The Assistive Technology Blog http://www.assistivetechnology.vcu.edu/ The Assistive Technology Blog is a publication of the Virginia Department of Education's Training and Technical Assistance Center (T/TAC) at VCU. Do you have a question you would like to see answered here? EMAIL US and we will post an answer as quickly as we can! en Copyright 2012 Wed, 16 May 2012 05:43:52 -0500 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/?v=4.34-en http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Want to see some pencil grips? Me, too!

]]> http://www.assistivetechnology.vcu.edu/2012/05/want_to_see_some_pencil_grips.html http://www.assistivetechnology.vcu.edu/2012/05/want_to_see_some_pencil_grips.html AT for Writing Wed, 16 May 2012 05:43:52 -0500 Recycle and reuse We were cleaning out our video library last month and found ourselves discarding many old VCR tapes. We didn't feel so bad trashing the 10 year old videotapes of ourselves leading a workshop but we did feel bad about trashing the old plastic cases that held the video tapes. Oh what to do with them??? What do you think? Clever idea!

videobox1crop.jpg

]]> http://www.assistivetechnology.vcu.edu/2012/05/recycle_and_reuse.html http://www.assistivetechnology.vcu.edu/2012/05/recycle_and_reuse.html Assistive Technologies Tue, 15 May 2012 10:58:21 -0500 Atari Arcade using a joystick with your iPad I saw this on the Today's show and thought it might have potential for accessibility for the iPad. Discovery Bay Games has created a joystick holder for the iPad so that players can use the classic Atari games like Centipede and Missile Command. I wonder if you can use this joystick in other ways too, and if not someone needs to invent this adapter to be more universal. For those engineers out there here is the link to get your started...
http://www.discoverybaygames.com/appcessories/atari-arcade-duo-powered-joystick

]]> http://www.assistivetechnology.vcu.edu/2012/05/atari_games_on_you_ipad.html http://www.assistivetechnology.vcu.edu/2012/05/atari_games_on_you_ipad.html Assistive Technologies Mon, 14 May 2012 12:49:51 -0500 Friday Research Spotlight: Recent trends in assistive technology for mobility OK, so we're all hugely interested in robotics. But what's new in the robot world? Check out this article for the latest in supports for people with physical mobility challenges. The authors share "recent work in assistive technology to improve mobility for persons with a disability, drawing on examples observed during a tour of academic and industrial research sites in Europe. The underlying theme of this recent work is a more seamless integration of the capabilities of the user and the assistive technology. This improved integration spans diverse technologies, including powered wheelchairs, prosthetic limbs, functional electrical stimulation, and wearable exoskeletons. Improved integration is being accomplished in three ways: 1) improving the assistive technology mechanics; 2) improving the user-technology physical interface; and 3) sharing of control between the user and the technology."

Happy reading!

Cowan, R. Fregly, B. Boninger M., Chan, L. Rodgers, M. & Rienkensmeyer, D. (2012) Recent trends in assistive technology for mobility. Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation, 9(20). In publication, available now at http://www.jneuroengrehab.com/content/pdf/1743-0003-9-20.pdf

]]> http://www.assistivetechnology.vcu.edu/2012/05/friday_research_spotlight_rece.html http://www.assistivetechnology.vcu.edu/2012/05/friday_research_spotlight_rece.html Research on AT Fri, 11 May 2012 05:16:54 -0500 Out of the Closet and into the Hands of Students Let's get those low tech devices off the shelf! Watch as two practitioners share ideas for using an iTalk2 communication aid!

iTalk.mpg

Screen shot 2012-05-10 at 11.02.42 PM.png


]]> http://www.assistivetechnology.vcu.edu/2012/05/out_of_the_closet_and_into_the.html http://www.assistivetechnology.vcu.edu/2012/05/out_of_the_closet_and_into_the.html Thu, 10 May 2012 22:30:04 -0500 What's a Boogie Board? Brian S. Friedlander at Assistivetek (http://assistivetek.blogspot.com/2012/03/boogie-board-rip-fun-doodling-gadget.html) has an answer. The Boogie Board LCD Writing tablet (http://www.improvelectronics.com/us/en/
) is a digital drawing support.

