Susan Robitaille No charge 2009-09-30T21:41:03-04:00 2010-01-14T21:47:03-05:00 320 4951 2010-03-10T00:00:00-05:00 2010-03-10T10:51:43-05:00 Abledbody.com 312 Abledbody.com offers news and information focused on assistive technologies and advocacy for people with disabilities. Edited by Susan Robitaille, an advocate and journalist, the site includes disability-related news (politics, business, culture, etc.) and pinpoints information and resources that encompass Ablebody's platform to help people with disabilities "become more abled in the workplace and lifespace." Abledbody.com also includes guest columns by disability advocates, AT technology news, a blog, and newsletters. 2009-09-30T21:41:03-04:00 321 100 2010-03-10T10:51:44-05:00 http://abledbody.com/ Volkswagen No charge 2010-01-17T21:05:14-05:00 2010-01-17T21:05:14-05:00 320 5005 2010-03-04T00:00:00-05:00 2010-03-04T21:51:01-05:00 Volkswagen 312 This Web site is reviewed as a starting point for discussion about Activities of Daily Living and social skills. It was developed with the idea that you get people to do unpleasant things by making them fun. Several clips from YouTube are embedded, making it possible to see how Volkswagen designed simple devices that made it more interesting for people to use recycling bins for glass, to use a stairway instead of an escalator, and to throw things in a public trash can rather than litter. This would generate a lot of discussion in classrooms or in families. 315 100 2010-03-04T21:51:02-05:00 http://www.thefuntheory.com/ K Hokanson No charge 2009-12-24T17:15:50-05:00 2010-01-14T21:44:06-05:00 320 4972 2010-02-24T00:00:00-05:00 2010-02-24T14:07:41-05:00 K Hokanson 312 The Connected Classroom is a blog devoted to education technology and policy, professional development, and the resources and support teachers need when using technology in the classroom. Written by a teacher, the blog includes videos, conference notes, and education technology resources. 2009-12-24T17:15:50-05:00 321 100 2010-02-24T14:07:41-05:00 http://khokanson.blogspot.com American Health Lawyers Association No charge 2010-01-12T20:13:56-05:00 2010-01-31T10:19:47-05:00 332 4989 2009-01-25T00:00:00-05:00 2010-03-04T22:03:35-05:00 American Health Lawyers Association 312 The American Health Lawyers Association booklet "Considerations for People with Disabilities and Their Families" offers readers information on a variety of important topics for people with disabilities. The booklet provides the expected overview of IDEA and includes sections on both Part B (School Aged Children Ages 3-21) and Part C (Newborn to 3 Years), plus information on housing, testing, and employment topics such as ADA, the Uniformed Service Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA), and the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Sections are also devoted to SSI, SSDI, Medicare, and Medicaid. In addition to the most common topics addressed in other publications, "Considerations for People with Disabilities and Their Families" goes a step farther and pinpoints several topics that are often difficult for families to discuss, including; health and life insurance, complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), emergency preparedness (an excellent, common-sense list), estate planning, healthcare planning (including advance directives), and family law (custody, child support topics). The booklet is available in PDF format at http://www.healthlawyers.org/Resources/PI/InfoSeries/Documents/Considerations09.pdf. 2010-01-25T19:00:26-05:00 321 100 2010-03-04T22:03:35-05:00 http://www.healthlawyers.org/Resources/PI/InfoSeries/Documents/Considerations09.pdf SET-BC No charge 2010-01-12T20:15:58-05:00 2010-01-31T10:09:31-05:00 332 4990 2009-01-25T00:00:00-05:00 2010-03-05T12:50:52-05:00 SET-BC 312 This is a collection of presentations on AAC low-tech/no-tech options from the SET-BC Learning Centre. The presentations and related information are meant to help teachers and speech-language pathologists design AAC systems for students. The toolkit includes guidelines, discussions about the essentials of symbol assessment and information on PECS, Partner Assisted Scanning and PODD, as well as examples of Boardmaker activities, and help with theme boards, using communication flip books, adapted books, and visual scene displays. 