OLPC

2nd Generation OLPC Laptop has Dual Touchscreens

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 [...]

IconSpeak for the XO

IconSpeak for the XO

by Samuel Sennott
Update New Site: http://wiki.laptop.org/go/FreeIconToSpeech
Current Article: http://s54379.gridserver.com/software/applications/free_icon-to-speech_open-source_speech_for_disabled.html
IconSpeak is the first attempts at a dynamic display augmentative communication software for the XO laptop. Recently, I posted about Speak, which IconSpeak is built on. Check out the main screen, as of Thursday 4/3/08:

You can see that there are sign language based icons, mixed with [...]

The OLPC Computer as an AAC Device

The OLPC Computer as an AAC Device

by Samuel Sennott
Individuals with autism or other developmental disabilities, may be able to use Speak, the open source software available for the OLPC XO laptop, as an augmentative communication tool to help meet their daily communication needs. The basic function of this application or activity as it is called in the OLPC world, [...]

XO Keyboard Shortcuts

by Samuel Sennott
As I am preparing for a flurry of XO based posts, I just have to get some of it out. The one to one concept is exciting me as a teacher more and more. It is important for us to learn the operational commands for the tools we use. [...]

Apple Announcements

By Samuel Sennott
Were you hoping for the Apple PDA/Tablet with a 1.5 times form factor as the iPhone? I sure was and my hopes were dashed. I was also dreaming a bit, hoping for the Macbook tablet. Yet, based on the evidence described today, I think it is on the way. [...]

OLPC and AAC for the Developing World with Adam Bowker at ASHA 2007

OLPC and AAC for the Developing World with Adam Bowker at ASHA 2007

By Samuel Charles Sennott

This poster board session at ASHA was authored by Adam Bowker and Dr. Janice Light, both from Penn State. There is one powerful, clear message that was presented here: that you could never hand a child with disabilities something like a Dynavox Series 5 Device in a developing nation. [...]