Thankful for New, Exciting Happenings with No Limits 2 Learning

Since it is Thanksgiving weekend here in the United States, I thought I would share with you how thankful I am for YOU as readers. I have enjoyed a wonderful year as I have started on this journey after my stroke and rehabilitation. I never thought that my passion and energy for this blog, a site and AT information would lead as far as it has. I have worked hard to write informative and personal posts and I thank all of you that are regular readers. You are appreciated for all that you do to meet the needs of those with disabilities.
I shared that I had some BIG news, well, there are two items:
Don Johnston will be my guest on No Limits 2 Learning Live, next Wednesday, Dec. 3, at 2:00 PM Pacific time, to talk about his book, Building Wings and student self-advocacy issues. I am thrilled to have this opportunity! More to come as it approaches next week.
FCTD Newsletter for October/Discussion for December:
I will be co-moderating for the Family Center on Technology and Disability - a site sponsored by the U.S. Dept. of Education, on school-family partnerships and child advocacy for the month of December. The Discussion thread won't be up on their site until Dec. 1, but you can go there to read and comment towards the discussion if you want. You don't have to create an account, make up a name, etc. if you don't want to. You can read and comment without it. I will have links and more information on it next week.
I am also thankful for the FCTD October newsletter which featured myself and the issues surrounding accommodations and modifications for students, access to curriculum and AT in the General Ed classroom. If you didn't get to read it, you might want to check it out.
AAC gets an Open Door:
I have had quite a few open doors lately as we push for AAC in our districts. We have been laying a foundation for about 3 years for the acceptance and support of the implementation of dynamic devices for eligible students and we are finally seeing some major breakthroughs. I am so thankful that we are beginning to see the floodgates open and students that need these devices get them in their hands. This is making it an especially meaningful Thanksgiving for me. I am working on sharing the steps and approach we followed to get this to happen. I will share it with you and if your AAC program is stalling or floundering, maybe there will be some items we share that will help you get this going too.

I hope you have a great rest of your week and a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Lon



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Shape Writing Pad Sparks Ideas for New Virtual Keyboard Access

"What are some other assistive technology access methods for keyboarding other than the virtual keyboard/scanning or a Big Keys Keyboard?" I was asked yesterday. The occupational therapist asking me is a tech wiz and we have had fun collaborating on several adaptations.

"Let me show you what I mean," he said as he pulled out his iPhone. He showed me a mobile application he downloaded for his phone which is "ShapeWriter" a unique virtual touch keyboard. It utilizes the touch screen on the iPhone to type in entries. Instead of tapping with an up and down movement, you drag your finger starting at the first letter and then on over to the second and then so on. As you do this, you get a blue line that connects the keys in a sort of web you are spinning. As you drag, the letters begin to spell your words up above in the document.

The OT began to explain, "Something like this on a computer would be great for a student I am thinking of who can't do the fine motor of typing with the vertical up and down key action or tapping, but she can drag a finger around in lateral movements. I started to research and see if it was available in another format other than mobile phone, but haven't had time."

Well, thanks to that prompting, I was intrigued. Here is what I found: There is a WritePad article that tells about the ShapeWriter. It is a free download apps for mobile phones and come in several versions for different phones - yes, there is a Windows mobile version, but remember, it can only be used on the new touch screen style mobile phones made popular with the iPhone. You can see a demo of how it works here.

There was not a PC or Mac application available that I could see. I would think that this new keyboard would be a hit on tablet PC's. If we had this on a tablet with a large monitor surface area, imagine how a person might be able to write by a drag of a finger and no tapping.

If you have a student that has a touch phone and could use this form of support, check into downloading it and giving it a try. Let us all know what you think.

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving here in the U.S. and I will be taking the day off, but I will have an exciting piece of BIG and exciting news on a special guest coming up next week on No Limits 2 Learning Live - Can't WAIT!! Check back if you have a spare moment in the next few days and I will be sharing a special Thanksgiving post and announcing my special guest who I AM truly thankful for having the opportunity to interview.

Until then, Have a great day and a wonderful Thanksgiving for all our U.S. readers.

All the best to you!

Lon

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Assistive Technology Gift Ideas: Talking Photo Frame

Using Recordable Picture Frames:

I have been using the Go Talk One recordable photo frames for an inexpensive AAC tool over the last 3 or 4 years. You can re-record them quickly and slip new pictures in and out. They are also pretty durable, thin and compact.

