Snap & Read from Don Johnston

Don Johnston Inc, the company that brought us the SOLO suite of tools recently announced their newest product, Snap & Read!

According to the company website:

Snap&Read is an accessible toolbar that reads any text on-screen as it floats over any application. The simple one-button interface reads both accessible and inaccessible text aloud from Flash websites, Word docs, PDFs, web-based tests, images, and even dialog boxes.

If it looks like text, Snap&Read will read it!

The tool can be loaded onto your computer (MAC or PC) or you can run it directly from a USB drive and have access to the tool anywhere!

Cost of the software starts at $79.99 per license or a special introductory price of $399 for an unlimited site license.

Visit the product page to check out the video of the tool in action. Click here!

I am looking forward to getting my hands on this software. Keep watching for a more in depth review.

Score One for the ADA

When Deanna Jones, a third year Vermont Law School student, took a national legal ethics exam last Friday, she did so using a laptop and screen access software.  Jones, who is legally blind, was initially denied the accommodation for the test by the National Conference of Bar Examiners.  Jones sued the NCBE in July and last Tuesday a federal judge ruled that she be allowed to use a computer and specialized software.

Deanna’s story is featured in this article in Forbes today.  In addition to details about the case, it covers the struggles she faced as a student who is blind and who has a learning disability.  It also talks about the tools she used to overcome them. 

Power Up What Works - Reading Initiative

PowerUp What Works-Reading

The U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, funds the Center for Technology Implementation’s PowerUp What Works-Reading initiative. This online resource is designed to improve teaching and learning for students with disabilities and their classmates using evidence-based and technology-enhanced practices.

District and school partners are needed to field test PowerUp What Works-Reading in elementary schools. Selected partner schools will receive ongoing implementation support along with a financial award.

If your school would like to become a field test partner, please complete and submit the application by July 8, 2011. The application and additional information about PowerUp What Works-Reading can be found at www.PowerUpWhatWorks.org. If you have any questions, contact Cynthia Overton at cti@air.org or 202-403-5058.

Cynthia Overton, Ph.D.
Senior Research Analyst
American Institutes for Research

Education, Human Development, Workforce
1000 Thomas Jefferson Street, NW
Washington, DC 20007-3835
www.AIR.org
Tel (202) 403-5058
Fax (202) 403-5001

A Place to Read, Write, Connect

Looking for an exciting way to get kids (over 13) interested in books and writing?  The brand spankin’ new website Figment launched this week and it offers young writers and readers a community where they can express themselves, share ideas and discover what’s new on the literary front.

Figment features exclusive excerpts from new books, interviews with authors, contests and blogs (one from the Book Muncher).  The site, which was founded by a staff writer and former managing editor from The New Yorker, has a very youthful feel to it. The FAQ and Guidelines for participation are written in a way most teens would understand.

Check it out. It’s free to join.

FREE Audio books!

Are you looking for audio books but don't want to spend any money? If so, check out Books Should Be Free

This website has many books available in a variety of genres, including: childrens, fantasy, historical fiction, and even teen/young adult.

Once you find the book you are interested in, follow the link to the book page. There you will find a short summary of the book, an embedded audio player so you can listen to a sample of the book, and the link to either download the book directly into iTunes or download the mp3 files.

Download a book today and try it out! Once you do - leave a comment and let us know your thoughts.

Accessible Books for the iPad

With the iPad becoming more embedded into the technology landscape, we are starting to see applications for people with disabilities.

The latest example of an accessible book on the iPad is the "Danny the Dragon Meets Jimmy" narrated story book. While the book may meet the needs of some readers simply with the narration, this book also has a sign language interpreter on the screen for individuals who are deaf.

Check out the video below.




The book is available through the iTunes store and the cost is $2.99

Bookshare Video Tutorials

Bookshare is an online accessible digital library for individuals with print disabilities. In 2007, Bookshare received a grant from the US Government's Office of Special Education for make the service available for free to all students with a documented print disability in the US. Eligibility requirements are listed on the here on the website.

Bookshare is not a very difficult service to use, but like using anything else, it helps to have some guidance. The National Center on Accessible Instructional Materials has straightforward video tutorials on how to use Bookshare.

These videos can be used as instructional material on how to teach someone to use Bookshare or as a reference for students and families.

Graphic Novels

Sticking with the theme of reading, I also attended a workshop presented by Christina Estlow from Ocean County Public Library. She talked about graphic novels as a medium for struggling readers to engage in reading. Looking at the varitey of books she brought with her, as well as perusing the library's online catalogue, graphic novels are becoming extremely popular with kids, and publishers are catching on. I never thought I would be able to read a graphic novel about the Salem Witch Trials or The Diary of Anne Frank. One of Christina's cautions was for the teacher or parent to read the novel first to be sure that it was appropriate for their student.

To link graphic novels to the writing process, she showed us a *free* website for students to write their own graphic novels called Make Beliefs Comics. This is a very easy to use, and very fun. I won't tell you that I spent a couple hours playing with this website and shared a few of my stories with my family. I won't tell you that.......

Never underestimate the power of Low Tech

Yesterday at the NJCIE Inclusion Conference, I attended a great workshop presented by Paula Kluth. The focus was on literacy and the importance of including all students in the process of reading, regardless of their abilities. Dr. Kluth discussed 2o Ways to Adapt the Read Aloud for students. All of her ideas are low tech. Often when teachers or other school staff members think about supports for reading, they think about high tech tools first. While many high tech supports have many features that are appropriate for some students, I think it is important not to forget about low tech options that may support a student in the area of reading.

Digital Comics Just in Time for Summer Reading!

Advertising for the new iPad boasts it gives access to more books than you can read in a lifetime. That’s great…but what about folks who prefer chilling with a comic or graphic novel instead of curling up with a book? Now, there’s an app for that.

Enter PanelFly, which bills itself as “Your local comic book store in your back pocket.” Nifty. This app lets you access your favorite superheros and villains digitally. Affiliated publishers include Marvel, Brain Scan Studios, Antarctic Press and many more.

You’ll need an iTunes account. With PanelFly you can search, preview and download comics to your iPhone or iPad. Happy reading!