The Assistive Technology Blog

Wish you could have attended the recent National Center on Technology Innovation's annual conference? Wonder what the presenters were sharing? Interested in reviewing the content? You have some options!

Follow the twitter feed that was collected during the conference at, http://www.nationaltechcenter.org/index.php/2009/10/29/conf09-twitter-feed/

Check the conference page for uploads of conference sessions and materials at,
http://www.nationaltechcenter.org/index.php/2009/09/01/conf09-conference-agenda/

Posted by Fran Smith at 9:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

At the National Technology Innovators Conference this week, quite a bit of discussion focused on the importance of recognizing the influence digital technology plays in the lives of today's students. From the importance of portables, mobile access, social media, ereaders and universal design for learning, each of these were highlighted as forces shaping the future. One of the websites shared was Taking it Global at http://www.tigweb.org/. This site offers an example of a social network designed to push some of these directions and provide information to students in a digital and collaborative form. Worth perusing!

Posted by Fran Smith at 9:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

One of the buzz words I heard at the recent NCTI conference this past week was the reference to personal learning networks or PLN. In this digital age of so much information that crosses our desk and air waves, it is often overwhelming to find ways to keep up. Some of us try to maintain multiple connections through social media tools such as various blogs, wikis, twitter feeds and social networks. Others attend conferences. The reality of our current economic situation, limits on resources and travel, and difficulty trying to keep abreast of the changes perhaps begs the issue of how to digitally design a personal learning network to stay informed. One of my AT colleagues from Loudoun County schools recently shared how he subscribes through RSS feeds into his personal blog (http://thetechflash.com) or web portal to keep abreast of all this information. We try to build such a PLN for all of you through our AT blog, Something to consider-- something to build?!

Posted by Fran Smith at 7:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This 70-minute recorded webinar features Gayl Bowser: Integrating Assistive Technology Writing Tools. Click on http://www.teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=129373&title=Integrating_Assistive_Technology_Writing_Tools to watch.

Posted by Susanne Croasdaile at 5:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

As you are making decisions about what AT tools to consider for a student and reasonable outcomes for that student's use of AT, NATE reminds us that "IDEA 2004 requires that special education, related services and supplemental aids and services be based on peer reviewed research to the extent practicable." NATE's website provides support in finding, reading and understanding AT research http://www.natenetwork.org/research

Posted by Susanne Croasdaile at 5:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Download the free resource Assistive Technology Teams: Many Ways to Do It Well by D. DeCoste, P. Reed, Marsye Kaplan from http://www.natenetwork.org/manuals-forms. It was created "to support AT teams...by sharing gathered information on team development and to provide specific ideas and strategies to improve the function of AT teams."

Posted by Susanne Croasdaile at 5:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Assistive Technology Trainer's Handbook by P.Reed, M. Kaplan, G. Bowser is "a manual designed for all AT service providers who train others. It contains research-based information about planning, providing and evaluating training." It is available for free at http://www.natenetwork.org/manuals-forms.

Posted by Susanne Croasdaile at 9:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I attended my first National Center for Technology Innovation conference in 2007. By far, this was one of my favorite conferences. A place to mingle with like-minded technology educators, planners, innovators, and developers. As a smaller conference, this one allows participants to chat with all the invited guest speakers and guests.

This year the conference focus is on "Educational Futures Powered by Technology". Over 23 invited speakers discussing a range of topics across gaming, autism, universal design for learning, social media, learning technologies, and cognitive science will be presenting. This conference fills up quickly so, if you can go, register now! http://www.nationaltechcenter.org/index.php/2009/06/05/conf09-2009-technology-innovators-conference/

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

Trying to get a technology jump start to this new school year? Consider visiting the Big Book of Technology at http://www.bigdealbook.com/cdwgk12/view_book.aspx?editionid=30

Posted by Fran Smith at 10:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Depending on where you live it might be "right around the corner". Calendar wise ATIA is too! It's coming up in October!
This year ATIA will offer more than 500 educational opportunities that provide education and communication to 1) professional practitioners serving those with disabilities (teachers, occupational therapists, rehabilitation counselors, physicians, psychologists, etc.), 2) individuals with disabilities and their families, 3) assistive technology specialists, 4) educational institutions, and 5) corporations and government agencies. These offerings cover all aspects of the assistive technology spectrum, including: augmentative and alternative communication; blind/low vision; computer access; Web accessibility; K-12 and higher education technology; and deaf and hard-of-hearing. ATIA's next conference and leadership event is ATIA Chicago 2009, October 28-31, 2009,

If you prefer, you could attend ATIA in Orlando to be held January 27-30, 2010. For more information on that conference go to

Posted by Kelly Ligon at 4:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

If you have not taken a look at the Family Information Guide to Assistive Technology, consider visiting http://www.fctd.info/resources/fig/Sec1.htm.

This resource shares information about how assistive technology can help your child, how AT is selected and implemented in schools, how funding is obtained, and what to do if you encounter difficulties along the way.

It's worth checking out!

Posted by Susanne Croasdaile at 12:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

As school districts are being faced with budget challenges along with providing students with a 21st Century education...the pursuit and use of technology demands thoughtful consideration and dialogue...
Kelly Hines poses a question regarding the continued use of technology in school divisions in her article "Or is it About Technology?" http://www.eduratireview.com/
Ben Grey in his article "Why Technology" http://www.techlearning.com/blogs/20444 asks " Why should your district continue to use and pursue technology?" Click on the links above to read more....

Posted by Lanett W. Brailey at 1:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Center for Literacy and Disability Studies at UNC Chapel Hill Resources page provides a wealth of information regarding information on the Bridge Assessment, presentations and handouts, OWL book symbols, ERF Grant materials, and other materials. Some of the information is specific to North Carolina standards, but apply across other state standards. Explore and see what you think! It's worth checking out!

Posted by Kelly Ligon at 1:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

An early announcement from our friends at the Virginia Society for Technology in Education, http://www.vste.org

"Call for Proposals to present at VSTE's 24th Annual State Technology Conference, November 30 - December 2, 2009 at the Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center. This Call for Proposals covers all of the three venues that will be offered during that timeframe: the Annual State Technology Conference (Monday - Wednesday), the Educational Technology Leadership Institute (Monday), and/or the ITRT Mini-Conference (Monday). All proposals must be submitted electronically using our online form process. Time to complete this is less than 10 minutes once you have a Title and Description edited and ready to submit. Be sure to remember our theme "Pioneers Shaping the Future" and employ it creatively in your proposal. The deadline for submitting proposals is August 1, 2009."

Posted by Fran Smith at 2:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Our friends at CAST are promoting a new blog/ feature that showcases best practices on what folks are doing around the country. To read more visit, http://udlspotlight.wordpress.com/

Posted by Fran Smith at 10:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Are you looking for ways to assist your IEP team in making decisions regarding the use of AT and ways to support students in reading, spelling and writing with AT?
Particpants in the Digital Training workshop had the opportunity to do both! Using the links below take a look at the Acer Aspire One netbook and examine the software programs participants used during the workshop. Explore some great ideas to support students with AT.

Acer One 8.9

Techmatrix

TTAC AT

Posted by Lanett W. Brailey at 7:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

From our friends at the Family Center on Technology and Disability,

"The current Family Center on Technology and Disability newsletter focuses on Assistive Technology Implementation in the Classroom. This edition features an interview with Matthew Press, AT Coordinator for the Pendergast Elementary School District in Phoenix, Arizona. Mr. Press addresses the need for teacher “buy-in” and shares tips for how to get it; describes AT barriers and how to overcome them; identifies AT tools that he has found to be effective; and discusses universal design and other concepts key to effectively implementing technology in real-life classrooms. You can read the newsletter in either:
PDF http://www.fctd.info/resources/newsletters/upload/FCTDFeb09-Issue92.pdf
or HTML format http://www.fctd.info/resources/newsletters/displayNewsletter.php?newsletterID=10068"

Posted by Fran Smith at 10:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

This week I've had the wonderful opportunity to be at the Virginia Society for Technology in Education annual conference where this year's keynote has been Dr. Tim Tyson. I've been impressed with Dr. Tyson's message as he's shared his passion, his vision, and his practices in using and infusing technology into his school.

Here is a leader that "talks the talk and walks the walk". His obvious passion with the power of digital media is obvious as he shares his numerous blogs and podcasts. I was especially impressed when he brought his own technology to create a simultaneous digital recording of his presentation on Sunday. An iPod in his pocket with a microphone affixed to his lapel created an audio recording. A quick opening and click on his presentation screen and computer began a recording of his Keynote presentation and allowed a screencast that could be posted online. At the conclusion of his presentation, a link to his blog was provided for all participants to visit, obtain this information, and offer feedback. A true model of how technology can enrich information and expand the learning opportunities for students!

Posted by Fran Smith at 7:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Something that may be of interest...."Join us (http://www.nuance.com/) and learn how educators across the country are using Dragon NaturallySpeaking to be more productive and to meet key learning needs of their students! Learn all about it at Live Webinar: March 11th, 2:00pm Eastern"

Posted by Fran Smith at 10:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here's a recent article/discussion from our friends at the FCTD offering suggestions for finding AT solutions and funding. The article is entitled, "Meeting Classroom Technology Needs in an Era of Scarcity and Change". To read more, follow the advertisement below:

"This month education technologist Dr. Yeunjoo Lee, of California State,
Bakersfield, talks to FCTD newsletter editor Tom Allen about the state
of pre-service teacher technology training, minority group attitudes
about assistive technology and alternative sources of technology
funding. http://www.fctd.info/resources/newsletters/index.php"

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

Apple touted there products last week at the VSTE conference and showcased some new features in iLife 09. Among the ones I recall:

iPhoto allows a user to consolidate numerous stored pictures and create a book for publishing
Geotagging functionality allows users to search through stored pictures by using a picture as the search term and employing face recognition (look at the Faces feature)
Travel maps can now be linked to pictures in books and expanding the functionality for instruction.
Garageband09 now includes musical lessons that include short video clips to teach individuals to play an instrument.

Great tools to explore and enrich the learning process!

Posted by Fran Smith at 11:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

At the VSTE conference last week, several great sessions were provided on using Camtasia. I was impressed with a few such as using the Pan/Zoom feature to zoom in and enlarge portions of a screen. Also creating a callout that can be embed in a portion of the screen area to provide a place to highlight or add an instructional tip. At the conclusion of the session, an audience participant even noted the captioning capabilities of this tool and how this helps him make the content "readable" by someone who may be deaf. To view more, visit http://cpsvstecollaboration.wikispaces.com What's exciting about a tool like this is the potential to share lecture notes to students and others so that they have the time to play these back and review, review, review. Here's an example http://www.techsmith.com/camtasia/customer-videos/jaredbutcher.asp

Posted by Fran Smith at 11:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Last week at the VSTE annual conference, we were impressed by several of the sessions on assistive technology and universal design for learning (udl) by our friends in the Loudoun County Public School System. I especially like the presentations on UDL which both shared the foundational concepts and modeled digital applications. To explore, visit http://tinyurl.com/lcpsatvste09

Posted by Fran Smith at 11:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A resource worth exploring on a range of topics that inform all the content at http://www.ideapartnership.org/

Posted by Fran Smith at 4:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I just attended a presentation at VSTE on AT clubs by Joan Wingfield and Toni Sheets of Augusta County--they felt that students with high-incidence disabilities were getting "missed" by AT services because the kids with more significant disabilities were getting all the attention.
[If you missed them at Closing the Gap and TechKnowledgy and (now) at VSTE, you really missed a lot. Here’s their presentation in a nutshell.]

All of their middle and high schools have a “club day” that occurs just about every 6 weeks. They decided to create a “Dana Club” to increase leadership skills as well as a place to go on club day! Students decided to present to each other with PowerPoints and other materials to address the concerns of kids with disabilities.

In the 2006-07 school year, there were only about 4 students in one school, but now there are 5-12 students and groups in 5 schools. They did not feel that they were doing a good job on teaching the kids how to use their AT (Danas, etc.) and this club is part of their solution! Now, in fact, there are students who don’t even use word processing tools—but meet and discuss other AT tools. Some of them are also friends on Facebook—with each other and the coordinators!

They have started with Danas and moved to read aloud software; then they let the kids dictate: Moviemaker, Photo Story, flip cams/USB cams, interactive whiteboards, etc. based on student wants and needs.

Some of this year’s and last year’s lessons:
1. intro to word processors
2. read aloud options
3. word prediction
4. graphic organizers (inspiration)
5. interactive white boards
6. Tar heel reader (the group makes books for the teachers!)
7. iPods with accessible books and digital recording
8. MS accessibility
9. voice recognition software

Want to take a look at the people I'm talking about? Click on http://www.augusta.k12.va.us/668710034104543/site/default.asp.

