Web 2.0 Wednesday! Kongoroo

Are you looking for a safe place on-line for your children or students to explore? Then you should try Kongoroo!



According to the website:

Kongoroo is your child's free ticket to all that's exciting on the web.

Kongoroo is made of parents working together. We scour the web for the best and most interesting sites, and together we make a gigantic, amazing place that kids can visit and safely explore.

Why not check it out today!

APP Attack! Mini Book Report

I often search for apps that allow my students to complete an activity parallel to their peers. In Mini Book Report app your students can complete their book reports on the iPad. The Mini Book report from Nth Fusion students are walked through the book report process screen by screen. There are 6 color icons on the top of the page, name, characters, setting, problem, solution and My view. The student can work in any order they wish. The student can preview and share their reports with others via email. The file comes in PDF format.

I was very encouraged to see the students all asking to use the app for their book reports in the media center. All the students were given a paper copy of the book report and they would fill out their information the iPad. The paper copy was for reference of what information was needed when it was their turn on the iPad.

There are two features I would like to see added. I would like to see be added to the app is the ability to check spelling. The iPad does some of the spell correction however for students that struggle with spelling, the iPad doesn't always correct errors. The second feature that is a must have is students need to be able to save their work and return to it at a later date. Now they needed to complete the task in one sitting which for many individuals is a difficult task.

Do you have a favorite APP you would like to see highlighted? Let us know - maybe you could even be a guest contributor!

Do you want to learn more about APPS? Then sign up for our APP Attack workshop on May 3rd at our Ewing NJ office. This is a new date because the first session is sold out! We are limiting the registration to the first 20 people, so sign up today!

Gamers, Meet SpecialEffect - Feel Good Fridays

I am not a gamer. Never have been. I do remember my brother playing Super Mario Brothers a gazillion times a day on Nintendo circa 1986.

I digress. For people who are into video games and might need assistance with physical access, meet SpecialEffect; a charity located in the UK.

From their website - "SpecialEffect is a charity dedicated to helping ALL young people with disabilities to enjoy computer games. For these children, the majority of computer games are simply too quick or too difficult to play, and we can help them and their parents to find out which games they CAN play, and how to adapt those games that they can't."

SpecialEffect just launched UK’s first fully accessible Video Games Visitor Centre. The center would allows individuals the opportunity to try out a range of cutting edge games and leisure software and hardware, with the advice and support of specialist professionals.

They also have host a website called Gamebase. The purpose of this site is to provide information on games, have a forum for questions and a place to share ideas.


Below is a video of some of the things SpecialEffect is doing.

Are you a gamer? Work with someone who is? What gaming resources are out there that you can share? Let us know.

Enjoy, and Game On!

SpecialEffect from William Donegan on Vimeo.

Web 2.0 Wednesday! Sci2ools

Would you like a free suite of on-line productivity tools? Then try out Sci2ools

This productivity suite consists of the following FREE tools:

i2OCR - a FREE on line OCR tool. According to the website, this tool has the following features:

Extract Text from Document Image
Supports (TIF, JPEG, PNG, BMP, GIF, PBM, PGM, PPM)
33 Languages (English, French, Italian, Chinese, +more)
Supports Multi-column Document
Unlimited Uploads
No Registration, No Email

iTex2Img - an on line Latex Equation Editor. According to the website, this tool has the following features:

Convert Latex Equations into Images to Embed in Documents
Embed Equation in Web Page, Forum, Google Docs, Twitter
Learn Latex by Trial and Error
Convert your email to image and avoid spam
Supports (PNG, GIF, JPG, TIF, BMP, PNM, FIG, PS)
Control Equation Font Size, Color, and Transparency
Unlimited Uploads, No Registration, No Email

iWeb2print - an on line tool to create printer friendly web pages. According to the website, this tool has the following features:

