The Family Center on Technology and Disability
Assistive Technology Works
EdCeptional
EdCeptional is a blog of the EdReach initiative, identified by them as one of their channels. It is one of 18 channels listed on the EdReach web site at www.edreach.us. Other interesting titles include LitTech, TheatreCast, EdGamer and Wilderness Classroom. In fact there is such a breadth of information that navigating it all can be a bit overwhelming at first. Some links go to other EdReach.us pages, some to external ...
Published: 2013 by EdReach , Reviewed: April 25, 2013
StudyBlue
The Study Blue website is designed to give high school and college students - and teachers - a place to study online or when mobile. Free access is provided via the website or through social media. Students can connect with other students and teachers can set up study tools. The site includes flashcards and online notes. Students can use the pre-made online flashcards or they can create their own, just ...
Published: 2013 by StudyBlue, Inc. , Reviewed: May 15, 2013
Ian Bean - Downloads
This website is the work of Ian Bean who worked at Priory Woods School in the UK and then at Inclusive Design, using and developing software to help students with disabilities learn with technology. All of the downloads at this website are free to download and use and exploring the website reveals an incredible array of resources to help you design free switch-based or touch screen activities to use with ...
Published: 2013 by Ian Bean , Reviewed: April 26, 2013
Mango Reader
Mango Reader is a free interactive reading platform from tech startup MangoSense. Mango Reader allows users to create books and read existing Mango Book content enhanced with video, audio and quizzes. Although the Reader platform is free, users need to buy Mango Books from the Mango Reader store. Most Mango Books are free or inexpensive ($0.99 to $3.99) and several children's classics are available (Rapunzel, Little Match Girl, ‘Twas The ...
Published: 2012 by Mango Reader , Reviewed: February 20, 2013
Educational Technology Guy
David Andrade is a classic tech geek who found educational technology (and a new career) after years as an engineer. Andrade’s background benefits his blog, Educational Technology Guy, in its clear focus (classroom technology) and precise, accessible descriptions of his favorite gadgets and their plethora of uses. Teachers won't be intimidated by technical jargon as Andrade’s posts are short and user-friendly for busy blog hoppers. His eagerness to explore technology ...
Published: 2012 by David Andrade , Reviewed: April 26, 2013
Box of Tricks
Jose Picardo is a full time teacher of languages at Nottingham High School. Among other efforts, he has created the Box of Tricks web site as part of his effort to consult with and train educators on the use of new and emerging technologies to "support, enhance, and ultimately transform teaching and learning." The blog is a wealth of illustrations of creative use of technologies in mainstream education. Over 50 ...
Published: 2012 by Jose Picardo , Reviewed: March 11, 2013
DIFability RAD
This blog was written by Catherine Burzio, a transition specialist, over a 7-month period in 2012. It has a lot of postings relevant to students with disabilities and the educators and others who work with them. The title of the blog is Differing Abilities, Resource a Day. Weekly postings contain links to a range of information, including legislation, technology, websites, and books. There is a post about the top ten ...
Published: 2012 by Catherine Burzio , Reviewed: April 26, 2013
10 Apps for Learners Who Struggle with Reading and/or Writing
This blog post from Paul Hamilton’s “Free Resources from the Net for EVERY Learner” focuses on free or low-cost iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch applications to help students who struggle with reading and writing. Hamilton has compiled summaries and links to information on GoodReader, Dragon Dictation, Nebulous Notes, CloudOn, Side By Side, Type on PDF, Idea Sketch, Text Grabber, vBookz PDF Voice Reader, and AudioNote. The majority of these are ...
Published: 2012 by Paul Hamilton , Reviewed: about 24 hours ago
The Super Book of Web Tools for Educators
This 83-page ebook was created by eleven prominent bloggers, teachers, and school administrators to encourage the use of technology in the classroom. The book opens by talking about the fact that good teaching involves the creation of relationships among students and ideas, and highlights how technology can help teachers build those relationships. The first section of the book offers the perspective of a school administrator who discusses the control of ...
Published: 2012 by Larry Ferlazzo , Reviewed: January 30, 2013
MITS Freedom Stick
The Freedom Stick is a USB "thumb" drive with a large collection of public domain software intended to provide increased access for students with disabilities. The concept and contents were developed by the Regional Support Centre - Scotland North and East with some support from Mozilla. It has been packaged as the MITS Freedom Stick by Michigan's Integrated Technology Supports (MITS) in Lansing, Michigan and made available through their web ...
