iBooks
On July 19, 2010, Apple updated iBooks to version 1.1.1. This update adds a key feature, “the ability to experience books that include audio and video.” This is terrific for a wide variety of learners from individuals just learning to read to experienced readers. The key component is the expanded interactive nature of digital books. This is important because iBooks is a mainstream application, not just a special education focused tool. This certainly looks to be a step in the right direction towards the goal of more universally designed literacy resources. Researchers at Penn State will be pleased about this ability, as it will empower them to start to use more interactive books on the iPad. You can see some of the work they do on this terrific website, aacliteracy.psu.edu.
Here is what the update brings:
• The ability to double-tap an image within a book in order to view it in greater detail.
• The ability to experience books that include audio and video.
• Look up definitions to English words inside books without a specified language.
• An answer to an issue that may have caused some book downloads to not complete.
• The addition of many stability and performance improvements.
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I believe in good teaching, good research, and combining it with finding innovative ways to accomplish our goals. In this time of exponential possibility, getting back to basics and working from “good seed” so to speak, is always welcome. Here are some books to check out and share. Note: this is easy and fun to do in PowerPoint or whatever authoring software you like, Intellitools Classroom Suite, Clicker 5, Boardmaker, etc…
Do you have enough books? Would you like some more? How about links out to over a thousand books? Here is a books launcher that was presented as part of the ISAAC 2008 pre-conference presentation I collaborated on with Caroline Ramsey Musselwhite titled, Writing Books for Beginning Readers . . . and Using Them to Support Real Reading.
Download the accessible-books-launcher in PDF Format
Link to a Two Switch Step Scan Capable Online Version
If you enjoy this resource and have other book websites, please email them to me at samuel.sennott@gmail.com.
Also, it is good to consider Dr. David Koppenhaver’s feedback on this resource that it links out to a wide variety of levels and types of books from enrichment, to transitional, to conventional. So use it appropriately. Enjoy.
The professional development DVD series by Caroline Ramsey Musselwhite is a perfect way to provide training to educators, SLPs, and other people who support individuals with special needs.
These would be great for a professional development series in a school for the upcoming year or for learning over the summer. You can see samples of the titles here: http://www.youtube.com/user/CMusselwhite and you can order these from this website: www.aacintervention.com
http://aacliteracy.psu.edu
Literacy Instruction
for Individuals with Autism,
Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome
and Other Disabilities
Janice Light & David McNaughton
The Pennsylvania State University
Run, don’t walk to checking out this awesome website full of exemplars of students with complex communication needs learning to read and write. The website comes out of the longitudinal research of Dr. Janice Light and Dr. David McNaughton. Additionally, through Dynavox, they have published a curriculum called the ALL Curriculum – Accessible Literacy Learning.
To be Presented with Matthew Press at ATIA 2009 on Thursday, January 29th 2008 2:30 to 3:30 PM in the Room Bonaire 5/6
Download the Session PDF Handout: Reading, Writing, and Playing: How Games Can Play a Key Role in the Classroom Handout (Sennott, Press 2009)
Primary Aim: To help you improve your instructional design by connecting play with literacy, augmentative and alternative communication, and curriculum.
We know that children learn when they are connected. By connecting play and learning, individuals can experience high motivation levels, build their AAC systems, work on access to technology, build curriculum connections, and meet their sensory needs. The results are powerful.
For some reason the spreadsheet is not working. I’ll work on it.
Please add resources below:
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Watch the list grow:
http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=pI6DqL-VA3kV_jpUmGNRpAQ
by Samuel Sennott
Here are some curriculum components to be used to design lessons based on considering the Inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States of America on Tuesday January 20th, 2008.
Video of the Inauguration Speech (With Captions)
Part One
Part Two
Use http://mediaconverter.net to download the video, if YouTube is blocked at your school.
Barak Obama Bookshelf from the Tar Heel Reader
Other Readings and Resources
Slater Software Symbol Resources: http://slatersoftware.com/document.html#jan
- A New President 6 pages, 984 KB, PDF (Book, Symbol Supported)
Inauguration – PixWriter v3 Mac wordbank 412 KB, ZIP archive
Inauguration – PixWriter v3 Windows wordbank 812 KB, ZIP archive - Free Symbol Search: http://slatersoftware.com/PixLibrary.html?CHEER.GIF=Cheer!
Weekly Reader Resources (Note they are Flash Intensive(Trouble with screen reading): http://www.weeklyreader.com/election/
Kate Ahern’s blog post: How to Watch the Inauguration Live (via the web) Link to AAC Boards
PBS Front Line: Dreams of Obama: Tons of resources, including a reading list for older readers, interviews, and the link to watch the full program. This is a truly excellent resource.
http://superobamaworld.com (The video game is questionable content, yet it may be just the thing to hook in that one student. Use with caution)
by Samuel Sennott
Saturday’s workshop was outright terrific. The participants excitement about the curriculum project, Bookshelves Please was tangible. I look forward to sharing about the prototyping and more about the project. For now, a few participants did not recieve the handout. Here it is: bookshelves-please-handout
by Samuel Sennott
mywebspiration logo
Are you participating in the public beta test of myWebspiration. (www.mywebspiration.com) From the makers of the graphic organizing softwares Inspiration, Kidspiration, and Inspiredata, comes the web 2.0 version of the software. In my intial trials of using myWebspiration, my impression is that for the basics it works just like Inspiration, my graphic organizing software of choice. Yet, gosh do I miss being able to do (contro/ command e). That resizes your graphic. There a few other usability features that will also be upgraded, such as undo, super small cell color fill buttons, and other problems related to overriding the browser function keys. Hey, that’s why its a beta right? I just started a collaborative project using the sharing feature and will report on how it goes. Overall, I think this software has great potential to give students access to the software at home, which assumes that the company continues its aggressively priced bulk liscensing options for schools.
by Samuel Sennott
Just wanted to share that my team from this summer and I had some work published in the Closing the Gap Newspaper turned magazine in the current issue, which is October/November 2008. We are thrilled to be able to share some of the insight from our work focusing on users of AAC and writing.
A Writer, a Pencil, a Reason and a Teacher (Actually no pencil required)
By Samuel Sennott, Christina Cahill, Shelly Major, Nicole Nordal, Charity Smith-Engelin, Cassie Rubenstein and Joslyn Silverman
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.
by Samuel Sennott
The Tar Heel Reader just reached the one thousand books mark this past week. This is so exciting for students and teachers alike. So much thanks for the work of the UNC Center for Literacy and Disability Studies and for the Computer Science work of Gary Bishop and now his class. I think that the Tar Heel Reader offers some initial proof of concept that we can create solutions to questions and challenges that we have by working together. In this case, everyone submitting a book or two truly makes a difference. See how it becomes even more powerful when you get a teaming of literacy specialists with computer scientists. The internet and low cost computing really does offer an unprecedented platform for collaboration. I look forward to seeing this idea grow and blosom. Also, it is exciting to consider the next steps and the refining of initial goals.
