Fully Interactive Books!

We know that fully interactive books are coming . . . oh, wait, they're here! The attached video shows an interactive book for iPad / iPhone. Several features are particularly exciting - such as creating action by blowing on the iPad! The book selection is also exciting - Our Choice by Al Gore. The best part about this is the fact that this group (Push Pop Press & Melcher Media) is developing a tool so that other people can develop materials that are more interactive. Clearly, these tools will be spectacular for education, and especially for students with disabilities.

Thanks to Jane Odom for this link!
http://www.ted.com/talks/mike_matas.html#.TkO-THYKPec.mailto

Echo Smartpen

At the conference in NYC last week, several people were asking for supports for high school students struggling in higher math classes. I mentioned the Smartpen, and promised to provide a link, so here it is. It provides excellent support for many activities, including the process of completing math problems.

http://www.livescribe.com/en-us/smartpen/echo/

SpedApps2

A group of therapists at Southwest Human Development have joined to create a new wiki about apps of great use for students with disabilities. This is new, and all areas are NOT filled in. We are going beyond listing of apps, and reviewing apps that we've actually used, and giving tips for new applications of apps (hence the name SpedApps2, which stands for apps squared!) Please visit frequently, as this wiki will change!!

Here's the link:
http://spedapps2.wikispaces.com/HOME

BLOGS, LIVEBINDERS, & WIKIS!

Here's my listing of my current blogs, livebinders, wikis, and a website!

Musselwhite’s Blogs, LiveBinders, Websites, & Wikis

AAC Girls Blog

Small bits and bytes of information about Assistive Technology, AAC, and literacy.

http://aacgirls.blogspot.com/

AAC Intervention Website

Musselwhite and Maro’s website, including Tips of the Month, on topics about AAC and literacy.

www.aacintervention.com

AAC-Literacy (with Deanna Wagner)

A wiki about adapting the Four Blocks model from Cunningham & Allington to students with significant disabilities.

http://aac-balancedliteracy.wikispaces.com/

AT Overview Live Binder

A collection of resources about Assistive Technology. Includes the categories of:

• UDL

• Videos

• Favorite Websites

• Checklists

• Software Samples

http://livebinders.com/edit?id=83986

Short url: www.tiny.ATOverview

Balanced Literacy Live Binder

A collection of resources from Musselwhite & Wagner – includes scores of links and downloads.

http://livebinders.com/play/play/3360

Short url: www.tiny.cc/AAClit

Natural Reader - Free Software

What: Natural Reader is an electronic reader with several versions. The free version that can read from the internet and read .txt or .doc files. It comes with one voice, and highlights speech.

The upgraded version can do the following:
1) read .pdf files
2) read scanned documents
3) read text from digital photos (e.g., taken with your iPhone)
4) translate text into .mp3 files, for listening

Why? This software is not as robust as programs such as Read: OutLoud or Kurzweil 3000. However, it would be great for trying out text reading, and documenting the need. It would also be a good transition tool, while trying to get funding for the more specialized software.

http://www.naturalreaders.com/index.htm

LA Dept of ED: Literacy Access Guide

The Significant Disabilities team in the Literacy Division at the Louisiana Department of Education has been busy!

That website is a repository for literacy supports for students with disabilities including:
• Tipsheets
• Documents such as assessment tools
• Videos of literacy best practices
• Webinars on topics including:
- Alternate Pencils
- Literacy Assessment
- Including Literacy in the IEP

Go to the literacy section, and be sure to click on the link on the top right, if you're a Mac Foxfire user.

Here's the link:
http://sda.doe.louisiana.gov/Site%20Pages/LiteracyView.aspx

Follow the CAR:Learn It / See It

The CAR strategy (Notari‐Syverson, Maddox, and Cole, 1999) encourages adults to support students during shared reading by ‘following the car’:

• Comment on what the student is doing (then wait 5 seconds)

• Ask questions (then wait 5 seconds)

• Respond by adding more

That strategy is equally successful for older students who are building their interactive language, to support communication and literacy.

For more information about the CAR strategy, follow this link:

http://www.walearning.com/products/language-is-the-key/car-strategies/

A video set, Language is the Key is available from Washington Learning Systems, to support training for parents, parapros, teachers, and therapists. This set includes two videos, available in Mandarin, Vietnamese, English, and Spanish. The videos are

Talking & Play and Talking & Books (which includes demonstration of the CAR strategy).

http://www.walearning.com/products/language-is-the-key/

Washington Learning Systems, LLC
2212 Queen Anne Ave. North #726
Seattle , WA 98109

Phone 206-310-7401 Fax 206-283-9243 Email info@walearning.com