Technology Resources for Education (T.R.E.) Center
Assistive Technology Resources for New York State
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Technology Resources for Education (T.R.E.) Center Assistive Technology Resources for New York State |
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Publications - TRE Matters Newsletter |
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Winter 2000 - 2001 VOLUME 11 • NUMBER 4 Free Newsletter
INSIDE THIS ISSUE 1. T.R.E. Open Houses 2. Open House Guest Presenter 3. Resources 4. Preview Center Additions 5. CDROM Release 5. TRECENTER.ORG Update 6. Conferences 7. Workshops
What is the T.R.E. Center?
The Technology Resources for Education (T.R.E.) Center is supported by VESID and Capital Region BOCES to be a statewide resource for information, training and other services dealing with assistive technology for schools, therapists, parents and anyone with a disability. A state resource since 1988.
How can I access TRE Services?
Hotline: 1-800-248-YTRE (9873) Outside NY: 518-456-9290 Internet: TRECenter.org Email: Info@TRECenter.org Walk In: BOCES, 1979 Central Ave. Albany, NY 12205
What are T.R.E.'s Services?
For more information check out our website at TRECENTER.ORG or call.
Fee Based Services
A.T. Device Loan & Training Service
Itinerant "Rent A Tech" (Onsite) Service
Student Assistive Technology Consultations Training on various A.T. topics
Free Services / Activities
A.T. Guidelines for New York State
Building Delegates C.A.A.T.S.P.A. Information & Referral Newsletter (TRE Matters) Preview Center Website (TRECENTER.ORG)
TRE Center Open House Schedule
T.R.E. has been holding one "open house" each month again to allow people to access our resources, and talk to our staff first hand in a casual setting. The remaining dates and times are as follows: Mark your calendar &emdash; Second Friday of every month March 9th 10-2 (April is Good Friday &emdash; TRE closed) May 11th 3-5
TRE Center Open House : Guest Presenter from Ireland by Gail Bamber
Recently I was fortunate enough to spend the day, demonstrating our software at a TRE Center open house. Although textHELP Systems Ltd is an Irish based company I am based in New York State until the end of June and would be happy to answer any queries and provide demonstration support at request. As you may know we have been highly recognised, earning numerous awards, for our software specifically designed for individuals with dyslexia and other learning difficulties. So how can we help you? The core philosophy at textHELP Systems Ltd is to try make mainstream applications available to Users with learning difficulties, and we believe that our software achieves this through its support functions whilst at the same time promoting inclusive education. Students with learning difficulties have varying degrees of ability. With this in mind, we have produced software that can be customized to suit each individual. Educators can now be assured that their students are gaining the best reading and writing support available. By encompassing such features as speech, a speaking phonetic spellchecker, homonym support, thesaurus and word prediction, Read & Write and Type & Talk provide the tools to allow students to progress independently, gaining motivation and satisfaction. Our new product called Wordsmith, combines updated versions of these tools with the ability to scan documents directly into Word 97 or Word 2000 enabling on-screen editing and text reading of the scanned material. All of the above products include a built-in ScreenReader which can also be purchased separately as well as being available for download from our website at www.texthelp.com. Please contact me directly Gail Bamber Sales & Marketing Executive Email : gail@texthelp.com US Office 914 237 1588 Free Phone Answer Service 1 888 333 9907 Toll Free Fax 1 877 631 5991
Are you connected? Online Resources
If you have access to the internet &emdash; which means everybody today &emdash; you can join our email list that distributes resources biweekly for free. A recent example follows.
1. To make this list more accessible and useable, I encourage you to subscribe to TRE's fully functional listserve with Digest capability for messages, access to Files, Calendar and Polling functions, Links Database, Chat and more. To join, please do the following: a. go to http://www.trecenter.org/discuss-email.htm b. Click on "TRE Center" under Discussion Groups. c. Click on "Subscribe." d. Select your membership options from the following: Message Delivery: o Send EMAIL messages to <your EMAIL address> o Send a daily digest of messages (many emails in one message) to <your EMAIL address> o Don't send me EMAIL, I'll read the messages at the Web site o Member Profile: Display my profile to members of this group 0 Status: You are a member of this community. e. Follow the prompts and mouse around!