If you want to help in setting up your own club, here's what they suggest:
- identify potential club members (you need a techie kid to draw the rest in);
- meet with ITRT;
- set meeting dates and location for the year (big stumbling block—although they seem set in stone, the meeting dates get changed); and
- choose lesson plans and teachers for meetings

Joan and Toni will send their PowerPoint soon and we'll post it!

Posted by Susanne Croasdaile at 4:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

We have not written about ATSTAR since 2006, so here's an updated version of what they have to say for themselves:

"ATSTAR (Assistive Technology: Strategies, Tools, Accommodations, and Resources)...is an online curriculum designed to improve educational outcomes for students with disabilities by helping teachers learn to use assistive technology in the classroom...

Our core program is a series of online teacher training modules with supporting expert videos...ATSTAR prepares instructional staff at the school level to conduct assessments, collect data, and integrate assistive technology into the educational process...

Teams using the ATSTAR System frequently indicate that the knowledge and skills they gain help them address the needs of ALL learners, not just those with assistive technology needs. As a result of the ATSTAR program, students with disabilities and learning differences have a greater opportunity to benefit from a technology-enriched education that leads to improved outcomes.

You can request a free demo and/or sign up for the Knowbility mailing list at http://www.atstar.org/public/request_demo.

Posted by Susanne Croasdaile at 5:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

During the 2008 VDOE Technology Leadership Conference, representatives from the Meckenburg County Public School shared their reasons for moving to a more open-source system for technology. As they moved to a the Google Apps for educators and the Open Office.org system, they achieved two major goals --

1. a cost savings of over 200,000.00
2. being more socially responsible to the large numbers of students within their low socioeconomic communities who need resources at "no costs"

Impressive! In fact, they've also instituted a system to provide the free open tools available on the open office disc so that students can take a CD home and use these on their computers - in the event that web access is not available. Thinking students first!

Posted by Fran Smith at 12:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

From http://www.businesswire.com/news/google/20090107005428/en

January 28-31 Conference in Orlando Brings Together 2,400 Professionals and Consumers, and More than 125 Industry Vendors for Networking Opportunities and Almost 300 Educational Sessions

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA) announced today that its 10th annual conference on assistive technologies will convene January 28-31 at the Caribe Royale All-Suites Resort & Convention Center in Orlando, Fla. The conference offers a showcase for more than 130 companies and organizations providing technologies designed to assist the disabled with learning, working, and communication, as well as more than 275 educational sessions. It is expected to draw over 2,000 consumers and professionals serving people with disabilities.

Since 1998, ATIA has provided a forum for companies offering innovative technologies and services for people with disabilities to enhance learning, working and their independence.

“As the need to help people with various learning and communication challenges increases, ATIA will continue to raise awareness of the latest innovations for the disabled as well as for the practitioners who work with them,” said David Dikter, Executive Director of ATIA. “Our Orlando Conference offers a wonderful opportunity to learn about technologies to address old and new challenges, including Internet accessibility, learning disabilities, access for the visually impaired, deaf/hard of hearing, physically disabled, and the entire spectrum of age-related disabilities.”

There are 78-million Baby Boomers and 600-million people worldwide living with all types of disabilities. The assistive technology market represents more than $175-billion in discretionary income, making it a powerful, but often under-served, purchasing constituency.

ATIA companies cover all aspects of the assistive technology spectrum, including: augmentative and alternative communication; blind/low vision; computer access/Web accessibility; IT companies; K-12 and higher education technology; deaf and hard-of-hearing; practitioner and educator organizations; distribution and service provider organizations; and local, national and international groups.

In addition to its own work, ATIA also enhances its mission of bringing assistive technologies to those who need them by maintaining strategic partnerships with the following well-known organizations: American Foundation for the Blind (AFB); Assistive Technology in Higher Education Network (ATHEN); Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST); DAISY Consortium; Easter Seals; Florida Diagnostic and Learning Resources System (FDLRS); Infinitec; The Chicago Lighthouse; The National Assistive Technology Technical Assistance Partnership (NATTAP); The National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID); The Pass It ON Center (PIOC); State Leaders in Assistive Technology in Education (SLATE); The Technology and Media Division (TAM) of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC); and the United States Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (USSAAC).

The ATIA Orlando Conference is open to anyone interested in learning more about assistive technologies for children and adults. For more information on the conference, please visit http://www.atia.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3280.

About ATIA

The Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA) is a not-for-profit membership organization whose mission is to serve as the collective voice of the assistive technology industry so that the best products and services are delivered to persons with disabilities. Members of ATIA include for-profit, not-for-profit, government, or private organizations located across the globe. For more information, visit ATIA’s Web site at www.atia.org.

Posted by Susanne Croasdaile at 10:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

While attending the VDOE Technology Leadership Conference this year, I've been impressed by Mecklenburg County Public School's presentations and their "switch" to a Google App approach to their technology. If you're interested in learning more, visit http://www.vaopenclassroom.org -- they promise lots of handouts there!

I'm especially drawn to the obvious enthusiasm these educators have shared about their use of the many Google Apps that are freely available. As a user of Google Docs, I'm familiar with the ease of these great collaboration tools. But, I was unaware of just how many programs were in their digital toolbox. Take a look - http://labs.google.com/

Posted by Fran Smith at 11:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

If you're creating wikis for education, a few great and free tools are at your finger tips. Several of us have been using pbwiki.com -- liked by many for its very minimalistic style. wikispaces.com is another tool that is fairly simple in design but adds a bit of functionality with discussion threads. My recent new favorite is wetpaint.com -- a more robust tool that provides several pre-designed templates for user and customization. This tool also includes discussion threads as an option and, if you choose the tool for an educational purpose you can request that all advertisements be removed! A new tool on the scene, Google Groups, seems to offer a similar look and feel as many evolving wiki tools. All great for designing web spaces, developing collaborative sharing spaces, or using in lieu of a Powerpoint!

Posted by Fran Smith at 2:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I just finished reading a wonderful book entitled, Stroke on Insight by Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor. The book details the amazing journey of this brain scientist as she experienced a stroke to her left hemisphere and the impact this had on her varied functions. It underscored for me as well the importance of understanding how brain injuries impact functioning for many individuals across their education, personal and work lives. A resource that may be of use in this regard is Brainline at http://www.brainline.org.

Posted by Fran Smith at 1:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Apple iTouch has some interesting Apps for download. We shared some of these cool tools at the recent VDOE Technology Leadership Conference yesterday in Roanoke, VA. To see more, check out http://itouchtools.wetpaint.com

Today however I heard about another cool app from Google -- 1-800-GOOG411. Let's the user find out information that is locally available such as the best pizza restaurant, the best place for coffee, etc. So, to try this out on my cell phone I called that number, 1800goog411. The computer receptionist asked, "business, city and state". I offered my information as "pizza, roanoke, va". The list was then provided for 8 pizza restaurants I might consider by name and location, the choice to select a number for automatic connection, or the ability to voice direct another selection. Innovative uses of combined technologies!

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

At this year's VDOE Technology Leadership Conference in Roanoke, VA, Mr. John Hendron shared some exciting information on the G21 project out of Goochland County Schools. His message reinforced the importance of framing instruction that focuses on these 21st century goals that underscore important skills for the future. Audience participants also had the chance to see how this was embraced within their school system -- one noted for supporting the use of technology to support learning. His presentation can be viewed at: http://www.johnhendron.net/ and an excellent example of using a Web 2.0 platform (blog) to deliver information and share media (through a Google slide sharing app).

Posted by Fran Smith at 7:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Recently while attending the National Center on Technology Innovation annual conference I was struck by the continued discussion around reaching global markets, the universal appeal of technology, and the use of open source technologies by many of the innovators sharing their ideas at this phenomenal conference. Some of the innovators shared new web portals or emerging ideas, such as Curriki.org -- a new instructional resource for K-12 educators, Digital Promise -- a new federal resource and initiative/ and, Ck12.com - a revolutionary discussion of offering more "flexible textbooks". Google founders and developers discuss the potential ck12 offers in the future thinking of this revolutionary design at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGB0KhoZTgU As these offers contend, this "Web 2.0" approach to textbook design infuses multiple digital opportunities and applications. Thought provoking!

Posted by Fran Smith at 1:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This year's VDOE Technology Leadership Conference will convene in Roanoke, VA, December 10-12, 2008. One of the keynotes is nationally known author, Dr. James Gee, of the book "What video games have to teach us about learning and literacy". Dr. Gee will be speaking on Thursday...something not to miss!

Posted by Fran Smith at 11:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This resource was recently shared at a statewide assistive technology meeting I was attending. Users record individual test questions and export these (using the free program Audacity) onto a 1gb Sandisk and a Sanclip mp3 player. As shared, "this program was developed in consideration of students perceptions of being read aloud to in a regular classroom during testing and with the feeling that students didn't perform to their full potential on tests due to their fear of "holding up" other students while testing". A neat idea!

Posted by Fran Smith at 1:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Dr. Barbara Kurshan recently shared her web portal, Curriki.org, at the National Technology Innovation Conference. As she described, Curriki is defined as "a disruptive idea" and her intention to offer a tool that helps to eliminate the education divide. The tool is built in open source software code so users can take what they find, create and improve - "not just consume". Curriki.org is worth reviewing and using!

Posted by Fran Smith at 1:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This was recently shared at a statewide meeting on assistive technology. I was impressed with this tool as I look at programs that can be used with an Apple iTouch or similar device. Portableapps offers another great open source tool that allows users to carry many of their files with them. Worth a try!

Posted by Fran Smith at 12:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

There's some digital energy in the air these days. Last week at the National Center for Technology Innovation annual conference, national speakers touted the importance of using technology to engage students, to capitalize on their approaches, to enhance their skills in this competitive global market. The following YouTube video on 21st Century Pedagogy captures this message nicely and again confirms its importance.

Today, I read in the Washington Post Metro Section, an article on the value of teacher's writing text chapters online in the article, "Stuck-in-the-Past Va. Physics Texts Getting Online Jolt" (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/29/AR2008112901809.html). Encouraging concepts that support the power of digital media for instructional purposes.

Posted by Fran Smith at 10:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

According to research studies with the Pew Internet & American Life Project, email is considered the tool of everyone else.....by many of today's net generation. These users favor text messaging, twitter, and multiple social media tools that allow them to write, interact, and share with many. I recently was amused to hear a faculty member remark, "my students begin their day with Facebook and use this as their central information portal". Thoughts to ponder!

Posted by Fran Smith at 2:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NCSet was one of the vendors highlighted at the recent NCTI conference and offered an impressive array of information on this important topic. Check out their website at http://ncset.uoregon.edu/

Posted by Fran Smith at 2:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

We received a request to post more about the professional standards in assistive technology service delivery, so here's some timely information (October 30, 2008) from RESNA, the Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America.

"RESNA...announced plans to offer certification to create a stronger standard for professionals in the assistive technology field. The new designation, Assistive Technology Professional (ATP), will recognize professionals who have reached an internationally accepted standard of knowledge in assistive technology and who adhere to RESNA's code of ethics and standards of practice. The new certification will take effect January 1, 2009.

To become certified as an Assistive Technology Professional, one must be approved for and pass a 200-item examination that tests competency in the broad field of assistive technology practice. To date, there are almost 4,000 rehabilitation engineers, occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech and hearing pathologists, suppliers, educators and other professionals who have successfully received their certification.

“The purpose of the certification program is to promote quality assurance for the consumer, and uphold standards for competent practice in the delivery of assistive technology (AT) services,” said Anjali Weber, MS, ATP and Director of Certification, RESNA. “RESNA certification not only includes the passing of comprehensive exam, but also the commitment to abide by the RESNA Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics to ensure that individuals with disabilities are supported,” Weber explained.

The ATP certification was developed after extensive research by the RESNA Professional Standards Board (PSB), input from stakeholders, consideration of alternatives, and discussions with certificants and members took place over the past 12 months. RESNA continues to support the Rehabilitation Engineering Technologist (RET) designation as a logical next step for rehabilitation engineers. The development of additional appropriate Specialty Certifications is also planned beginning with Seating and Mobility.

Unlike the current Assistive Technology Practitioner (ATP) and the Assistive Technology Supplier (ATS), the Assistive Technology Professional (ATP) is not associated with the certificant's role (evaluation or for-profit sale). Regulations, licensure, employment requirements and policy of funding sources continue to dictate who may perform what particular service.
RESNA is a non-profit professional organization whose members serve people with disabilities seeking technology applications to maximize their ability to function in their environment. RESNA’s membership consists of researchers, clinicians, suppliers, manufacturers, consumers and educators who work in nonprofit and for-profit companies. All members are dedicated to promoting the exchange of ideas and information for the advancement of assistive technology."

