October / November 2008
Show All
Editorial Feature
DISKoveries Special needs:New software, books, DVD's and professional resources
By
Joan Tanenhaus
Preview:
Boardmaker Version 6 for Macintosh (Mayer-Johnson: 800-588-4548, www.mayer-johnson.com) Boardmaker Version 6 is now available for Macintosh in two different versions, Boardmaker Plus and Boardmaker with Speaking Dynamically, with all of the features of the Windows versions. Boardmaker has always been the standard of excellence for creating printed classroom and at home materials with Picture Communication Symbols (PCS). Now Boardmaker Plus! for Macintosh lets Boardmaker activities come alive on the computer with voice, animation and video support, and with Boardmaker, more than 4500 PCS and over 300 ready-to-use templates for schedules, AAC and calendars.
[View Full Article]
An introduction to switches, switch-activated software and how it all works
By
Mark Larson
Preview:
We live in a wonderful time where technology enables us to do so many things that would have been considered impossible a few years ago. However, some people can feel left out, or have diminished choices, because of physical disabilities. For example, a person may not be able to type on a keyboard or to move a mouse.
[View Full Article]
Addressing consideration in mathematics instruction via technology-based solutions
By
Sean Smith
Preview:
Mathematic challenges for the struggling learner
Meaningful access to the general education classroom is something teachers, parents, and related educational professionals continually strive to accomplish for ALL learners. With the passage of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001 and the reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 2004, educators are under tremendous pressure to increase the academic performance of all students. That is, if we are to achieve meaningful access, students need to be included not only in state assessments but also within the very content classes that prepare individuals for their respective local and state assessments.
[View Full Article]
A writer, a pencil a reason and a teacher (Actually no pencil required)
By
Samuel Sennott
Preview:
After six intense weeks of Nova Southeastern University's TLC Summer Writing Camp for users of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), one of our team members said about the students, "They love writing now! Look at them, they just can't wait to do it." The six-week camp was designed with the goal of helping users of AAC, ages 8 to 12, become better writers. The primary intent of the camp was to develop and implement systems, curriculum and materials that would help the students grow in the writing process, both now and into their next school year. A secondary goal was to look for potential research questions to be studied related to users of AAC and the writing process.
[View Full Article]
An AAC retrospective Part 1: Tools, methods, trends, and milestones
By
Patti Murphy
Preview:
Like that of most human endeavors, the history of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) has its share of variables and constants, trial and error, myth and controversy, successes to celebrate and new frontiers to look forward to. This first installment of a two-part retrospective of AAC focuses on the tangible aspects of its evolution - tools and methods, trends and milestones - in the last quarter century.
[View Full Article]
Literacy and augmentative and alternative communication
By
Janis Doneski-Nicol
Preview:
The central focus of education in the United States in primary grades is the development of reading and writing skills. A population of students, with complex communication disorders who use augmentative and alternative communication systems (AAC), is often deprived of this reading and writing skill development. Without literacy skills, the student using an AAC system has severe limitations across the lifespan.
[View Full Article]
AT In Depth
New, inclusive "Flat Friends" project promotes active communication and connection for students of all abilities
By
Suzanne Feit and Jane Odom
Preview:
For over a decade, students in traditional classrooms across North America have delighted in cross-curricular activities based on Flat Stanley,* the popular character from the book of the same title written by John Nash. Now, students can use technology and augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices to join in on the fun!
Prentke Romich Company (PRC), a worldwide leader in AAC technology, has collaborated with Cambium Learning Technologies to launch the "Flat Friends" project, which gives teachers and their students an entertaining and educational way to connect with others via the Internet. Using Classroom Suite, students will be able to experience life outside the classroom and travel virtually to places around the world.
[View Full Article]
Product Feature
Proloquo gives me freedom of speech
By
Leigh-Anne Tompkins
Preview:
My name is Leigh-Anne Tompkins and I am a graphics and Web designer. I was born in Michigan, but have lived in Jacksonville, Florida for approximately the past 20 years. In 1992, I graduated from the University of North Florida with honors in Fine Arts with a track in computer graphics.
I have a complete up-to-date graphic/Web design studio.
[View Full Article]
Product Spotlight
Crick Software showcases the new WriteOnline
Preview:
WriteOnline is an innovative new writing tool for elementary, middle, and high school students. WriteOnline can be used at home as well as at school - in fact, on any Windows or Mac computer with an Internet connection (and even the Asus Eee!).
[View Full Article]
News-2-You
Preview:
News-2-You has officially launched the Unique Learning System curriculum product to the public. Educators now have access to the most comprehensive standards-based special education curriculum ever to hit the market. This is not a modified curriculum, but one built from national standards that are customized by individual states to easily align with their state specific standards.
[View Full Article]
Enabling Devices spotlights autism products
Preview:
Enabling Devices has announced that its Fall catalog will feature products for people diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Steven Kanor, Ph.D., President of Enabling Devices, says "with the explosive growth of diagnosed cases of autism, we wanted to identify products that meet the diverse learning needs of people on the autism spectrum". For more than 30 years, we have worked with special education teachers, occupational therapists, speech therapists, and parents to develop products for people with special needs, including autism.
[View Full Article]
DynaVox announces the EyeMax - new eye gaze system provides greater independence
Preview:
DynaVox has announced the EyeMax at the International Society of Augmentative and Alternative Communication's biennial conference in Montreal. The EyeMax is part of a new eye gaze system that provides greater independence to individuals living with the speech and physical challenges that accompany conditions such as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), cerebral palsy, stroke, and brain and spinal cord injury.
[View Full Article]
Freedom Scientific releases SARA 9.0 with new features for blind and low vision users
Preview:
Freedom Scientific has released their newest version of the SARA scanning and reading appliance, including numerous enhancements that make the reading experience more enjoyable for both blind and low vision users.
[View Full Article]
HumanWare introduces four new portable video magnifiers for low vision
Preview:
HumanWare expanded its low vision product line with the announcement of four new video magnifiers.
The new products include:
[View Full Article]
Search Tips:
There are a few special characters that you can use to provide more specific search criteria. Click on a character to learn how you can use it to enhance your searches.
Show All
Special Characters
+ (plus sign)
A leading plus sign indicates that this word must be present in each row that is returned.
Example: +apple +juice
Find records that contain both the words apple and juice.
- (minus sign)
A leading minus sign indicates that this word must not be present in any of the rows that are returned.
Note: The - operator acts only to exclude rows that are otherwise matched by other search terms. Thus, a boolean-mode search that contains only terms preceded by - returns an empty result. It does not return "all rows except those containing any of the excluded terms."
Example: +apple -juice
Find records that contain the word apple but not the word juice.
* (asterisk)
The asterisk serves as the truncation (or wildcard) operator. Unlike the other operators, it should be appended to the word to be affected. Words match if they begin with the word preceding the * operator.
Example: apple*
Find rows that contain words such as "apple", "apples", "applesauce", or "applet".
() (parentheses)
Parentheses group words into subexpressions. Parenthesized groups can be nested.
Example: +apple -(sauce dumpling)
Find rows that contain the word "apple", but not the words "sauce" or "dumpling".
"" (double quotes)
A phrase that is enclosed within double quote (") characters matches only rows that contain the phrase literally, as it was typed. When words are NOT in quotes, each word is searched for independently.
Example: "apple pie"
Find rows that contain the phrase "apple pie".
Show All
Browse Archives
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
