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 TRE Center.org
------------------------------------
Note:
Some links are time-sensitive. Access to some may require registration or
free subscriptions.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK:
"Excellence is an art
won by training and habitation. We do not act rightly because we have virtue or
excellence, but rather we have those because we have acted rightly. We are what
we repeatedly do. Excellence, then is not an act but a
habit."
- Aristotle
UNIVERSAL DESIGN FOR LEARNING WEBSITE OF THE
WEEK:
· http://www.kn.sbc.com/wired/21stcent/index.html The term "21st Century Literacies" refers to the skills needed to flourish in today's society and in the future. This site focuses on information, media, multicultural, and visual literacies. It contains many bibliographic and Web-based resources to help you learn and teach these literacy skills. The tools presented here are based on a 21st Century Literacies Framework and seek to promote the skills, knowledge and attitudes to help students develop effective lifelong literacy awareness, seeking, management and presentation strategies. Under each literacy area is a chart with rich lessons, divided by grade levels. (Stephan Downs)
· Rachel Billmeyer has an excellent book called “Engaging the Minds of Learners” which is full of activities to get students engaged in "thinking.” Very active learner oriented but does not contain isolated activities. (Sharon Hance)
· Brain-Based Learning: Possible Implications For Online
Instruction Source: International Journal of Instructional
Technology & Distance Learning. Answers the questions: how do we best deliver
information and facilitate student learning? http://www.distance-educator.com/dnews/Article14375.phtml
ACCESS SOLUTIONS:
· You
can custom order puzzles using your own photos or pictures, or buy inkjet
printer kits to make your own. http://www.piczzle.com/
http://www.jigsawpuzzle.com/ http://www.jigsaw2order.com/
· Check
out the transition series by ProEd: http://www.proedinc.com/ Joseph E.
Campbell, OTR/L
· Some
of you might be interested to see the short 4 minute video online at http://www.assistiveware.com/videos.php
The video is about Marie-France, who lives in
ADMINISTRATOR SOLUTIONS:
· http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/3-8/
· http://www.eschoolnews.com/tsc/
Technology Solutions Center of E-Scchool News
BILINGUAL SOLUTIONS:
·
The http://www.everythingesl.net/
is a great place to visit to learn the issues for ESL Teachers, as well to get
teaching strategies and lesson plans.
There is a section on considering the difference between disability and
difference for students who have learning disabilities.
·
A Guide to Learning Disabilities for the ESL
Practitioner (http://www.kyoto-su.ac.jp/information/tesl-ej/ej01/a.4.html)
This brief article by Christine Root who teaches ESL at Harvard University and
is the parent of children with learning disabilities.
COMMUNICATION SOLUTIONS:
· Nextup talker ($99)is a
windows program made by the same people who do textaloud,
an inexpensive text to speech product. http://talkforme.com/products.html
from Dr. Jeanne Beckman qiat@JEANNEBECKMAN.COM
CONSULTING SOLUTIONS:
· Design
a “Lobby for Learning.” A simple plea to
organizations that are designing new classroom and conference centers: Make the Lobby a Learning Space! Make the space outside the classroom ready
for today and tomorrow's learning in these ways:
o
Add spaces where people can sit and carry on
private conversations before and after classes.
o
Consider adding video displays that allow someone
to leave the class and continue to watch the proceedings.
o
Build in some whiteboards or flipcharts that
allow for capture of those great thoughts in lobby conversations.
o
Construct some bookracks to let people browse
titles while on breaks.
o
Name spaces in the lobby to let facilitators
point learners to sub-groups for targeted conversations.
