October / November 1999

Preview:
For many computer users with disabilities, activities that involve reading and writing, such as creating reports, searching the Internet, and sending e-mail messages may be challenging and even frustrating. Now there is a terrific all-in-one utility program available called textHELP! Read& Write. This program, known in previous versions as textHELP! 98, is produced by textHELP! Systems Ltd.

[View Full Article]

Preview:
The literacy hour in United Kingdom (UK) primary schools has multiplied the number of different texts being used by students in class. Inevitably, this shortens the time available for support staff to modify these texts so that visually impaired students can use them. One consequence of this is that books for young readers who are blind are sometimes reproduced in the form of a single sheet of Braille.

[View Full Article]

Preview:
Educators know that computer technology is available to support them in teaching literacy skills to children with disabilities. However, the catalogs are bursting with programs, all vowing promises such as, "Build your students' literacy skills and more - in a fun and easy way!" How many times is software ordered that appears to be the best buy for the money and appropriate for the student, only to find out when the program arrives and time is spent learning it, that it does not meet teacher expectations nor the needs of the student?Literacy involves a progression of skills that leads toward understanding and using the printed word. Children begin building skills long before formal instruction, as caretakers read them stories, and when they see adults reading and writing.

[View Full Article]

Preview:
Communication is seen as an equally shared experience between two or more individuals. However, is this really how we look at communicative interactions involving Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) users?Frequently in an AAC exchange if there is a breakdown, the blame is more often than not placed on either the AAC user, the AAC system, or vocabulary. This may be true some of the time, but not always.

[View Full Article]

Preview:
We are at an exciting and important time in the formulation of intervention strategies for young children with special needs. Current research emphasizes a holistic model in which the child, environment, and functional tasks are not isolated from each other. Responding to this research we have developed a model in which the functional tasks and the child's natural environments are used to incorporate motor tasks, communication opportunities and a wide array of readiness skills.

[View Full Article]

Preview:
Dov is a seven-year-old boy with wavy brown hair and deep brown eyes. When you enter a room he will very slowly turn towards you. If you are patient enough you will finally hear him make a sound that sounds almost like "hi." Connor is a five-year-old boy with blond hair, blue eyes and boundless energy.

[View Full Article]

Preview:
Special needs/Special featuresFollowing are some new programs developed for children and adults with special needs, along with others that have special features (i.e. scanning, voice recognition, closed captioning) that will be very helpful.MacPac CD-ROM (Technology for Language& Learning: 516-625-4550) This new collection of public domain/shareware on CD-ROM for Macintosh contains over 600MB of programs - single switch; cause and effect; keyboard bangers (press any key); early learning; math; coloring books; Blue's Clues programs; utilities; scanning programs; set-ups for specialized programs like IntelliPics, Overlay Maker, Click It!; full activities from commercially available programs; games like Go Fish, Chess; even arcade-type programs with the Rugrats and Reptar. Send a stamped self-addressed envelope to Technology for Language and Learning, P.O.

[View Full Article]

Preview:
For many computer users with disabilities, activities that involve reading and writing, such as creating reports, searching the Internet, and sending e-mail messages may be challenging and even frustrating. Now there is a terrific all-in-one utility program available called textHELP! Read& Write. This program, known in previous versions as textHELP! 98, is produced by textHELP! Systems Ltd.

[View Full Article]

Preview:
New book on deafness and Cochlear implantsCochlear implants are the first effective artificial sensory organ ever developed, and Beverly Biderman's new book, Wired for Sound: A Journey into Hearing is the an "inside account" of learning to hear with this technology. The author, an adaptive technology analyst, uses her own experiences in growing up deaf and obtaining a cochlear implant as an adult as the backbone for a comprehensive treatment of deafness and cochlear implants. Oliver Sacks M.D., author of Seeing Voices, calls it "rare in its combining of the technical and the personal … an important contribution to this complex and vexed area.

[View Full Article]

