Volume 6, Issues #19 & 20 for Weeks of 5/16 and 5/23/05

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.

QUOTES OF THE WEEK:

· "Every man should periodically be compelled to listen to opinions which are infuriating to him. To hear nothing but what is pleasing to one is to make a pillow of the mind." St. John Ervine

· "Honest differences of views and honest debate are not disunity. They are the vital process of policy-making among free men." Herbert Hoover

· "It is the man who does not want to express an opinion whose opinion I want." Abraham Lincoln

UNIVERSAL DESIGN FOR LEARNING WEBSITES OF THE WEEK:

· http://www.skillsforaccess.org.uk Skills for Access is a new comprehensive web guide to multimedia, e-learning and accessibility. (Sarah Stone, s.stone@sheffield.ac.uk)

· http://www.thejournal.com/magazine/vault/A5356.cfm Successful Strategies For Meeting The Needs Of Diverse Learners (Jeff Dorr)

· http://www.masie.com From one of the most intriguing thinkers of our time, his predictions for trends we may look forward to in the next few decades of the Learning world:

o Evolution of our "field" from a focus on training and delivery to true impacts on business processes and a much more personalized access to knowledge and learning.

o Increasing the intensity of learning experiences. From newer models of classroom engagement to adding the power of gaming and simulation to the learning process.

o Globalizing our awareness of knowledge and learning. Let's incorporate the learning widsom of our international colleagues.

o Addding elders and brand new hires to our learning departments and listening carefully to their perspectives.

· http://www.patinsproject.com/universal_design_for_learning_project.ht m Find programs set up regarding Universal design for Learning Projects by the PATINS (Partnership for Assistive Technology in Indiana Schools) - they have some great ideas on utilization and several lesson plans available to download. (Colleen R. Renie, OTR" <crrrenie@AOL.COM)

· http://www.http:beginwithme.misd.net (from Sue Hardin, shardin@MISD.NET> Re: Classroom Management of AT. Visit this project that uses a UDL approach to tech integration.

ACCESS SOLUTIONS:

· http://www.4developers.com/talkmail/e Talking email program to read and review emails. You can download a 14 day trial - it is very easy to use. (Colleen R Renie, OTR, ATP)

· http://www.hhrc.rca.ac.uk/programmes/ra/2003/natascha.html Here is a unique font for people with dyslexia. (from Nancy Gill nbowneg@AOL.COM

· http://www.inclusive.co.uk/downloads/downloads.shtmll Free switch accessible CD player for the PC. (Dave Hohulin dhohulin@UCPNET.ORG)

· http://www.enablingdevices.com has a switch adapted portable CD player for $75 and an adapted boom box for $100 (CD, tape, radio). You can also use a battery interrupt device in the battery compartment to temporarily adapt any battery operated device or a Powerlink (www.ablenetinc.com) or similar environmental control unit to adapt any appliance to operate in on/off or timed modes. You can buy an interrupt device from Enabling Devices or AbleNet, or make your own with instructions: http://www.ataccess.org/resources/wcp/enswitches/enadaptingtoy.html (Kirsten Haugen) haugen@4J.LANE.EDU)

· http://www.tandt-consultancy.com/j-say.html for info on integration for Dragon Naturally Speaking and Jaws for Windows called JSay. This technology is a new design and has very broad command-and-control with interactive help and support features to assist a new user learning to use the technology. "Ed. Rosenthal" edward@NGTVOICE.COM

· http://www.kurzweiledu.com/webex/ To learn of dates for a scheduled training sessions on the new Kurzweil version 9. (James Nuttall <jnuttallphd@YAHOO.COM>

ADMINISTRATOR SOLUTIONS:

· http://www.vesid.nysed.gov/specialed/idea/regsnotice.htm A draft of the proposed amendment to the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education to conform State regulations to the new requirements in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is now available for review and public comment through July 23, 2005. Please share.

· http://www.citeducation.org/ NCTI is pleased to announce the work of a new technology implementation center funded by OSEP, the Office of Special Education Programs at the U.S. Department of Education. The Center is establishing a system of technical assistance and professional development for state and district teams to implement and evaluate evidence-based practices. Click here to find out more.

ASSESSMENT SOLUTIONS:

· http://www.polyxo.com/documents/ Teaching Children with Autism. This web site has some generic data collection forms that you might use as a basis for your data collection - much depends on what type of data you are trying to collect - Colleen Renie

BILINGUAL SOLUTIONS:

· http://www.google.com/language_tools and babelfish.altavista.com can translate a small amount of text from English to Spanish, but may not be accurate when you need to account for nuance, regional variations, or colloquialisms. Sites that specialize in translation software for e-mail and word-processed docs include http://www.freetranslation.com and http://www.systransoft.com If you intend to do business or correspond frequently with people speaking a different language, consider a professional translation program or service where human beings convert communications.

COMMUNICATION SOLUTIONS

· http://www.isaac-online.org and http://www.aacinstitute.org. ISAAC (International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication) and AAC Institute have collaborated on the development of a directory of AAC research that includes contact and content information on universities and other organizations engaged in AAC research.

· SSPT is free software to facilitate measurement of the ability to activate a single switch. SSPT can be downloaded at the AAC Institute web site: www.aacinstitute.org. Under Products and Services, click on Single Switch Performance Test.

· https://www.respitematch.com/ David Jayne, a 17 year survivor of ALS, Lou Gehrig's disease, operates an Internet service for matching people with disabilities with service delivery professionals who will work in the home setting.

CONSULTING SOLUTIONS:

· http://www.fetaweb.com/02/mistakes.evaluators.crabtree.htm Here are some serious mistakes independent evaluators should try to avoid.

· http://www.ihealthrecord.org to access your medical records while traveling -- Marilynn Mobley (mmobley@secureworks.com) Medem, Inc., a for-profit company affiliated with the American Medical Association, offers an Internet-based "personal health record" that patients can use to organize their family's medical histories.

DISTANCE EDUCATION

· http://thejournal.com/magazine/vault/A5352.cfm awareness of using UDL in the development of online curriculum development. The printed magazine version has a nice little "Guidelines for developing Online Courses" (Jeff Dorr)

· http://thejournal.com/magazine/vault/A5357.cfm This article deals with Tech and ESL

FUNDING SOLUTIONS:

· http://www.nationaltechcenter.org/competition/default.asp CTI Technology in the Works Collaborative Short Term Competition to increase the evidence base of technology tools for instruction of students with disabilities and to support collaboration between researchers and vendors/developers.

· https://www.meetinglink.org/tech-conference/regform_affiliation.asp> Office of special education projects

· http://www.nationaltechcenter.org/competition/default.asp NCTI will award up to four subcontracts of $15,000 each for short-term quasi-experimental evaluation studies of K-12 instructional and/or assistive technology. The following information describes the purpose of the awards, including the proposal submission criteria and review process.

GIFTED LEARNING DISABLED SOLUTIONS:

· http://www.2enewsletter.com/

· http://helendowland.terminus.net.au/gifted_learning_disabled.htm

· http://www.ldonline.org/ld_indepth/gt_ld/conover.html

· http://members.aol.com/discanner/ld.html

· http://www.kidsource.com/kidsource/content/Gifted_learning_disabled.html

· http://www.nexus.edu.au/teachstud/gat/sherwood.htm

· http://www.twicegifted.net/ld.htm

· http://www.uniquelygifted.or