2. http://www.indetech.com/productfunction.html The advanced gyro-balanced system is designed to operate on four wheels or two wheels, stabilizing the user by instantly and automatically adjusting and balancing itself. Among its many design features is its ability to allow a seated user to move about at eye-level while balanced on two wheels. Its rotating four-wheel base is designed to allow the user to climb stairs and traverse uneven and hilly terrain, such as grass, sand and rocky pathways. In its four-wheel operation the device is designed to climb over street curbs, while keeping the seated user level and balanced. 3. Tired of Typing with Keys?: MSNBC has a great article on emerging alternatives to typing with traditional keyboards. Check it out at
http://www.msnbc.com/news/498762.asp?0nm=-1GS
4. http://www.gwmicro.com/ Vocal-Eyes was designed to enhance career opportunities for the visually impaired by providing fast and flexible access to the wealth of software used by business and professionals. Important independence and productivity gains can be realized by integrating Vocal-Eyes' many voice features into almost any word processor, data base management program, or spreadsheet. 5. One on One: A Directory of Adaptive Technology Trainers for Blind Computer Users is now available from National Braille Press. It includes trainers who charge for their services as well as volunteers who offer free tech support. It also offers pointers on how to select a trainer and lists of state agencies that offer computer help. The directory is available in Braille, large print and PortaBook formats and is sold for only $12. National Braille Press is located at 88 Stephen Street in Boston, MA 02115-4302. Their phone number is (800) 548-7323 or you can order from their web site at http://www.nbp.org/catalogue.html. Submitted by Judy Piscitello.
PRESS RELEASE
SPECIAL EDUCATION PUBLIC DOMAIN CD-ROM FOR MACINTOSH January, 2001: Technology for Language and Learning, a non-profit organization that distributes Special Education Public Domain Software, announces the availability of its new collection of quality public domain software / shareware for special education on CD-ROM. MacPac 2 contains 2 CD-ROMs, each with over 600 MB of programs for your Macintosh computer. For a limited time, a Bonus CD, with an additional 100 MB of programs will be included with the order. Some of the main categories included are o Single Switch Cause and Effect Programs o Keyboard Bangers (Press any key programs) o Learn to Use the Mouse- Programs to practice mouse, head mouse skills o Symbol Use, Learning Letters o Preschool, Kindergarten o Language, Reading and Writing , Spelling o Favorite Friends (Programs with all your favorites- Barney, Blues Clues, FreddiFish, Madeline, Ernie, Bert, Elmo and many more) o Math/Money/Time, Science, Social Studies o Reasoning and Thinking o Word Games, Concentration, Simon Games, Board/Card Games, Arcade Games o Keyboarding o Art, Music, Clip Art, Holiday/Seasons o Teaching Tools, Utilities, and more As a special feature, MacPac2 contains over 100 set-ups for specialized programs like IntelliPics, ClickIt!, IntelliKeys, and Boardmaker. There's an on-screen keyboard, sign language programs, screensavers, ESL programs, and much more. All MacPac 2 programs require System 7 or higher. All programs that work with the mouse will work with the Touch Window. The entire package is available for only $79.00 plus $4.50 postage and handling. Purchase orders from school and agencies are accepted. Send orders / purchase orders to TLL, P.O. Box 327, East Rockaway, NY 11518 or fax POs to 516 621-3321. For questions and more information, e-mail <ForTLL@aol.com> Technology for Language and Learning is a non-profit organization and during the past 10 years has distributed collections of public domain/shareware for the Apple II computer and for the Macintosh. TLL also offers consultant services for schools and agencies seeking detailed information on technology use with children and adults with special language and learning needs.
Preview Center
We have added 5 more companies to our extensive list since the last newsletter including Don Johnston, Intellitools, Attainment, Laureate, and Edmark. Here is a list of companies that have sent us software and / or hardware within the last year.