DEPARTMENT SOLUTIONS:
· Resources
available at http://www.sharingsuccess.org/
Laura Paris, VESID Assistant
DISTANCE ED SOLUTIONS:
· For information on an online course, “Improving
Windows accessibility,” go to http://easi.cc/forms/cantor-series.htm
FUNDING SOLUTIONS: FREE,
SHAREWARE, or TRIAL DOWNLOADS
· www.switchintime.com Switch in Time
· www.priorywoods.middlesbrough.sch.uk
Priory Woods School --
· www.hsj.com Simtech
Publications
· www.northerngrid.org Sensswitcher
· http://www.littlefingers.com Little
Fingers Software
· http://allmacintosh.xs4all.nl/games.html
tucows
· http://www.judylynn.com/downloads.htm
Judy Lynn
· www.rjcooper.com R.J. Cooper
· www.marblesoft.com Marblesoft
· www.funsoftware.com Soft Touch
MATH ideas
& lessons & sites that allow students to use the computer to complete
lessons
· http://www.mtnbrook.k12.al.us/tech/k6/6msites.htm
· http://www.toonuniversity.com/free/math-games-4th-6th_a.asp
· http://www.awesomelibrary.org/Classroom/Mathematics/Elementary_School_Math/6th_Grade.html
· http://www.kidport.com/Grade6/Math/MathIndex.htm
jvanhoutensped@YAHOO.COM
· National
Library of Virtual Manipulatives http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/vlibrary.html
Sharon Eilts sharon@EILTSFAMILY.ORG
· http://illuminations.nctm.org/
Great site! You can search for lesson plans for all grade levels Patty Walsh
Cassidy pwcassidy@COMCAST.NET
PARENT SOLUTIONS:
· http://www.wrightslaw.com/idea/art/iep.roadmap.htm
In 10 Tips: How to Use IDEA 2004 to Improve Your Child's
Special Education, parent attorney Wayne Steedman
explains how IDEA 2004 created a higher standard for a free, appropriate public
education and how you can use No Child Left Behind to obtain a better IEP for
your child. Learn how to include research based methodology in your child's IEP
and how to ensure that IEP goals are specific and measurable.
RESEARCH SOLUTIONS:
· National
Center for Technology Innovation (NCTI) is an OSEP funded technical assistance
center based at the American Institutes for Research (AIR). Check the resources
section for help with moving prototypes developed with OSEP technology funding
into the commercial sector. http://www.nationaltechcenter.org/default.asp
· Look
at work CAST did with Wiggleworks and Thinking Reader
as they represent efforts to embed a reasonable amount of AT-like support
within programs with innovative and research-based pedagogy. http://www.cast.org/products/index.html
· The implementation
of NIMAS as required by IDEA-2004 of interest as an effort to facilitate the
delivery of a common XML file set to a national repository in order to ensure
the timely delivery of high quality student ready accessible curriculum
materials to students with disabilities. http://nimas.cast.org/
(Chuck Hitchcock)
TEACHING SOLUTIONS:
· http://www.polyxo.com/socialstories/
· http://www.udel.edu/bkirby/asperger/socialcarolgray.html
· http://www.sandbox-learning.com
· http://www.socialstories.com/
· http://www.oslis.k12.or.us/secondary/index.php
here is a great web site to use to teach kids how to cite different kinds of
sources. It basically walks students
through the steps of research & citations. http://www.oslis.k12.or.us/elementary/index.php
is the elementary version. (from Kirsten Haugen haugen@4J.LANE.EDU
VENDOR PARTNER WEBSITES AND
NEWS:
* Supplier
Standards released: Follow the link. Thanks to NCART for providing this info http://r.vresp.com/?PhillipsTurnerCommun/ff5a5f65f6/407143/7c715e6a92/7a363d7
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*
http://www.accessiblebookcollection.org Accessible Books
*
http://www.aacconnections.com AAC connections
* http://www.ablenetinc.com Ablenet
* http://www.alphasmart.com Alphasmart
*
http://www.closingthegap.com
Closing The
Gap
*
http://www.colligo.us Colligo
*
http://www.cricksoft.com Crick Software
*
http://www.ea-software.com Educational Activities
Software
*
http://www.enkidu.net Enkidu joins Dynavox
* www.freedomscientific.com/lsg, Home
of Wynn and Testtalker
*
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
Please forward T.R.E.A.T.S. to your friends and
colleagues who want to learn Assistive Technology Issues and Solutions. Thanks!
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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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