Convert Web Page to Elegant Printer Friendly PDF
Save, Read, and Print Directly from your Browser
Control Page Size (Letter, Legal, A0-A9, B0-B10, +more)
Control Orientation (Landscape, Portrait)
Control PDF Mode (Color, Gray)
Exclude Web Page Images or Background to Optimize Printing
No Registration, No Email, Unlimited Usage
Chrome Extension - Firefox Add-On

iWeb2Shot - an on line web snapshot tool. According to the website, this tool has the following features:

Convert Web Page to High Resolution Image Snapshot
Supported Images (PNG, GIF, JPG, TIF, BMP, PPM, PGM)
Set Image to Custom Wallpaper or Actual Page Size
Bookmarklet to Get Image Directly from Browser
Share, Save, or Email Cool Websites as Image
Bookmark on Image Network such as Flickr
No Registration, No Email, Unlimited Usage
Chrome Extension - Firefox Add-On

iPDF2Split - an on line PDF splitter. According to the website, this tool has the following features:

Split a PDF into Useful Pages or Chapters in PDF too
Supports Range, Burst, and Odd-Even Modes
Range: Enter page no. and/or ranges separated by commas
Burst: Save every page as a PDF file
Even/Odd: Save odd and even pages as 2 separate PDF files
No Registration, No Email
Unlimited Uploads

iPDF2Merge - an on line PDF merger. According to the website, this tool has the following features:

Merge Multiple PDF Files into Single PDF File
Sort Merged Files by Upload Order or File Name
Academic: Combine Proofs, Narratives, Results, E-books, ..
General: Combine Invoices, Statements, Contracts, ..
Combine PDF generated by iPDF2Split
Unlimited Uploads
No Registration, No Email

iWeb2X - a browser add-in for Mozilla or Chrome. According to the website, this tool has the following features:

Google Chrome Extension and Firefox Add-On to:
Convert web page to printer friendly PDF
Convert web page to high resolution image or wallpaper

Legacy Sci2ools - According to the website, this tool has the following features:

Extract Images from PDF as JPEG
Convert PDF to Thumbnails, Text, or Postscript
Repair Corrupted PDF if possible
Convert Office Documents (Word, Excel, ..) to PDF
Image Converter (jpeg, png, bmp, gif, tiff, +more)
Converts Latex Documents to Rich Text Format (RTF)

So check these tools out to help increase productivity. Have you already tried them? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

APP Attack! LookTel Money Reader

A company called Look Tel has introduced a new app called Money Reader.

This app uses the iPod's camera (or the new iPad 2 when you get one!) to take a picture of any U.S. paper bill. The camera takes the picture then the image is scanned and the dollar amount is announced. While the company highlights this app for people with visual impairments, this tool can be used for anyone who needs assistance with identifying paper money. The app will recognize $1, $2, $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100 bills. Unfortunately, it won't recognize coins because of the lack of contrast when taking the picture.

The app is available in the iTunes store for $1.99.

Check out this video to see the app is action!






Do you have a favorite APP you would like to see highlighted? Let us know - maybe you could even be a guest contributor!

Do you want to learn more about APPS? Then sign up for our APP Attack workshop on May 3rd at our Ewing NJ office. This is a new date because the first session is sold out! We are limiting the registration to the first 20 people, so sign up today!

For more info, click HERE.

The Wonder of the iPad - Feel Good Friday

The iPad has been touted and many things. My favorite is that it is a "game changer". I would have to agree with this statement. It is allowing people to do very cool things, and as the cliché goes, the possibilities are endless. with that being said, as AT Professionals, it is our responsbilitiy to not get sucked into the iPad as the "ultimate device". We have to remember the SETT framework and make sure that we are thinking about the student and the needs prior to the tool!

The iPad has taken over the world of education by storm. It has, and will continue, to open up many doors for students with all abilities.

Here is a video - caveat, produced by Apple - that illustrates some of the ways that the iPad is being used around the globe. It also highlights some of the ways that people with special needs are using the iPad. I found this vide to be very inspiring in regard to what we are able to offer our students.