Attainment Company, Inc., P.O. Box 930160, Verona, WI 53593-0160; (800) 327-4269; http://www.attainmentcompany.com
Broderbund Software, Inc., (Now part of The LearningCompany) http://www.Learningco.com
Communication and Information Technologies, Inc., BookWorm, Suite 16, 5463 Southern Maryland Boulevard, Lothian, MD 20711; (301) 627-2228;
Compass Learning, 9920 Pacific Heights, San Diego, CA 92121; (800) 244-0575; http://www.compasslearning.com
Don Johnston Incorporated: 800.999.4660 26799 West Commerce Drive Volo, IL 60073 http://DonJohnston.com
EDMARK, P.O. Box 97021, Redmond, WA 98073-9721; (800) 691-2986; http://www.edmark.com
Educational Activities, Inc., P.O. Box 392, Freeport, NY 11520; (800) 645-3739; (516) 223-4666; Contact: Alan Stern, Vice President; http://www.edact.com
Encore Software, Inc., 16920 South Main Street, Gardena, CA 90248-3124; (310) 768-1800
Gamco Educational Materials, Siboney Learning Group, 8135 Forsyth Blvd., Suite 212, Clayton, MO 63105; (800) 351-1404; http://www.gamco.com
Harmonic Vision, Inc., 68 East Wacker Place, 7th floor, Chicago, IL 60601; (800) 474-0903 or (312) 332-9200; http://www.harmonicvision.com
Inspiration Software, Inc., 7412 SW Beaverton Hillsdale Hwy, Suite 102, Portland, OR 97225-2167; (800) 877-4292; http://www.inspiration.com
IntelliTools, Inc., 1720 Corporate Circle, Petaluma, CA 94954; (800) 899-6687; http://www.intellitools.com
Judy Lynn Software, Inc., P.O. Box 373, East Brunswick, NJ 08816; (732)390-8845; http://intac.com/~judylynn/
Knowledge Adventure, 4100 West 190th Street, Torrance, CA 90504; (800) 545-7677; Contact: Mary Ann Scovel; http://www.knowledgeadventure.com
Laureate Learning Systems, Inc., 110 E. Spring Street, Winooski, VT 05404; (802) 655-4755; Contact: Mary Sweig Wilson, Ph.D. (CCC-SLP), President; http://www.laureatelearning.com
Lee Products Company, 800 East 80th Street, Minneapolis, MN 55420; (800) 989-3544; http://www.leeproducts.com
Madentec, 3022 Calgary Trail South, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6J 6V4; (780) 450-8926; http://www.madentec.com
MAXIS, 2121 N. California Boulevard, Suite 600, Walnut Creek, CA 94596-3572; (510) 933-5630; Contact: Roger Johnsen, Customer Support Manager; http://www.simcity.com
MindPlay, 160 W. Fort Lowell, Tucson, AZ 85705; (800) 221-7911; Contact: Lori Foster, Educational Sales Consultant; http://www.mindplay.com
Rand McNally, 8255 N. Central Park Avenue, Skokie, IL 60076; (800) 333-0136 x 6538; http://www.randmcnally.com
textHELP! Systems, Antrim, BT41 4LJ Northern Ireland, Email : gail@texthelp.com US Office 914 237 1588 http://www.texthelp.com
Tom Snyder Productions, 80 Coolidge Hill Road, Watertown, MA 02172-2817; (617) 926-6000; http://www.teachtsp.com
WizCom Technologies, Inc., 257 Great Road, Acton, MA 01720; (888) 777-0552; http://www.wizcomtech.com
ATTENTION ALL A.T. SPECIALISTS AND WRITERS!
The T.RE. Center wants to publish you in T.R.E. Matters, the statewide newsletter for Assistive Technology. Here is your chance to become famous, add to your resume, and help others by sharing your knowledge and experience!
For our readership of over 3,500 we are interested in publishing human interest stories and anecdotes, information about current events and resources, and qualitative research in any of the following topical areas:
MS Word, Mac format on disk or e-mail is the preferred method of receiving and processing your material. Please include a SASE if you want a hard copy of your material returned. Thank you in advance! Sincerely TRE Matters Staff Toll free (In NY): 1-800-248-9873 E-mail: TREMatters@TRECENTER.ORG Website: http://WWW.TRECENTER.ORG
Please send your article(s), along with any photos or graphics, to: Jeff Dorr
TRECENTER.ORG Website Update
The TRE Center's website, TRECENTER.ORG has been upgraded! We moved our site to a new server so we can provide better service to you. Some of you experienced problems connecting to our web server and this was due to a problem with our ISP that has been erratic. In order to insure we don't have this problem again, we have moved our entire web site to a remote host that can provide more reliable and faster service. This move also means that we will be able to provide you with new services or better implementations of our current services so keep checking it out to see the latest changes. Here are some of the changes you will notice…
You can now e-mail anyone at the TRE Center by using first-name @ trecenter.org.