Posted by Susanne Croasdaile at 5:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Look for a web resource where you can find great information on technology? Check out http://www.bigdealbook.com

Posted by Fran Smith at 1:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

As the 2008-09 school year unfolds, keep in mind several technology conferences that will be held in and around Virginia. These are wonderful places to learn about ways to infuse and apply assistive and instructional technology into the classroom:

VDOE TTAC's and Hospital Education Program at Children's Hospital
Richmond, VA
November 13-14, 2008
http://www.vcu.edu/ttac

National Center on Technology Innovation Annual Conference
Washington, DC
November 20-21, 2008
http://www.nationaltechcenter.org/index.php/events-main-page/2008conference/

VDOE Technology Leadership Conference
Roanoke, VA
December 10-12, 2008
http://www.doe.virginia.gov/VDOE/Technology/OET/conf.shtml

Virginia Society for Technology in Education Conference
Virginia Beach, VA
February 22-24, 2009
http://www.vste.org

National Educational Computing Conference
Washington, DC
June 28-July 1, 2009
http://center.uoregon.edu/ISTE/NECC2009/

Posted by Fran Smith at 1:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

We are hearing more and more from our school divisions that budget cuts have taken a toll on professional development opportunities. As we are trying to develop AT teams within our school divisions, we need to find a creative way to make sure that our school personnel have a background knowledge regarding the various forms of AT. Mayer Johnson and Dynavox are now offering on-line training on both the Dynavox and Boardmaker products. Presentations can be viewed in "real time" as well as viewed in the archieve section. This is a great way to train staff on site without the cost of travel and substitutes. Check out the offerings at this website.. I found the session on Using Visual Supports to Support Individuals with Autism during Daily Transitions a very helpful session for teachers of studetns with ASD.

Posted by Mona at 6:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A new tool now enables free screen reading access on the web for people who are blind or low vision users. Visit http://webanywhere.cs.washington.edu/ for more information!

Posted by Fran Smith at 1:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The latest rage in visual imagery seems to be tag/ word clouds. One website, http://wordle.net, offers a tool that allows users to either enter text, a document, a link, or a delicious account to then receive a visual cloud of the text. The words that appear most frequently are shown more prominently in the tag/word cloud. Take a look at the cloud for our blog at http://www.assistivetechnology.vcu.edu

Posted by Fran Smith at 1:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Click on http://www.shelbynews.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=93&ArticleID=57329&TM=76359.35 to read about Families United for Support and Encouragement, or FUSE. The group has meetings with speakers on topics of concern to parents of children with disabilities and alternates these informational training meetings with question-and-answer sessions. The leader says that asking another parent what he or she does when faced with a problem can often provide the answers that are needed. The nonprofit organization is supported with grants and donations from businesses and individuals and provides assistance for the parents of children through high school, which for a disabled child can mean until age 22. FUSE does not charge for the meetings, the newsletters or joining the group.

Why am I posting this? Well, many of their Q and A sessions and informational trainings are about assistive technology! Organizing or finding a group like this may be a useful way to get the word out to families about how important assistive technology can be in the lives of their children.

Posted by Susanne Croasdaile at 6:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Looking for creative ways to infuse technology into the classroom? Wondering where the funding opportunities might be for your projects and ideas? Interested in exploring some great resources? Well, consider the Big Book of Technology Resources at http://www.bigdealbook.com/cdwgk12

Posted by Fran Smith at 8:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Click on http://www.ctserc.com/lrenews/Articles/Winter2006/AssistiveTechnologyEnhanc.html to read about how a school division in Connecticut (my home state-go Nutmeggers!) shared AT with other educators to build awareness of and appreciation for students' need for assistive technology. The article is brief, clear and includes a few references to the work of the AT team.

Posted by Susanne Croasdaile at 5:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Click on http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080818/CPUB/80813055 to see an article about how therapists work with students to build capacity and facility with assistive technology and improve their quality of life. For those of you on AT teams, this is the kind of article you could quickly put together and throw into a local free paper and build awareness and support for your team!

Posted by Susanne Croasdaile at 5:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In today's USA Today newspaper, an article showcases the growing use of social media tools for the summer Olympic games. Everything from sharing videos, digital ideas, blogs, and websites. As these authors note, "more than one in three mobile phone owners have video-capable cellphones and...more than 147 million people worldwide not participate in a social network via their mobile phone" (USA Today, Friday, August 8, 2008). The use of web-based technologies are growing more social and providing increasing ways to share and communicate. This blog, http://www.asssitivetechnology.vcu.edu, is one of those ways we use social media to share best practices in AT and instructional technology tools. Another, ning.com, is being used by the Virginia Society for Technology in Education organization (http://vsteonline.ning.com/ to encourage educators to share and communicate. These tools are growing in popularity among younger users and offer opportunities to promote effective practices and bring individuals together around common interests.

Posted by Fran Smith at 12:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The RCA Small Wonder and the FLIP compact video camera are excellent portable devices for capturing video on the fly. Simple to use, the RCA camera has four button controls: on, play, delete and a red button for recording. A nice example of a product that designed with simplicity in mind. Users simply turn the device on, press the red button to record, capture and close when complete. Afterwards, the pop-out usb connector device allows the user to simply connect to their computer and transfer or open the files. Great tools for capturing video for digital portfolios that might be infused into a PowerPoint, posted to a website, or shared as an another representation of content.

Posted by Fran Smith at 12:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Click on http://coefaculty.valdosta.edu/dsmith/At_files/at38/at-38_files/default.htm to see and hear a talking head (Kim Hartsell, Project Director – GPAT) and PowerPoint show about the legal foundations of assistive technology. Not bad, and a good use of 7 minutes!

Posted by Susanne Croasdaile at 4:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The 2009 Virginia Society for Technology in Education (http://www.vste.org) conference is just around the corner and proposals are needed. If you're an AT practitioner, team member, or educator in Virginia...consider submitting something. The world needs to hear from you and your best practices! Dr. Daniel Arkin from VSTE shares the details below in his e-request,

"Call for Annual Conference Presentation Proposals - we are now accepting proposals for over 110 concurrent presentations (each 60 minutes in length). To get further presenter information including to submit a proposal, go to http://www.vste.org/vste/presenters/. We seek first time presenters as well as experienced models. We are pleased to offer reduced registrations to our workshop facilitators and main presenters. Proposals may be submitted online ONLY. The deadline for submitting proposals is October 1, 2008. Time to complete the proposal form is less than 10 minutes once you have a Title and Description edited and ready to enter. Be sure to remember our theme and employ it creatively in your proposal. Again, the deadline for submitting proposals is October 1, 2008."

Remember also that membership in VSTE is free and a great organization to support!

Posted by Fran Smith at 1:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In most instances, education agencies rely on products such as Blackboard or Web CT to deliver course content to teachers. But what happens when those products are too expensive for one's budget, not accessible, or simply not available. An open source product known as Moodle may be the solution. To read a review of this product from the National Center on Technology Innovation, visit http://www.k12opentech.org/implementation-study-3-moodle

Posted by Fran Smith at 3:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

On Tuesday, July 22 2008 and Thursday, July 24, 2008, assistive technology consultants/ trainers Kelly Fonner and Bob Kellar presented an array of tricks and techniques on AT for struggling readers. Participants throughout the state of Virginia took this opportunity to learn about best practices, low and high technology tools and devices, and instructional strategies to consider for low performing readers.
Kelly Fonner shared numerous tools and techniques such as highlighters, low tech strategies, electronic book readers and instructional guides. While she kept one group engaged, consultant Bob Kellar took participants on e-tours of several electronic text aloud readers and the newly debuted Virginia Accessible Instructional Materials website, AIM-VA, http://kihd.gmu.edu/aim

Posted by Fran Smith at 10:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Center for Applied Special Technology recently added a set of guidelines on UDL and a graphic organizer depicting how UDL approaches are considered across the three UDL areas providing:

multiple representations of representation
multiple means for expression
multiple means of learner engagement

To view both these new guidelines and the graphic organizer, visit: http://cast.org/publications/UDLguidelines/version1.html

Posted by Fran Smith at 3:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST) has developed a new online Strategy Tutor tool that works in tandem with the Google Search Engine offering supports to students. Try this at
http://cst.cast.org/cst/auth-login

Posted by Fran Smith at 7:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The appreciation of social media and related tools has been on the rise over the past several years. Often referred to as Web 2.0, these encompass those web tools such as blogs, wikis, social networking sites, and video-sharing sites. While these offer many opportunities for social collaboration and sharing of information, in some instances, individuals with disabilities may find the designs full of web-based barriers or limitations to their access. Social media tools are growing in popularity and use and educators need to understand how these can promote learning. To appreciate this situation, the National Center for Technology in Innovation published a brief discussing this topic entitled, The Power of Social Media to Promote Assistive and Learning Technologies: A Collaborative Issue Brief. To read more, visit: http://www.nationaltechcenter.org/documents/power_of_social_media.pdf

Posted by Fran Smith at 8:01 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)

I found a neat website for searching and matching educational and assistive technology products to the learning support needed.

The TechMatrix is a powerful tool for finding educational and assistive technology products for students with special needs. See the Find Product menu for other search options. Create a customized matrix by subject and/or learning support. Send your customized matrix to a friend or colleague.
They also have Consumer Guides for School Administrators as well as Educational Vendors to assist educational teams with making technology decisions.

Continue reading "Matching Technology to Learning Supports" »

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

One of the biggest struggles faced by AT teams and individuals who use AT face is funding for the technology. Teams and individuals know what is needed for success, but finding a way to finance it is a difficult. The RESNA Alternative Financing Technical Assistance Project (AFTAP) provides technical assistance to State Financial Loan Programs. This includes Alternative Financing Programs funded under Title III of the Assistive Technology Act of 1998 (P.L. 105-394) and Access to Telework Loan programs funded under the New Freedom Initiative.
Check out their website:
http://www.resna.org/AFTAP/RESNA.html

Posted by Kelly Ligon at 9:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Wondering how to stay abreast of the latest trends in technology and learning? Wondering how to locate assistive technology resources on a national scale? Visit the Center for Technology Innovation at http://www.cited.org. Several new resources provide:

A virtual space for taking online courses from the American Institutes of Research.
Links to the Executive Brief, Moving Forward with Technology.
CITEd's Tech Matrix for searching technology/ assistive technology tools, http://www.TechMatrix.org
...and much more!

Take a peek, explore this summer!

Posted by Fran Smith at 8:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

One Rochester, MN local paper just featured an activity in its "local life section":
The PACER Center will present a free workshop sponsored by Ability Building Center, Inc. from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on May 22. The workshop, titled "What Parents and Professionals Need to Know About Assistive Technology," will provide parents and professionals with an introduction to AT and the relevant legal requirements under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Tips will be given about selecting appropriate AT devices, and attendees will be introduced to the "Minnesota Assistive Technology Manual." Participants will also hear about state and local resources for trying and acquiring AT.

Sometimes we forget that just getting the word out about AT in schools-regardless of who comes to the two-hour session-will help us raise awareness in both the professional and family populations. Plus, I bet that they'll have cookies! But seriously, this kind of event is worth keeping on the school calendar once a year-especially for those schools/divisions with AT Teams!

Posted by Susanne Croasdaile at 6:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Sometimes it is hard keeping up with all of the new resources that have been created to help our school divisions learn more about assistive technology. The Georgia Assistive Technology Project (GPAT) has been a national leader in assistive technology for years. Many of us use their assistive technology resource guide with AT teams in school divisions. I recently discovered that GPAT has now linked video clips to their Assistive Technology Resource Guide. This is a great resource for many of our school divisions who are still struggling to learn about AT. Thanks to GPAT for providing us with another great tool!!

http://coefaculty.valdosta.edu/spe/ATRB/Tools_for_Tasks.htm

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

The Family Center on Technology and Disability has an interesting article this month on the history of AT. As they note,

"In the beginning the technology had no defining name. Its pioneers included earnest engineers aiming to help their own kids with disabilities or their friends’ children, or a neighbor or a school. Then, in 1982, a writer specializing in this emerging technology, while researching an article he was preparing for the Washington Post, tried to conjure an evocative name for what he was describing. “The story was about a blind user of a talking terminal. I began to jot down possible names for the technology, but I couldn’t pronounce them,” recalls the writer, John M. Williams a lifelong stutterer. “All the words were associated with ‘aids’ or ‘helps.’ Then I arrived at the word ‘assists.’ I looked at that word on my writing pad and said to myself, ‘Yes, that’s what the technology does, it assists. But I couldn’t pronounce the various forms of ‘assists’ - until I came to assistive technology. That was a term I could pronounce. I used the term in the story and the editor let it go by.” Soon, he remembers, friends and colleagues began telling him how much they liked the name assistive technology. “They said it was unique, accurate and memorable.”

