Technology Resources for Education's Assistive Technology Solutions

Weekly Resources for the Assistive Technology Service Provider Community

Volume 5, Issue #28 for Week of 7/12/04

Compiled by David Grapka (email: David@Trecenter.org)

Technology Resources for Education (T.R.E.) Center http://www.TRECenter.org

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Note: Some links are time-sensitive.  Access to some may require registration or free subscriptions.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “"The right to be heard does not automatically include the right to be taken seriously."Unknown

UNIVERSAL DESIGN FOR LEARNING WEBSITES OF THE WEEK:

• http://www.specialconnections.ku.edu/cgi-bin/cgiwrap/specconn/index.php A new website designed for all educators to use to help all students access the general education curriculum.
• http://ncam.wgbh.org/webaccess/magpie/ Developers of Web- and CD-ROM-based multimedia need an authoring tool for making their materials accessible to persons with disabilities. The CPB/WGBH National Center for Accessible Media (NCAM) has developed two such tools, version 1.0 and 2.01 of the Media Access Generator (MAGpie), for creating captions and audio descriptions for rich media.

ACCESS SOLUTIONS:

• http://www.nationaltechcenter.org/resources/ResourcesListservs.asp This page lists most of the key listserves in the field of assistive technology, organized by category. Check to make sure you are on the listserve most appropriate to your interests.
• http://knowbility.org/index.jsp Knowbility's web site is a place where you can learn how and why to make technology accessible to everyone - including people with disabilities.

ADMINISTRATIVE SOLUTIONS:

· http://www2.edc.org/LNT/news/Issue9/feature1.htm School districts today are faced with multiple needs generated by standards-based reform, the implementation of technology, and the mandates of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).  Through the collaboration of general and special education in its technology planning, Concord, New Hampshire has worked to align those efforts.  From Lee, Linnie - School Instructional Technology" llee@KDE.STATE.KY.US

ASSESSMENT SOLUTIONS

• http://www.lexile.com/EntrancePageFlash.html Usually, I place an AT Assessment website here, but this week, I wanted to share this site with you because it represents a trend that textbook publishers are following. And for those of us who are interested in accessible media, we need to be aware of how Lexile is influencing the marketplace – for better or worse.

AUGMENTATIVE COMMUNICATION SOLUTIONS:

· http://speeches.com/index.aspx This is a paid link from Google. It said on the link: Instant Speech Generator Your Speech in Seconds. While some speakers are overrated, I didn't realize how easy it was going to be to replace them (us) with some Internet gimmick. But some of your students/clienjts could use this! (from David Zach (dave@davidzach.com)

CONSULTING SOLUTIONS:

• http://www.techlearning.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=22100507 Professional Development QuickTips: Upgrading Skills. Your district just upgraded to new programs but some of the teachers are attached to their old software and are not going to like to let go. Here's how to convince them to learn and use the new programs. [Archives] From Tech Learning News)
• http://www.albany.edu/cpr/gf/resources/survey-tools-online.html a collection of online survey tools!
• http://ctb.ku.edu/index.jsp The goal of the Community Tool Box. Our goal is to support your work in promoting community health and development. The Tool Box provides over 6,000 pages of practical skill-building information on over 250 different topics. Topic sections include step-by-step instruction, examples, check-lists, and related resources.
• http://www.uiweb.com/issues/issue34.htm This is an excellent resource on all you have ever wanted to know about how to run a brainstorming meeting. If you have “brainstormed” before, and you think you know how to do it, I can pretty much guarantee you that this page will help you improve!

FUNDING SOLUTIONS:

• http://www.alphasmart.com/solutions/index.html ALPHASMART has a new section on their website for research, grants, applications for our tools. Check them out!
• http://www.techlearning.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=22101378 How to Get Free Stuff for Teachers Some things in life are free, and here are some free educational resources from posters to organizers to educational search engines online. (From Tech Learning News)

LEGAL SOLUTIONS:

• http://www.wrightslaw.com/law/code_regs/IDEARegs_AppendixA.htm Who is Ultimately Responsible for Providing FAPE? To learn more about the responsibilities and obligations of state educational agencies (state departments of education), read 20 U. S. C. § 1412(a). Next, read the answer to Question 15 in Appendix A to the special education regulations which says, in part: "The SEA must ensure that every eligible child with a disability in the State has FAPE available, regardless of which State or local agency is responsible for educating the child . . . The SEA must ensure that no eligible child with a disability is denied FAPE due to jurisdictional disputes among agencies. (Wrightslaw: Special Education Law, pages 217-8; From Emotions to Advocacy, pages 263-4).