We can now use a majordomo mailing list function to handle our email list without going through yahoo groups. Some other tools to be added will include an online bulletin board, search the site tool, password protected areas for confidential information, audio, video, real-time streaming media and online Form Mail use.
The TRE Center Web Site provides:
Contact Information - all the ways to access us including e-mail, 800#, fax, mail, etc.
Real Time Chat & Email Listserves
Newsletters - Save the trees and read the TRE newsletters online! Get them faster than mail! You can also subscribe to the newsletter mailing list to have them emailed to you weeks before the printed copy is mailed out.
Services - What's TRE all about? All of TRE's services are outlined and described.
A.T. Resource Links - What are the most important places on the net for AT providers? We think we have assembled a great starting point for your needs here.
A.T. Trainings - What / When are the upcoming trainings? Offered by specialists from around the country. TRE, VISTA (BOCES), RIATT, etc.
Conferences & Exhibits What / When are the most important conferences & exhibits coming up?
RIATT@NASDSE Training - TRE has teamed with RIATT @ NASDSE to help provide distance learning opportunities to providers in New York State. Find all the information you need.
Recent Additions:
"Assistive Technology: The New Power Tools" Presented Jan. 17, 2001 via satellite. Check out: 1) Part I of Guide .pdf (584K) 2) Resource Materials .pdf (581K) 3) Handouts and Overheads .pdf (282K) 4) Transcript of Teleconference (.html ) Video of presentation - coming soon
TREAT Resource Guides
These are short (1-3 page) guides The guides are available online and directly from the TRE Center by walk in or mail. Current titles available are listed below.
Alternative Access (to the computer) Electronic Texts Keyboarding Software LD & ADD Portable Soutions (Low cost) Shareware, Freeware & Activities Teacher Resources Transition Resources Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Resources Visual Impairment (VI) Resources
TRE Presentations (Examples listed below)
State of the State AT Team Assessment: Promising Practices & Practical Solutions Assistive Technology for Strategic Thinkers Thinking outside the AT box: Creating A Wisdom Exchange
Conferences & Exhibits
3/13-15 AccessAbilities 2001 - AT and Augmentative Communication Conference. www.accessabilities-2001.com
3/16 11-3:30 Technology and Information Fair, NYSSB School Gym (Free) 716-343-5384 x 233
3/19-24 16th Annual International Conferance "Technology and persons with Disabilities", Los Angeles. Email: ctrdiw@csun.edu or www.csun.edu/cod , 818-677-2578
4/30-5/4 YAI / National Institute for People with Disabilities international conference on developmental and learning disabilities in NYC. www.yai.org
2000 - 2001 T.R.E. Workshop Titles
Descriptions, dates and times held are available from the TRECENTER.ORG website or by calling our hotline. A Beginner's Guide to the Internet for Special Educators Assistive and Educational Technology Resources for Teachers of Bilingual Special Education Students Alternative Input Devices for the Classroom: How Can It Help My Students? Assistive Technology: What Is It? Assistive Technology & the I.E.P: The Assessment Process Basic Operation of Macintosh Computer Bored with Making Boards? Try Boardmaker! Communication Unplugged Feelin' Groovy: Tactile Symbols for Non-verbal Students with Blindness or Low Vision Integrating Educational Software & Classroom Strategies to Assist Students with Learning Disabilities Integrating the Internet into Your Curriculum: Intermediate Level Intellikeys, Intellitalk and Intellikeys Overlay Maker (BYO Intellikeys) Paying for Assistive Technology: Challenging Issues and Practical Answers Portable Solutions for Word Processing in the Classroom Scanners and Speech Output in the Class Speech Recognition Software Technology Tools for Blind and Visually Impaired Students Technology Tools for Students with Learning Disabilities for Reading and Writing What Parents of Students with Disabilities Should Know About Assistive Technology Working with Inspiration!
is a publication of the Technology Resources for Education (T.R.E.) Center Phone: (TolI Free in NYS) 800-248-YTRE (9873) Phone: 518-456-9290 Fax: 518-456-9289
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TRE Matters