The New Bookshare.org Website
by Samuel Sennott
Have you seen the new Bookshare.org website?
Did you know these three things about Bookshare.org?
Bookshare™ is free for all U.S. students with qualifying disabilities. Student memberships are currently funded by an award from the U.S. Department of Education Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP).
Bookshare dramatically increases the accessibility of books. Bookshare believes that people [...]
Introducing the Vantage Lite from Prentke Romich
by Samuel Sennott
It is exciting to report the arrival of the Vantage Lite, the newest AAC device from Prentke Romich Company. In my early childhood classroom program we have been greatly appreciating the Springboard Lite. The most important advantages of the Lite series in general is that they are physically lighter, have brighter backlit displays, [...]
Downloading YouTube Videos for Education
by Samuel Sennott
YouTube is very likely blocked at your school. No the debate on viral video will not ensue. Instead we focus on application of YouTube in general and special education, specifically as a way for teachers of AAC users to help build background knowledge and to provide writing motivation. Let’s discuss [...]
Ablenet How-To Videos: Step by Step with Levels
by Samuel Sennott
I have had creating a video guide to using a step switch on one of my someday/maybe task lists for a few weeks now. I meant to do this in response to how much trouble people have with using this device, especially when they are learning about both the old and new styles. [...]
2nd Generation OLPC Laptop has Dual Touchscreens
by Samuel Sennott
Things are changing. The second generation OLPC laptop will have dual touchscreens and will be designed to function like a book. What does this mean for early childhood education, special education, and augmentative and alternative communication? Over the course of this summer, we will be exploring this with the goal [...]
UDL Editions from CAST and Google
Sent for submission by CAST
CAST Joins Google and Partners to Celebrate World Book Day
Releases innovative literacy tools to support reading and learning from books, websites
In partnership with Google, CAST today celebrated World Book Day, April 23, 2008, by introducing two new online literacy tools that provide robust, embedded learning supports for readers at [...]
Photo Ball for Story Telling
by Samuel Sennott
Check out the Talking Photo Ball by Brookstones for creating a simple four location story telling voice output device.
Each of the four sides has a switch that can hold a recorded message. This could be a helpful tool for sharing short co-planned sequenced social scripts for direct selectors. Theoretically you could [...]
Writing with Comic Creator on Read Write Think
by Samuel Sennott
Things have shifted dramatically where we encourage students to have comic books in school, all because they are reading and are motivated! Writing a comic can be enjoyable for students of varying ages. Check out the excellent Comic Creator on the Read-Write-Think site. Be careful of losing work though as there is not [...]
Printable Making Words Cards
by Samuel Sennott
Making Words lessons are a terrific way to help learners actively construct letter sound correspondences and learn patterns of sounds that work together. It is a reccomended lesson type in the Four Blocks Framework’s —Working with Words block.
Check out these printable letter cards. They are two inch symbols. Simply print them with [...]
Helpful Literacy Images
By Samuel Sennott
These visual supports were created during the Literacy in AAC Seminar this past June at University of Florida Gainesville, taught by Dr. Karen Erickson and Dr. David Koppenhaver. The always excellent CARD sponsored the event. The learning was terrific in this week long intensive seminar. The visuals were created using [...]