To read more, visit http://www.fctd.info/resources/newsletters/index.php

Posted by Fran Smith at 9:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The folks at EASI have shared some of their previous webinars on the growing explosion around digital text. These include both the Powerpoint with audio files and transcription (a great example of accessibility in action). To review these, note below:

Bookshare audio: http://easi.cc/archive/bshare/bshare.htm
Bookshare Web: http://www.bookshare.org
NLS audio: http://easi.cc/archive/nls/lib.mp3
NLS Web: http://loc.gov/nls

Posted by Fran Smith at 9:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here's a cool new tool....an online resource that let's you communicate to others, 'live", while attending an event. CoveritLive provides this technology and then offers that archived information to share with all. For more, visit http://www.coveritlive.com/

Posted by Fran Smith at 9:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A new resource from CAST on checking your curriculum to ensure that it includes best practices that represent a UDL approach. For more information visit, http://www.cast.org/about/news/press/2008-03-19.html

Posted by Fran Smith at 3:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The CAST National Consortium for UDL E-Newsletter for March, 2008 can be accessed at http://www.cast.org/pd/consortium

Posted by Fran Smith at 5:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The National Assistive Technology in Education Network site: http://natenetwork.buffalo.edu/ has some great information for Assistive Technology team members that represents all disciplines and it is presented in a collaborative manner. Lots of great resources are available including mentorship!
I think it’s a must site to bookmark and check regularly!

Posted by Kelly Ligon at 2:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Just in from the FCTD folks,

"We've long understood that individualization of instruction makes for better education. Teachers only have so much time, however, and when a range of technology tools are added to the mix of their regular curriculum materials, customization of those tools may be too much to expect. Where to look for help? Perhaps to the students themselves. In the Family Center on Technology and Disability*s March online discussion, we will explore methods for promoting student self-customization of technology tools. We'll discuss a range of important questions, including the sometimes conflicting technology standards set for students by adults and peers. Please join our expert moderator, David Davies, Director of the Florida Instructional Technology Training & Resource Unit, for another interesting and informative FCTD forum. The discussion will begin on Monday, March 3rd and continue throughout the month. To participate, please visit http://www.fctd.info/webboard/index.php."

Posted by Fran Smith at 5:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Discovery Education speaker Hall Davidson recently reminded us at the VSTE conference of the true power in those iPods. Did you realize that a full size iPod can hold over 40,000 clips and the entire Discovery education library? That an iPod is truly a small computer -- the video iPod has 80GB and more of storage space and can carry most of the same files as your laptop. To learn more, visit the following link for detailed information on how you might use this tool in a classroom to support student learning, http://discoveryedspeakersbureau.com/node/87

Posted by Fran Smith at 5:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

At the recent VSTE
state conference, presenters from Fairfax County Public Schools shared a thought provoking presentation on "FREEdome of Speech: Vocabulary 2.0". Their point, the emerging world of Web 2.0 brings a new vocabulary-- and often an unfamiliar one to many students. Considering how the creative use of technology to strengthen background knowledge and enhance visual literacy can be important strategies for students. To learn more, visit http://conferenceconnection2008.edublogs.org

Posted by Fran Smith at 6:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Wondering where those keyboard shortcuts are in Word 2007? Hold down the ALT key on your keyboard to view all these shortcuts on the screen/ menu

Posted by Fran Smith at 4:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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)

"The Firefox Accessibility Extension 1.2 is now available from the following website:
http://firefox.cita.uiuc.edu

New features include:
1. Testing dynamically generated web pages with the Illinois Functional Accessibility Evaluator
2. Improved support for ARIA markup, but for the latest ARIA features try beta version 1.3
3. Updated menus and better organization, fixing of reported bugs

The developers are looking for your evaluative comments. "Please write a review of version 1.2 on the Firefox Add-ins website, they will not update the version on the website until there are a certain number of reviews. Curretnly they only have version 1.0 on the "Firefox add-ins" website, so your help would be greatly appreciated."

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/1891

Posted by Fran Smith at 4:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Interested in following the latest trends in social networking? You might want to visit the website of Danah Boyd, http://www.danah.org. Ms. Boyd, a PhD candidate at Berkeley, has focused her research on this topic and shares this through her blog.

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

Ai Squared has recently released a new version of it's product ZoomText for a USB drive. This provides the screen magnification functionality on a portable flash drive--allowing users to take the software to another computer and access the program. For more information, visit http://www.aisquared.com/Products/usb/index.cfm

Posted by Fran Smith at 3:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Want to read more about a great conference on technology innovation? Follow the link below to review information, presentations, handouts, and more indepth information from the nation's leading innovators in AT and technology innovation. For more information visit, http://www.nationaltechcenter.org

Posted by Fran Smith at 7:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Recently I heard a presentation on how to "think out of the box" in delivering email messages. For many, the textual design of email messages offers just a long list of things to do and work to accomplish. But, what if that email message included a different representation of the message?

Maybe a virtual link using Google Earth to share an address, http://earth.google.com/. Try this sometime....find the address in Google Earth and copy/ paste the address and send that to your email recepient!

Maybe an engaging comic strip with personalized characters? Consider creating your message in a comic strip format using http://comicstripgenerator.com.

How about adding text to an image that you wish to share, with enthuisiasm! Consider, http://www.txt2pic.com/

Posted by Fran Smith at 3:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Interested in starting a community portal? A place where many can create, edit and build a web-based community? Consider using a wiki tool. We've
tried a few that are free and some with fewer commercial advertisements.

For a few places to try, visit:

PB Wiki, http://www.pbwiki.com
Wet Paint, http://www.wetpaint.com/Wiki Space, http://www.wikispace.com
Happy Wiki Building!!

Posted by Fran Smith at 2:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here's a neat website that provides a presentation on the topic of "How the Learning World Became Flat: Ten Knowledge Sharing and Technology Trends Equalizing Access to Learning". This offers some interesting information and perspective on how technology is spanning the world ....in new a varied ways to share information!

http://www.trainingshare.com/pdfs/SFX8F90.pdf

Posted by Fran Smith at 2:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Wondering how to jazz up that PowerPoint presentation? Maybe consider a different format or design? At the recent Virginia Department of Education's Educational Technology Leadership Conference, several great resources and suggestions were shared. Consider a few of the following websites:

http://www.beyondbullets.com/
http://www.meade.k12.ky.us/TRT/Teachers/PowerPoint_downloads.htm
http://www.presentationzen.com/

Posted by Fran Smith at 2:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

If you're like many of us, the proliferation of information that is shared through email, the web, and a host of other locations can be overwhelming. There are however several web-based tools that can help to simplify this process. Check out a few of the resources below:

Delicious, http://del.icio.us/ is a social bookmarking site that allows users the opportunity to build a web based location of frequently visited websites. Building websites in this location is similar to using your "favorites" bookmarking within your own computer...just offering a more mobile location.

Netvibes, http://www.netvibes.com or PageFlakes, http://www.pageflakes.com, provide a web space where users can take advantage of customizing RSS (real simple syndicated) information feeds. So, essentially, the user can customize a link to a web site they typically wish to remain abreast of and receive the updates in one central location.

Posted by Fran Smith at 5:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Thanks to the collaborative sponsorship between CITEd and Don Johnston, the following FREE webinars are scheduled in 2008. A range of topics will be discussed on using and integrating technology into instruction. For more information, see below and visit http://www.cited.org/

Technology Decision Makers Hold the Keys to Successful Implementation
January 4th at 11:00 am ET & January 14th at 3:00 pm ET

Are you in a position to request or recommend technology purchases? Learn how to be an informed consumer, with an understanding of the leverage points in district administrations as well as with vendors. Based on interviews with over 50 administrators, this webinar provides you strategic information on how administrators are making decisions related to technology.

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

RTI is fast becoming a household term, but what does it mean for you in your school and classroom? How can technology help you manage the process and serve students? Discuss the implications with the experts at the new National Center for Response to Intervention about research to practice efforts.

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

How do you find the technology solutions that best address your students’ needs? Join us to celebrate the launch of the TechMatrix 2.0, a database of technology tools reviewed on accessibility and instructional features. The TechMatrix 2.0 supports user-generated searches and customizable returns that can be shared with colleagues. Come see what tech tools will work for you!

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

Beyond mere consideration, how do you fully implement AT for students on IEPs? Explore the innovative AT Planner, a comprehensive set of guides for administrators, teachers, and families full of checklists, resources, and recommendations. Based on the research of the National Assistive Technology Research Institute, the Planner will guide implementation according to evidence-based practices.

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

Posted by Fran Smith at 12:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The influence of emerging (and existing) Web 2.0 tools is being quickly realized by many. The tools, often connected to social media/ social networking approaches, are favored by many of today's young people.

At the recent Virginia Department of Education's Technology Leadership Conference, Dr. Daniel Arkin (CEO- VSTE) shared a very thought provoking presentation on several examples. In fact, some of these tools are being used by the VSTE to share information. Explore a few of these below:

Blogging, http://www.wordpress.com (search VSTE)

Typing/ Blogging Phrases through Twitter, http://www.twitter.com

Social Networking --
Ning, http://ning.com (search VSTE)
Classroom 2.0, http://classroom20.ning.com

To explore and learn more, visit The Complete Web 2.0 Directory at http://www.go2web20.net

Posted by Fran Smith at 12:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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.

Posted by Susanne Croasdaile at 5:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Google's search engine offers some great services that, not only help folks browse the web, but also assist those with disabilities. For example,

the calendar provides a speech-friendly interface
the GMail email service offers a simple html interface that works well with many screen readers
the sign-in captcha service provides an audio alternative

For more information, visit,

http://labs.google.com/accessible/
http://www.accessibilityblog.com/2006/04/11/google-releases-audio-captcha/

Posted by Fran Smith at 5:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Mary Wilds and members of the VDOE AT statewide Priority Project met with members of AT teams throughout Virginia to discuss several online tools to support their work, planning, and discussions. Mary shared a new online Blackboard course area that teams will use and explore through George Mason University and the TTAC Online (http://ttaconline.org) affiliation. Ongoing dialogue will continue until teams gather again during the upcoming 2008 Virginia Society for Technology in Education (http://www.vste.org) conference in February.

In addition, Dr. Daniel Arkin with VSTE, shared a few new resources for AT practitioners in Virginia including the new AT Rocks in Virginia social networking area at http://vsteonline.ning.com/group/at. Dr. Arkin encouraged participants to begin using some of the new e-resources that are now available through the VSTE organization and a new professional learning community for AT.

Posted by Fran Smith at 9:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Assistive technology consultant and trainer, Mr. Dan Herlihy provided numerous tips and tricks at his session on "Creating Writing Adventures for Students" and "Creating Accessible Quizzes" at the 2007 TechKnowledgy Conference. Dan offered numerous insights into how to quickly customize functionality across programs such as Clicker 5, PowerPoint, Classroom Suite, and Kurzweil Scan and Read 3000.
For many seasoned AT users, this presentation offered some new insights into how speech, embedded text tips, and automated study aids can support all students through assistive technologies.

Posted by Fran Smith at 2:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Mr. Dan Keplinger--noted artist, painter, and writer--kicked off the opening day of the conference with a discussion/ sharing of his remarkable story. Co-narrated with his fiancee, Mr. Keplinger provided a discussion of how his life evolved, the barriers he faced, and the triumphs of his success.
At the conclusion of the day, he shared his Academy Award-winning documentary, King Gimp, which follows Dan's life as he discovers his voice through art. A truly remarkable person and advocate for individuals living with disabilities. Tune in again for future audio footage of his presentations!!

Posted by Fran Smith at 8:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here's an interesting piece written for Apple about a young man who's limitations were overcome through the power of distance technologies.
http://www.apple.com/education/profiles/belaire/?sr=hotnews?sr=hotnews.rss

Posted by Fran Smith at 3:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The related services support of the all important occupational therapist practitioner cannot be stated enough! This month's issue of the Family Center on Technology and Disability dedicates the entire discussion to this important team member. For more information, visit http://www.fctd.info/resources/newsletters/index.php

Posted by Fran Smith at 3:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Virginia Society for Technology in Education (http://www.vste.org) has established a new social networking space, utilizing the free tool ning.com. Within this space is also a new community for AT entitled, "AT Rocks in Virginia". To learn more and become an active participant,

Go to http://vsteonline.ning.com/group/at and start participating!