Brian notes, "As a child, one of my favorite toys was an Etch a Sketch. I could spend endless hours creating wonderful masterpieces on it by turning the two white dials. In some ways the Boogie Board Rip LCD Writing Tablet reminds me of the Etch a Sketch. The Boogie Board Rip is similar in many respects to the original Boogie Board that I reviewed last year, but adds the one important feature of being able to save your drawings and transfer them to your computer..." Click on the first link above to read more.

]]> http://www.assistivetechnology.vcu.edu/2012/05/_brian_s_friedlander_httpassis.html http://www.assistivetechnology.vcu.edu/2012/05/_brian_s_friedlander_httpassis.html AT for Writing Thu, 10 May 2012 05:05:38 -0500 Mindmapping galore... If you follow Brian S. Friedlander's blog, you know he's all about planning, writing, and presenting...mindmapping is a particular favorite of his. Read his article about it here: http://assistivetek.blogspot.com/2012/03/using-mindmaping-tools-in-writing.html

]]> http://www.assistivetechnology.vcu.edu/2012/05/httpassistivetekblogspotcom201.html http://www.assistivetechnology.vcu.edu/2012/05/httpassistivetekblogspotcom201.html AT for Writing Wed, 09 May 2012 01:16:30 -0500 Need some good keyboarding/typing programs? I remember sitting in a hot classroom my junior year of high school with my fingers poised over the home row and slowly and methodically trying to hit the keys on a manual typewriter. I spent hours following exercises written in a book that was positioned to my left. Over and over asdf jkl; or the variation ajskdlf;, pure rote practice. How I wish that I had a more engaging way to learn keyboarding. Try out some of these fun websites next time you have a student needing to learn some basic keyboarding skills. Thanks to Chris Bugaj and Sally Norton-Darr from Loudoun County Public Schools for this great list!

Goodtyping.com
Keybr.com
Buttonbeats.com
Play.typeracer.com
Typingweb.com
www.bbc.co.uk/schools/typing

]]> http://www.assistivetechnology.vcu.edu/2012/05/need_some_good_keyboardingtypi.html http://www.assistivetechnology.vcu.edu/2012/05/need_some_good_keyboardingtypi.html Assistive Technologies Tue, 08 May 2012 09:46:05 -0500 Beanbag for iPad So you've decided to drive to the mountains with your camping gear, to get away from it all. Then you realize that you really could live without some kind of connection to the outside world, so you pack your iPad. As you are relaxing around the campfire, use this bean bag holder to prop your iPad on your lap just so and click on your music and enjoy! And it doesn't cover you camera either!
Check it out
http://shop.x-doria.com/products/campfire/404297

]]> http://www.assistivetechnology.vcu.edu/2012/05/beanbag_for_ipad.html http://www.assistivetechnology.vcu.edu/2012/05/beanbag_for_ipad.html AT for Recreation/Leisure Mon, 07 May 2012 12:35:08 -0500 Roll those number cubes! A colleague found a blog post that solves the problem of students dropping number cubes (dice) on the floor: http://cardigansandcurriculum.blogspot.com/2011/07/itty-bitty-storage-containers.html. Gotta love the MacGyvers of the world!

]]> http://www.assistivetechnology.vcu.edu/2012/05/roll_those_number_cubes.html http://www.assistivetechnology.vcu.edu/2012/05/roll_those_number_cubes.html Fri, 04 May 2012 08:53:37 -0500 We're on Facebook! You can keep up with many of the Assistive Technology Blog's postings by "liking" us on Facebook! Type "Assistive Technology @ VCU T/TAC" into the search box at the top of your Facebook page and then click "Like."