Preview:
Journal of Special Education TechnologyThe Journal of Special Education Technology (JSET) is a professional journal that presents up-to-date information and opinions about issues, research, policy, and practice related to the use of technology in the field of special education. JSET is published quarterly and has as its mission: "to provide a vehicle for the proliferation of information, research, and reports of innovative practices regarding the application of educational technology toward the development and education of exceptional children."The Journal of Special Education Technology welcomes scholarly manuscripts within the areas of:– Discussion of issues and trends in the use of technology in the field of Special Education– Reports of experimental or applied research that deals with the use of technology or assistive devices for people with disabilities– Analysis of policy developments at the state and federal levels that impact the use of technology for people with disabilities– Description of program models that incorporate the use of technology in the education of people with disabilities, the transition of people with disabilities, or the leisure time of people with disabilities, etc.– Description of teacher education programs that incorporate the use of technology in the education of future special educators and/or others whose focus is the provision of services to people with disabilities– Reviews of the literature that focus on technology in special educationTo submit a manuscript, please adhere to the following guidelines:a.) Five (5) printed copies of the manuscript following all guidelines of the American Psychological Association Publication Manual (APA) (4th edition, 1994)b.) Manuscripts should be no longer that 50 pages in lengthc.) Preferred positions of tables and figures should be indicated in the manuscriptd.) Authors are encouraged to write in "person-first" language: the person precedes the disability – for example, "people with disabilities" not "the disabled"e.) A cover letter should accompany the manuscript indicating that the manuscript has not been published in whole or substantial part by another publisher and that the manuscript is not currently under review by another journalManuscripts are judged according to a blind review process by three members of the editorial board and final decision by the editors. The review process will take approximately three months from time of notification to the author(s) of receipt of the manuscript by JSET and to notification of acceptance or rejection for publication.For more information, contact Kyle Higgins and Randall Boone, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Department of Special Education, College of Education, 4505 Maryland Pkwy, Box 453014, Las Vegas, NV 89154-3014; Phone 702-895-1102 or 702-895-3331; E-mail higgins@nevada.edu or rboone@ccmail.nevada.edu.

[View Full Article]

Preview:
The Learning Company a provider of consumer and educational software, launched Arthur's Reading, a two-CD-ROM set that helps children build reading skills while playing with Arthur, his family and friends. Designed for children ages 4-7, Arthur's Reading contains more than 50 activities covering essential reading skills from letter recognition to reading comprehension, and features the Arthur characters from the best selling book series by Marc Brown. "Reading is a natural subject for this lovable character whose nationally televised adventures have become so popular with young children," said Andy Young, senior vice president of marketing at The Learning Company.

[View Full Article]

Preview:
The Learning Company, a provider of consumer and educational software, announces the release of The ClueFinders 5th Grade Adventures and The ClueFinders 6th Grade Adventures. Both titles combine a full year of cross-curricular learning activities with an exciting adventure that teaches kids "it's cool to be smart." They also feature new A.D.A.P.T. Learning Technology - a system of customized features designed to personalize the learning experience for each individual child.In The ClueFinders 5th Grade Adventures, the ClueFinders join a team of prominent scientists to research the mysterious disappearance of ships in an unexplored region of the South Pacific.

[View Full Article]

Preview:
Assistive Technology announces new software solution for professionalsAssistive Technology, Inc. (ATI) announces the launch of EvaluWare, the newest software in the Companion Solutions Series. EvaluWare helps clinicians, educators and assistive technology specialists determine the best computer access methods and ideal setups for AAC devices and/or displays for people with special needs.

[View Full Article]

Preview:
Software that reads the printed page to you. If you are blind or have low vision, Open Book can help you read books, magazines, memos, bills, and other printed documents. Open Book turns a computer, a sound card, and a scanner into a complete reading machine.

[View Full Article]

Preview:
Griffin Technology, Inc. announces the iMate USB to ADB adapter, which allows users to take advantage of any ADB device on newer iMac models. Until now users of the upcoming iMac systems would be restricted to the included Apple mouse and keyboard.

[View Full Article]

Preview:
Elementary school students can practice math skills with the portable MathStar, released by Learning Advantage, an Educational Insights company. Designed to provide interactive, motivational math skills practice without the need for a computer, MathStar keeps students entertained and on task.MathStar allows students to practice math skills in each basic operational category - addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions, decimals, percentages. Each category includes eight levels of difficulty to allow students to progress at their own pace while motivating them to move to the next level.The electronic device displays a mathematical problem on its high-contrast LCD screen and students respond on the full-equation calculator keyboard.

[View Full Article]

Preview:
Preschool students are now able to conquer shapes, numbers, letters and more with a fun, portable electronic learning tool created by Educational Insights, Learning Circle. The tool is an easy-to-use, and sturdy device that provides 96 learning activities in eight progressive levels of difficulty, that teaches and reinforces preschoolers' knowledge of shapes, letters, colors, numbers, and visual discrimination skills and reasoning.Learning Circle, with its colorful design, flashing lights and animated sounds, helps children become engaged in their learning. Students ages 3-6 play matching games that teach the skills they need to progress to Kindergarten.

[View Full Article]

Preview:
Learning Advantage, an Educational Insights company, has created an interactive learning system for teaching phonics with the new Launch Pad Learning System. Launch Pad provides students in grades K-3 with a fun, self-guided tool to help prepare them for reading.Learning Advantage combines simple technologies in stand-alone systems with educator-created curriculum to bring easy-to-use materials to the classroom. The Launch Pad phonics curriculum provides a skill-based sequence of specific learning objectives that are aligned to national standards in reading.