2010-01-25T23:06:17-05:00 321 100 2010-03-05T12:50:52-05:00 http://www.setbc.org/setbc/communication/aac_nontech_toolkit.html MDR, Inc. $24.99 2009-10-29T09:16:20-04:00 2010-01-14T21:25:49-05:00 320 4958 purchase from iTunes with a direct link from the website 2009-01-20T00:00:00-05:00 2010-01-19T14:11:04-05:00 MDR, Inc. 312 Look2Learn is augmentative communication software that works through the iPhone or iPod Touch. The software uses photographs to express wants and needs. 80 preloaded photographs in 6 different categories are available or the consumer can use personal photos. There are many options to customize for different age or cognitive levels, including the ability to hide some photos to reduce choices, to rename photos with a term that the consumer would more easily recognize, to create categories not included, to resize photos, and to utilize emotion cards in place of photos. Natural voices are used for voice output. This software is useful for people on the Autism spectrum, those who have short or long term medical challenges that affect speech, and for those with speech/language disorders. Most unusual is that this software is also aimed at young children whose cognitive development exceeds their ability to use expressive language. The website is colorful and easy to navigate. A free user's guide is available. 2009-10-29T09:16:20-04:00 317 100 2010-01-20T20:46:32-05:00 www.look2learn.com/look2learn/Home.html AdastraSoft $9.99 2009-10-29T23:33:58-04:00 2010-01-14T20:55:43-05:00 320 4959 stepstones@adastrasoft.com 2009-01-20T00:00:00-05:00 2010-02-24T13:57:35-05:00 AdastraSoft 312 AdastraSoft Step Stones is a natural voice-enabled augmentative tool for those who need a picture schedule for daily activities. They can be used on an iPhone or iPod. The site is preloaded with 14 activities or one can create their own. The product is a scrollable thumbnail view of an activity with an unlimited number of steps. Unique to this product is progress tracking which moves from left to right and adds orange checkmarks as a step is completed. Zoom-in is available, as are flashcards and a search feature. Pictures can be uploaded via the iPhone camera. Users can record their own voice. There is a you-tube demonstration available through the website that is very informative. This is a great tool for those with autism or with disorders that interrupt organization and schedules. 2009-10-29T23:33:58-04:00 317 100 2010-02-24T13:57:35-05:00 http://www.adastrasoft.com/StepStones.php MyTalkTools.com $35.99 2009-12-22T20:06:24-05:00 2010-01-14T21:00:20-05:00 320 4966 purchase from appshopper.com, download from site at http://appshopper.com/education/mytalk 2009-01-20T00:00:00-05:00 2010-02-24T14:10:17-05:00 MyTalkTools.com 312 MyTalkTools.com is a website resource for the AAC iPhone/iPod application MyTalk. The MyTalk application helps people with expressive language difficulties to communicate using their iPhone or iPod loaded with their personalized audio and visual language set. MyTalkTools.com provides MyTalk subscribers with private online storage and authoring for their personalized library and the elements essential to their language set. A public images library and a best practices forum are also available. 2009-12-22T20:06:24-05:00 321 100 2010-02-24T14:10:17-05:00 www.mytalktools.com Christopher Bugaj No charge 2009-12-24T16:50:03-05:00 2010-01-14T21:19:52-05:00 320 4969 2009-01-20T00:00:00-05:00 2010-03-04T22:04:13-05:00 AT Tipscast 312 This blog is a collection of webcasts with additional resources and tips to help AT professionals and educators collaborate and develop effective strategies when using AT with students. 2009-12-24T16:50:03-05:00 321 100 2010-03-04T22:04:13-05:00 http://attipscast.wordpress.com/ FutureApps, Inc. $1.99 2009-12-24T17:18:54-05:00 2010-01-14T21:08:26-05:00 320 4973 http://appshopper.com/utilities/say-it 2009-01-20T00:00:00-05:00 2010-02-24T13:46:26-05:00 FutureApps, Inc. 312 Speak It is a text to speech application for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Users can save favorite phrases to their custom soundboard, pause/resume speech playback, connect the phone to external speaker systems for announcements and use Speak It for phone calls. Speak It users can also copy and paste text into the Speak It screen and the application will read emails, PDFs, documents, webpages, and other text sources. 