Posted by Fran Smith at 5:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Click on http://ldonline.org/article/6239 for a good LD Online article about funding sources for AT. Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1997 (IDEA), students with learning disabilities have the right to be provided with appropriate assistive devices to help them succeed in school. This Info Brief provides information to help parents find and obtain alternative sources of funding for classroom- or home-based assistive technology when funds are not available through a child’s school.

For more information, click here: http://www.cited.org/index.aspx?page_id=2&#funding

Posted by Susanne Croasdaile at 4:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Wondering how to access all those accessibility features in Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, Access, Excel), or the new Windows Vista? If you're someone who needs larger screen access, magnification, speaking aloud of the text, larger mouse pointers, and many more....visit these links below:

http://www.microsoft.com/enable/products/default.aspx
http://www.microsoft.com/enable/at/default.aspx
http://www.microsoft.com/enable/training/default.aspx
http://www.microsoft.com/enable/guides/default.aspx

Posted by Fran Smith at 8:35 AM | 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)

The folks at Equal Access to Software and Information will be hosting an upcoming webinar series on making PowerPoint accessible. PowerPoint ia a frequently used presentation tool and, while providing wonderful graphics and interactive tools for the presenter, many of these same tools present barriers for those who are blind or have low vision. Simply adding sound tracks to each slide may not be enough. To learn more, check out EASI's New Synchronous Clinics:
http://easi.cc/clinic.htm

Posted by Fran Smith at 8:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This month is a good time to take a closer virtual tour of resources and assistive technologies that can assist those with disabilities. A few of our favorites:

http://atto.buffalo.edu/
http://www.assistivetech.net/
http://www.abledata.com
http://www.microsoft.com/enable
http://www.apple.com/accessibility
http://www.schwablearning.org/articles.aspx?r=286

Posted by Fran Smith at 8:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Virginia Assistive Technology System (VATS) is a statewide program whose priority is to establish assistive technology recycling programs across the State. VATS works with local groups to plan and implement AT recycling specific to each community.

The VATS AT Equipment Exchange system allows users to post requests online for available Assistive Technology devices, as well as list devices for sale or donation. To access this Exchange, click on http://www.vats.org/Exchange.htm

Posted by Susanne Croasdaile at 4:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

"The Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired (DBVI) is committed to providing quality services to assist Virginia's citizens who are blind, deafblind or vision impaired in achieving their maximum level of employment, education, and personal independence. The department provides an array of specialized services to blind Virginians of all ages to assist them in attaining the skills, confidence and positive outlook that are critical to independence." Click on http://www.vdbvi.org/Services.htm for information on a range of services DBVI offers, including those related to:

Employment
Independent Living
Education
Vision Aids
Deafblind
Library Services
Rehabilitation Center for the Blind and Vision Impaired
Assistive Technology
Travel Skills
Applying for Services
Food Service

Posted by Susanne Croasdaile at 4:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Visit http://www.atlfa.org to learn more about the Virginia Assistive Technology Loan Fund Authority.

From the website:

The ATLFA offers low interest loans for a variety of special equipment to eligible applicants. The interest rate is normally well below normal market rates, and loans are available with no down payment and longer terms which reduces monthly payments. These low interest loans are made through our financial partner (SunTrust), are guaranteed through our financial partner, or are direct loans made by the ATLFA. Remember that all income levels can apply.

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

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

Posted by Fran Smith at 5:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

IPODS and Mp3 players are increasing in popularity -- especially among today's younger technology users. Often a challenge on the video screen of an IPOD is the small display. Thus, when trying to watch a video podcast or a downloaded video, the size of the display is limiting. MyVU is a new product, available for the video IPOD users, that provides large screen viewing. The "lightweight eyewear" provides a private viewing area for the IPOD user with built-in viewing and audio capability. For additional information, visit http://www.myvu.com/Products

Posted by Fran Smith at 4:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In a recent edition of Education Week's Digital Directions, mention is made about the new Second Life island for the International Society for Technology in Education. Second Life is an emerging virtual world technology. Users are guided throughout this virtual and interactive web-based experience with a persona avatar or "virtual guide on the side". To experience this innovative area from ISTE, visit http://www.iste.org/secondlife/

Posted by Fran Smith at 4:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The 3rd annual World Usability Day New England conference will be held on November 8 at Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire. The keynote address will be provided by Ben Shneiderman from the University of Maryland on "The New Science of Universal Usability". For more information, visit http://www.dartmouth.edu/~wud/

Posted by Fran Smith at 4:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Several webinars on a range of instructional and assistive technology topics are slated for the fall such as:

NIMAS: Implementation Issues and Solutions - 10/10/07 and 10/30/07
Differentiating Instruction with Technology - 11/29/07 and 12/4/07

For more details, visit http://www.cited.org

Posted by Fran Smith at 3:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

http://www.atmatch.com, according to the website, is "a service developed specifically for individuals with disabilities and their families and friends." Categories of AT of materials include Aids for Daily Living, Automotive, Books, Communication, Computers and Peripherals, Environmental Controls, Hearing, Home & Hobby Accessories, Mobility, Positioning Aids, Software, Switches & Accessories, Toys, Vision, and Worksite Modifications.

Posted by Susanne Croasdaile at 5:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

In an April 2007 article, Susan Loesl, an Adaptive Art Specialist, wrote of the many reasons why users may abandon their assistive technology. "According to many professionals in casual discussions, a major reason for AT abandonment is 'looking different,' writes Loesl. "When children are in school, there is an incredible amount of personal and social pressure to 'fit in'. If an educational team doesn’t take the student’s unique perspective about the AT and their lives into consideration, the AT may be quickly abandoned." Read more about AT Abandonment at http://www.wati.org/news/pdf/monitor_april-07.pdf

Posted by Susanne Croasdaile at 5:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The following link will provide recorded footage from the 2006 Big Ten Plus IT Accessibility Conference. These videos have been created to playback using the National Center for Accessible Media (NCAM) CCforFlash Player...offering an accessible playback mode. For more information and review, visit http://wac.osu.edu/conferences/cic_it_accessibility_06

Posted by Fran Smith at 11:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

There's a new tool for creating audio files from text and other media! SpokenText.net provides an online tool for converting PDF, Word, plain text, PowerPoint, RSS news feeds, emails, and web pages into audio files. This provides a wonderful resource for supporting those students who like to "hear" the information and listen to files on their mp3 players. Several options for delivering content to users is provided. For more information, visit http://www.spokentext.net ....and best of all, it's FREE!

Posted by Fran Smith at 11:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

"Metallica, John Mayer, Tom Waits and Eddie Vedder (Pearl Jam) are the latest artists signed up to play Neil Young's annual charity gig, the Bridge School Concert. The event will take place on October 27 & 28 at the Shoreline Amphitheatre at Mountain View, CA, just outside of San Francisco. The annual gigs will benefit the Bridge School, which according to their website, 'The Bridge School is an educational program dedicated to ensuring that children with severe speech and physical impairments achieve full participation in their communities through the use of augmentative & alternative means of communication (AAC) and assistive technology (AT) applications.' Neil Young's children once attended this very school."

Want to support the Bridge School? Consider purchasing the CD "Various Artists - Bridge School Concerts Vol. 1." Like the idea of supporting AT through having a benefit concert? Some UVA folks have their own steps in planning that might get you started (www.virginiaservice.org/docs/how_to_plan_a_benefit_concert.doc?PHPSESSID=2cadc5693e76d8f44a2a6b3ea109c533) or try the MIT folks' idea checklist: (http://www.ashanet.org/uiuc/new/Public/www/Resources/concert_guidelines.html)

Good luck! Tell us if you plan one-we'll come!

Posted by Susanne Croasdaile at 5:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

PBWiki.com offers a free an useful online collaboration tool. Users simply create a login and password to develop a online portal for sharing information, uploading files, and collaborating with others. A wiki (such as PBWiki) differs from a blog format in that users can add/edit content posted by others --- increasing the spirit of collaborative writing. Take a look at how easy this tool can be at http://www.pbwiki.com...providing a free online webspace to share and discuss!

Posted by Fran Smith at 1:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Are you part of an AT decision-making team? Wondering how far you've come (and how far you have left to go) in learning about AT? Click on http://atto.buffalo.edu/registered/DecisionMaking/assessment.php for an AT Knowledge Profiler. According to the site, this is:

a place to go to profile your knowledge about assistive technology. You can revisit the Profiler several times and compare your knowledge to others in the field. If you want to check your personal growth, re-take the self assessment survey to compare old and new profiles.

Posted by Susanne Croasdaile at 4:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Inspired Learning Community(tm) offers educators a dynamic forum to
find and share ideas about visual learning, Inspiration(r), InspireData(tm) and Kidspiration(r). Visit
http://www.inspiredlearningcommunity.com to become an active participant and to learn more!

Posted by Fran Smith at 10:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Moving Forward with Technology Webinar series from Don Johnston will return this fall. This free series offers information about implementing technology in education. Planned session topics include:

Using Multimedia Materials to Engage and Challenge Learners
Registration: September 19th at 11:00 am ET & September 27th at 3:00 pm ET

NIMAS: Implementation Issues and Solutions
Registration: October 10th at 11:00 am & October 30th at 3:00 pm EST

Differentiating Instruction with Technology
Registration: November 29th at 11:00 am & December 4th at 3:00 pm EST

Technology Decision Makers Hold the Keys to Successful Implementation
January 4th at 11:00 am & January 14th at 3:00 pm EST
Tracy Gray, Director, Center for Implementing Technology in Education (CITEd); and Cheryl Volkman, Founder, AbleNet Inc.

The Role of Technology in Response to Intervention (RTI)
February 11th at 11:00 am & February 28th at 3:00 pm EST
Nancy Safer, Co-Principal Investigator, National Center for Response to Intervention; and Tracy Gray, Director, Center for Implementing Technology in Education (CITEd).

Finding the Technology that Supports Your Reading, Math, and Writing Instruction
March 18th at 11:00 am. 2007 & March 24th at 3:00 pm EST
Heidi Silver-Pacuilla, Knowledge Development Task Leader, Center for Implementing Technology in Education (CITEd); and Boo Murray, Senior Research Scientist and Instructional Designer, CAST.

The Assistive Technology Planner: A Guide for Implementing AT
April 14th at 11:00 am & April 29th at 3:00 pm EST
Presenter:Margaret Bausch, Associate Professor, University of Kentucky.

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

For more information visit: https://donjohnston.webex.com/mw0304l/mywebex/default.do?siteurl=donjohnston&service=6

Posted by Fran Smith at 10:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The National Center on Technology Innovation Technology Innovators Conference will be held November 15-16, 2007, in Washington, DC. This is an opportunity (close by!) to here some of the leading thinkers on ways to enhance technology in education. For more information visit, http://www.nationaltechcenter.org/index.php/events-main-page/annual-technology-conference2007/

Posted by Fran Smith at 11:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Assistive Technology content will be provided again through dedicated strands at both the upcoming VDOE Technology Leadership Conference in December and the VSTE Conference in February, 2008.T

The upcoming VDOE Technology Leadership Conference, December 5-7, 2007 will be held at the Hotel Roanoke, Roanoke, VA. For additional details, visit http://www.doe.virginia.gov/VDOE/Technology/ OET/conf.shtml. Conference proposals are requested by September 14, 2007 and should be submitted to http://www.vste.org/etlc/index.htm.

The annual Virginia Society for Technology in Education (VSTE) state conference will be held February 24-26, 2008 at the Hotel Roanoke, Roanoke, VA. Concurrent session proposals are due by October 15, 2007. To submit an AT proposal, visit http://vste.org/conference/presenters/index.html

Posted by Fran Smith at 2:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Moving Forward with Technology webinar series will continue for 2007-2008 beginning in September. The preliminary schedule includes:

9/19 (11AM) Using multimedia materials to engage and challenge learners

10/10 (11AM) NIMAS: Implementing issues and solutions

11/29 (11AM) Differentiating instruction with technology

To learn more and scheduled a session, visit: https://donjohnston.webex.com/mw0304l/mywebex/default.do?siteurl=donjohnston&service=6

Posted by Fran Smith at 2:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

CapTel Phone is a phone and phone service that will display the written, word-for-word captions of everything a caller says without going through a relay service. This is a useful AT for someone who is hard-of-hearing or cannot speak. The service also captions voice mail messages. To learn more, visit http://www.captionedtelephone.com

Posted by Fran Smith at 2:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Association on Higher Education and Disability recently launched a new section of the AHEAD Website dedicated to resources related to the social model of disability and the principles of universal design. For more information, visit: http://ahead.org/resources/ud_intro.php

Posted by Fran Smith at 10:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A new tool is now available to assist users with no hand function to access an IPOD. The switchPod works with the Apple iPod, iPod Photo, and Mini. It provides a full range of access to all IPOD functions through the switch link capabilities. For more information, visit, http://www.tecsol.com.au/pdfs/switchPod%20Instructions2.pdf

Posted by Fran Smith at 10:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Interested in knowing all the accessibility tricks and tools in Microsoft products? If so, visit http://www.microsoft.com/enable or, visit, http://www.microsoft.com/enable/cd/default.aspx
to order your own personal CD copy today.

