtribune.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=976146 to read more.

Posted by Susanne Croasdaile at 5:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here's a new cool tool for reading the text online. Readthewords provides the ability to enter text and have audio reading for the user's listening pleasure. To read more, visit http://readthewords.com

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

Don Johnston will be partnering with Benetech/ Bookshare.org to provide their Read:Outloud reader as the text reader for providing access to reading materials. This is in conjunction with the recent $32 million U.S. Department of Education OSEP award to Bookshare.org and providing access to reading materials for students with print disabilities. For more information read the link below:

http://www.donjohnston.com/products/rol_bookshare/index.html

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

Don Johnston Partners with Benetech/Bookshare.org
To Provide FREE Technology Access to Thousands of Online Educational
Materials for Students With Print Disabilities

As part of their $32 million U.S. Department of Education OSEP award, Bookshare.org chose Read:OutLoud by Don Johnston Incorporated as the text reader that would best achieve the goal of providing access to reading materials and enabling students to read texts with comprehension.

Beginning at the start of the 2008-09 school year, students who qualify under Chafee will use Don Johnston’s Read:OutLoud® Bookshare.org Edition text reader to access thousands of electronic books, educational materials and resources in NIMAS and DAISY from the Bookshare.org website. The program’s goal is to eliminate barriers for students with reading disabilities and to provide the necessary tools to ensure access to the general curriculum, materials and textbooks.

For more information about this partnership follow the link below:

http://www.donjohnston.com/products/rol_bookshare/index.html

Posted by Sharon Jones at 12:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I heard an interesting presentation from a company who prints books in a format that is individualized for each reader. It’s made to order reading material, available in five days! Their website http://www.readhowyouwant.com provides various different print formats and samples are available. Do you need large print, easy read print, specialized print or print to help with English language learning? All of these options are available! Check out their website for more information!

Posted by Kelly Ligon at 2:11 PM | 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)

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.

Continue reading "A cool blog to review" »

Posted by Kelly Ligon at 11:00 AM | 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:

Continue reading "Curriculums converge to create a great tool" »

Posted by Kelly Ligon at 10:58 AM | 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)

It’s even at the beach! Check it out!
http://www.mybeachwheelchair.com

Posted by Kelly Ligon at 3:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Check out this new concept in portable reading devices!
This electronic device is the size of a paperback book with the ability to wirelessly download books, blogs, magazines, and newspapers. It uses electronic paper, a revolutionary new display technology, to provide a screen that is sharp and easy to focus on in bright and dim light. Text can be enlarged with the click of a button and pages are turned using switches located on the left and right of the page. It’s easy to “save your place” and book mark pages. Kindle holds over 200 books. It’s available at www.amazon.com for $399.00. Visit Amazon to view the video demonstrating Kindle.

Posted by Sharon Jones at 9:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Wisconsin Assistive Technology Initiative (WATI) has information on their site about how to create and implement electronic books. Check it out!
http://www.wati.org/Curriculum/Literacy/EC/create_implement.html

Posted by Kelly Ligon at 3:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Caroline Musselwhite, nationally renowned AT specialist, was in Richmond last week at the 10th annual TechKnowledgy conference. She shared with the audience a lot of wonderful information and ideas for working with students who are emergent readers and writers. She quoted research that says the good first grade teachers, who have successful readers, include a classroom with over 1500 books that can be read by students. I can’t imagine 1500 books in a classroom…how much would that cost? How is that possible? Well, she shared wonderful ideas such as: purchasing books at yard sales; used bookstores; ask for donations from the community; AND making your own books. This is where the calendars come in! Before winter break, make an announcement or put a box in the teachers lounge to collect all of the old calendars from your colleagues. Using the pictures you can add text/caption that applies to the photo and create a story. Who knows how many you could create! Involve your students, get them to contribute to calendar, either by filling in one word or writing short phrases…the possibilities are endless! And you could have 25 or 30 books that your students will really enjoy!

Posted by Kelly Ligon at 1:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

EASI will be hosting an upcoming free 2-part Webinar in on Etext Advances
DIGITAL BOOKS & PLAYERS, AN UPDATE

By Robert Lee Beach, Assistive Technology Specialist, Kansas City Kansas Community College. This will be hosted on Thursday November 15 and 29 - 2PM EST.
The presenter will discuss some of the sources of books and provide an update on
what is happening with these. He will review software and hardware players for digital books and
update you all on what is currently available.
For more information, please visit, http//easi.cc/workshop.htm

Posted by Fran Smith at 8:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic has a new short video, Building Confidence, Building Lives demonstrating the impact RFB&D has on the lives of students with print disabilities. Click on http://www.rfbd.org/teacher_training.htmand find the link at the bottom of the page or click directly on http://www.rfbd.smugmug.com/gallery/2587806#136380509.