]]> http://www.assistivetechnology.vcu.edu/2012/05/were_on_facebook.html http://www.assistivetechnology.vcu.edu/2012/05/were_on_facebook.html Thu, 03 May 2012 09:06:19 -0500 Portable App: XMind Xmind is similar to Inspiration-it's a mind mapping software program that lets you brainstorm and/or prewrite. Take a look by going to http://www.xmind.net/downloads/ and scroll down to "Portable."

This is one of the applications available on the EduApps site as a portable app. Visit http://eduapps.org/?page_id=180 to create a portable apps USB drive of your own and http://ttactechtuesday.pbworks.com/w/page/50207551/Portable%20Apps to visit our training site about portable apps.

]]> http://www.assistivetechnology.vcu.edu/2012/05/portable_app_xmind.html http://www.assistivetechnology.vcu.edu/2012/05/portable_app_xmind.html Wed, 02 May 2012 17:20:21 -0500 LookTel Recognizer I heard about an app the other day that was designed for individuals with visual impairments. LookTel recognizer allows the user to take photos of objects and then associate a voice file with that picture/object. Then when the individual with a visual impairment opens the app and holds their iphone or iPad up to the object the device will play back the message. Well, I was thinking, wouldn't this app also be a great tool for an individual with intellectual disabilities to use while on a job site. The job coach could take pictures of each job station and then when the worker has difficulty remembering the steps of the task or needs prompting he/she could open the app and scan the station. Can't wait to try it out.

looktel recognizersmall.png LookTel Recognizer

]]> http://www.assistivetechnology.vcu.edu/2012/05/looktel_recognizer.html http://www.assistivetechnology.vcu.edu/2012/05/looktel_recognizer.html Assistive Technologies Tue, 01 May 2012 09:15:18 -0500 Why not use a cellphone for everything? You know it might seem kind of obvious, but I hadn't really thought about it, cellphones can't be used on worksites! Duh! How many times have you seen a person pause from their work to get on their cellphone---and think "Geez, texting a friend when they are supposed to be working? Tsk Tsk." Think about what the rules and restraints employers might have against cellphones and if all of the employees supports were stored on the smartphone? It might require a conversation with the employer or you might have to consider another device. This is where Android Tablets, iTouches, and iPads might be of assistance. Just when we thought we had all of our technology covered in one device, employment situations challenge it. That's why we need to remember that assistive technology may not work for an individual in every situation and we have to be thoughtful when we are considering tools to allow for the most flexibility meeting the most needs. Just thought I would share!

]]> http://www.assistivetechnology.vcu.edu/2012/04/why_not_use_a_cellphone_for_ev.html http://www.assistivetechnology.vcu.edu/2012/04/why_not_use_a_cellphone_for_ev.html Assistive Technologies Mon, 30 Apr 2012 15:18:08 -0500 Friday Research Spotlight: An investigation of the inclusion model of instruction with assistive technology A recent study by a graduate student "was designed to determine whether the inclusion model of instruction with the use of assistive technology was more effective in delivering instruction to regular education students and special needs students in the same classroom in comparison to the regular education with pull-out model of instruction." In addition to examining service delivery model, the grad student looked at teacher training related to implementing AT.

In the words of the researcher, "The study used dialogue with an action research team, comprised of selected school personnel, and classroom observations to explore this topic. The most important findings were that teachers needed professional development to be more knowledgeable and supportive of students with disabilities for the inclusion model of instruction to be successful in the classroom."

Want to read more? Search Dissertation Abstracts for:
Morton, J.L. (2010). An investigation of the inclusion model of instruction with assistive technology and the regular education with pull-out model of instruction. (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Fielding Graduate University, Santa Barbara, CA.

]]> http://www.assistivetechnology.vcu.edu/2012/04/friday_research_spotlight_an_i.html http://www.assistivetechnology.vcu.edu/2012/04/friday_research_spotlight_an_i.html Research on AT Fri, 27 Apr 2012 17:03:27 -0500