If you would like to read the article from Apple Insider that accompanied this video, check it out here.

Do you have an inspiring experience with the iPad that you would like to share? Drop me a line at vlombardo@advopps.org.

Enjoy and Happy Friday!

Web 2.0 Wednesday! Notely

Do you want to become more organized? Why not try Notely?

Notely is an on-line organization tool. The features include:

• Calendar
• To-Do List
• Homework organiser
• Manage Courses
• Write and Save Notes
• Organise Links, Contacts and Files
• Keep a Notebook or Lab Book

Another really nice feature of Notely, is the ability to get your info OUT of the tool. According to the website:

Sync you calendar with iCal downloads of To-Do list and Calendar, export lecture notes to PDF, DOC, TXT, e-mail them or ever take all your data away in an Excel spreadsheet.

Want to see some of the features in action? Check out these videos or see the entire tour at the Notely website.

Writing Notes





Calendar





Tasks



Have you used this tool? Let us know what you think - leave a comment below.

FREE Dynavox Training! April 13, 2011

The Assistive Technology Services department at Advancing Opportunities is proud to announce a FREE Dynavox training on April 13, 2011 at our Ewing, NJ office.

Series 5 Beginner Training (V, Vmax, EyeMax)
Date: April 13, 2011
Time: 9:00 AM — 3:00 PM
Click HERE for directions to our office.

An introduction to InterAACT the comprehensive language framework on the V, Vmax and Eyemax. Attendees will become proficient in understanding the hardware, software and how to make basic modifications. Special emphasis will be placed on understanding different communication levels (emergent, context-dependent, independent). Participants will also learn how to implement the language use, and language structure elements built into InterAACT so as to better meet the needs of individual users.

Each participant or team must bring a DynaVox Series 5 V, Vmax or EyeMax to participate in the class. USB flash drives are also helpful. If you do not have access to a Series 5 device, you may bring a laptop. Series 5 Software can be downloaded from the DynaVox download center http://www.dynavoxtech.com/downloads/default.aspx or loaded on when you arrive the day of the class.

Do you want to attend? Visit the Dyanvox website to register for this workshop

APP Attack! RFB&D Audio

For members of Recordings for the Blind and Dyslexic, the wait is over! There is now an APP that allows you to listen to your audio books through you iOS device.

For those unfamiliar with RFB&D:

Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic® (RFB&D), a non-profit organization, is the nation’s leading provider of accessible educational content. RFB&D works with key textbook publishers to provide audio textbooks for K-12 and college level curricula.

With the RFB&D Audio APP:

Gain instant access to RFB&D’s downloadable DAISY formatted books. RFB&D members can explore RFB&D’s extensive library of more than 64,000 audiobooks that are designed for people with print and learning disabilities.

The APP costs $19.99 and the individual must be a member of RFB&D in order to download and listen to the books.


Do you have a favorite APP you would like to see highlighted? Let us know - maybe you could even be a guest contributor!

Do you want to learn more about APPS? Then sign up for our APP Attack workshop on May 3rd at our Ewing NJ office. This is a new date because the first session is sold out! We are limiting the registration to the first 20 people, so sign up today!

For more info, click HERE.

GENIUS (Girls Exploring New Ideas Using Science) - Feel Good Fridays

The GENIUS (Girls Exploring New Ideas Using Science) robotics team from
the Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta has successfully installed a backup
camera on the wheelchair of their 10 year old friend, Quinn, with the
help of engineers from Georgia Tech's Center for Assistive Technology
and Environmental Access (CATEA). The camera system is designed to solve
the problem of limited visibility behind wheelchairs.

The team came up with this idea as part of their research project for this year's FIRST LEGO League Body Forward challenge.

Check out this video showing the installation process and the backup camera being used on Quinn's wheelchair. One of things I liked most about this video was that all of the girls there did some part of the assembly and installation. Also, Quinn is an excellent driver and the camera will promote greater independence for her. Finally, I really like their shirts :)

Tell us what you think about this! Feel free to leave a comment below.





