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).
...if we can only find 10 minutes in a row to play with it! Seriously, though-VoiceThread is a tool that several teachers of students with moderate to significant disabilities have been using with their students.
From the website: "VoiceThread is an online media album that can hold essentially any type of media (images, documents and videos) and allows people to make comments in 5 different ways - using voice (with a microphone or telephone), text, audio file, or video (with a webcam)."
Click on the link to explore: http://voicethread.com
Click here for some early commentary on the new tool: http://smeech-presos.wikispaces.com/Voice+Thread
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.
Here's a trick for printing on your Post-It Notes. The possibilities are endless for using this trick. Use it for making quick data checklists, create proofreading checklists for your students, enter information for the student to create a timeline, etc.
Here's the trick: Open power point. Select file. Select Page Set Up. Change width and height to 7.5. Select OK. Create your layout for the Post-It note. If you want to make the same Post It note then select duplicate slide from the Insert menu. Create 4 slides. Then from File menu, select print. Print handouts, 4 to a page. Print. Then take post it notes and lay over each image on the sheet. (See how great it fits). Run that page back though your printer again by selecting Print, handouts, 4 to a page. The trick will be orienting the page correctly in your printer.
Writing with Symbols by Widget Software has been replaced with Communicate: Symwriter. Can be used for teachers and students! For those of you who own Writing with Symbols 2000 can upgrade at a reduced rate, if you order by March 31, 2008. Go to the website quickly! http://www.mayer-johnson.com/widgit/symwriter/index.htm
Graph paper is beloved by many for its ability to keep us organized and in columns when we write numbers and letters. If this sounds like a sentiment you agree with, check out http://www.mathematicshelpcentral.com/graph_paper.htm for more than a dozen free graph paper options as well as a freeware graph paper printer application!
Georgia's Tools for Life website (www.gatfl.org) has some good publications and resources. One is particularly noteworthy to those of us working to put AT into the IEP...
Writing is a complex issue. If assistive technology is required to help with writing the complexity of the task increases significantly. In order to determine AT needs, writing can be broken down into two major areas. The first is the physical aspect of the writing process. Can the consumer use pencil and paper effectively for the tasks needed? The second is the writing process. Can the consumer use correct grammar, syntax, spelling, and organizational skills to complete the required writing tasks? This article will briefly look at several alternatives for each of these two areas by using two case studies.
How many of you have students that are at the early stages of writing and struggle because they do not have the skills yet to write like their peers? Our students tend to avoid or give up any time a writing task is assigned. A great idea is to partner with a teacher of preschoolers or kindergartners and create big books for their classroom. Then your students could create books, using vocabulary they know and then volunteer in the classroom to read their book to the younger children. Everybody wins! Have you ever done this? What did you students think? Caroline Musselwhite has created a document to help explain why these opportunities are important and directions for creating a big book.
Check it out on her site under Tip from May 2003
http://www.aacintervention.com/tipthre.html#May%202003
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" »
The Code Factory company offers a technology that provides speech to a pocket PC! Mobile Speak Pocket provides a full screen reading program. Thus, individuals who are blind or visually impaired can have access to a portable PDA device. For additional information visit, http://www.codefactory.es/mobile_speak_pocket/mspeak_pocket.htm
Something cool on the AlphaSmart website http://www.alphasmart.com/k12/solutions/studies_customers.html:
Customer Success Stories and Video Clips These stories and video segments illustrate how AlphaSmart customers have applied our products to improve instructional outcomes and achieve student success. They come from across the country, and reflect how different AlphaSmart products can be part of distinctive implementations, but consistently provide a basis upon which teachers and students can build educational achievement.
Looking for a cool tool that creates correct citations? Once the information is entered, The citation machine, http://citationmachine.net, provides the correct generated citation...a wonderful resource for the busy or challenged writer!
