TREATS
Technology Resources for Education's Assistive
Technology Solutions
Weekly Resources
for the Assistive Technology Service Provider Community
Words Compiled by David Grapka
(David@TREcenter.org)
Technology Resources for Education
(T.R.E.) Center TRECenter.org
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Note: Some links are time-sensitive. Access
to some may require registration or free subscriptions.
QUOTES OF THE WEEK:
· "If
you find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn't lead anywhere." -
Frank A. Clark
· "It
is interesting to notice how some minds seem almost to create themselves,
springing up under every disadvantage and working their solitary but
irresistible way through a thousand obstacles." -
Washington Irving
UNIVERSAL DESIGN FOR LEARNING
WEBSITES OF THE WEEK:
· http://ibiblio.org/collection/ “It's
Not Your Average Library.” Home to one of the largest "collections of
collections" on the Internet, ibiblio.org is a conservancy of freely
available information, including software, music, literature, art, history,
science, politics, and cultural studies. ibiblio.org
is a collaboration of the Center for the
Public Domain and The University of
North Carolina - Chapel Hill.
· http://www.colligo.us/ Colligo,
a Universal Design for Learning Company has a new Capabilities CD. It has info on the benefits and features of
their ReadText™, Scan N Talk™, and BookCrafter Publishing Suite™ products that comply with all
the Accessibility Text Book Laws, accessibility laws and mandates. Email Larry Tingley
at larryt@colligo.us or call 888-647-3404 to
discuss specific applications answer questions or request demonstrations of
their solutions.
· http://firstmonday.org/issues/issue10_6/bloom/index.html
Using digitized primary source materials with K–12 students
makes learning content more engaging and relevant, and helps students develop a
wide range of skills. This paper highlights the use of primary source materials
in Colorado classrooms and provides a brief overview of what educators’ needs
are in order to use digitized primary source materials more efficiently and
effectively with students.
· http://www.positscience.com/science.html#matureadults
Training the Brain. "Plasticity" is the term that cognitive scientists
use to describe the ability of the brain to change itself at any age. Researchers at Posit Science Corporation in
San Francisco are trying to leverage this capacity to develop
"brain-training" software that will "re-teach" people
skills they have lost and build new neural pathways to achieve enhanced mental
capacity. The application may also have
benefits for children and adults with certain learning disabilities and
brain injuries. (from Views You Can Use” by Bill Daggett)
· Online
books and academic sites from Gerene Lynn (glynn@gw.neric.org)
o
http://www.squiglysplayhouse.com
o
http://www.bcpl.info/kidspage/stories.html
o
http://www.wiredforbooks.org/kids.htm
o
http://www.pagebypagebooks.com
o
http://www.digital.library.penn.edu/books
o
http://www.sitesforteachers.com
o
http://www.readroom.com/index.htm
o
http://www.coxhoe.durham.sch.uk
ACCESS SOLUTIONS from Gerene Lynn (Gerene@trecenter.org)
· http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/web_games.htm Some
of the games here are pretty good for learning facts.
· Keyboarding
sites from Eileen Pasquini (mailto:Eileen@TREcenter.org):
o
www.kidsdomain.com/brain/computer/type.html
o
www.computerlab.kids.new.net/keyboarding.htm
o
www.childrenssoftware.com/keyboarding.html
o
ADMINISTRATOR SOLUTIONS:
· http://www.faronics.com/html/deepfreeze.asp
DeepFreeze is a security
software that puts everything back in its place when the computer is shut off. Faronics Technologies, Inc. 800-943-6422 from Glenda
Anderson ganderso@BCOE.ORG
· http://www.wrightslaw.com/idea/law/idea.regs.propose.pdf
Proposed IDEA Regulations (97 pages)
· http://www.wrightslaw.com/idea/law/idea.regs.explain.pdf (65 pages) Explanations and comments.Regulations include sections,
subsections, and subsections to a subsection. They are intended to be read and
understood in an outline format. The original document did not visually
indent each subsection of a section, making
it difficult to read and understand.
ADVOCACY SOLUTIONS:
· http://www.advocacycenter.com/
Partners in Policymaking is an innovative national model of leadership training
for people with developmental disabilities, parents and family members. It is
designed to provide state-of-the-art knowledge about issues and policies
related to disability, and to develop participant competencies to become more
effective in influencing policy development at all levels. The overall intent
is to achieve a productive partnership between consumers and those in position
to make policy.
· http://www.disabilityisnatural.com/peoplefirstlanguage.htm
For more information on Kathy Snow and the People First Language philosophy,
ASSESSMENT SOLUTIONS:
· http://www.gpat.org/Resources%20Main.htm
For a more detailed evaluation of a student's needs in specific areas (reading,
writing, math etc.), you may want to look at these protocols listed on the
resource page under the AT Evaluation link. Also, to help provide information
about the tools listed in our resource guide, we have provided a brief
overview, online video, and links for many of the tools listed on the
guide. You can find these by going
(again) to the Resource page and clicking on the AT Devices link. (Kristy
McIntosh)
BLOG SOLUTIONS:
· http://awd.cl.uh.edu/blog Interested in blogging, but not
quite sure how to get started? A new web site from the Instructional Technology
Center at the University of Houston at Clear Lake provides some guidance for
building and utilizing blogs in the classroom.
ENGLISH/LANGUAGE ARTS:
· http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/3-8/home.html
A revised English Language Arts Core Curriculum provides grade-by-grade delineation of
the performance indicators: what students should know, and be able to do in prekindergarten - grade 12, as a result of skilled
instruction. The four ELA learning
standards remain the same. The Core
currently includes a literacy strand, pre-kindergarten through grade 8. The literacy strand will be extended through
high school and posted on this site when it becomes available.
· http://www.contentbank.org/doms/assets/pdf/highlights.pdf Children's Partnership recently released the report Measuring Digital Opportunity for America's Children: Where we Stand and Where We Go From Here, which estimates that 61 percent of adults with disabilitities have not attempted to get