Technology Resources for Education's

Assistive Technology Solutions

Weekly Resources for the Assistive Technology Service Provider Community

Volume 5, Issue #44 for Week of 11/1/04

Compiled by David Grapka (mailto: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.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “Readers are Leaders. Thinkers succeed. Marva Collins

UNIVERSAL DESIGN FOR LEARNING WEBSITES OF THE WEEK:

http://www.distance-educator.com/dnews/Article12159.phtml In an interview with editor James Morrison, Chris Dede, Wirth Professor of Learning Technologies at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, discusses the potential of current technological trends to transform teaching and learning. Dede argues that our definition of “learning technology tools” will continue to expand in response to new developments such as handheld gaming devices, massively multiplayer online games, wireless mobile technologies such as pocket PCs, and electronic “smart objects” embedded in everyday environments.

http://www.cast.org/ncac/index.cfm?i=3138 THE site to visit for developing your own professional development plan on NIMAS.
http://instructordiploma.com/core/Bob'%20folder/websites.htm A compilation of links to Brain Research. With annotation.

ACCESSS SOLUTIONS:

http://www.hear-it.com/html/body_cslt_products.html Transitioning your students to a job soon? Check here for a wide array of access solutions for the workplace.
http://www.microsoft.com/reader/developers/downloads/tts.asp Microsoft Reader for Tablet PC and Microsoft Reader for Windows-based PCs and laptops boast accessibility features that are bringing eBooks to more communities and providing a richer on-screen reading experience with additional TTS and Verbosity functionality. To enable Microsoft Reader to take advantage of existing speech technologies, you must install the new Microsoft Reader Text-to-Speech (TTS) Package 1.0.
http://www.colorpilot.com/form_versions.html If you need a way to scan in pages from a book then be able to type into the pages, check out “Form Pilot” for $30 and a "Pro" version for $90. It Works well for people who don't need the software to READ the form aloud. (from Susan E. Fridie, MS, OTR/L, ATP)
http://www.mousevision.com/ Check out the new head tracking system developed by MouseVision. It does not need reflective dots to operate; it tracks head movements, full stop. Its proprietary camera uses infrared LEDs, so the system can be used in total darkness. Definitely cool. The system also responds to hand movements and gestures. (From Alan Cantor)

ADMINISTRATIVE SOLUTIONS AND CONCERNS:

http://www.directionservice.org/cadre/EducatingOurChildren_01.cfm click here for your free copy of Educating Our Children Together: A Sourcebook for Effective Family-School-Community Partnerships by Susanne Carter and CADRE
http://www.idahotc.com/otr/timeout.htm Everything you always wanted to know about Time Outs. From the Idaho perspective.
http://www.highered.nysed.gov/tcert/resteachers/ce_orderposter.htm. The long-awaited Code of Ethics for Educators and Celebrate Teaching! posters, developed by the State Professional Standards and Practices Board for Teaching, are now available. Posters cost $3 each and may be ordered through the Department's Publications Warehouse. (from Nancy Taylor Baumes)

ADVOCACY SOLUTIONS:

· http://www.ataporg.org/ The President Signs the AT Act! You can download a complete version here. Check out who can apply for grants! You collaborators will absolutely love this!

· http://edworkforce.house.gov/issues/108th/education/at/billsummary.htm This is the bill from which the act sprang. This is a chance for all of us to become advocates, especially in ways that we interpret the reauthorized tech act to mean collaboration among all of us to implement AT Loan Programs.

BILINGUAL SOLUTIONS:

http://www.nccrest.org/publications.html The National Center for culturally Responsive Educational Systems has amassed a solid collection of resources for those of us who struggle with making curriculum responsive to all students.

COMMUNICATION SOLUTIONS:

https://mailman.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/natspeak The University of Washington hosts a listserv specifically dedicated to Dragon Naturally Speaking used as assistive technology (as opposed to medical or productivity users).
From Edward S. Rosenthal, President and CEO, Next Generation Technologies, Inc.
http://www.forbes.com/lifestyle/health/feeds/hscout/2004/10/13/hscout521706.html the latest research on Autism with implications for Brain research and Universal Design for Learning.

DEPARTMENT SOLUTIONS:

http://www.ed.gov/teachers/how/tools/initiative/index.html Check out the new staff development offerings. Nothing on AT – yet – but there is a range of topics, including Differentiated Instruction.

DISTANCE EDUCATION SOLUTIONS:

http://www.democraticmedia.org/issues/decDigitalDemocracy.html What are your rights in the Digital Age? The Center for Digital Democracy has given us a plan to consider.
http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/elearning/articles/04rural.htm U.S News and World Report featured three rural schools in South Dakota, Wyoming, and Nebraska on the various ways rural schools use interactive technologies to expand curriculum, offer professional development and college courses for teachers, and take students on virtual field trips. (from Kerry Wiley)
http://www.nationaltechcenter.org/resources/Digital%20Divide/default.asp The National Tech Center has several articles on Disability and Technology.

FUNDING SOLUTIONS:

http://www.nish.org/content.asp?c=5&co=1082 AWARD: INNOVATION AND DESIGN. The NISH National Scholar Award for Workplace Innovation & Design is to encourage students to create technological solutions to barriers that prevent people with severe disabilities from entering or advancing in the workplace. Up to three cash awards will be presented. The deadline is February 28, 2005.
http://www.nationaltechcenter.org/rm/advancedSearch.asp This site gives you a couple of pull down menus to help you narrow your search for sources of funds for your Special Education Grant idea.
http://www.eschoolnews.com/resources/reports/grants/ Click here for a comprehensive resource on finding Technology funding.

JUST FOR FUN:

* http://www.qnet.com/~pontius/smile/smilelmp_1[1].htm

LITERACY SOLUTIONS:

http://www.dangerousgames.com/mouse/ Reading mouse is a free browser reader for the Mac. (From Eileen Pasquini)

MATH SOLUTIONS:

http://www.mayer-johnson.com A scanning calculator and inclusive math aid for Windows with many options including: Scan/switch/dwell access, up to full-screen display, and digitize speech (numbers are spoken with digitized speech for auditory feedback, but word problems are not read aloud) Integrated math problem display and scoring. From Brian S. Friedlander

NEW DEVELOPMENTS:

http://education.independent.co.uk/schools/story.jsp?story=571843 Finally! An article on how to use Technology to teach physical education! Think Video replay.
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/28/technology/circuits/28next.html?8cirr The nose knows! The new nose cursor . . . take a deep breath and . . .

TEACHING SOLUTIONS:

http://techlearning.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=47902766 Here’s a nice little tutorial on how to use Microsoft Word like a pro!

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.”

* 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.greatleaps.com Great Leaps Reading

* http://www.independentliving.com/departments.asp?dept=9

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

* http://www.inspiration.com Inspiration

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

* http://www.judylynn.com/prog_win.htm#P219 Judy Lynn Software

* 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://www.rjcooper.com/2+2 R. J. 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 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 all students. 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: 518-464-6346.

Fax: 518-464-6353.

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