Check out this new online training module "Technology Supports for Struggling Writers" posted on the Texas Assistive Technology Network website, www.texasat.net. This module provides an introduction to the assistive technology (AT) supports for struggling writers. focuses on the writing process with regards to technology interventions, accommodations and universal design features, and is also designed for use by staff developers and educators to train those involved in writing accommodations. Presenter materials and participant handouts are included!
Premiere Assistive Technology, http://www.readingmadeez.com/home.php, offers a potpourri of assistive reading and writing tools including text aloud, text enlargement, word prediction, speaking dictionary, speaking calculator, and visual highlighting software. Recently they've added software that allows language conversion...a wonderful tool for communicating with those whom English is their second language.
Premiere offers several free downloads and a Grant Opportunity for individuals to secure a suite of their products. For more information on the grant application, visit http://www.readingmadeez.com/Grantform.php
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
Here's a great 66-minute conversation you'll find in mp3 format at http://www.edtechtalk.com/node/1762, otherwise known as "Women of Web 2.0 Show #32 Assistive Technology":
Join us as we converse with Karen Janowski, BrianFriedlander, Tammy Dupre, Joy Zabala and Deb Barrows, with the Women of Web, Jen Wagner, Sharon Peters and Cheryl Oakes.Questions:
How is it that we identify assistive technology vs. good educational
practice?What is the most signficant technology change that has impacted you and
your students in the past 3 years?What happens when you have one child in a class that has to have a
laptop with spell check for writing papers and the others do not have
it? How do you answer the questions? How do you handle it?What should happen to Standardized Testing in light of assistive
technology? Should children who have a prescription be allowed to use a
computer or is it an "unfair advantage" as some say?Talk about learning disabilities and gifted children -- what happens
when a gifted child has a learning disability? Are teachers willing to
accommodate? How does a parent advocate such accommodation?
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
Brian Friedlander just posted a review of Livescribe at http://assistivetek.blogspot.com/2007/06/livescribe-this-isnt-ordinary-pen.html. Click and read his thoughts on this digital pen that transfers writing to your computer--without requiring a slate/tablet format!
Blogs are becoming a useful web tool to share information in a ongoing and dynamic fashion. A few new blogs that we've found on the areas of assistive technology that are worth a try include:
http://teachinglearnerswithmultipleneeds.blogspot.com/
http://teachingeverystudent.blogspot.com/
Who's got the new Windows Vista? (I don't.) But if you do, or are curious about how the new Vista operating system will interact with consumers who use assistive technology, here's another source of info: http://blogs.msdn.com/ptstv/archive/2007/02/15/partner-tv-saqib-shaikh-talks-about-assistive-technology-for-windows-vista.aspx
The blog also provides some other accessibility links, to remind us that Bill and friends have AT users in mind:
The Accessibility home page: http://www.microsoft.com/enable/
Accessibility in Windows Vista: http://www.microsoft.com/enable/products/windowsvista/default.aspx
Accessibility features in other Microsoft products: http://www.microsoft.com/enable/products/default.aspx
Spark-Space has been designed as a tool for the creation of documents; no more writer’s block!
• Bring out your strengths in writing as you build your document.
• It has a fully operational word processor 'behind’ each idea object and the option to switch between a full text and map view.
• It will assist you in ordering your writing with it's unique and automatic approach to ordering and sequencing.
• Sections are re-ordered simply by dragging and dropping idea objects into a new order.
• Save your documents as a word-processed document for use in Word or other WP later.
• Download a 30 day trial
Continue reading "Spark your thoughts using words and graphics!" »
Check out this article on LD Online: Making Technology Work in the Inclusive Classroom: A Spell CHECKing Strategy for Students with Learning Disabilities (1999) By Tamarah Ashton. From the article:
The CHECK strategy was developed to help students become more effective and independent in the usage of spell checkers. A preskill must be taught before teaching the actual strategy. Since the spell checkers in most word processing programs will allow the user to type in the "Change To" box, it should be explained to students that they can make a change in the spelling of their word and then click on "Change". If the new word is closer to the intended word it may appear in the next list of suggested words. This can be repeated as many times as is necessary. However, it is best to make one type of change at a time. The following strategy, which can be used cross-platform and with any word processing program which includes a spell checking feature, helps students remember a sequence that will get them to the desired word in the most direct fashion.