Posted by Susanne Croasdaile at 4:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Center for Literacy and Disability Studies http://www.med.unc.edu/ahs/clds/ have posted directions on how to tactualize some of the Don Johnston Inc.'s Start to Finish Beginning Literacy Starters. Just when I thought they couldn't make them any better! Tactualizing is designed for students with deaf-blindess to help them understand the content being presented. This site includes step by step instructions and a shopping list of materials with the stores that carry the items! I can't wait to make one! Let me know if you try one too.

Posted by Kelly Ligon at 1:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Checkout the Visual Search Mode of the VCU T/TAC online library. Icons are used as search buttons for categories or subject areas. Selecting the Assistive Technology search button opens up several other search buttons for easy “one-touch” searching for AT items, software or helpful links. If you would like to checkout AT Library items call us at 800-426-1595 and ask for our library, or come by the VCU T/TAC at 10 E. Franklin St in Richmond.

Continue reading "Using Visual Search Mode for Assistive Technology on VCU T/TAC Online Library" »

Posted by at 12:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Communicate: Webwide from Widgit software, bills itself as "first symbol-supported web browser" and is intended to turn websites into different levels of picture supported text with full speech support if needed. Communicate: Webwide is a subscription-based service which gives users a flexible means of accessing information online. It will help any reader who has difficulty accessing the text in standard English language web pages.

According to the website, "You can choose between the coloured and black & white Widgit Literacy symbols (previously know as Widgit Rebus). These have a vocabulary of over 29,000 words. You can save your favorites through an easy to access manager. You can add an icon or graphic to remind you what the site is about. There is also a web portal that has links to sites that work well in symbols."

Most interesting, perhaps, is that the product is portable: "Symbols are accessed over the Internet, not from your machine. Widgit are constantly updating the online repository of symbols and vocabulary that powers Webwide. Because Communicate: Webwide is a subscription service, the symbols don't need to be installed on your machine. This means that you will get access to new symbols and extended vocabulary instantly. Every time the program is launched any available updates are installed, so you'll never need to worry about upgrading to receive new features."

Visit http://www.widgit.com/products/webwide/index.htm for a 30 day free trial.

Posted by Susanne Croasdaile at 5:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Remember making scrap books with ticket stubs, photos, candy wrappers, pictures and other items to recognize important events in your life? Well this idea can be use with our students with communication challenges for topic setting for conversation or for writing. It's important that the student selects that item that's meaningful to that event, otherwise he/she won't see the connection. The Center for Literacy and Disability Studies has a document that includes how to create and use one of these books and also includes the North Carolina standards addressed making and using these books. I knew I being a pack rat was a good thing!
Check out the instructions on the web:
http://www.med.unc.edu/ahs/clds/documents/RemnantBooks_000.pdf

Posted by Kelly Ligon at 1:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Page up and Page pal are both document holders that free your hands to do other things--and free desk space for other things, too! Great organizational and reading tool...reduces frustration when things fall all over the floor, reduces stiff neck while working on the computer from a document, increases focus on a page of directions when surrounded by project materials. What more could you want from a junky little piece of plastic? Ahh, a lower price! How about, "almost free"?

Well, make your own! Head to the craft store for polymer clay that has the ability to harden to permanence in a kitchen oven at 260 degrees in 20 minutes. Make a flat-bottomed, 2" dome of clay. With a piece of plastic-such as the cover of an old notebook, cut a "mouth" part of the way into the dome to hold the paper upright. Be sure to curve the plastic slightly from right to left while making the cut; this curve makes the paper stand up tall. Good luck-send us a picture!

Posted by Susanne Croasdaile at 5:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

There is a gold mine hidden in Caroline Musselwhite and Julie Maro’s web site, www.aacintervention.com! The May “Tip of the Month” talks you through 10 reasons why learning to use iTunes can simplify your life. Each reason is supported by an explanation of why you need to know it, and how to accomplish it. In most cases, there are references to on-line tutorials that can cover the topic in greater depth. Check this out and dig deeper into her site for lots of other practical information! We gotta love Caroline and Julie for the creative ideas that go into their web site!

