ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY TOOLS
January/February 2011 (This document is available electronically from http://post.queensu.ca/~dudleyp)
A) HARDWARE AlphaSmart (portable keyboard imports text into a Word Processor on PC), later versions called Neo http://www.alphasmart.com/ Franklin Language Master; Homework Whiz (spell checker, dictionary) http://www.franklin.com/estore/dictionary/LM-6000B/ Abacus (for tactile feedback) http://www.ee.ryerson.ca:8080/%7Eelf/abacus/ Flip Ultra Video Recorder (an alternative to written projects) - Video: (4:13 min.) http://video.nytimes.com/video/2008/03/20/technology/personaltech/1194817112152/the-flipultravideo-recorder.html?scp=1&sq=flip ultra&st=cse Key to Access (Talking word processor and others) http://www.readingmadeeasy.ca/products/keytoaccess.html Reading/Scanning Pens (Reads aloud dictionary definitions, reads scanned words aloud, saves scanned lines for later transfer to PC) http://www.wizcomtech.com/ Digital Pens o Livescribe Digital Pen http://www.livescribe.com/smartpen/videos.html http://video.nytimes.com/video/2008/05/08/technology/personaltech/1194817121313/thepulse-smartpen.html - Video: (4:17 min.) o Dane Elec Zpen - http://www.danedigital.com/6-Zpen/index.html - Video: (4:29 min.) http://video.on.nytimes.com/?fr_story=b91f3b0f9767144ee2d9e8e57e0c78537110d3c9
B) SOFTWARE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION LICENSED [1] Clicker 5 (Writing support and multimedia tool, e.g., Word Grids) o http://www.cricksoft.com/us/products/clicker/ o View Clicker video tutorials: http://www.setbc.org/setbc/access/access_clicker5_resources.html and try the first three videos under "Demonstrations". See LearningGrids.com to download grids. [2] Dragon Naturally Speaking (Voice to text) o http://www.nuance.com/naturallyspeaking/ o Video demo (2:35 min.) http://video.nytimes.com/video/2008/08/07/technology/personaltech/1194817477305/wh en-your-computer-listens-to-you.html [3] Smart Ideas (Concept Mapping Software) http://smarttech.com/smartideas [4] Write OutLoud (Word processor with speech) o http://www.donjohnston.com/resources/writeoutloud_index.html o View the "Software Demonstrations/Screen Captures" videos at http://www.setbc.org/setbc/access/klr04.html [5] WordQ (word prediction) WordQ suggests words to use and provides spoken feedback to help find mistakes. Software developed in Toronto. o http://www.wordq.com/ o Tutorials: http://www.setbc.org/setbc/access/wordq_resources.html (View catalog of all Ministry licensed software at http://www.osapac.org)
C) LICENSED BY SOME SCHOOL BOARDS [6] Kurzweil 3000 (talking word processor, scan to text, and test taker) (some school baords have licenses) http://www.kurzweiledu.com/ SpeakQ (works with WordQ word prediction software to provide speech-to-text) http://www.wordq.com/ - free 30-day trial download (of WordQ and SpeakQ) from website D) COMES WITH OPERATING SYSTEM [7a] Windows built-in accessibility exploration FREE http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/accessibility/default.mspx [7b] Mac accessibility http://www.apple.com/accessibility/learning/ (check out all the blue tabs at the top of the page to see built in options for accessibility) FREE E) FREE SOFTWARE ReadPlease 2003 (free) (Text Reader) - http://www.readplease.com/ FREE See instructions at: http://atrc.utoronto.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=139&Itemid=104 Try reading text from Imagine If! - http://post.queensu.ca/~dudleyp/BillV/imagine-if.html [8] NaturalReader (text to speech; text to mp3, and OCR with paid version) http://www.naturalreaders.com/ FREE F) FREE AUDIO AND VIDEO DOWNLOADS [9a] Free books online (pdf or html format) o Project Gutenberg U.S.: http://www.gutenberg.org/ o Project Guentberg Canada: http://www.gutenberg.ca/ [9b] Free epub books - audio or text only o http://Feedbooks.com o http://epubbooks.com o http://Manybooks.com [9c] Read epub format books o PC or Mac use iTunes (FREE download from http://www.apple.com/itunes) o iPod Touch / iPhone app Good app with links to lots of free books: STANZA (FREE download from iTunes App Store) [9d] Free Audio (podcasts) and Video (vodcasts) downloads o iTunes Store (access from iTunes software) under Podcasts and iTunesU o CBC podcasts of favourite radio programs (e.g., News & Current Affairs, Vinyl Caf, Comedy Factory, Quirks & Quarks) http://www.cbc.ca/podcasting/ o PBS video (subscribe via iTunes) http://www.pbs.org/podcasts/ G) MOBILE [10] iPod Touch / iPhone / iPad http://www.apple.com/ca/ipad/ and http://www.apple.com/ca/ipodtouch/ o Tactile feedback, e.g., tracing letters (e.g., Alphabet Tracing Letters app) o Reading books (audio or text) (e.g., Stanza, iBooks, Kobo) o Read text outloud and/or make audio file (e.g., Speak It!) o Dragon Dictate (speech to text) (e.g., Dragon Dictation) o Calendar (with multiple alarms for reminders) (built-in Calendar app) o Record audio and take time-stamped notes (e.g., AudioNote)

ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY WORKSHOP 2009 A) INTRODUCTION Misunderstood Minds: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/misunderstoodminds/intro.html Click on "Attention", "Reading", "Writing", or "Mathematics" and then look in "Experience First Hand" and try one (or more) of the activities. ReadPlease 2003 (free) (Text Reader) - http://www.readplease.com/ FREE http://atrc.utoronto.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=139&Itemid=104 Try reading text from Imagine If! - http://post.queensu.ca/~dudleyp/BillV/imagine-if.html
B) HANDS-ON Software Tools - ALL LAB COMPUTERS in B307 Look under START | ALL PROGRAMS for a folder called: Adap Tech Workshop. Dragon Naturally Speaking (Voice to text) MOE http://www.nuance.com/naturallyspeaking/ --> View the demo by choosing QCKTOUR from the Adap Tech Workshop menu. Clicker (Writing support and multimedia tool, e.g., Word Grids) MOE http://www.cricksoft.com/us/products/clicker/ --> View Clicker video tutorials: http://www.setbc.org/setbc/access/access_clicker5_resources.html and try the first three videos under "Demonstrations". See LearningGrids.com to download grids. Write OutLoud (Word processor with speech) : See View Product Demonstation section: http://www.donjohnston.com/products/write_outloud/index.html - MOE --> View the "Software Demonstrations/Screen Captures" videos at http://www.setbc.org/setbc/access/klr04.html Windows built-in accessibility exploration FREE http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/accessibility/default.mspx Mac accessibility http://www.apple.com/accessibility/learning/ (check out all the blue tabs at the top of the page to see built in options for accessibility) FREE Hardware Tools AlphaSmart (portable keyboard imports text into a Word Processor on PC), also Neo and Dana http://www.alphasmart.com/ Reading/Scanning Pens (Reads aloud dictionary definitions, reads scanned words aloud, saves scanned lines for later transfer to PC) http://www.wizcomtech.com/ Livescribe Digital Pen (records handwriting and audio) http://www.livescribe.com/smartpen/videos.html Franklin Language Master; Homework Whiz (spell checker, dictionary) http://www.franklin.com/estore/dictionary/LM-6000B/ Abacus (math manipulative) http://www.ee.ryerson.ca:8080/%7Eelf/abacus/ Key to Access (Talking word processor and more) http://www.readingmadeez.com/products/keytoaccess.html Flip Ultra Video recorder and Digital Photo Frame (an alternative to written projects) http://video.nytimes.com/video/2008/03/20/technology/personaltech/1194817112152/the-flip-ultravideo-recorder.html?scp=1&sq=flip ultra&st=cse The Fusion (text to speech, word prediction) http://www.writerlearning.com/fusion_overview.php Try the Powerpoint walkthrough to see how it works: (large Powerpoint file download) http://www.writerlearning.com/files/Fusion%20Walk-Through%20Sept%2008.ppt
C) INTERESTING SPECIAL SOFTWARE NaturalReader (text to speech and text to mp3) http://www.naturalreaders.com/ FREE Kurzweil 3000 (talking word processor, scan to text, and test taker) http://www.kurzweiledu.com/ Smart Ideas (Concept Mapping Software) http://smarttech.com/products/smartideas/index.asp MOE
D) USEFUL WEB PAGES Siftables: (Tactile User Interface) Making the digital physical a hint of the future http://siftables.com/ and watch the video on this page Then read the article: Goodbye GUI, Hello TUI http://post.queensu.ca/~dudleyp starting links on adaptive technology. Find the "Workshop Notes" link (under the heading Useful Links); explore some of the websites http://educ.queensu.ca/adaptech.html - adaptive technology notes http://www.osapac.org Ministry of Education (MOE) licensed software information database; software freely available to all publicly funded schools in Ontario http://snow.utoronto.ca - note especially the free online workshops and tutorials http://www.ldonline.org/ld_indepth/technology/technology.html Technology resources Check out Project Gutenberg at http://www.gutenberg.org for 17,000 free electronic books

GENERAL Disability and Need-Specific Resources http://snow.utoronto.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=103&Itemid=82 Further information on adaptive tehcnology related to: Autism, Blindness/Visual Impairment, Deaf/Hearing Impairment, Deaf and Blind, Gifted, Learning Disabilities, Mental Health, Physical Disabilities, Speech Impairment Information Resource for People working with a wide variety of disabilities http://www.tiresias.org/accessible_ict/at.htm Education for All, Ontario Ministry of Education (see chapter 10 on Computer-based Assistive Technology) (PDF file); http://post.queensu.ca/~dudleyp/downloads/education_for_all.pdf
WRAP UP: Raising Small Souls, "Animal School" movie (5 min.) http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com