Published: 2012 by Michigan's Integrated Technology Supports , Reviewed: February 20, 2013
Doorway Online
Doorway Online is a collection of free learning activities originally developed with funding from the Scottish Borders Council in 2009. Since that time the activities have increased in scope to include Literacy, Math, Typing and Memory activities. The site includes accessible educational activities that learners will find easy to use independently. Each exercise has a range of accessibility and difficulty options. Accessibility is found through keyboard, mouse, touchscreen or scanning ...
Published: 2012 by Doorway Online , Reviewed: November 13, 2012
Mobile Devices for Learning
Many, many schools view mobile devices (iPhone, iTouch, iPad) as distractions for students and have policies that dictate that these devices must be turned off, left in lockers or left at home. But what if...instead of discouraging use, they were instead encouraged...as learning tools? That is the premise of this Edutopia publication available in PDF format. The controversy is outlined briefly as a generational difference, and research is cited showing ...
Published: 2012 by Edutopia , Reviewed: October 11, 2012
Tips for College Success by Nigel the Fox
This booklet with tips on how to succeed in college is a fun, cartoon-like way to get some valuable tips for students transitioning to college. There are 12 tips from meeting the professor before class starts to using technology such as audiobooks, PDF's, iPad, iPhone,and MacBook. Each tip provides an explanation, strategies for use, and links to resources when appropriate. Each tip also has a link to a "student" who ...
Published: 2012 by Amir Bar and CAST , Reviewed: November 13, 2012
Adapted Mind
Adapted Mind offers online skill-building for mathematics and reading concepts for grades 1-6. Several lessons in each grade level are available for free and the lessons can be viewed online at home or in a classroom. Clicking the "Start Math" or "Start Reading" buttons displays lessons sorted by grade level, with easy site navigation to focus on different skill sets for either subject. Alongside the free resources, Adapted Mind has ...
Published: 2012 by Adapted Mind , Reviewed: December 07, 2012
Panther Math Paper
Math Paper is a universally designed iPad app that provides access to math tools previously not available to those requiring alternative access to math computation. Problems from early addition through complex algebra can be worked on the Math Paper grid in much the same way as one might do with a pencil. It is not a calculator, but a work area to enable many students with varying abilities to be ...
Published: 2012 by Panther Technology , Reviewed: February 20, 2013
Panther Calculator
Panther Calculator is a basic calculator for adding, subtracting, multiplying, dividing and finding square roots, developed using principles of universal design. Universal design (UD) is design methodology which meets the needs of the widest possible group of potential users. Part of the theory is that if it is designed with the needs of people with disabilities in mind, it is going to be designed better for everyone. The result with ...
Published: 2012 by Panther Technology , Reviewed: February 20, 2013
Lauren S. Enders, MA, CCC-SLP
Lauren Enders, MA, CCC-SLP is a speech-language pathologist and assistive technology consultant who has created an extensive collection of links to AT devices, tablet apps, software and related resources. Using the online bulletin board Pinterest, Ms. Enders invites other service providers, teachers, and parents to share their own favorite resources. The site serves as a forum in which participants can discuss the strengths and weaknesses of individual products and share ...
Published: 2012 by Lauren S. Enders, MA, CCC-SLP , Reviewed: about 4 hours ago
Sock Puppets
This app is terrific and can be used to teach listening and conversational skills. The app is free so I immediately downloaded it and started playing around with it. First, if you are not a kid who intuitively knows how to do these things, you should go the help section to get an idea of how to use the app. It took me a while to figure out that you ...
Published: 2012 by Smith Micro Software Inc., Consumer Division , Reviewed: September 26, 2012
StoryKit
StoryKit is a free iPhone app elegant in its simplicity and impact. It comes with 4 public domain stories with text and pictures, but its real power is in the ability to very quickly create new stories: type in text; add original illustrations, pictures, photographs; add sounds and speech; and then upload and/or email the completed story while maintaining complete privacy. Even very young students can use this app independently, ...
Published: 2012 by ICDL Foundation , Reviewed: October 11, 2012
James Nuttall Blog
Dr. James Nuttall worked at the State of Michigan Department of Education for 30 years. He worked in a variety of roles within the Special Education Unit. Born two months premature in Denver, he developed an eye disease associated with prematurity, retrolental fibroplasia (RLF), which left him legally blind. While in school he had difficulties learning to read. "On a sixth grade reading test I could read only 27 words ...
Published: 2012 by James Nuttall , Reviewed: December 03, 2012