I like to use them in sets where we put 4 together and have choices or activities on them. They allow the student to handle choices and language in a manipulative way. They are great for sequencing life skills and events. The auditory cues within the recording can simulate and encourage speech. Linda Burkhart has a tutorial on how to design and use them here. Hers is an older Radio Shack frame that has a hinge and folds over. the new ones don't appear to do that anymore, but there are some good tips there.

The Go Talk Ones by Attainment Company are around $12, and the Radio Shack variety with a clear arcrylic frame are $9.99. They make a great gift or stocking stuffer to have around the house with food or activity choices, selecting a feeling, colors, numbers, etc.

Leave one out Christmas Eve for Santa to record a message!

All the best to you!

Lon

I have been receiving a few ideas via email for AT gifts. If you have one you would like to share, send it to me at: lonthornburg@nolimits2learning.com

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Holiday Gift Idea: Mp3 Player Jump Drive

The RCA Pearl 1 GB Jump DriveMp3 under $30!

My Mp3 player jump drive goes with me everywhere. I bought it after attending a day workshop on print disability tools and converting text to audio Mp3 files. I found that I preferred it over my iPod (which I love too). The iPod has to work through iTunes which is proprietary so everything has to be loaded into it and then the player has to be synced to it to add new material. I wanted to be able to add files "on the fly" and skip that extra step.

With a jump drive player, you have a built in USB so you can plug it in, open it as an external memory device from "My Computer" in Windows and then open the music folder and literally drag your files in to store or out to throw away.

I go on websites that have archives of interviews for talk and radio shows that comment on the news, etc. I download new files almost everyday, listen and then dump when done and drag on new files. There is no putting it into a player software first - very easy. There are quite a few varieties of these jump drive USB players - I just found this one to be easily available and priced very reasonable.

If you are looking for a cheap and effective tool for your family member with print disability, processing or LD issues, think about this as a way to support literacy and learning by listening as well as seeing. Following the text while listening is very supportive and is used by such companies as Read Naturally. I have used the Premiere Literacy tools to convert pdf files into mp3 audio files as well and then put them on my player.

Where Do I Get the Free Books?

Gutenberg.org is one of many sites with public domain literature to download for free. Many of the titles have an audio file option to hear the book being read. Another is Free Classic Audio Books. The service, LibriVox uses volunteers who read, record and send in files of books so you get a large library of public domain texts by real voice readers - free.

The Pearl Mp3 has a built in radio and also a voice memo feature that allows a student to record directions from a teacher or voice notes from a class and download them as Mp3 files to a computer for future reference or playback on the player.

I have been showing folks how to use a free blog with the free odiogo service to convert a blog post to Mp3 like I do here on my blog. You can cut and paste or write anything, download it and play it on an Mp3 player. You can find my tutorials and notes on how to do this on my website, nolimits2learning.com under the resources section and the training section.

There is a new Pearl Mp3 version 2 out now with 2 GB and an optional mini sandisk slot to expand memory. It is still under $30 from Amazon on a special right now. I don't have this new version but it looks like they have just expanded and improved on the old one. I can't think of a bigger bang for your buck in a piece of technology that will support learning and be fun at the same time!

All the best to you!

Lon

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Building an Idea List for Assistive Technology Gifts This Holiday Season

How is your budget looking with the holidays coming up? I have been watching the Today and Good Morning America variety of shows and they are already giving us tips on how to cut holiday costs and do more family activities. Christmas, Hanukkah and other seasonal celebrations might look a little different this year. I was listening to an economic forecaster a month ago as he shared opinions on the free-fall economy and the path he thinks we are really headed. He said, "This Christmas will go down as the worst Christmas since the great depression."