[View Full Article]

Preview:
Connected University , the newest offering from Classroom Connect, is poised to make Internet-based staff development a viable reality. This on-line learning community for educators provides a wide variety of instructor-led, project-centered courses and other resources designed to help teachers improve their classroom application of technology skills.The key to Connected University is that faculty and staff members can take professional development courses at their convenience, without hiring substitutes or worrying about classroom downtime. Educators simply log onto their computers and "attend" classes on-line, collaborate with other educators worldwide, and can earn Continuing Education Units (CEUs) through a partnership with Pepperdine University.

[View Full Article]

Preview:
Classroom Connect , Internet-based curriculum and training for K-12 classrooms, announces the launch of the first comprehensive education hub on the Internet. This hub is designed to be the home base on the Internet for educators, students and parents in a learning community that will support the increasingly complex needs of today's educational landscape.Classroom Connect's mission is to support educators in transforming the classroom learning experience into one that is dynamic, enriching and engaging for students. Classroom Connect's education hub will serve as a backdrop for K-12 classroom activities, including extensive, free resources available to teachers and students to fully integrate the Internet into classroom curriculum.The initial launch of the hub featured the educators' community component – ConnectedTeacher.

[View Full Article]

Preview:
Any time we can teach children to be aware of their own learning we are teaching them a skill that helps them to be lifelong learners. Teaching students to recognize and apply mathematical strategies not only helps them to perform on standardized tests, but also to become good problem solvers for a lifetime.CAMS (Comprehensive Assessment of Mathematics Strategies) is a way for educators to assess students' strengths and weaknesses before they begin to teach. Recently released by Curriculum Associates, Inc., CAMS provides educators with the ability to diagnose students' abilities and prescribe strategies for learning mathematics skills.CAMS provides ten lessons, each assessing 12 strategies, including: building number sense; using estimation; applying addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division; converting time and money, customary and metric measures; using algebra and geometry; determining probability and averages, and interpreting graphs and charts.Throughout the program, students complete self-evaluations allowing them to analyze their performance, identify trouble areas for needed improvement, and help in setting goals to achieve improvement in these areas.Each student book also includes two teacher evaluation forms allowing educators to record and analyze students' results and prescribe remedial instruction if necessary.As students complete the lessons, the teacher records and analyzes the results using reproducible forms in the teacher's guide or the optional management software.

[View Full Article]

Preview:
The Learning Company, a provider of consumer and educational software, announces the release of Reader Rabbit Playtime for Baby, a software title designed to open up a whole new interactive world for parents and young children to explore together. Developed for children ages 9 to 24 months, Reader Rabbit Playtime for Baby is available on Windows and Macintosh for an approximate price of $29.95.Babies need a variety of toys, music, colors and movements to encourage their development. Reader Rabbit Playtime for Baby turns the computer into a fun, interactive play environment in which parent and baby can discover and learn together as they share baby's first experience with the computer.

[View Full Article]

Preview:
The Learning Company, a provider of consumer and educational software, announces the release of Sesame Street Baby& Me, designed for parents and their children ages one to three. Developed by Children's Television Workshop, Sesame Street Baby& Me is a new software program that promotes parent and child interaction, helping them discover a world of fun and learning together. This age-appropriate title features 12 activities hosted by everyone's favorite Sesame Street Muppet characters including Big Bird, Elmo and Ernie.

[View Full Article]

Preview:
Ultratec, Inc., a manufacturer of telecommunications devices for people with hearing loss, introduces the new CrystalTone Plus amplified phone with built-in speakerphone. Capable of increasing the volume of incoming voice by up to 50 dB, the high-end CrystalTone is one of the loudest amplified phones available.Designed specifically for people who have difficulty hearing on the phone, the new CrystalTone Plus includes many features that enhance the sound quality for "crystal clear" reception. Its volume control slide bar, located on top of the phone for easy adjusting, increases volume gradually so that users will not be surprised by a sudden change.

[View Full Article]

Preview:
Apple unveils iBookWhy settle for stay-at-home computing when you can get the iMac to go? Introducing the iBook. It's the notebook computer with easy access to the Internet, a choice of two colors, tons of free software, and a personality.The iBook was designed to be a well-rounded notebook computer. Smoothly rounded edges that fit the curve of your hands, pleasing textures, a brilliant 12.1-inch high-resolution active-matrix display, and a convenient carrying handle that folds away out of sight are among the many touches you'll appreciate about the iBook.