Posted by Sharon Jones at 12:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Most of us have supported symbol users with the use of Boardmaker® products for years now and if you have cruised websites for free symbol downloads and new products you might have come across Widget software, www.widget.com. There are plenty of products to purchase here such as Writing with Symbols, a word and symbol processor, and Communicate: In Print 2, a symbol creating program using new Widget Rebus Symbols. You will love the free downloads on this site and links to other resources. Free downloads include beautifully illustrated stories using words and symbols for easy reading. While you are browsing the site, check out Communicate: Webwide, a web browser that allows the user to view web pages with symbols. If you are working with older students try out eLive, a symbol based monthly magazine that includes games, trivia and news! Where else can you find text and symbol supported versions of health related educational materials such as Diabetes Symbol Resources? If you are supporting symbol users, visit this site for free downloads and creative teaching ideas!

Posted by Sharon Jones at 12:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

RFB&D's Learning Through Listening® (LTL) program offers tips on using audiobooks in the classroom(http://www.learningthroughlistening.org/Teaching_with_Audiobooks/Using_RFB_D_s_Audiobooks_in_the_Classroom/Tips_for_a_Successful_LTL_Program/119/):

Have your program administrator's contact information handy. If you run into a problem with equipment or books, you can contact him or her and solve it quickly.

Be aware of your RFB&D membership level and the number of books you can order. Keep a record of the titles you have ordered, or if you have an online account at www.rfbd.org, you can check your order limits under "My Account."

Place your book orders as soon as you know what you will need for the school year. You may call the LTL member services toll-free number or use RFB&D's Online Catalog and Ordering Center to place your order or check the most current information regarding book availability. RFB&D's peak season is August through mid-October and December through January.

As soon as you receive your equipment, choose a place to store it. To avoid any problems, you should store your equipment securely in a locking cabinet or closet and away from dust and debris.

Clearly designate for your students the times during the day when it is appropriate for them to use their RFB&D players. Consider creating a schedule that defines the specific subjects and days when they can use the players.

Continue reading "Tips for Success with Books on Tape in the Classroom" »

Posted by Susanne Croasdaile at 5:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Ablenet has partnered with Weekly Reader to offer adaptations for the special education students to receive the same content of their grade peers. This subscription based product is available for the elementary, secondary and current health series. Included in the subscription is 10 copies of the weekly reader and downloadable Ablenet strategies for students with moderate and severe disabilities.

A couple years ago it was hard to find age appropriate content for students with moderate to significant disabilities. It is nice to see many more products being produced for this often neglected but challenging to teach population. Check out the website and download a sample weekly reader at: http://www.ablenetinc.com/weeklyreader/

Posted by Mona at 5:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic (RFB&D®), the nation's educational audiobook library for students of all ages who cannot read standard print effectively because of a learning disability, visual impairment or other physical disability, incollaboration with the Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST), announced the launch of its new educator support website at www.learningthroughlistening.org.

The Learning Through Listening website provides free resources to assist all educators seeking to integrate listening skills into their classrooms. The site provides easy-to-use, research-based information developed by educators, targeted at the K-12 classroom. A special customized Curriculum Builder allows users access to lesson plans and other downloadable materials that are grouped and searchable by subject and grade level.

Posted by Susanne Croasdaile at 5:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Center for Implementing Technology in Education (CITEd) and the National Center for Technology Innovation (NCTI) have made available two databases that present evidence for the use of products and technologies that support the instruction of reading and mathematics for students with special needs. Click on http://www.techmatrix.org to reach both of them.
A few of the categories used to rate products: Adjustable Difficulty, Customizable by User Profile, Font Control, Response Time, Prompt Time, Input Mouse/Touchscreen, Switch, Text to Speech Reads the Problem, Corrective, Approximate Grade Level.

Posted by Susanne Croasdaile at 6:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Here I am again talking iPod's. However, I was sent this link regarding iPod recording and it's use with reading fluency. I thought it was a great resource but also realized that there are other programs out there that cost no money and can accomplish the same goal for your reading lesson. If you haven't discovered audacity check it out at this free download from this website.

http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

Check out this link for how iPod's are being used in the classroom for reading fluency.

http://edcommunity.apple.com/ali/story.php?itemID=10804

Posted by Mona at 6:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Special Education Technology-British Columbia's website is full of great resources for the k-12 classroom. There are too many parts to hightlight here, but I wanted to bring your attention to the area on the site that highlights premade accessible books. The books were created using different programs including, Boardmaker, Intellitools Classroom Suite and PowerPoint. As you are thinking about the topics and areas of instruction you might be teaching next year, you might find a book that would supplement the materials you already have.
Check it out and see what you think!
http://www.setbc.org/setbc/accessiblebooks/freebooksforyou.asp#top

Posted by Kelly Ligon at 9:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

As I was looking through our entries on the blog I noticed we had neglected to hightlight some free resources that can be really valuable for student with reading difficulties. There are 2 excellent text to speech software programs that are available for a free download.