2009-12-24T17:18:54-05:00 321 100 2010-02-24T13:46:27-05:00 http://appshopper.com/utilities/say-it professorgarfield.org No charge 2009-12-24T17:24:15-05:00 2010-01-14T21:27:18-05:00 320 4974 2009-01-20T00:00:00-05:00 2010-02-24T15:17:26-05:00 professorgarfield.org 312 The Professor Garfield Reading Ring is a free online game that encourages reading comprehension using Garfield comic strip characters. The game asks players to put comic strip panels in the correct order, then answer three questions about the comic strip (questions do not always relate to the current panels in the strip). When a player wins a round they can print out a championship buckle. 2009-12-24T17:24:15-05:00 321 100 2010-02-24T15:17:26-05:00 http://professorgarfield.org/pgf_ReadingRing.html Michael Gibson $39.00 yearly subscription 2010-01-07T17:03:14-05:00 2010-01-14T20:56:38-05:00 320 4983 One module is available online for free and other modules are available by becoming a member. Yearly membership is $39.00. US users may find very slight variations in vocabulary as this is produced in Canada. 2009-01-20T00:00:00-05:00 2010-02-24T13:38:13-05:00 Michael Gibson 312 Zapdramatic produces interactive moral and lifeskill story-based interactive games. The intended audience is teens through adult, and is presented visually with all conversation open captioned. Visitors to the modules take on a role in the story and determine the direction the story takes, sometimes with disastrous results that could occur in real life. This is an outstanding site for teens to work through consequences for actions with the themes of bullying, theft, and other issues not always addressed in school settings. 2010-01-09T20:39:57-05:00 332 100 2010-02-24T13:38:13-05:00 www.zapdramatic.com Jennifer Laviano, Attorney at Law No charge 2010-01-09T17:25:32-05:00 2010-01-14T20:57:34-05:00 320 4985 The Law Offices of Jennifer Laviano, LLC 76 Route 37 South Sherman, CT 06784 Phone: 860-350-4757 Jennifer@SpecialEdJustice.com 2009-01-20T00:00:00-05:00 2010-02-24T13:54:10-05:00 Jennifer Laviano, Attorney at Law 312 Jennifer Laviano writes a monthly newsletter on her blog site. Users can subscribe to the newsletter or go online to read her blogs. She writes about a variety of legal issues related to people with disabilities, especially children and adolescents. Topics have included legal aspects of IEP delivery, Assistive Technology, and Special Education law. There is a list of all categories included, plus links to related topics and a Twitter site. Archived material is available for reading as well. 2010-01-09T17:25:32-05:00 317 100 2010-02-24T13:54:10-05:00 http://www.connecticutspecialeducationlawyer.com/blog/ Melinda Pongrey No charge 2010-01-09T19:59:48-05:00 2010-01-14T21:01:47-05:00 320 4986 2009-01-20T00:00:00-05:00 2010-01-19T14:12:48-05:00 Melinda Pongrey 312 Melinda Pongrey is a special education professional who writes a weekly blog and hosts a live online chat on topics related to learning disabilities. On the website, users can subscribe to the live chats, download the podcasts, respond to the blogs, and look for information through a long list of links related to learning disabilities, autism, physical impairments, children’s literature, advocacy, and assistive technology. There is a calendar with a schedule of the live show topics. There is even a language translator on the site so people who do not use English can participate. 2010-01-09T19:59:48-05:00 317 100 2010-01-20T20:44:26-05:00 http://www.ldlive.blogspot.com/ Mind Candy No charge 2010-01-14T21:41:24-05:00 2010-01-14T21:41:24-05:00 320 4993 2009-01-20T00:00:00-05:00 2010-03-04T21:50:00-05:00 Mind Candy 312 Visitors to this Web site can play a variety of educational games. Individuals can sign up, or a teacher can sign up a class and allow students access to games that are chosen for particular skill development. Once signed on, users can play against other online players or against the computer. Players can see how their scores compare to others. This could be very motivating for some students. 