TEACHING SOLUTIONS:

• http://www.americaconnects.net/research/wordplusESOL.asp
• http://www.spclc.org/Curriculum/
• http://clc.unhny.org/resources/adulted_matrix.cfm Under a Field Innovation Grant from ACC, three CTCs developed curriculum or resources that are relevant to your needs. Check out the Basic Skills Curriculum, the Word Plus ESL curriculum, and the Matrix for Learning,
• , http://www.americaconnects.net.ACC is the technical assistance provider for the US Department of Education's Community Technology Centers program. These and other great free products developed under their mini-grant program are available at our web site
• http://www.techlearning.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=18700330 A strategic guide to integrating digital video into your lessons.
• These websites may have resources that you can use in providing training and curriculum content for computer, internet and technology teaching of adults including ESL adults.
• Coalition to Access Technology and Networking: Learning Links http://uac.utoledo.edu/metronet/catnet/learning_links.htm This link will give perhaps some ideas and an organization running this kind of program for advice, pointers and perhaps support:
• Conley Elementary partners with NHC to offer ESL, computer training for adults http://www1.aldine.k12.tx.us/news/specific_article.cfm?ID=303
• Learning and Skills Development http://www.workinfonet.ca/cwn/english/index.cfm?cat=2&sub=334&start_row=41
• Curriculum Resources for CTCs and Other Organizations: Inexpensive and free resources for training November 03, 2003. Author: Matina Seremetis Source: TechSoup http://www.techsoup.org/howto/articlepage.cfm?ArticleId=525
• ABE Adult Basic Education Online Guide Selected Resources for Adult Educators: Lesson plans & curriculum guides Special populations, Interactive forums Associations & conferences, Adult-ed journals & search engines
• http://www.edworks.org/teachers/online_teacher_resources.htm
• I hope that these resources are helpful both to the original requestor and to others on this discussion group. <from David Dillard, Temple University

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 announces the Neo.” Like the AlphaSmart 3000, Neo has a rugged design and delivers long battery life, but has a 50% larger screen, new font technology, and twice the storage capacity.  Neo by AlphaSmart's list price starts at $249, with education discount price starting at $229 and additional discounts for volume orders. A classroom set of 30, which includes everything necessary to manage, charge, store, and transport the devices is available starting at $7950 Available Summer 2004.

* http://www.closingthegap.com                    Closing The Gap

* http://www.colligo.us/                                 Where your handwriting is read back to you!

* http://www.cricksoft.com                           Crick Software

* http://www.ea-software.com                      Educational Activities Software

* http://www.enkidu.net/                               Enkidu joins Dynavox.

* http://www.infogrip.com                             Home of the “BIGtrack”

* http://www.inspiration.com/palmoscompare

* http://www.intellitools.com                                     IntelliTools, Inc.,

* http://www.laureatelearning.com               Laureate Learning Systems

* http://www.magictouch.com/           The Leader in Touchscreen Technology.

* www.madentec.com                     Madentec

* http://www.nasdse.com                               RIATT at NASDSE

* http://www.rjcooper.com/2+2 R. J. Cooper

* http://www.sunburst-store.com                 Sunburst Software

* http://www.texthelp.com                            textHelp! 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 Solutions. Thanks!

Dear Friends and Colleagues:

This weekly email newsletter is free and provides information useful to the community of people interested in the use of technology as a tool to help "level the playing field" for students with disabilities. 

If you have information to share that would be of value to members of our learning community, including job notices, please write and let us know. We'll be happy to share it here or at our web site. Contact, reprint, and subscription information is at the end of this document.

As always, thank you for your interest in the TRE Center and our work.  We look forward to having you share your wisdom with the people on this list and with those you serve.

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

Phone: 518-456-9290.

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