Things that Work and Ways to Make Things Work

Access on Main Street is a website that features mainstream products that, by chance or design, make life easier for a person with a disability. Its aim is to inform consumers, inspire designers, and wake up marketers to opportunities with these underserved customers. Things they’ve highlighted include a hands-free guitar tuner, a new punctuation mark and the Powerzoa, a device you can attach to the power cord of an appliance that allows you to turn it off and on via a webpage.
But, if you’re not up for waiting around for the rest of the world to start designing products for people with disabilities, visit OneSwitch.org.uk, a site with a list of do-it-yourself adaptations for games and toys, like the pictured Water Blaster.

Can elementary school students use speech recognition (i.e., Dragon Naturally Speaking)?

We have used DNS with students, but usually with older students. There is a lot of practice that is needed, learning to correct the software when (not if) it makes mistakes. For those who cannot use a keyboard (due to physical disability), and meet all the other criteria (ease with computers, need to type longer material, quiet environment), it is great. For those with learning disabilities, who have difficulty with spelling, there are more barriers (since you need to be able to spot errors and spell corrections).

However, I always say that each person is an individual, and I wouldn't say that an elementary school student couldn't use it. Usually, what overcomes these barriers is a need and desire to use the tool to meet the goal, some level of maturity, and training on how to use the program so that your voice file gets better with time, and not worse.

Here is a personal story from an adult with cerebral palsy who used it from elementary school.
click here.

And here's a video of a high school student with a learning disability who started using it at age 9. (note that the video is dated- from 2007)

Starting the year with some humor...

For those of us who have been "ergo buddies". . . really, our solutions involve no salt.





. . . and if you're looking for real office ergonomics info, Cornell University's site combines both research and practical advice. www.ergo.human.cornell.edu

Write Online

In December 2008, Crick Software introduced Write Online. Write Online (WOL) is a writing tool that can be accessed online and offline allowing students to use it on any computer at any time. Each subscriber is assigned a login and password. Also, WOL doesn't depend on an Internet connection while it's running. Rather it uses the power of your own computer, so it's just as responsive as an installed application. WOL is set up similarly to MS Word, but with two key added features: Word Bar and Word Prediction.

The word bar is a word bank feature that can be subject specific, and the banks can be customized easily. The word prediction feature is very powerful and can also be highly customized to best and most appropriately support the user in writing.Finally, this program also has auditory feedback to support a user in editing their work.

I recommended a trial of WOL for a student in an elementary school in southern New Jersey. The purpose for the referral was that, due to CP, she had difficulty writing using traditional methods, such as paper and pencil. Her writing was slow, laborious, and sometimes illegible. She had been using the computer for writing using MS Word, which was more efficient than using paper and pencil. However, she was typing at a slow speed because she was primarily using one hand access the computer. She has good knowledge of grade level (and above) vocabulary, but typing long words required several keystrokes, and she typically used simpler vocabulary that was shorter to save time and energy.

Finally, she wanted to be able to use a program that she could access in school and at home easily. This is why the school team trialed WOL.

The student, as well as her school team are extremely enthusiastic about using WOL, and have found the main features in the program (both the Word Bar and Word Prediction) to be extremely beneficial in increasing her efficiency in typing. She has been keeping up with her peers in the writing process this year. Additionally, the school team has discussed possibly using this program with other students who would also benefit from support in writing.

WOL has helped this student become more efficient and independent in her writing at school. I am looking forward to continuing to work with her and her school team to incorporate WOL into her writing in school and beyond.

Zac Browser

For children with autism, the standard web browser may not be manageable. For a more specialized browser, check out the Zac Browser.

According to the website, "Zac Browser is a totally free software package. It is the first Internet browser developed specifically for children living with variants of autism spectrum disorders (ASD), Asperger syndrome, Rett syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder, PDD not otherwise specified and PDD-NOS, also called atypical autism."

To watch the clip on You Tube, click HERE.

Download it today and give it a try!

Read everything!

For people with print disabilities - finding the right tool to meet their needs is key. The Intel Reader may be that device for many consumers.

This device - which is about the size of a hand held video game - enables the user to take pictures of reading materials and have that turned into text. The text can then be spoken aloud for auditory support. There is the ability to enlarge the font for easier viewing. Consumers can also download electronic text and either read the material or convert it to mp3 files for listening.

Click HERE to view the video of the new Intel Reader

If you need to convert a large amount of materials into electronic formats (text books, etc.) - Intel has also created a Portable Capture Station. This station facilitates creation of electronic files.



The Intel Reader can be purchased for $1499 and the Capture Station can be purchased for $399.

Hopefully - we can get our hands on this device and give a more detailed report on the features of this device and the benefits for people with print disabilities. Stay Tuned!

Sample Livescribe Notes and Recording: AT for Writing

What is the Livescribe pen, and how can it be used? From the manufacturer's website:

"Livescribe’s Pulse™ smartpen is an intuitive, pen and paper solution that captures everything students write and hear in the classroom, and enables easy, on–demand access to that information, giving all students a simple and more effective way to receive, review, and retain what they’ve learned in class"

http://www.livescribe.com/

Here is a professional example of it in use. When doing a presentation to the Burlington County School Social Workers on AT that supports students who are using whole words, pictures, and need speech feedback, I had an audience member take notes using my livescribe pen (thanks, Dodie!). The note taker was sitting in the back of the room, but you can still make out the audio.

Livescribe in action! Click here.

To get the full effect, view it in Full Screen by clicking on the little orange arrow near the top of the handwritten notes page.