Posted by Fran Smith at 10:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The new 2007 MS Office program provides a different interface for navigating the programs. Many are handled through keyboard shortcuts and, according to Microsoft, most menus and toolbars are no longer available. To read more and sign up for a FREE online training course, visit: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/help/FX100485361033.aspx?pid=CL100605171033

Posted by Fran Smith at 10:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Apple's new IPhone hit the streets last Friday with many waiting in line for hours to make their first purchase. According to Apple, the IPhone boasts several accessibility features worth reviewing including large numeric keypad views, larger fonts, hands free speaker phone and embedded audible and visible alerts. To read more, visit http://www.apple.com/accessibility/iphone/index.html#zoom

Posted by Fran Smith at 10:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A wonderful opportunity for families, individuals health care and educational professionals is coming to Richmond, December 7-8, 2007. The World of Possibilities Expo, sponsored by www.caringcommunities.org, features products for children through seniors with disabilities, workshop demonstrations, exhibitors, free wheelchair rentals and repairs, shopping opportunities, entertainment and more! If you are in town, come and check it out! For other sites go to http://www.caringcommunities.org

Posted by Kelly Ligon at 8:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

We've referred to Karen Janowski's materials before (http://teachingeverystudent.wikispaces.com), but here's some more to chew on. Assistive technology consideration is a hot topic for us here in VA, and Karen's website compliation (http://teachingeverystudent.wikispaces.com/Assistive+Technology+Consideration) has dozens of links and documents to help.

Posted by Susanne Croasdaile at 5:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Here's a new resource, a website dedicated to creating open source assistive technology tools! Users and contribute to the creation of new tools, try new tools, learn more. For more information, visit http://www.oatsoft.org/

Posted by Fran Smith at 8:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A new video podcast has been recently added to the AssistiveWare.com library, entitled "Me and My Computer". The video podcast features Elina Hughes who was born with cerebral palsy. The video showcases her success in using an Apple iBook to draw and write through the magic of assistive technology. To learn more, visit http://www.assistiveware.com and peek under Community.

Posted by Fran Smith at 4:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Looking for another FREE speech aloud tool? Try this website, http://www.wordtalk.org.uk/, to learn more about a product that speaks text aloud in MS Word!

Posted by Fran Smith at 8:56 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)

Podcasting is quickly becoming a technology that many wish to use for capturing on-the-spot discussions and interviews. Once audio is captured, these files can be easily converted and customized to Mp3 tracks that can be posted to blogs and web sites. In fact, we've posted a few on our web blog and plan for more. The free program Audacity, provides a very useful tool for accomplishing this conversion process. Several mp3 players provides external microphones and lapel microphones that can capture live audio on the fly. For those interested in recording and transcribing audio, digital recorders such as the Sony ICD-SX57 256 MB Digital Voice Recorder combined with the new Dragon Naturally Speaking v.9.0 can assist with this solution. Users however must train their voices with Dragon for smooth transcription of recorded audio....and as well for the additional voices. There are certainly many choices to consider if this is a direction you are considering!

Posted by Fran Smith at 8:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The National Center on Technology Innovation will be hosting a blog discussion with Fraser Shein, CEO and President of QuillSoft.on technology, design and literacy. The discussion runs from May 30 - June 6, 2007. For more information visit, http://www.nationaltechcenter.org/index.php/2007/05/29/17fraser-shein/

Posted by Fran Smith at 7:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A recently published blog is offering a national community on vocational assessment for vocational evaluation and assessment practitioners around the country. Sponsored by the Vocational Evaluation and Career Assessment Professionals Association, VECAP, this new blog provides a space for dialogue and discussion across a range of topics. To learn more, visit http://voceval.blogspot.com

Posted by Fran Smith at 8:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Center for Implementing Technology in Education offers several interesting discussions on current research around emerging technology practices. Several topics that are currently discussed include K-12 Calculator Technology, K-8 Screen Based Technology to Support Mathematics, Technology to Support Writing and to Support Differentiated Instruction. To learn much more, visit http://www.cited.org/index.aspx?page_id=13

Posted by Fran Smith at 8:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Check out the Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA) homepage: http://www.resna.org/
From the website:

We are an interdisciplinary association of people with a common interest in technology and disability. Our purpose is to improve the potential of people with disabilities to achieve their goals through the use of technology. We serve that purpose by promoting research, development, education, advocacy and provision of technology; and by supporting the people engaged in these activities.

RESNA has an email Listserve that subscribers-to-be may subscribe by sending an e-mail to
LISTSERV@list.resna.org. The following command should be in the body of the e-mail: "SUBSCRIBE AT-FORUM firstname lastname" (for example...SUBSCRIBE AT-FORUM Rosina Romano). (The subject line should be blank. Please note if your e-mail client inserts a signature line it needs to be removed) You will then receive an e-mail requesting that you confirm your subscription. Follow the instructions in the e-mail to confirm your request.

Posted by Susanne Croasdaile at 11:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Did you know that May is Better Speech and Hearing month? Help yourself enjoy the sounds of life for many years to come by turning down the volume on your iPod, your mp3 player or any other portable listening devices. Keep the dial at the halfway mark. Protect your ears—turn down the volume! For more information, go to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association website at www.asha.org.

Posted by your friendly SLP at 3:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Interested in trying a few new free screen reading software tools for blind users? Check out a couple of open source screen reader projects such as:

Thunder
http://www.screenreader.net/

Firevox (not a full-blown screen reader, but a talking browser extension)
http://firevox.clcworld.net/about.html

Posted by Fran Smith at 7:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

If you've ever traveled overseas and wrestled with a new language, more than likely, you've turned to electronic means to offer quick tutorials and aids. Several companies market these electronic translators and CD's that can provide tutorial guides. Language translation by any electronic conversion is a delicate process as often the cultural/ language nuances are not captured in these conversions. However, Google offers a language translator that can help a user "begin" to decipher a message and possibly aid in the understanding. For additional information, visit http://www.google.com/language_tools?hl=en

Posted by Fran Smith at 8:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Association of Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD) has launched a new series of audio broadcasts. An array of topics that span disabilities, universal design, and access are offered over the next few months. To learn more visit, http://ahead.org/training/audioconference/index.htm

Posted by Fran Smith at 8:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

There are only a few days left to join in the April online discussion sponsored by the Family Center on Technology and Disability. Dr. Katya Hill of the University of Pittsburgh and Robin Hurd of the AAC Institute will moderate a national discussion of "Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) and Vocabulary Building". We hope you'll join the discussion or visit the site to read over the transcript of this dialogue. You can also find transcript archives of previous discussions that include topics such as assistive technology mediation, AT issues during times of transition, assistive technology outcomes, AT funding, AT research, Web accessibility, universal design, the SETT Framework, AT and occupational therapy, and emergent literacy. See what others are saying about these important topics. http://www.fctd.info

Posted by Sharon Jones at 3:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

We have a well-stocked Assistive Technology Lab here at the VCU Training and Technical Assistance Center--come see it! There is a range of instructional and assistive software applications, augmentative assistive communication (AAC) devices, active learning tools and more-many available for check-out! The lab is open between 9 AM and 5 PM Monday through Friday; email us using the link above or call us at the VCU T/TAC office if you would like to make an appointment to peruse the AT Lab with one of our specialists!

Posted by Susanne Croasdaile at 5:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Interested in staying abreast of the latest conversation on assistive technology in higher education? Join the Assistive Technologists in Higher Education Network blog, http://athenpro.blogspot.com/, where you'll find this growing dialogue.

Posted by Fran Smith at 9:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The National Center for Technology Innovation has a new website! This national voice on innovation also includes resources on assistive technology and universal design. For more information, visit http://www.nationaltechcenter.org/

Posted by Fran Smith at 9:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Upcoming webinars are being hosted by the Center for Implementing Technology in Education across a range of topics including universal design for learning and enhancing content reading with technology. For more information please review http://www.cited.org/index.aspx?page_id=140

Posted by Fran Smith at 9:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Key to Access VPOD is a new tool from Premiere Assistive Technology that builds on the great features of the original Key to Access MP3 player, but also has advanced MP4 capabilities. This portable tool allows the user to utilize both AUDIO and VIDEO podcasts to further enhance the learning experience. For more information visit, http://www.readingmadeez.com/VPod.php

Posted by Fran Smith at 9:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here's a great resource: http://www.cited.org/

From the website:

CITEd’s Learn Center showcases select resources and targeted tools to help you meet everyday educational challenges through technology. Search the list of critical topic areas by role and responsibility to find a broad range of important information and related research. Consult the Learning in Brief articles for guidance on specific topics from the research literature.

CITEd’s Action Center provides resources to plan an educational technology initiative and establish a community of practice. Find a wide range of tools to infuse technology throughout the learning experience for all students. Let CITEd's profiles of educational technology leaders serve as inspiration and a foundation for new ideas.

CITEd’s Research Center offers evidence-based, promising, and emerging practices based on the latest research. Explore how technology can be used to enhance instruction with an emphasis on students with special needs. Browse research and its implications for your classroom, school, and district.

Posted by Kelly Ligon at 4:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Council for Exceptional Children along with leaders in the field of Assistive Technology have posted AT Competencies for professionals who work in the field of assistive technology.
Check them out!
http://www.wati.org/AT_Services/competencies.html

Posted by Kelly Ligon at 12:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Go ahead and take advantage of this great resource for families and schools: http://www.fctd.info/resources/fig/.

From the website:

The FCTD Family Guide to Assistive Technology includes the following sections:

► The Possibilities of Assistive Technology (AT)
► Assistive Technology in Schools
► Funding AT
► Quick Questions and Tips
► Glossary of AT Terms and Definitions
► Additional AT Information Resources

Posted by Kelly Ligon at 4:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here's a link to the Texas Assistive Technology network; they have Assistive Technology training modules:
http://www.texasat.net

Posted by Kelly Ligon at 5:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Check out: http://aimstar.knowbility.org/index.html. The site also has info on AT and recreation---http://aimstar.knowbility.org/at_recreation_leisure.htm

Posted by Kelly Ligon at 5:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The National Assistive Technology Research Initiative at the University of Kentucky aims to:
1. To conduct research related to the planning, development, implementation, and evaluation of assistive technology (AT) services in schools,
2. To identify promising practices in the delivery of AT services, and
3. To disseminate research findings and information about promising practices in ways that will assist school personnel to develop or improve AT policies and practices for students with disabilities.

Check out their AT Viewer at http://natri.uky.edu/assoc_projects/viewer/index.html

This website includes device demos in the areas of:
Input Devices, Keyboards, Communication, Visual Aids, Mobility Aids, Workplace, Switches, and Software

Posted by Kelly Ligon at 4:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Looking for online discussion forums? Try http://www.fctd.info/webboard/index.php.
From the website:

You can also find in our archive, forum transcripts on assistive technology mediation, AT issues during times of transition, assistive technology outcomes, AT funding, AT research, Web accessibility, universal design, the SETT Framework, AT and occupational therapy, and emergent literacy. You may also request a copy of the Family Center's "AT Resources" CD-ROM, which contains formatted transcripts of our archives. All FCTD online conferences are free, having been made possible by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP).

Posted by Kelly Ligon at 4:58 AM | Permalink

You know there are little light-tech solutions that you use all the time, probably spending a few bucks of your own to get them. Consider funding these small items by recycling the school's ink cartridges (and those from parents and community members as well)...click on https://staplesrecyclefored.com/home.asp for more info.

Posted by Susanne Croasdaile at 5:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Adaptech Research Network offers an online library of free and inexpensive adaptive and "adaptable"
software titles. Visit http://www.adaptech.org and select the Downloads link for this resource.

Posted by Fran Smith at 9:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Microsoft offers a 47 page resource on accessible technology initiatives and resources. A visit to their website, http://www.microsoft.com/enable/education/guide.aspx
also connects the user to other links that offer educators information on using Microsoft technologies.

Posted by Fran Smith at 11:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The IPOD, and other Mp3 players, are growing in popularity

Continue reading "What's in Your IPOD?" »

Posted by Fran Smith at 4:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

At the recent EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative (ELI) 2007 conference, Julie Evans - CEO of Project Tomorrow/ NetDay noted in a national study of K-12 students and their use of technology, preliminary findings suggest (a) social computing is the #1 use for technology, (b) self-directed learning is on the rise, (c) their is a continued disconnect between schools and adults, and (d) technology sophistication is observed in the youngest of learners.