Word Talk allows text that is entered into a word document to be spoken. This feature can be set to open as a tool bar in the Microsoft Word window. The speech quality is OK for being a free feature. It is available at the following web site:

http://www.wordtalk.org.uk/

The other program that speaks text is Read Please. In order to use this feature text must be copied and pasted into the Read Please window. Like Word Talk the voices are robotic but clearer voices are available for a small price. Download Read Please at:

http://www.readplease.com/

Check them both out and let us know which one works best for you!!

Posted by Mona at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

We've recently been apprised of a new online resource that does a fine job at determining text readability. Visit, http://www.interventioncentral.org/htmdocs/tools/okapi/okapi.php

Posted by Fran Smith at 10:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Interested in exploring text-to-speech in Microsoft Excel? Click on http://office.microsoft.com/en-gb/word/HA102223271033.aspx to see info on
- Using text-to-speech commands in Microsoft Office Excel 2007
- Using text-to-speech commands in Excel 2003 or 2002
- Playing back worksheet data

Posted by Susanne Croasdaile at 5:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The other day, we linked to Darrell's comments on the need for more consultation with/decisionmaking made by people with disabilities related to assistive technology companies (his blog focuses on visual impairments). Here's some related news:

In the last month [Microsoft] has begun to work more closely with an organization whose employee mix includes both visually impaired and blind people. {They will be looking at questions such as] can the application be fully navigated and/or accessed without a mouse? Does it work out of the box with third party screen reader applications like JAWS?

Read more here: http://navintmicrosoftcrm.blogspot.com/2007/05/assistive-technology-and-microsoft-crm.html

Posted by Susanne Croasdaile at 5:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

While I was looking for information about the Early Literacy Skill Builder program I came across some other items that Attainment Company has available. I was particularly interested in the Curriculum Resources section. They have a lot of adapted materials designed for older students in formats that meet the needs of those with beginning literacy skills. You need to explore their sight for yourself. I am sure you will find things that would be of interest to your students!
http://www.AttainmentCompany.com

Posted by Kelly Ligon at 10:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Attainment Inc. has introduced ELSB (available Fall 2007). It is a research based literacy curriculum designed for students with moderate to significant cognitive disabilities and for students with autism. ELSB is recommended for ages 5-10 years and includes phonics and sight word instruction. This looks like it’s is yet another great curriculum resource for teachers of this population!
If you would like to see the research check it out at UNC Charlotte.
http://education.uncc.edu/access/RAISEProject.htm

Continue reading "Early Literacy Skill Builder (ELSB)" »

Posted by Kelly Ligon at 10:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

First, click on www.mypageup.com to see what I'm talking about! Once you're done thinking "Why didn't I invent that? Another chance to make my million--lost!", let's think through a few ways to use this nifty tool.
#5 You physically can't look down at the paper lying on the desk--due to motor or range of motion concerns or even the fact that you have a crick in your neck!
#4 You're working at the computer while referring to paper resources and need to reduce the motion and stress of looking back and forth between the vertical monitor and horizontal paper.
#3 You need a consistent place to post task instructions/checklists for collaborative or cooperative groups, but find that the task lists get lost in the shuffle of project materials and once it's out of sight, it's out of mind.
#2 You need a way to focus a student who has the typical "desk swamp"--papers everywhere, things flying off of the table surface, and no good way to focus on one set of instruction, task sequence, or text while working on a worksheet, essay, project or other task, so you set up a PageUp as a reserved location on the desk to maintain task directions.
#1 You are looking to add another cool, flexible AT tool to your toolbox and see that the PageUp can help everyone, not just those of us with disabilities!

Posted by Susanne Croasdaile at 5:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

If you're looking for an inexpensive text reader with more functionality, you might consider Text Aloud, http://www.nextup.com/TextAloud/index.html a>. This robust product will read email, internet pages, assist while you're writing, and allow one to create Mp3 files for portable storage. The product is inexpensive ($29) and offers a free 30 day download.

Posted by Fran Smith at 8:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Don Johnston