TREATS
Technology Resources for Education's
Assistive Technology Solutions
Weekly
Resources for the Assistive Technology Service Provider Community
Compiled by
David Grapka (David@TREcenter.org)
Technology
Resources for Education (T.R.E.) Center TREcenter.org
------------------------------------
Note: Some links are
time-sensitive. Access to some may require registration or free
subscriptions.
QUOTE OF THE
WEEK: “If you find a path with no
obstacles, it probably doesn’t lead anywhere.”
Frank A. Clark
UNIVERSAL
DESIGN FOR LEARNING WEBSITES OF THE WEEK:
· http://www.cedu.niu.edu/tlrn/projectaccept/resources.html
click here for a wealth of resources on both AT and UDL including powerpoints and simulations.
· http://www.educause.edu/pub/eq/eqm05/eqm0511.asp?bhcp=1
Planning for Neomillennial Learning Styles, By
Chris Dede. Shifts in
students’ learning style will prompt a shift to active construction of
knowledge through mediated immersion
This article on curriculum development
for all is written by one of the leading futurists of our time.
· http://rtecexchange.edgateway.net/cs/rtecp/view/
These are links to streaming video.
· http://blogoehlert.typepad.com/eclippings/2005/05/bill_gates_amer.html
Complete text of Bill Gates' "High Schools Are Obsolete" speech to
the National Governor's Association.
ACCESS
SOLUTIONS:
· http://www.naturalvoices.com/To hear a demo of the AT&T natural voices.
· http://www.open-at.org.uk/speechmakers/
To have powerpoint read to a
student using sythesized speech, download and use
this program called PowerTalk. it will
read all TEXT on the slides (but will not highlight as it reads) (from homlishw@CLIU.ORG
· http://www.retech.com.au/RoboMount.htm
The RoboMount is a robotic
wheelchair mounting built to support an AAC device or laptop computer. It is
designed to give the wheelchair occupant independence in setting up, operating
and stowing a device by single switch operation.
ADMINISTRATOR
SOLUTIONS:
· http://www.oms.nysed.gov/plan05/plan05.htm
To learn the Mission, Vision and Strategic Plan for the Education of Students
in New York State, check out this site.
· http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/tech/tech213.shtml
Three Keys to Implementing a Laptop Program: Over-Plan, Over-Train, and
Over-Support
ADVOCACY
SOLUTIONS:
· Joanne
Wilson Leaves Bush Administration Job In Protest, April
28, 2005. WASHINGTON, DC--The following three paragraphs are excerpts from a
story in the Washington Post:
o
The woman who, until recently, led the
federal government effort to get the nation's disabled into the workforce is
lashing out at the Bush administration, saying it is quietly attempting to
"dismantle" programs critical to helping the blind, deaf and
otherwise disabled find jobs.
o
Joanne Wilson, who left her job as
commissioner of the Rehabilitation Services Administration on March 1, now says
she quit in protest of what she said were the administration's largely
unnoticed efforts to gut the office's funding and staffing.
o
"Programs for people with
disabilities are being dismantled, and nobody is crying out and saying, 'Look
what's happening,'" said Wilson, who, as RSA commissioner, was one of the
government's highest-ranking disabled officials. Entire article:
"Disabled Program Changes Decried" http://www.inclusiondaily.com/news/05/red/0428b.htm
· http://www.distance-educator.com/dnews/Article13501.phtml
Technology Counts 2005: Electronic Transfer,
Economic And Policy Forces Are Moving Technology
Dollars In New Directions. Source: Education Week. Like it or not, the financial landscape of
educational technology is changing. Technology Counts 2005—the eighth edition
of Education Week’s annual report on educational technology—tracks the economic
and policy forces that are converging to push those changes, which are
happening at the federal, state, and local levels.
JUST FOR FUN:
· http://www.widro.com/throwpaper.html
perfect for your next recreation period – wherever that may be.
RESEARCH SOLUTIONS:
· http://nl.pilotonlinelearning.com This is an
article on how one independent educational software publisher partnered with a university
and a school district to conduct a study
on the effectiveness of their software. (Mitchell Weisburgh)
· http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=46677
Study Shows Web-Based Learning Improves Reading
Skills Among Middle School Students. Source:usnewswire.com Maryland Public Television (MPT) today
announced the results of a scientific evaluation of web-based resources used in
classroom instruction and their positive effect on reading performance among
middle school students.
TEACHING SOLUTIONS:
· http://www.freedigitalphotos.net
This site contains a variety of free web-quality
photos, which you can browse by topic or search by name. Many are simple photos of things like food,
useful for a communication board, newsletter, digital book, etc. (Kirsten
Haugen)
VENDOR
PARTNER WEBSITES AND NEWS:
*
http://www.accessiblebookcollection.org Accessible Books
*
http://www.aacconnections.com AAC connections
* http://www.ablenetinc.com Ablenet
* http://www.alphasmart.com Alphasmart
* http://www.brookespublishing.com/store/books/giangreco-3238/
from Bill McGrath
*
http://www.closingthegap.com
Closing
The Gap
*
http://www.colligo.us Reading:
Access and Comprehension
*
http://www.cricksoft.com Crick Software
*
http://www.ea-software.com Educational
Activities Software
*
http://www.enkidu.net Enkidu joins Dynavox
* http://www.greatleaps.com Great
Leaps Reading
*
http://www.infogrip.com Home of the “BIGtrack”
*
http://www.inspiration.com Inspiration
*
http://www.intellitools.com IntelliTools, Inc.
*
http://www.kurzweiledu.com/products_k3000win_demo.asp
*
http://www.laureatelearning.com Laureate Learning
Systems
* http://www.magictouch.com The
Leader in Touchscreen Technology
* http://www.madentec.com Madentec
*
http://www.nasdse.com RIATT
at NASDSE
* http://rjcooper.com/site-map#arms RJ Cooper
*
http://www.sunburst-store.com
Sunburst Software
*
http://www.texthelp.com Makers of Read and Write
Gold
*
http://words-plus.com Words
Plus
Please forward T.R.E.A.T.S. to your
friends and colleagues who want to learn Assistive Technology Issues and
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Sincerely,
David Grapka,
ATP, ATS,
Project Coordinator, T.R.E. Center
NASDSE Certified Assistive Technology
Specialist,
RESNA Certified Assistive Technology
Practitioner
Maywood School, 1979 Central Avenue,
Albany, NY 12205
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