Continue reading "What K-12 Students are Saying about Technology and Learning" »

Posted by Fran Smith at 2:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The new Dragon Naturally Speaking ver. 9.0 has truly come of age. This latest version of a speech activation program lives up to it's marketing language....99% accuracy! In less than 10-15 minutes, a user can train their voice to read and type by voice dictation. Developing skill and accuracy with the full range of commands takes a little longer but the results are very impressive. This program also adds a transcription tool that provides the ability to open a previously recorded sound .wav file and convert that file to text. Definitely worth watching. Stop by our VCU TTAC AT Tech lab for a demonstration sometime!

Posted by Fran Smith at 8:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Interested in developing a web-based encyclopedia of resources, a list of your favorite web resources that anyone can visit, or a community of web resources that all can use? Try a delicious account at http://www.delicious.com. Delicious is part of the growing community of social computing tools and provides the user the ability to tag (or bookmark) a website from any computer and store that in their web-based delicious account. Sharing this account with other users allow them to stay abreast of what you're reviewing and finding important. Delicious accounts also provide statistics for users to view what other users are also viewing. A truly collaborative web-based community that has many options for sharing assistive technology resources.

Posted by Fran Smith at 8:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Speech outloud functionality can be added to the Microsoft PowerPoint program! Simply download the free open source plug-in program, PowerTalk. This can be obtained at http://fullmeasure.co.uk/powertalk/http://fullmeasure.co.uk/powertalk/. Providing speech to a PowerPoint presentation can be invaluable assistance to someone who is blind, partially sighted, struggling with a learning problem, or is not an English speaking native.

Posted by Fran Smith at 8:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The regional ED Tech conference, sponsored by the PBS Community IDEA Stations will be held at Randolph Macon College in Ashland, VA on Feb. 7 and 8, 2007. For more information visit http://www.ideastations.org/teachers/conferences.html
For a quick peek click on the following link: http://www.ideastations.org/teachers/edtech_promo.html

Posted by Fran Smith at 7:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Technical Resource Centre in Canada remind us at http://www.nsnet.org/atc/tools/strategies.html of a few Strategies for Effective Implementation. Click on the link to check them out...looking back on all the different students I have received, one I think we often forget is this:

Training for Student and Staff - Introduction to the individual with training and support considerations. - Teaching staff in-serviced and trained. - Provide support notes and reading material for all staff concerned. - Provide time for staff to gain hands-on experience.

Posted by Susanne Croasdaile at 5:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I posted on this site a week or so ago, but wanted to mention it again in a different way: http://www.nsnet.org/atc/tools/contents.html has some great AT links that are matched to student profiles. Here's an example:

Continue reading "Another resource for matching AT tools to students" »

Posted by Susanne Croasdaile at 5:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

T/TAC at VCU Technology Lab, 10 East Franklin Street, Suite 200, Richmond, VA
These intro level mini-workshops are designed to offer participants an opportunity to practice using assistive technology materials, learn new skills and share ideas with others.

January 16, 4-6 pm, Test Me Score Me
Test Me Score Me by SoftTouch, Inc., is an authoring program that allows teachers to create assessments using multiple choice or yes/no format. Students may access the program using a switch, mouse, touch screen and/or Intellikeys keyboard. For those of you with students in the VAAP, this program might be a good way to measure what your students know about various ASOL. We will show you how to create assessments using this software with pictures, videos, speech, or text allowing you to personalize the content of the questions and answers. (K-12)

February 6, 4-6 pm, Slates and Tablets and Auggies, oh my!
Explore universally-designed AT tools that are also fully functioning portable computers, that can be used to work in a Windows XP environment, surf the internet, play a CD or movie, operate by pen/mouse/direct touch/switches or other devices, and run software such as Boardmaker Plus and Speaking Dynamically Pro. (grades 5-12)

March 20, 4-6 pm, AAC for All
Take some time to check out our new augmentative communication devices! Learn to program these simple low to higher tech devices such as the Voice Pod, Tango and Auggie. Develop message pools and learn new ways to engage your AAC users. (PK-12)

April 3, 4-6 pm, Boardmaker Plus
Come create a range of on-screen activities with this tool that combines selected features of Boardmaker and Speaking Dynamically Pro to allow for easy creation of on-screen and printed classroom materials. Boardmaker Plus includes a collection of sample activities, templates and programming tools that really save time! (PK-12)

Additional Content Questions???
Contact Sharon Jones, scjones@vcu.edu, 804-827-1398, Mona Pruett, mdpruett@vcu.edu, 804-827-9990, Kelly Ligon, kligon@vcu.edu, 804-827-9993, or Susanne Croasdaile, sscroasdaile@vcu.edu, 804-828-8179. Fran Smith, fgsmith@vcu.edu. This workshop is sponsored by the Virginia Department of Education Training and Technical Assistance Center at VCU.

Posted by Fran Smith at 7:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY TOOLS, TIPS AND TRICKS for STUDENTS AND ADULTS with LEARNING DISABILITIES AND COGNITIVE CHALLENGES (http://www.nsnet.org/atc/tools/contents.html), designed by James Roy of the Technical Resource Centre in Waterville, Nova Scotia has a plethora of nice resource lists and guides. His Table of Contents is reprinted below, but click the link above to visit.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Technical Resource Centre

What is Assistive Technology?

Assistive Technology: A Brief Overview

Assistive Technology Low-tech" to "Hi-tech" Considerations

Strategies for Effective Implementation

Points to Consider

Meeting the Challenge: Overcoming Barriers

Reading Printed and Electronic Materials
Learner Profile
Common Issues
Possible Student Outcomes
Toolbox
Text-to-Speech (TTS)
Screen Readers
Optical Character Recognition (OCR)
Talking Web Browsers
Electronic Text (E-Text)
VISUNET Canada
Audio Books and Playback

Writing and Spelling
Learner Profile
Common Issues
Possible Student Outcomes
Toolbox
Low Tech Writing Tools
Outlining
Proofreading Programs
Word Processing
Talking Word Processor
Electronic Spell Checkers and Dictionaries
Portable Keyboards / Stand Alone Word Processors
Keyboards and Keyboarding Skills
Word Prediction
Voice Recognition

Processing and Understanding Language
Learner Profile
Common Issues
Possible Student Outcomes
Toolbox
Personal Listening Devices
Tape Recorders
Graphic Organizers
Multimedia Presentations/Creativity/Authoring

Expressing Ideas through Language
Learner Profile
Common Issues
Possible Student Outcomes
Toolbox
Inspiration and KidSpiration
Multimedia Presentations/Creativity/Authoring
Brainstorming and Organizing Ideas
Graphic Organizers

Planning and Organization
Learner Profile
Common Issues
Possible Student Outcomes
Toolbox
Time Managers
Digital Voice Recorders and Memo Recorders
Electronic Organizers Personal Digital Assistants (PDA)
Information Organizers
Planners
Free-form databases

Math
Toolbox
Calculators
Electronic math worksheets software

Assistive Technologies by Area of Difficulty Chart

Sources & Resources

Technical Notes

Posted by Susanne Croasdaile at 5:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

CATEA (Center for Assistive Technology and Environmental Access) has just announced their new ATWiki, an interactive encyclopedia on assistive technology, at http://atwiki.assistivetech.net/ATWiki_Home! Here's what they have to say:

Articles contributed to this site will be viewable from the assistivetech.net website and also published as RSS feeds on catea.org.

Audience: The intended audience of ATWiki includes all assistive technology users, relatives and caregivers of those that use AT, rehabilitation professionals, educators, and researchers in AT.

Types of content on ATWiki:
-short articles, papers, and magazine-like columns
-demonstrations of AT applications
-research briefs
-glossary

Subjects of content on ATWiki
-Types of AT
-Choosing AT
-AT Reports
-Creation of accessible content for web and computer applications
-Retrofitting web sites and media to comply with accessibility standards and guidelines
-How to design accessible technology
-Workplace / typical office equipment accommodations
-Household / bathing, showering, and other actitivities of daily living accommodations
-Case studies of successful uses of AT in all environments
-Literature review and research, annotated bibliographies
-And much more!

Posted by Susanne Croasdaile at 4:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Check out http://www.tecmaine.org/lib.htm and see how the Technical Exploration Center in Maine categorized their items. I like the 3-letter codes they attach to each item number...

Posted by Susanne Croasdaile at 6:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

2007 Annual State Technology Conference
February 25th - 27th
Virginia Beach Convention Center
Co-Sponsored by the Virginia Department of Education - Office of Educational Technology

Each Spring VSTE sponsors the only statewide technology conference in Virginia. The Annual State Technology Conference location rotates around the Commonwealth between Norfolk/Virginia Beach (Tidewater) and Roanoke (Southwest Virginia). Over 1,200 attendees are excited each year by over 100 cutting edge technology sessions and 40 workshops. 14 AT sessions will be included.

http://www.vste.org/conference.html

Continue reading "VSTE Conference is coming up..." »

Posted by Susanne Croasdaile at 5:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I ran across this on the University of Connecticut's Technology Act Homepage and liked the phrasing...thought it might give us some ideas on writing more personalized descriptions or "missions" for our teams:

Assistive Technology is
so much more than finding
the newest catalog and
placing an order

Assistive technology is a complex issue for both consumers and service providers. Previous procedures and policies that provided services to people with special needs don't always work when assistive technology becomes part of the picture. Successful use of assistive technology means creation of an entirely new mindset.

Waiting for the Next, Newer Model
Nothing is more disconcerting than purchasing a piece of technology that becomes obsolete in a week. People who are just getting into technology are particularly afraid of this possibility, so they frequently advise waiting "a month or two" until a new model is released. Invariably, just at that release, there is another, newer model on the horizon. The cardinal rule of dealing with any technology is that it will change. Purchasing a piece of technology is never a permanent solution.

The Importance of Independence
Some people with disabilities become dependent on other people to accomplish certain tasks in their lives. Assistive technology often offers people the ability to do these tasks independently. While the "doing" might be slower, especially in the beginning, independence created by the use of assistive technology is often viewed as "the least restrictive environment" and as a road to real independent living.

Awareness, Access, Availability
Awareness is an important first step in the spread of assistive technology, but with awareness there is always an outcry for access to needed technology. Access is only possible when the technology is available and on-site, whenever and wherever the consumer needs it.

The Pro-Active Approach
How does a school or agency plan for and meet the needs of their students? Recent history in Connecticut has suggested that many school districts and agencies have been forced to react to consumer demands for access to assistive technology. One of the major focuses of the Tech Act is to start school systems and state agencies thinking about pro-active approaches, planning for expected needs, procuring equipment and services and having them available and accessible before the need becomes acute.

Difficult Transitions
Another major area of concern is the time and service gaps consumers are facing when they pass from one agency's jurisdiction to another's. It's not uncommon for a child to get a device, learn how to use it and gain a great deal of independence and success, and then "lose" that device for over a year when he or she is moved to another agency's control while that agency re-evaluates, re-discusses, re-decides, and re-orders. Meanwhile, the individual is being denied access to an essential device.

Timely Delivery
A great evaluation, super decisions, and the best prices for the best equipment serve little or no purpose when the actual procurement takes so long that the recommended items are no longer available! Purchase, set-up, training, and implementation of assistive technology programs should be carried out as rapidly as possible once a team decision has been made.

From http://www.techact.uconn.edu/mind.html. The rest of their site is under construction, but some more recently updated pages are linked to this site.

Posted by Susanne Croasdaile at 5:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Check out the way that one school division in Massachusetts chose to display their AT resources:

http://sped.peabody.k12.ma.us/assistive_technology_resources.htm

The use of categories is nice and clear. Not a lot of other info. Thoughts?

Posted by Susanne Croasdaile at 5:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Below, please find our presentation from the VDOE Ed Tech Leadership Conference,
"AT TechNet Blog: Providing Assistive Technology Support to Regional Teams"
presented on Thursday, November 30, 2006 at the Hotel Roanoke, Roanoke, VA.
Download file

For additional resources please review:

Jones, S. & Ligon, K. (2006). Designing quality AT services. Innovations and Perspectives
Download file

Educause Learning Initiative (2006). 7 things you should know about blogs
Download file

Downes, S. (2004). Educational blogging. Educause Review
Download file

Audacity http://audacity.sourceforge.net/
Blogs in Education http://awd.cl.uh.edu/blog/
Movable Type http://www.movabletype.org/

Posted by Susanne Croasdaile at 8:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Check out this webpage from the Massachusetts Department of Education,
http://www.doe.mass.edu/sped/links/Assistive.html Take a look at the Assistive Technology Guide for Massachusetts Schools. It was written in 2002 and provides a nice format for developing an AT guide!

