Technology Resources for Education's

Assistive Technology Solutions

Weekly Resources for the Assistive Technology Service Provider Community

Volume 5, Issue #45 for Weeks of 11/8 and 11/15/04

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: "It is wise to keep in mind that neither success nor failure is ever final." Roger Babson

UNIVERSAL DESIGN FOR LEARNING WEBSITES OF THE WEEK:

http://www.distance-educator.com/dnews/Article12331.phtmls One Internet, Many Copyright Laws. Source: The New York Times PROJECT GUTENBERG, the volunteer effort to put the world's literature online, may be the latest victim in the Internet battle over copyright.
http://www.techlearning.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=51200638 If you seek answers to questions about how your special and general education technology specialists can collaborate more effectively, read this article for some new ideas you can apply right away.
http://www.scansoft.com/ This is one vendor you may want to check out because of their experience and focus on speech and imaging solutions that are used to automate a wide range of manual processes - increasing productivity, reducing costs and improving customer service – thus having wide applications for all ages.
http://www.onestoptoolkit.org/statelocal.cfm I am putting this resource here, although it could easily be listed in almost any TREATS category. It lists reports, guides, checklists, tools and other resources in every state in the union that are used to help persons with disabilities.

ACCESSS SOLUTIONS:

http://www.dangerousgames.com/mouse/ the Reading mouse (from Eileen Pasquini)
http://www.ngtvoice.com/products/software/jsay/ Look at JSay integration software that provides interoperability between Dragon NaturallySpeaking Professional and Jaws for Windows. (from Edward S. Rosenthal)
http://rjcooper.com/switchy Here's a $69 mini switch interface, that can be set up as just about any keystroke/mouse event, for *any* software.
http://www.inference.phy.cam.ac.uk/dasher/ Dasher is an information-efficient text-entry interface, driven by natural continuous pointing gestures. Dasher is a competitive text-entry system wherever a full-size keyboard cannot be used - for example, on a palmtop or wearable computer; when operating a computer one-handed, by joystick, touchscreen, trackball, or mouse; when operating a computer with zero hands (i.e., by head-mouse or by eyetracker).
www.cantoraccess.com/keyaccess/keyaccesstips.htm "Keyboard Access Tips" is a booklet for people who want to operate Windows more efficiently by using the keyboard more effectively.
www.cantoraccess.com/keyaccess/keyaccessfaq.htm My "Keyboard Access FAQ" is now on-line. (from Alan Cantor)

ADMINISTRATIVE SOLUTIONS AND CONCERNS:

http://www.vrml.k12.la.us/techplan/District_technology_plan_2003_Submitted.htm A school district technology plan that integrates assistive technology into a number of the goals. They could probably even do more, if they thought about the impact of 508. (from Lisa Wahl)
http://www.rit.edu/%7Eeasi/itd/itdv09n1/hendricks.htm An article on the relevance of 508 to K-12.

ADVOCACY SOLUTIONS:

http://www.napas.org/ IDEA Alert - Congress Will Meet on November 17 to Reauthorize IDEA - The bipartisan House-Senate conference will reconcile differing versions of legislation passed by the House and Senate to strengthen and renew the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the nation's special education law. To learn about possible changes when the IDEA is reauthorized, please download and read the side-by-side comparison of IDEA-97, and the House and Senate bills preparedby the National Association of Protection and Advocacy Systems, Inc. (NAPAS).

BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED SOLUTIONS:

http://www.sightenhancement.com/ for scientific calculators for visually impaired

COMMUNICATION SOLUTIONS:

http://www.pcspeak.com/ Softnet Systems, Inc. specializes in technical consultation, customization, troubleshooting, and deployment of speech recognition systems.
http://selectivemutism.org/ and http://www.geocities.com/~kasmom/articles/selectivemute.html Each of these websites can provide you with some great info. They also have conference if you really want to get into the topic. (Debbie Sharon)

CONSULTING SOLUTIONS:

http://www.scu.edu.au/schools/gcm/ar/arp/options.html This is a resource file in which the author describes a dialectic group process which develops two opposed options into a third and better option.
http://www.newseum.org/todaysfrontpages lets you see (and be able to read) the front pages of all the major newspapers in the country. A great way to know what's news across the country as well as the city you're speaking in. You can also view a map with dots marking the location of the newspapers.

DEPARTMENT SOLUTIONS:

http://edworkforce.house.gov/issues/108th/education/at/billsummary.htm Here is a suimmary of the AT Act.

DISTANCE EDUCATION SOLUTIONS:

http://www.techlearning.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=51201362 The Virtual Administrator: How to Mentor Online. Mentoring in the virtual world is not just putting two people together. It is a school-wide commitment to continue the culture of a virtual school. Read about the 7 Essential Components of a successful mentoring program. (from TechLearning News)

FUNDING SOLUTIONS:

www.bmtfoundation.com The Beaumont Foundation of America is pleased to announce our 2005 grant process for schools. The Foundation awards state-of-the art Toshiba Branded Technology equipment (computers, printers, digital cameras, projectors) to educational institutions serving low-income populations in grades K-12.

HIGHER EDUCATION SOLUTIONS:

http://www.washington.edu/accessit/index.php promotes the use of electronic and information technology (E&IT) for students and employees with disabilities in educational institutions at all academic levels. This Web site features the AccessIT Knowledge Base, a searchable, growing database of questions and answers regarding accessible E&IT. It is designed for educators, policy makers, librarians, technical support staff, and students and employees with disabilities and their advocates.

NEW DEVELOPMENTS:

http://www.bendbulletin.com/news/story.cfm?story_no=14633 Futurist predicts tech-filled tomorrow.
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?article_ID=9690&categ_ID=1&edition_id=1 Al-Hadi Institution for the Visually and Hearing Impaired (HIVHI) caters to the special learning needs of disabled children through utilizing the latest devices, computerized programs and other related technologies.
http://www.nature.com/news/2004/041011/full/041011-9.html Published online: 13 October 2004; | doi:10.1038/news041011-9 Paralysed man sends e-mail by thought: Brain chip reads mind by tapping straight into neurons. (by Roxanne Khamsi)
http://tech2.nytimes.com/mem/technology/techreview.html?res=9A02E0DC1F3BF937A25753C1A9629C8B63 The real pocket PC is here! OQO is the most elegant, versatile, solidly build miniature PC possible with current technology.

PARENT SOLUTIONS:

http://www.ciccparenting.org/ Center for the Improvement of Child Caring has, among other things, a list of agencies, schools and companies nationwide that are delivering parenting education services because CICC trained their staffs to do so.

REHAB SOLUTIONS:

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/21/garden/21SOFT.html?th THE MICROSOFT HOME OF THE FUTURE! READ ALL ABOUT IT HERE.
http://proteus.med.utoronto.ca/tissuehealth/index.htm Anyone interested in tele-rehabilitation may want to check out this site being developed by A. Wayne Evans, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toront. From Alan Cantor
http://www.tetrasociety.org/ The purpose of Tetra is to recruit skilled volunteer engineers and technicians to create assistive devices for people with disabilities.

TEST TAKING SOLUTIONS:

http://query.nytimes.com/mem/tnt.html?pagewanted=2&tntget=2004/11/07/education/edlife/117BIF.html&tntemail1&oref=login If you want Johnny and Jane to pass their SAT’s, then show them this article. It describes how they can take advantage of many new hi tech tools, including hand helds and phone services.

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/ Reading: Access and Comprehension

* 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.kurzweiledu.com/products_k3000win_demo.asp Free copies of the Kurzweil 3000 trial CD are available through our web site.

* 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: 518-456-9290.

Fax: 518-456-9289.

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