The Family Center on Technology and Disability
Assistive Technology Works
The Amazing Web 2.0 Projects Book
A series of case studies from educators using Web 2.0 projects, The Amazing Web 2.0 Projects Book offers advice, insight and resources for teachers integrating Web 2.0 applications into their classrooms. This booklet is a great introduction to Web 2.0 and the wealth of resources, classroom-tested projects, and advice from educators worldwide. It helps to make the Web 2.0 approach user-friendly for teachers. The Amazing Web 2.0 Projects Book is ...
Published: 2010 by Terry Freeman , Reviewed: 3 days ago
National Center on Universal Design for Learning
The website for the National Center on Universal Design for Learning offers users thousands of resources relating to Universal Design for Learning (UDL), including: basic information about UDL and the UDL checkpoints; resources to help schools implement Universal Design for Learning; research articles about the UDL framework; and tools to help teachers create UDL curriculum for their classroom. Most of the resources on the site are free and users have ...
Published: 2010 by CAST , Reviewed: 6 days ago
ReadWriteThink
ReadWriteThink is a collaboration between the International Reading Association (IRA), National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) and Verizon Foundation's Thinkfinity educational resources program. ReadWriteThink is designed to offer teachers free classroom resources for grades K-12 and free professional development resources. The ReadWriteThink website includes a professional library, online professional development courses and seminars, lesson plans, classroom activities, online interactive tools for students and after school resources for parents.
Published: 2010 by IRA/NCTE , Reviewed: 6 days ago
Spectronics Inclusive Learning Technologies
Spectronics is an Australian company that provides assistive technology products, assessments and consulting services to families in Australia and New Zealand. Of particular interest to U.S. visitors, the Spectronics website includes online demonstrations of common devices and software, and a library of product reviews and informational articles for parents, teachers, and AT professionals. The Spectronics Activity Exchange offers free customizable downloads for BoardMaker, IntelliKeys, and DynaVox activities; users can also ...
Published: 2010 by Spectronics Inclusive Learning Technologies , Reviewed: 6 days ago
Shiny Learning
Shiny Learning is a vendor in the United Kingdom who specializes in educational software with an emphasis on design for children with special needs. All of their software can be accessed using a variety of different input devices as well as conventional keyboard and mouse. Skill areas covered include visual-perception, literacy, math, and other early learning skills. The games are fun, visually appealing and target appropriate goals. There are some ...
Published: 2010 by Helen Melhuish , Reviewed: 6 days ago
WatchKnow
WatchKnow is a non-profit community started by Dr. Larry Sanger, co-creator of Wikipedia. It is a collection of more than 18,000 videos and other media, explaining every topic taught to school kids. They are rated and sorted into a giant directory, making them simple to find. Virtually every school subject can be reinforced with videos from this site. WatchKnow is founded on the belief that if you watch something, you ...
Published: 2010 by WatchKnow , Reviewed: August 11, 2010
One More Story
One More Story is an online library of children's books - classics and contemporary - that can be viewed, listened to or read by users with internet access. There will be a total of 108 books offered on the site in one of two modes: In "Hear and See a Book" mode, words are highlighted as the stories are read to the child. In the "I Can Read It" mode, ...
Published: 2010 by One More Story , Reviewed: 4 days ago
Into the Book
Into the Book is a reading comprehension resource for K-4 students and teachers. It focuses on eight research-based strategies: Using Prior Knowledge, Making Connections, Questioning, Visualizing (draw pictures to go with the story), Inferring, Summarizing (Main Idea), Evaluating and Synthesizing through activities in the Student Section. The activities are fun, although they take a while to load. Teachers should try the activities in order to make connections and be able ...
Published: 2010 by Into the Book , Reviewed: 5 days ago
Talking Flashcards-Livescribe Smartpen
The Livescribe SmartPen is useful for helping students who have difficulties in a variety of areas, including notetaking, reviewing information, and much more. This three-minute UTube video shows how to make talking Flash cards using the pen. The video demonstrates how to use the Livescribe Pen’s recording option to make language flashcards for teaching Spanish, in this instance, and could be applied to any other topic of study. Watch the ...
Published: 2010 by Tim Fahlberg , Reviewed: 6 days ago
Set Your Sites on Access
This website was created by Allison McMahon and Maryellen Brogan who are both technology resource room teachers. The goal of the site is to share websites that promote access to the curriculum for all students. There are nine categories of links including electronic books, switch access sites, organizers, applications, instructional supports and subject-related links such as science and math. Everyone will find something useful here.