Keep reading at http://www.ldonline.org/article/6233
The web is becoming a great resource for finding ready made materials for students needing extra support. Slater software, publishers of PixWriter and Picture It software, has a free stuff section of their website. A quick browse through this website I found stories that were created using Picture It Software. The stories have been saved into a pdf document that can be downloaded and printed. Numerous stories and activities are available and added monthly. Check it out!!
The IPOD, and other Mp3 players, are growing in popularity
Excerpt from LD Online (http://www.ldonline.org):
Helping Students Who Struggle to WriteBy: Regina G. Richards (2001)
"Eli shook himself to stop daydreaming .... Writing was definitely the worst task of all. It was just way too hard to remember all the things he needed, like periods and capital letters. And then it was almost impossible to think about how to spell words when he was busy trying to think about the story." 1
Students benefit when they compensate for writing problems because so often writing struggles interfere with learning and prevent them from fully demonstrating what they have learned. Compensating helps them bypass the problem area and still accomplish the goal of the activity. Some example classroom compensations include the following:
Staging:
dividing the task into smaller units and performing each subtask independently. Some students become overwhelmed because tasks appear to be too large or have too many steps. Staging helps them focus on each subtask with greater concentration and an emphasis on quality.Providing structure for math:
using large graph paper or looseleaf paper turned sideways helps the student alignment numbers properly in multi-step math problems. Some students benefit from having their math problems machine copied in enlarged format with additional white space, as this also prevents errors in copying the problem.Adjusting writing format:
allowing each student to choose the format that is most comfortable. Some students perform better in manuscript whereas other students perform better using cursive. Allowing work to be completed by computer word processing helps the student use staging more efficiently while also bypassing the mechanical difficulties of letter form and space.Spelling:
allowing for misspelling on in-class assignments. Hold students responsible for correct spelling on final drafts, encouraging use of a phonics-based spell checker, such as one of the Franklin Electronic Resources® with a speaking component.2
Many of you are regular visitors to www.ldonline.org, a well-know website loaded with information for students, families and professionals regarding a variety of issues related to serving students with learning disabilities. It was originally started by Richard Wanderman, a well known educational consultant, presenter and successful adult with learning disabilities, who also happens to be a technology wiz. The site now contains lists of tools, schools, organizations and professionals and other resources for the LD community as well as new articles and commentaries. Richard has now developed a blog with his colleague David Clark, a well-know web accessibility consultant and successful adult with cerebral palsy. Richard has presented several assistive technology workshops for our TechKnowledgy Conference and is an amazing source of information. His creative and practical use of technology is helpful to students and adults with learning disabilities and the families and professionals who support them. We suggest that you check out his new blog at www.ldresources.org!
Did you know that Boardmaker will create a symbol if you provide them with an idea or graphic? If you have a need for a symbol that is not included in the Boardmaker library, click on the link below and submit a request. Any new symbols that they create are also available on the monthly tips section of their website.
Try convincing the folks around you to use more digital media by showing them these great literature lessons using Inspiration/Kidspiration:
http://www.thedigitalscoop.com/tips/kidspiration_templates.html
The 4-in-1 Activity Center from SuperDuper Inc. is a great tool that includes a magnetic board, card holder, mirror, and write-on/wipe-off board. Click this link to see a full-sized flyer with the many uses of this tool:
View image
Interested in checking out the 4-in-1 Activity Center for 3 weeks and trying it with your students? Contact our Region 8 AT lab toll-free at 866-465-0412 and let us know!
