by Samuel Sennott
Check out the text to speech application ArtenSPEAK for Mac and Windows. It’s not Kurzweil, but it works.
Screenshot of the text to speech app ArtenSPEAK
From the website: ArtenSPEAK is a simple application that speaks text. You may drag or paste text into the ArtenSPEAK text area and when you depress the loudspeaker button the text will be read to you. Ideal for use with webpages, email, or any text document.
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by Samuel Sennott
My friend and co-worker authored these Disney Interest books.
You can access the bookshelf here
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, are far more rugged, and have very useful handles. The bluetooth features of the Vantage Lite is very exciting connecting to computers and other devices. Here is the press release with a more full review to come when I am scheduled to get a chance to trial one next week.
Vantage Lite in Green
| Contact: Bob Nemens, Director of Marketing Phone: (800) 262-1984 X243 rjn@prentrom.com |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASESeptember 8, 2008 |
PRC Introduces Vantage™ Lite,
a Portable AAC Powerhouse
Compact, Rugged, Take-It-Anywhere AAC Device Enables Robust Communication on the Go
Wooster, OH, September 8, 2008 – Prentke Romich Company (PRC), the leading manufacturer of alternative and augmented communication (AAC) devices for individuals with speech disabilities, today announced the release of Vantage™ Lite, a dedicated device designed for AAC beginners and those ready to advance toward fully independent augmented communication.
The second in PRC’s popular new line of “Lite” devices, Vantage Lite offers the same powerful language and communication features of PRC’s classic Vantage™ Plus but adds an array of hardware and software innovations, including:
- Compact case with built-in handle for greater portability;
- “High brightness” display with LED backlight and wide viewing angle;
- Magnesium frame that prevents damage from bumps and drops;
- Bluetooth® connectivity for computer access and wireless access;
- Integrated Bluetooth® phone interface, a PRC exclusive.
Like all AAC devices from PRC, Vantage Lite enables rich, independent communication through PRC’s proven Unity® language system, which allows users to progress from simple words and phrases to novel and spontaneous communication. The device’s expanded Unity Toolset features make it easy to build vocabulary, while 4-, 8-, 15-, 45-, 60- and 84-location display options allow communication capacity to grow along with the user’s abilities.
“Vantage Lite is a breakthrough in dedicated devices because it combines our critical focus on language development with exciting technological and design innovations,” stated PRC President David L. Moffatt. “The new design is a direct result of requests from SLPs and PRC device users for a durable, powerful, and portable speech device.”
As part of the Vantage Lite launch, PRC is donating a free device to a school or center. Those registering online at www.prentrom.com/VantageLiteGiveaway/ by October 31, 2008 will be entered in a drawing for a free Vantage Lite in their choice of five bold colors. The winner will be announced at the ASHA Convention in November.
PRC will be demonstrating Vantage Lite at the Closing the Gap conference October 16-18 in Minneapolis. Onsite demonstrations can be arranged by calling a PRC Regional Consultant at (800) 848-8008. Details about the new device and PRC’s other AAC aids are also available online at www.prentrom.com.
About PRC
PRC is a global leader in the development and manufacture of augmentative communication devices, computer access products, and other assistive technology for people with severe disabilities.
An employee-owned company founded in 1966 and headquartered in Wooster, OH, PRC has enabled thousands of children and adults worldwide with severe speech disorders to achieve spontaneous, independent, and interactive communication regardless of their disability, literacy level, or motor skills.
In addition to its powerful communication devices –ECO™-14, Vanguard™ Plus, Vantage™ Plus, Vantage™ Lite, and SpringBoard™ Lite – PRC also provides a wide array of high-quality teaching and implementation ideas, therapy materials, curriculum sequences, funding assistance, and training to speech-language pathologists, special educators, and the families of AAC communicators.
For more information, go to www.prentrom.com or call (800) 262-1984.
by Samuel Sennott
Check out the new Family Center for Technology and Disability article featuring the work of Karen Janowski.