322 100 2010-03-04T21:50:00-05:00 www.tutpup.com Douglas Twitchell No charge 2010-01-14T21:51:48-05:00 2010-01-14T21:51:48-05:00 320 4994 2009-01-20T00:00:00-05:00 2010-03-04T21:49:05-05:00 Douglas Twitchell 312 This site began as a collection of math games to help K-12 students in the state of Maine to improve their math skills. It has evolved over the years to include educational games including math, puzzles, logic games, reference sources and much more. The site is free and can be acessed from any computer or network. It would be an ideal site for teachers to access from classroom computers, or for parents and students to enjoy together as an extension of or practice of educational skills. 332 100 2010-03-04T21:49:05-05:00 http://www.theproblemsite.com/default.asp Maria Claudia Bellusci No charge 2010-01-14T21:54:44-05:00 2010-01-14T21:54:44-05:00 320 4995 2009-01-20T00:00:00-05:00 2010-03-04T21:54:14-05:00 Maria Claudia Bellusci 312 This blog is a community effort by the Learning with Computers Yahoo! Group and focuses on ways to develop English and communication through the use of mainstream computer-based tools. Many of the activities and suggestions listed are so simple and so motivating that viewers will be inspired to use them almost immediately. For example, children may be motivated to produce clear speech if they narrate videos using VoiceThread, or teachers may find links to sites that help students practice sequencing using comic strips. This is a blog worth visiting. 332 100 2010-03-04T21:54:14-05:00 http://learning-with-computers.blogspot.com smartygames.com No charge 2010-01-14T21:58:06-05:00 2010-01-14T21:58:06-05:00 320 4996 2009-01-20T00:00:00-05:00 2010-03-04T21:52:12-05:00 smartygames.com 312 This is a group of games, updated monthly, for early elementary aged children. If a child can move an onscreen pointer by mouse, joystick, touch window, trackball, voice or head pointer, he or she can play these simple games such as dot-to-dots, puzzles, telling time, coloring pictures, and more. Games are in English. The site is free. 332 100 2010-03-04T21:52:12-05:00 www.smartygames.com Arc 90 No charge 2010-01-14T22:02:02-05:00 2010-01-14T22:02:02-05:00 320 4997 2009-01-20T00:00:00-05:00 2010-03-04T21:43:58-05:00 Arc 90 312 Readability is a tool used to remove clutter (such as pictures and flashing advertisements) from Web pages, making it easier to read content. It is free and downloadable from the publisher’s website and allows users to choose font and size of text, and size of margin. A ‘bookmarklet’ that rides in one’s browser bookmark toolbar must be clicked to remove the surrounding clutter. This is a wonderful option for those who find themselves constantly distracted by the ‘stuff’ on Web pages. 332 100 2010-03-04T21:43:58-05:00 http://lab.arc90.com/experiments/readability Alexicom Tech LLC $34 to $40 individual user 2010-01-14T22:04:56-05:00 2010-01-14T22:04:56-05:00 320 4998 www.alexicomtech.com 2009-01-20T00:00:00-05:00 2010-03-10T10:49:01-05:00 Alexicom Tech LLC 312 Alexicom Tech is an AAC delivery system via the Internet. Users of this system can use a computer, cell phone or other Internet-capable device. Simply put, the parent or teacher accesses language templates, pictures, icons etc. via the Alexicom Tech site, creates pages, and downloads them to a computer or handheld device, which may then be used anywhere. This requires a monthly subscription fee of between $34 and $40 for an individual user, but those interested should first use the free 45 day trial period. A variety of high quality voices are available. The benefits of this appear to be that one purchases the language and visual representations and loads that onto a mainstream device for a manageable fee, rather than spending thousands of dollars on a dedicated device that one uses for a minimum of five years. Funding such an approach may be determined. 332 100 2010-03-10T10:49:01-05:00 http://www.alexicomtech.com/