Need a link to our library and AT lab? Click here: http://www.vcu.edu/ttac/Library/Library.htm
If a student writes slowly, you are probably considering a range of assistive technology devices and skill-building sequences. In addition, however, you may want to try one of these quick fixes:
1. Start adding word banks to your fill-in-the-blank/cloze worksheets and notes. Place a number in front of each word or phrase in the word bank and instruct the student to place only the number in the space, not the word or phrase.
2. Write word banks on a sticky note and try #1 above.
3. Write the answers on separate small sticky notes and stick them all to one piece of blank paper. Instruct the student to place each sticky note in the correct space on the worksheet.
4. Use rubber stamps to respond (easiest when few stamps would be needed--short math problems, etc.).
The Palm Beach County Schools Dept of Exceptional Student Education has posted the SETT framework questions as a considerations document that can be completed and shared by IEP team members. Check out http://www.palmbeach.k12.fl.us/Records/PDF/1859.pdf.
The areas of handwriting, reading, math, learning/study skills, and computer access are included in the considerations form, with a multitude of suggestions for students and their IEP teams to try (Magic Rub erasers, highlighter tape). A column in the document is provided to evaluate effectiveness.
If you provide a small, magnetic wipe-off board to each student in the class, students can interact with concepts and practice skills in the large group with little concern for making big mistakes! In addition to acting as individual response boards for informal student assessment, the small dry-erase boards can be used for sorting and classifying.
For instance, the class discusses what the word "freedom" means, and students are asked to provide examples of freedom. On their small markerboards, they draw a picture or write a few words to illustrate the concept of "freedom." Students can erase as much as they want, use dry-erase stamp sets, and use peel-off stickers. The teachers can redirect and guide students as they work. Students then stick their magnetic boards to the main board and explain to the class what they wrote or illustrated. When it comes time to sort the boards into personal freedom and public/group freedom, any student can move the concepts around in the way they think is best, with no need to write--just re-stick on the board under a different heading! Also, no "error" or changed decision is difficult because the markerboard can simply be moved under a different hearding. The resulting graphic organizer can be copied down by students or could easily be digitally photographed, photocopied, and added to student notebooks.
Boone makes 5"x8" markerboards that are also magnetic and come in sets of 4, so 6 sets would outfit most classrooms. Want to make your own? Try laminating large index cards and sticking heavy-duty business card-sized magnets (available at office supply stores cheaply) to the back.
School's about to start and now is the time to stock up on things that will cost more later!
For students (and any of us) who lose their place when distracted from reading and completing worksheets and forms, have pads of inexpensive sticky notes around the room. Model for students the use of a sticky note to "hold your place" while reading out of a book or off of a printed overhead. "Think aloud" about how you are using the sticky note not just when you walk away from the book or material, but because at any time there may be a distraction (knock at the door, buzzing fly, polite question interrupting, need to scan a list of questions for which one to answer next from the text) that would break your concentration. Think aloud for your students also about the amount of time you are saving by having the placeholder (not having to scan the whole page again when your eyes return to it) and how it serves double duty as a secure bookmark in a textbook (won't fall out).
We like the Savvy Technologist enough to wander through his old postings--and struck gold!
In a 2005 posting, the Savvy Technologist interviewed Earle Harrison, an assistive technology consultant and owner of Triumph Technology, a source for adaptive technology and adaptive media solutions. They talked about universal design, assistive technology, and accessible Web design. Earle mentioned many different hardware and software products during the conversation, including:
* macvisionaries.com
* FreedomBox products including the Key To Freedom
* BrailleSense notetaker
* Kurzweil Educational Systems
* Mobile Speak
* StreetTalk GPS software
* JAWS for Windows screen reader
* Windows-Eyes screen reader
* Building Accessible Websites (With CD-ROM) by Joe Clark
* Constructing Accessible Web Sites by Jim Thatcher
Interested? Click on the link to hear the podcast of their conversation (http://technosavvy.org/?p=298)
Try these monitor adaptations...also from the Making the Connections Conference at Virginia Tech.