Karen Janowski champions universal design and assistive technology. It is terrific to see her work being recognized. Check out her blog too. teachingeverystudent.blogspot.com
Here is an excerpt:
AT & High Incidence Disabilities: Independence is Her Goal
An Interview with Karen Janowski, Assistive and Educational Technology Consultant
and Special Education Instructor, Simmons College, Boston, MA
“In education, there often appeared to be an insufficient level of appreciation for promoting independence among all kids, especially those with high incidence disabilities, and in promoting methods that are successful in that regard,” declares Karen Janowski. “That’s what originally sparked my interest in assistive technology, because AT removes barriers to learning and gives kids additional ways to demonstrate what they know.”
While appreciation for the goal of AT-aided independence has increased in the years since she earned her Masters in AT from Boston’s Simmons College and adopted AT consulting in public schools as a career, there is plenty of room for improvement, she admits.
The independence movement’s ignition button, she recalls, was pinpointed by AT authority Dave Edyburn. “Dave points out that the new language included in the reauthorization of IDEA in 1997, which stipulated that all students on IEPs had to be considered for AT, created four million students who were potential AT users.” Read more from the article
By Samuel Sennott
Sam: Welcome. Great to hear about your excitement for your new blog. It looks terrific. What’s it all about?
Patrick Black: Teaching all Students in a blog about my experiences in teaching students with significant cognitive disabilities. As a self described “Geek”, I’ve always been interested in the ways technology can be used in teaching these students. So I wanted to take the time to share some of the wonderful ideas I’ve gotten from blogs, conferences, and e-mail lists. I currently am co-moderator of the Yahoo Boardmaker Group and belong to the QIAT list also.
I currently teach in Mt. Prospect, IL for Mt. Prospect School Dist 57, the SOAR program. I will be teaching 4 students this year and plan to use what I post to help them access curriculum, be social, and have fun. Here are a few of my favorite posts from my blog. Thanks for taking a look!
by Samuel Sennott
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.
As I am writing this post, I am at ISAAC at a presentation by Carole Goossens and it is so confirming to see her presenting on this same concept of using the launcher. There really is something to using this framework. While this particular launcher is meant as a teacher tool, look for big releases for this school year that are focused on independent student use.
by Samuel Sennott
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Including Samuel
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ASHA 2007 ALLTOGETHER LAUNCHER
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PRC Pictures (3,385 of them) Wow!
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Hannah Montana Book,
Skateboarders Ride Transitional Book,
Dogs by Samuel Sennott
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You Can Golf
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AAC-RERC Webcasts
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Video Writing Setups
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The Tango Tutorial: An Exercise in Not Reduplicating Training
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Connecting Video to Reading and Writing
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Tar Heel Reader: An Open Source Library of Talking Books
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Padded Head Switches and Loc-Line Mounting Arms
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AAC Considerations and the Stages Framework
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AAC Consideration Materials and Checklists
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Goossens, Crain, Elder Communication Overlay Color Reminder
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Art Website Launcher
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Math Websites Core Tools
by Samuel Sennott
We have been playing the Nintendo Wii with children with special needs and have been having an amazing time. Both for recreation and as a connection to the curriculum, it really is an amazing tool. Seeing the virtual game worlds up on the big projector is pretty cool. Our best integration is seen in a previous post about golf. There is much to share about the process we use, but for right now, one tip is to use tape or velcro to adapt the buttons. Yes, if you have the $300 for the adapted controller, definitely check it out, but look for more posts on our adaptations. We do some pretty wild stuff like swat at the controller, drop it, and use eye gaze to coridinate assistance. Also, good luck getting one. I was up very early at Best Buy on the Sunday morning we snagged ours!
by Samuel Sennott
Check out the excellent offerings of AAC-RERC Webcasts, which can be found here and navigating to webcasts: http://www.aac-rerc.com Some of the pictures have been deleted, due a server move by the AAC-RERC. I am going to consider how to feature the webcasts better, and in an automated format in the future.
by Samuel Sennott
Last week, I reported on WebAnywhere, the screen reader on the go. Check out this article found in the CEC smartbrief:
Emerging tech makes learning more accessible
Electronic web narrators and tongue-driven controls continue trend toward ‘anytime, anywhere’ access to assistive learning tools