[View Full Article]

Preview:
Dolphin Computer Access announces the release of Supernova version 4.01. Supernova reader magnifier is a fully featured screen reader, which includes magnification, speech and Braille output and is available for both PC workstation and network server under Windows 95, 98 and NT.Supernova offers a solution to computer users with all kinds of visual impairment, making it ideal for large organizations catering to a range of needs and individuals who require a more powerful screen access solution.New features to v4 include support for Grade 2 Braille, Line View Mode, Panning, Context Sensitive Help and a redesigned control panel. Dolphin's Hal screen reader and Lunar screen enlarger will also be released at version 4 with Context Sensitive Help and the simplified control panel going into both products, Grade 2 Braille into Hal and Line View and Panning into Lunar.Lunar screen enlarger offers computer users with low vision a range of screen magnification options for a smooth and clear display at 2x – 32x.

[View Full Article]

Preview:
Remember the disruptive kid in school whose grades went up when he was moved to the front of the class? For kids in the new millennium, being closer to the chalkboard may not make much difference, as technology becomes more and more part of their education and vital preparation for employment. Serious sight problems affect 14 million Americans, and with many of us dependent on "point and click" for our day-to-day employment, eye injury or infection could mean loosing more than 20/20 vision.Computer users who are blind or have low vision use text-to-speech and magnification software tools to gain access to Windows environments and applications. Unfortunately this niche industry is traditionally a reactive one, with users often waiting many months for developers to catch up to the latest mainstream releases.

[View Full Article]

Preview:
ADAMLAB has just released the Superhawk Plus a digitized speech communication device with over an hour of speech that costs only $1275.Throughout the last few years the Superhawk has established itself as an extremely popular communication device. Its availability in six and 12 minute versions are not enough for some AAC users. Therefore, ADAMLAB developed the Superhawk Plus, which has 72 minutes of speech, including no limit on individual message lengths.The Superhawk Plus has all of the features of the Superhawk, along with some new enhancements.

[View Full Article]

Preview:
Parrot Software has launched a Web site featuring 60 different software programs for the remediation of speech, cognitive, language, attention, and memory deficits seen in individuals who have suffered aphasia from stroke or head injury. The treatment path for individuals with head injury and stroke is usually a long one requiring many hours of rehabilitation. Cost prohibits individuals from seeing specialists for more than two to three times a week and medical insurers including Medicare have significantly limited reimbursements for long-term care.

[View Full Article]

Preview:
Mississippi Industries for the Blind (MIB), a not-for-profit agency associated with the National Industries for the Blind (NIB), the Mississippi Department of Vocational Rehabilitation, and Motoman, Inc., have teamed up to enable Justin Pierce, a legally blind man, to operate and program a robotic arc welding solution from Motoman, Inc. In January 1999, Pierce attended a basic robotic programming course at Motoman, Inc.'s headquarters in West Carrollton, Ohio. Pierce is the first blind person to take the training course offered by Motoman, which taught him to weld robotically, rather than manually.The 22-year-old has no vision in his right eye and limited vision in the left.

[View Full Article]

Preview:
The FCC recently adopted rules and policies to implement Section 255 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 and Section 251(a)(2) of the Communications Act of 1934, that require manufacturers of telecommunications equipment and providers of telecommunications services to ensure that such equipment and services are accessible to and useable by persons with disabilities, if readily achievable. These rules will give people with disabilities access to a broad range of products and services – such as telephones, cell phones, pagers, call-waiting, and operator services, that they cannot use today.This action represents the most significant opportunity for people with disabilities since the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990. The rules adopted require manufacturers and service providers to design telecommunications equipment and services with the needs of people with disabilities in mind.

[View Full Article]

Preview:
Currently, more than 2.6 million school-age children are receiving special education services under the category of learning disabilities. In order for these students to maximize their potential and meet high expectations, it is critical that assistive technology be an integral part of their instructional program. IEP teams have the responsibility to determine a student's need for assistive technology devices and services, and for specifying those devices and services.

[View Full Article]

Preview:
Curriculum Associates, Inc., a long-time publisher of educational materials in print, audio tape, videotape, software and Internet-related programs, will once again honor three educators who exhibit excellence in teaching practices with an appointment to The Excellence in Teaching Cabinet. As part of serving on the Cabinet, educators receive a $1,000 implementation grant for a submitted project; up to $500 worth of Curriculum Associates materials; the ability to provide product feedback and field test products in the classroom; and a mechanism for sharing their success stories with other educators via the Curriculum Associates Web site.Educators wishing to apply for a grant are asked to submit proposals for innovative teaching projects that exemplify excellence in K-8 teaching practices encompassing a range of media, including print and software. A team of education experts will choose three educators to serve on the 2000-2001 Excellence in Teaching Cabinet.

[View Full Article]