*Attach a pad of post-it-notes to the side of the monitor to let students know their assignment or instructions.
*Mount a sheet magnifier on the monitor
*Use a TV swivel for adjusting the position of the monitor.
Document holders:
Attach chip clips to the monitor with Velcro to hold the documents
Use a clothespin and attach document to a plastic picture frame or three ring binder
Use a Word frame or color line for tracking
Looking for mouse adaptations? Try these also from the Making the Connections '06 Conference at Virginia Tech.
*Turn the mose pad over to slow down mouse speed
*Create a mouse house from a video case or 3 ring binder: http://lburhkart.com/mhouse.htm
*Glue a button (or anything with texture) to the mouse button
*Attach velcro to the side of the monitor to make a mouse holder
*Trackball--upside down mouse
*Disable to right mouse key by using the functions in the control panel.
Monitor adaptations tomorrow!!
Do you need to adapt a computer keyboard for a specialized need? Try one of these suggestions we picked up at the AT and Aug Com -Making the Conections '06 conference at Virginia Tech.
*Create enlarged letter stick-ons using Avery coding labels in bright colors
*Add texture to the keys by sticking sandpaper, felt, stick-on earrings or jewels
*Try dicem, self liner, slip stop (for rugs) or even Wikki Sticks to hold keyboards in place.
*Use a shoe box lid to create a keyguard: simply cut out holes to correspond to keys. For more time and expense involved use Plexiglass and use foam along edges of the keyboard to raise the keyguard off the keyboard. Make a photo copy of the keyboard in order to make a template prior to cutting your material.
More tomorrow about mouse adaptations.
Interesting posting on the website for Sabine Parish, LA: A quick checklist for determining student-specific modifications (http://www.sabine.k12.la.us/standards/CSmchecklis.htm). Some good ideas for us AT-minded folks!
Only one note: many of the "modifications" they list are things I would see not as modifications, but as accommodations or simply differentiated or alternate instruction...
...because we can't stop brainstorming uses for the wax-covered yarn and are so glad to see even more ideas posted online at wikkistix.com:
...and the manufacturer's site now posts occupational therapy uses for the cool light-tech learning tools (http://www.wikkistix.com/otuses.htm) as well as general educational uses (http://www.wikkistix.com/educational.htm).
Virginia's own Jane Quenneville wrote an article in 2001 that still reads well 5 years later: Tech Tools for Students with Learning Disabilities: Infusion into Inclusive Classrooms is available at http://www.ldonline.org/article/6380. In the article she hits on talking word processors, word prediction, portable note-taking devices, prewriting organizers, and multimedia prewriting prompts.
August 15, 2006 Presenter: Karen McCall, Sponsored by EASI (Equal Access to Software and Information).
Register at http://easi.cc/forms/tablet.htm
This web seminar will demonstrate the ability of students with disabilities to use tablet technology and Microsoft OneNote. The tablet offers tool for task accessibility such as handwriting, speech recognition, the use of screen magnification, and screen reading software. With the new smaller models of tablets, you have “big Windows? applications on a small Windows XP Pro based computer. Add Microsoft OneNote and you have a powerful digital notebook. OneNote is a free form digital notebook tool that can be used with adaptive technology. Tablets can be used by people with dysgraphia, learning disabilities, visual disabilities, or who are blind. More academic institutions are moving to tablet technology and this seminar provides an overview of how it can be used as an inclusive tool.
Here's a free demo that I received at this month's American Educational Research Association conference in San Francisco--looked so good that I grabbed it right up! The write-up for Inqscribe (great name) focuses on ease of use: the product developers say that transcription is easier because you can view the video and transcribe the video in the same window.
Continue reading "INQSCRIBE transcription and Subtitling Software" »