Windows 7 and Office 2010: Accessibilty Options and Screen Magnification

Windows 7 and Office 2010 have some great accessibility options you should check out. In an article on accessibility options from Microsoft, they explain that with our economy in decline, older employees are choosing to work instead of retire which means that vision and accessibility are a more important issue for accessibility on computers in the workplace. Read about their accessibility checker and screen magnifier as well as a college student taking advantage of them.
All the best!
Lon


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Teens Shy to use AAC in Public? Check out Selena Gomez!

To all of you out there struggling to learn and teach the use of dynamic devices for AAC:

Here is a must-see for any hesitant users that are teens and think it is “uncool” to use a Dynavox – Selena Gomez of Disney’s “Wizards of Waverly Place” just blew that theory all to pieces – check out this video – gave me goose bumps to see a device used conversationally – from the Dynavox Website.
Dynavox used by Selena Gomez video
Here are more videos of successful users by health diagnosis category.
Thanks to all of you that are helping kids communicate everyday!

All the best,
Lon

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Reading Bookshare Files on the iPad

I recently needed to find out if Bookshare files could be read on an iPad. Since Bookshare itself does not list the iPad as a tool to read their books I asked help from my friends at OTAP (Oregon Technology Access Program). The link below from "I Can Work This Thing" tells you how.
Will this transfer the images from NIMAS file textbooks too? Anyone know? Let us know if you find out.

Bookshare Books on the iPad


There is a link on the tutorial to epub2go - the link is dead so go there through this one instead: epub2go sorry for any confusion.

All the best...
Lon

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Never Under-estimate where Financial Support will Show up for AT!

I am excited today that I am getting ready to deliver a brand new Dell laptop loaded with Clicker 5 and a new scanner donated for a middle school student I serve. I can't give out any name or location but I can share his story.
He trialed a laptop and we used a scanner to scan text and worksheets as text files. We pasted the text into Clicker 5 (free trial download) for him to hear and to fill in questions and worksheets. He uses a mouse and the on-screen keyboard in Clicker 5 to input his work. The assistants were excited because he was finally able to access the text and write answers independently without them having to do it for him. The catch was funding a laptop, software and scanner.
I told the school that we would look outside their funding first and do all we could to find a way to purchase one. I wanted it to be HIS laptop to take with him wherever he might go.
I submitted a request with a children's hospital fund but it didn't go through. About mid-summer I had to let the family know that I would still be looking but our resources weren't panning out.
Of all places, I was at a BBQ with friends and an old friend, retired military was in town and we got to talking about my work, AT kids needs etc. Out of the blue he asked, "Do you have any particular projects you are looking at for kids right now that I could help with?"
"You bet!" I said. I told him about the need to purchase a laptop, Clicker 5 and a scanner.
"I'll get a check off in the mail to you in a week or so." he replied.

Sure enough a check arrived, I ordered the equipment, got everything loaded and we are taking it out next week! Never underestimate where you can find channels for money for kid's equipment. I share needs all the time. I am so grateful for those wonderful people who are generous givers to kid's causes. This post goes out as a thanks to my friend - you know who you are... Thanks SO much!

All the best to you!
Lon

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Dr. Brian Friedlander: Don Johnston Sponsors Free Webinar

A year into ARRA funding, and
only a year left. Now what?
Don Johnston has invited Dr. Brian Friedlander to share stories of districts in New Jersey who have used ARRA funding in creative ways to build their AT programs.
The webinar will also help you answer these questions:
√ What are some of the misconceptions about ARRA funding?
√ How can I advocate for ARRA funding?
√ What has worked for other districts?
√ What kind of implementation plan should I present to my special ed director?
√ Once I have the funding, how can I use it most effectively?

Wed September 22nd
or
Wed September 29th

12:00 PM CDT
1:00 PM Eastern
10:00 AM Pacific

Sign up now


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iPad Apps for AAC

It is time to face the beginning of another school year. I am driving to a rural area 2 hours away to help set up an iPad for a yougster entering 1st grade. I was searching for some reviews and ideas for this boy when I came across a very helpful review on the iPad and AAC. Although it is not adressing young children, from an adult user viewpoint it was great.

The blog is "Do it Myself - Glenda Watson Hyatt". She covers Using the iPad as an Affordable Communication Device.

If you are looking at an iPad to accommodate a disability, I would recommend reading it.

All the best!

Lon

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Readability: Great Way to Read the Web

Want to read your web pages in a format you want at the click of a button?
Try Readability, an arc90 experiment. Just choose your format style, the font size and margin spacing, combine them in a customized "bookmarklet" and add to your browser toolbar and you can see the content clean and enlarged the way you like it. You can even email the article to someone in your format style. There is a video on the home page which shows you how to install the bookmarklet.
Check it out!
All the best,
Lon


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