Published: 2010 by Allison McMahon, Maryellen Brogan , Reviewed: 6 days ago
Webspiration
MyWebspiration.com is a visual learning and collaboration service that helps users create, develop, organize, edit, and review their written projects online with a graphic organizer and outlining tools combined with automatic document backup. The service works with other popular collaboration features in Microsoft Word and Google Docs, and the Inspiration 9 visual learning software. Individual Webspiration accounts are free. Webspiration Classroom Service offers subscription access to Webspiration and additional account ...
Published: 2010 by Inspiration Software , Reviewed: August 11, 2010
Pass It On Center
For the general AT user, this site can be most beneficial in the links to 'Find AT,' which allows one to search within one's state for used or refurbished AT devices which may be available for loan, rent or purchase. In addition, it is a website that will help reutilization centers to determine if they are using best practices. An online survey is available following the quality indicators for assistive ...
Published: 2010 by Pass It On Center , Reviewed: 4 days ago
Pointscribe Interactive Handwriting System
Pointscribe, a scientifically based software program developed to help students improve their handwriting through a multisensory approach, was developed by UltraThera Technologies. This interactive software can be used to develop or re-learn handwriting in regular education, special education and in rehabilitation situations. The software creates a multisensory experience and also collects data that can be used to document progress. The program requires a touch screen, tablet PC or interactive white ...
Published: 2010 by UltraThera Technologies, Inc , Reviewed: 4 days ago
Mighty Book
Mighty Book offers families and teachers a subscription service to access e-books and reading resources. The site includes games, hundreds of Flash-animated e-books, and dozens of stories, songs and activities for kids ages 2-10. New items are available every month. The "Parent & Teacher" section of the site offers lesson plans, activities, and stories written by kids. Subscriptions vary from $24.95/year for a household to $999.95/year for a large school ...
Published: 2010 by Mighty Book , Reviewed: 4 days ago
Kindergarten.com
Kindergarten.com is a website designed to support children with developmental disorders that affect language and socialization, children who are frequently non-verbal. Using psychological research, this site works to build motivation to make the connection between the value of a word and the word itself. The tools are designed to be used with the iPhone or iTouch and apps that are purchased and downloaded from iTunes. They are organized by category: ...
Published: 2010 by Kindergarten.com , Reviewed: 6 days ago
The iPod Touch in the Special Needs Classroom
This Ning Network was created by a group of Apple Distinguished Educators to prepare for their workshop at the 2010 CSUN International Technology & Persons with Disabilities conference. The site includes a collection of tutorials for iPhone and iPod Touch applications, a list of the applications the group uses in their classrooms, and a forum for information about iPod apps, tips for educators using iPods in the classroom, and ideas ...
Published: 2010 by Luis Perez , Reviewed: August 11, 2010
Visual Dictionary Online
Launched in 2007, The Visual Dictionary Online is a free, indexed, audio-enhanced, topic-correlated extension of the hugely successful Merriam-Webster’s Visual Dictionary. Fifteen themes help narrow general searches, and the index search offers precise results among the reported thousands of English language definitions and related images. The “Blog This” feature lets non-profit groups or individuals post images and terms from the Visual Dictionary Online for non-commercial use, provided images and terms ...
Published: 2010 by Merriam-Webster , Reviewed: May 21, 2010
Research Project Calculator
From INFOhio, the Research Project Calculator is a free online tool that helps users plan, develop, and finalize written and multimedia projects. Users are not required to enter an email, name, or other information to generate a project time line, something which likely increases the appeal of this calculator as a planning tool. Users choose a type of project from three options (essay or research paper, slide presentation, or video), ...
Published: 2010 by INFOhio , Reviewed: 6 days ago
TapSpeak Button
The TapSpeak Button is another great app for the iTouch/iPhone. Developed by Conley Solutions, it is designed to be a quick and basic communication application for .99 cents. However, there are other applications that this tool can be used for. It is possible to record a presentation or speaker in order to prepare notes later, or it can be used simply as an auditory prompt and reminder. The message capability ...
Published: 2010 by Conley Solutions , Reviewed: 6 days ago
Abledbody.com
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.
Published: 2010 by Susan Robitaille , Reviewed: March 10, 2010