Posted by Sharon Jones at 12:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Two local assistive technology teams have presented informative workshops at the Ed. Tech. Leadership Conference this week. Ronni Wiles and Brandi Clifford from Richmond Public Schools Assistive Technology Team presented a session about how to get started with developing an AT team. They shared their experiences about how they assessed the AT needs in their school division, developed an action plan and completed activities such as developing policies and procedures, identifying existing resources, building an AT lab and providing training activities. Check out their Online Resource Guide for Assistive Technology at http://www.portaportal.com (guest name: RPSAT).

Jude Hazelgrove and Alex Kurth from the Henrico County Schools Assistive Technology Team presented information on Considering AT in Every IEP. They shared their experiences in working extensively with IEP teams to consistently and appropriately consider the AT needs of each student and where to document the AT supports in the IEP. They suggest that you visit the Wisconsin Assistive Technology Initiative (WATI) website, www.wati.org to check out the resources that have been helpful to them.

Posted by Sharon Jones at 12:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here's an interesting AT collaboration: Educational Service Unit #3 (ESU3) is an intermediate agency providing supplementary educational services to 18 K-12 and two rural school districts in eastern Nebraska. Here's what those school districts have worked out with ESU3 to meet their AT team needs:
http://www.esu3.org/departments/sped/assist/assist.html#team

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

I'm still trolling for interesting AT team websites...The San Juan AT team doesn't have a website, but they do have a flyer linked to the San Juan BOCS website: http://www.sjbocs.org/_pdf_/Brochure_Text.pdf. I bet it's nice in San Juan right now...

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

I was looking through AT team websites again and liked this one for the link to the inventory at the bottom of the page:
http://www.esu1.org/dept/sped/specialteams/assttechteam.html

Posted by Susanne Croasdaile at 5:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Stumbled across the Boulder Valley School District's webpage this morning: http://www.bvsd.org/C17/Assistive%20Technology%20Team/default.aspx. It looks like it's still under construction...but it's always nice to see how someone else set up the page.

They posted an AT Referral Form, too:
http://www.bvsd.org/C17/Assistive%20Technology%20Team/Lists/Documents/Assistive%20Referral%20Form.pdf

Posted by Susanne Croasdaile at 5:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

As Sharon and Kelly mentioned in an earlier blog posting, we attended some interesting sessions at this year's Closing the Gap conference in Minneapolis. One of the sessions was on ATSTAR, an online curriculum for professionals (like most of us tuning into this blog). The idea behind the ATSTAR program is that we learn how to do what we need to do as supporters of AT use in classrooms.

Interested? Check out what they have to say for themselves, then visit the website:

ATSTAR is an acronym for Assistive Technology: Strategies, Tools, Accommodations and Resources.

Our vision is an inclusive educational system in which each student has access to the technology he or she may need to succeed, to learn, and to meet educational goals. We envision teams in schools across the nation – teams of teachers, administrators, educational specialists and parents – that know how to implement technology as an integral part of the educational process. The ATSTAR process is a 6-step model of assistive technology assessment.

This online curriculum improves educational outcomes for students with disabilities by helping teachers learn to use assistive technology in the classroom. Our core program is a series of online teacher training modules with supporting CD-based videos. The course is revolutionary in that it brings assistive technology expertise directly into the school and into the classrooms of individual students. ATSTAR prepares instructional staff at the school level to conduct assessments, collect data, and integrate assistive technology into the educational process. The program provides a network of ongoing support as educators learn to use technology to include students with disabilities in classroom learning activities.

http://www.atstar.org/

Posted by Susanne Croasdaile at 5:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Got professional development money to burn? (Wouldn't that be a hoot?) Maybe you won the lottery? Found a $100 bill in the Thanksgiving turkey? Consider this...

The Technology and Media Division (TAM) is the official division of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) that works to promote the availability and effective use of technology and media for individuals with disabilities and/or who are gifted.

The goals of TAM include:
- Promoting collaboration among educators and others interested in using technology and media to assist individuals with exceptional educational needs.
- Encouraging the development of new applications, technologies, and media that can benefit individuals with exceptionalities.
- Disseminating relevant and timely information through professional meetings, training programs, and publications.
- Coordinating the activities of educational and governmental agencies, business, and industry.
- Developing and advancing appropriate technical standards.
- Providing technical assistance, inservice, and preservice education on the uses of technology.
- Monitoring and disseminating relevant research.
- Advocating for funds and policies that support the availability and effective use of technology in this field.

TAM publications include:

Journal of Special Education Technology: Providing professionals in the field with information on new technologies, current research, exemplary practices, relevant issues, legislative events, and more. Published four times a year.

TAM Connector: With information about upcoming events, current trends and practices, state and national legislation, recently published materials and practical information. Published four times a year. Co-edited by the former director of WATI!

TAM Tech in Action: These papers address various topics that provide practitioners with practical ways to use AT and are distributed to all TAM members periodically.

TAM Reports: TAM publishes timely reports focusing on conditions of Assistive Technology use. The most recent is in response to the reauthorization of the 2004 Assistive Technology Act.

Visit the TAM website to see the variety of information about assistive technology and special education instructional technology they have available, as well as info about joining.

http://www.tamcec.org/

Posted by Susanne Croasdaile at 5:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Quality Indicators for Assistive Technology Services (QIAT--pronounced "quiet") is a nationwide collegial endeavor dedicated to the development and implementation of quality assistive technology services in school settings.

Check out the quality indicators that can be used as a tool to support our teams as we:
- strive to develop and provide quality assistive technology services aligned to federal, state and local mandates
- evaluate and constantly improve our services
- deliver programs that promote the development of the competencies needed to provide quality assistive technology services

http://sweb.uky.edu/%7Ejszaba0/QIAT.html

Posted by Susanne Croasdaile at 5:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Want to build up your AT reference shelf?

Visit the WATI (Wisconsin Assistive Technology Initiative) site's free downloads page. There are some Spanish-language materials there, too!

http://www.wati.org/Products/freematerials.html

Posted by Susanne Croasdaile at 6:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Podcasts, blogs, and videocasts (Vodcasts) are becoming increasingly popular tools for sharing information. Podcasts, which are audio files, allow users to record interviews, lectures, and conversations, and convert them to portable MP3 files. MP3 files can then be shared on IPODs, portable MP3 players, and for ITunes subscribers. While these tools offer multiple formats to share information....they are often not accessible to individuals who are deaf. Thus, to assure accessible podcasts, the creator needs to keep in mind the importance of developing a text transcript.

Several tools that have been found to be helpful in accomplishing a podcast include the software programs Audacity (a free open source program), Total Recorder Pro, and Juice. For creating transcripts, users might consider investing in a speech recognition product such as Dragon Naturally Speaking (preferred or professional version 10).

For more information, visit: http://easi.cc/podcasts/

Posted by Fran Smith at 10:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

VCU TTAC AT Team members Sharon Jones and Kelly Ligon have "pushed the limits" of our AT blog and posted our first audio podcast. To hear this download, check the blog listing from their visit to the national Closing the Gap conference.

Posted by Fran Smith at 1:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

While at the recent Closing the Gap coference I attended a session hosted by Boston Public Schools Access Technology Center, the developers of the SAM model for AT delivery. One of the many documents that was presented to the participants was an updated continuum of AT from low to high tech. This document contains valuable information that can be shared with team members when meeting for IEP's or even by Child Study teams trying to find strategies for assisting struggling students. Download this file now.

Download file

Posted by Mona at 11:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

TechKnowledgy 2006 got off to a great start with a rousing keynote address by Mr. Nate Sparks. As an advocate for students with disabilities, Nate opened with several personal vignettes of people that he's known, the challenges that they've faced, and the triumphs they've enjoyed because of assistive technology. His address ended with a selection from his newest CD, showcasing his talent as a country musician.

Posted by Fran Smith at 6:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Assistive Technology Educational Network (ATEN) of Florida has posted a great "alphabet soup" document for the field of AT. Click here http://www.aten.scps.k12.fl.us/resources/aysk.html
to see the list of acronyms to know. This list is tailored to Florida, but any AT team could adapt it as a resource for staff!

Posted by Susanne Croasdaile at 6:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

If you haven't seen it before, take a look-- the Wisconsin Assistive Technology Initiative (WATI) has a concise info sheet/article on Writing AT in the IEP
www.wati.org/AT_Services/pdf/atintheeip.pdf

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

The VCU TTAC assistive technology team members will be presenting at the upcoming Virginia Department of Education's Technology Leadership Conference, Nov 29-Dec 1, 2006. Our topic, "The AT-TechNet Blog - Providing Assistive Technology Support to Regional Teams", is scheduled on Thursday, November 30, 2006 at 1:45 PM.

Posted by Fran Smith at 10:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Follow this link to find how to make a moisture guard for almost any device, from keyboards, remote controls, or AAC devices. This trick utilizes a box of window insulation material found at any hardware store for under $20.

http://www.iltech.org/techtalk.asp#tendollar

Posted by Mona at 1:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

We have received a pre-production demonstration model of the TANGO AAC device to preview for 3 weeks. The TANGO has been developed by leading experts in the field of language and speech development. Pati King-DeBaun, Caroline Musselwhite, Linda Burkhart and Karen Erickson have lent their expertise for the development of this product. The TANGO is designed to be dynamic which allows for more conversational turns with the AAC user. It is programed with hundreds of phrases categorized according to "talk topic". It also has features for self programming and forming sentences and phrases using a word prediction method. Another feature of the TANGO is the built in digital camera which will allow the user, family member or teacher to take photos of events or objects. The TANGO also includes voice morphing which will allow the AAC user to whine, whisper or shout a phrase.

Ablenet will be shipping the TANGO to consumers who ordered the device in late September. Right now the device features a child's voice but plans are in the works to make teen and adult voice versions. If you are interested in seeing how the TANGO operates call us at T/TAC in the next 2 weeks before we ship it back to the company.

For more information regarding the TANGO visit their website at:

http://www.blink-twice.com/

Posted by Mona at 2:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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.

Posted by Susanne Croasdaile at 6:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The SETT Framework is the brainchild of Joy Smiley Zabala, an assistive technology specialist. It's "an organizational tool to help collaborative teams create Student-centered, Environmentally useful, and Tasks-focused Tool systems" that support students with disabilities in accessing and succeeding in the general education curriculum. The following excerpt is drawn from Joy Zabala's website (http://sweb.uky.edu/~jszaba0/SETTupdate2002.html):

The SETT Framework is built on the premise that in order to develop an appropriate system of assistive technology devices and services, teams must first gather information about the student, the customary environments in which the students spend their time, and the tasks that are required for the students to be active participants in the teaching/learning processes that lead to educational success. It is believed that the elements of the SETT Framework, with minor adjustments, can also be applied to non-educational environments and service plans.

Critical Elements of SETT
Collaboration
Communication
Multiple Perspectives
Pertinent information
Shared Knowledge
Flexibility
On-going Processes

It must be remembered that SETT is a framework, not a protocol. The questions under each section of the SETT Framework are expected to guide discussion rather than be complete and comprehensive in and of themselves. As each of these questions is explored, it is likely that many other questions will arise. The team continues the exploration until there is consensus that there is enough shared knowledge to make an informed, reasonable decision that can be supported by data.

For more about the framework, visit Joy Zabala's site (http://sweb.uky.edu/~jszaba0/SETTupdate2002.html).

Posted by Susanne Croasdaile at 6:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

How successful is your AT team? Do you sometimes feel like you're headed in the right direction but don't know what to do next? Do you need to determine an area in your AT delivery that needs a some improvement?

The Alliance for Technology Access (ATA) has developed a short mini-assessment that would be a valuable tool for AT teams to use as a self assessment. It can be used as a guide to further improve your AT delivery. Check it out at this website.

http://www.ataccess.org/resources/atk12/miniassessment.html

Posted by Mona at 1:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

How many times have you worked with an IEP team to determine appropriate AT for a student, purchased it and then discovered that it was never used; it's still in the box because no one got the training; etc.?
The National Assistive Technology Research Institute (NATRI) has developed the Assistive Technology Planner to help IEP teams to monitor the status of the assistive technology used with individual students, as well as who is responsible for training, maintenance and evaluation. Just think, if the planner followed the student throughout his school career, educators and families would be able to make more informed decisions about the assistive technology needs of the student. The planner will be available through the Technology and Media Division (TAM) of CEC at http://www.tamcec.org
To see the planner go to: http://natri.uky.edu/atPlannermenu.html

Continue reading "Assistive Technology Planning Tool" »

Posted by Kelly Ligon at 1:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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.

Posted by Susanne Croasdaile at 5:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)