Coming from my own personal level, I don't believe we can have a "worst" Christmas because Christmas to me has never been about how much money I do or don't have. There are many wonderful aspects to the holiday season that go way beyond the shopping statistics that have all our merchants worrying. As I shared yesterday, there are many families that have special needs and disabled members who could use some great ideas for low cost and effective assistive technology gifts that can make the season bright and be very useful at the same time.
What do you use or what have you adapted that has really meant a lot to you or could be a potential great find for someone else as a holiday gift this year? I am calling for submissions on the AT Blog Carnival, but I realize that many of our readers don't have a blog and therefore don't have anything to submit. So here's your opportunity!
Share Your AT Gift Ideas:
How about a post or an email? Just send me an item or a link or your explanation and I will add it to my idea list - "AT Gift Idea List" for folks to check into. Maybe we can get a great list going over the next 4 weeks. As ideas come in, I have started a list on my sidebar and I will put it on my website main page as well. My first review will be next Monday on the Pearl Jump Drive Mp3 player - I have added it as first item on the list.
Your submission might seem to take an extra minute - but it would really help me with some ideas and will benefit all of us to see what folks come up with. Who knows, maybe your idea or suggestion would be the gift that makes a difference for someone this year.
Send ideas to me at: lonthornburg@nolimits2learning.com or you can post a comment below. You can check my sidebar for the gift idea list and see what grows there. If it is empty - maybe you need to put something there! Also, look for the AT Blog Carnival up on December 15th with Christmas ideas submitted from AT blog writers .

All the best to you!

Lon



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My Favorite Things: AT Christmas Gifts and AT Blog Carnival Holiday Edition Coming Soon

I don't know about you, but I don't usually see "Top Ten Christmas Gifts for the Special Needs and Disabled on Your List This Year". Christmas is approaching and I am planning a series on low to mid-priced ideas for an AT Christmas. I thought what better way to open up some ideas to special needs families than to share some great tools and educational software, so be watching for these reviews. I plan to do them early so folks have time to read and consider before they shop. Maybe I'll follow "The 12 Days of Christmas" theme for it. If so, I am going to have to get busy! If you have any ideas or suggestions for me to review email me at lonthornburg@nolimits2learning.com

In that same vein, I thought it might be nice to have the AT Blog Carnival come out before Christmas this year rather than at the end of December, so I am announcing a topic and submission date below:

Now Taking Submissions for a Christmas Edition of Assistive Technology Blog Carnival: My Favorite Things. Share your favorite things you would like to have in AT or something you have already that you use and couldn't live without. We always love to hear what people use and love so share with us. Also, submissions on AT in general or in other areas is OK - so send in what you have to share over the next few weeks.
Deadline for submissions: Friday, December 12. Post date: Monday, December 15.
Send submissions to: lonthornburg@nolimits2learning.com
Check out the Assistive Technology Blog Carnival for more details.

All the best to you!
Lon




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Mayer Johnson Launches Adapted Learning Site

Mayer-Johnson, developer of innovative software products and symbols designed to help special needs students learn, announces the launch of Adapted Learning.com (adaptedlearning.com )
This free resource provides a place to find and share adapted curriculum created with the company’s popular Boardmakerâ Software Family products. It also provides online community functions as well as feature articles and expert tips that meet the needs of the spectrum of Boardmaker users. Developed to provide better symbol-enhanced learning tools and make it easier for special educators and parents to adapt curriculum to ensure accessibility for all students, the website provides resources and tools that allow students with special needs to learn more effectively and succeed academically.
Over 100,000 special education professionals and parents have come to rely upon the Boardmaker Software Family of products to help children challenged by significant speech, language and learning disabilities achieve academically and socially. AdaptedLearning.com stretches the reach of the products by creating an international community of Boardmaker enthusiasts.
The keystone of the free website is the searchable database of communication boards and other educational assets created using Boardmaker products and shared by therapists, teachers, and parents of students with special needs. Additional resources include:
An online community that allows educators and clinicians to connect and share ideas and information with other Boardmaker users, as well as create public and private areas for groups of colleagues and parents,
Feature articles highlighting implementation ideas and other resources, and
Training videos featuring application strategies to enhance student learning and communication, and show how to create tools that make it easier for children with special needs to succeed.

Information organized by subject area in the News & Views section of the site ensures that members quickly locate the resources they are seeking. New Boardmaker users will find the Getting Started articles helpful as they experience all that the software has to offer. The Classroom Implementation area provides application ideas so that members can apply newly acquired skills and discover new ways to use previously learned skills. A resource for parents, the Home Connection provides information to help families support the child’s education and communication journeys in the home and in community settings. Find success stories and case studies that provide information and inspiration in the Results area.

“AdaptedLearning.com comes in response to the requests of the many loyal Boardmaker users who were looking for a place to share their work and access new content,” said Jim Mills, DynaVox/Mayer-Johnson’s vice president of education products. “We’re please to be able to offer them a place to share that work and their great passion for the Boardmaker Software Family of products.”
To register for this new web resource, visit http://www.adaptedlearning.com/.

All the best to you!
Lon



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