Enjoy and Happy Friday!

Web 2.0 Wednesdays! PocketMod

Ever wanted to make a quick-reference booklet for yourself?  For a student?  PocketMods are cool little booklets that you can make yourself by first filling in a PowerPoint template formatted for PocketMods, and then printing out on a normal sheet of paper.  www.PocketMod.com

Here's a little video showing how to fold your PocketMod.


This PocketMod on assistive technology makes a nice handout, originally created by Allison McMahon, Cecil County Public Schools.  It summarizes information from Joy Zabala's SETT, and Wisconsin's WATI checklist.  http://www.ccps.org/teachers/amcmahon/AMcMahon/AT_Tools.html

APP Attack! RadSounds + Moms with APPS

Are you looking for a simple cause and effect APP for your students to use? How about something that is switch accessible? Then you should try - RadSounds from RJ Cooper and Associates.

According to the website:

RadSounds is the world's greatest cause/effect music program for special needs learners. You can customize your playlist by recording or singing new music to your iPad, importing from your iPad's music library, or use the many great songs that we provide, from many types. There is Momentary mode, where the music plays for only the time you hold your finger on the iPad, Timed mode, where the music plays for a specified number of seconds upon each activation, or an advanced mode where the user chooses songs by cycling through their playlist.

And the best thing about this APP?

It's FREE for a limited time!! Make sure to download it today



Also today, we will provide you with a great resource for APPS -Moms with APPS

This website has a HUGE amount of information related to APPS for kids. Check it out!


Do you have a favorite APP you would like to see highlighted? Let us know - maybe you could even be a guest contributor!

Do you want to learn more about APPS? Then sign up for our APP Attack workshop on May 3rd at our Ewing NJ office. This is a new date because the first session is sold out! We are limiting the registration to the first 20 people, so sign up today!

For more info, click HERE.

One More Cool Thing You Can Do With Your iPad...

I really enjoy reading Glenda Watson Hyatt’s blog, Do It Myself.  She makes using technology  -- everything from her iPad to her red scooter, seem like an adventure, a fun adventure. Even when things don’t work exactly how they’re supposed to.

Here’s a blog she wrote about a work-around she crafted to deliver a speech in the voice she wanted use. Enjoy.

"As Hot As A Pistol" - J Mac - Feel Good Friday

I know this is an old video but actually, it never gets old.

With March Madness upon us, I thought this was fitting.

Enjoy, and Happy Friday.

Web 2.0 Wednesday! Glogster

Need to give your students a creative way of expressing what they know? Want to use something more simple than Powerpoint? You can use Glogster for free, and combine text, frames, backgrounds, and images. I tried this with my kids when they needed to create a science fair poster board. We created a Glog for each step in the scientific process. Here is the Hypothesis for one:

Sample Glog

Another APP Attack! Wikipedia for the Livescribe

You get a bonus APP Attack this week! Our Monday APP Attack posts focus exclusively on the iOS devices (iPads, iPods, etc.) - but what about all those other mobile technology tools that have Apps? Those become BONUS APP Attacks!

Today we will look at the recently announced Wikipedia App for the Livescribe Pen.



What if you don't understand a word or want to find more information about a topic? Simply write the word on Livescribe paper, tap the word and the APP, and the pen will display additional information about that topic. The only possible downside - the APP only pulls information from the 100,000 most visited Wikipedia entries.

The APP is available from the Livescribe store and the cost is only $1.99.


Do you have a favorite APP (for any mobile technology device) you would like to see highlighted? Let us know - maybe you could even be a guest contributor!

Do you want to learn more about iOS APPS? Then sign up for our APP Attack workshop on May 3rd at our Ewing NJ office. This is a new date because the first session is sold out! We are limiting the registration to the first 20 people, so sign up today!

For more info, click HERE.