POWERLINK NEWSLETTER
IN THIS ISSUE:
Click here to see Dunamis Fall Specials (Sept 1 - Nov. 30).w
Virtual Yard
Sale
Looking for some bargains for your classroom? Still using
older computers in your classroom? Dunamis is having a Virtual Yard
Sale featuring software from the WIN 95/98 era. Much of it unopened.
Check it out at: www.dunamisinc.com
Price changes over the
summer:
BoardMaker (Mayer Johnson) - $299 to $329
Dunamis price is $310
Classroom Suite 4 (IntelliTools/Cambium) - $299 to $345 Dunamis price is $325
This slight price adjustment is long overdue as there is so much more imbedded instruction, but it is also coupled with cumulative pricing – so not to worry!
AbleNet raised prices on a significant number of their products.
Other companies with recent price increases include AbleLink and AMDi.
We are working to make price changes to the website and catalog, but if you have any questions, it might be helpful to call Dunamis first (800-828-2443) and let us give you our updated pricing.
NEW PRODUCTS AND UPDATES
Math Support: Bagatrix
Struggling
with ways to help students with math? Students need support for
basic math, algebra, eometry, trig, and calculus? The new "Solved!" by Bagatrix will help stuidents solve their math problems -step-by-step. Students can also get extra support from Tutor.com. See Fall Specials for pricing. See a demo at:
http://www.bagatrix.com/
Kurzweil 3000 version 11 Shipping October 2008!!
We are happy to report the news of upcoming v.11. Here are some of the great new features that we would love to show you soon:
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Open Bookshare files seamlessly for reading and interaction!
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Recently tweaked converter will be included in v.11!
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Graphic organizer with seamless connection to outline and drafting.
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Highlight and paste to column notes or highlight and drag and drop in column notes! From Column notes to outline for writing! Great for pre-writing and comprehension!
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Writing templates
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Writing checklist
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Word Lists are lists of words that remain open while a student is writing. Vocabulary Lists in Word Prediction remain as well.
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Save documents with simplified toolbars
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Language! content in Kurzweil format is available from Sopris West representatives
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Web Licensing – see below
Classroom Suite/Kurzweil Web Licensing!
The Ultimate UDL Tool for K-5 just got easier to use. With Web Licensing, all licenses will be hosted on a Cambium server and licenses will be available at school and at home! Files, activities, and data will remain on the network of the school or district.
Classroom Suite Updater 4.1 – free download from the IntelliTools website!
MEville to WEville with Literacy
Starters
Now use MEville to WEville with older students along with Literacy Starters from DonJohnston. Research by Karen Erickson and associates at the Center for Literacy and Disability Studies at UNC-Chapel Hill shows very impressive gains by students. See Fall Specials for pricing.
Writer Fusion
This great portable keyboard now has text-to-speech, word prediction, and an SD card. Still has keyboarding instruction and study helps! Carts with 20 units, mixed if you like with some regular Fusion units and some with supports for struggling students available for one low price! UDL in action!
Learning Magic
Writing Bin, Magic Bookshelves, Wonders and Magic of Nature Collection from Learning Magic Inc.
Great self-selected writing templates and activities, stories, and science content in Classroom Suite, My Own Bookshelf, and Clicker 5 formats. Watch for Fall Specials!
Write Online from Crick Software
Web-based writing tool that looks like any word processor but has auditory support, wordbanks, word prediction, writing frames and many other supports. Teachers can make toolbars in a snap or use free resources online! Great whole school price!
Teaching Hands Wall Clock
Now a clock with patent-pending hands that really helps students focus on the correct numerals!
New Simply Science titles from Slater Software
New titles include Health, Nervous System, and Electricity. Great content in Picture It and Pixwriter WOW! for students on Alternate Assessment. See Fall Specials.
BIGmack and Step-by-Step with 4 color switch caps
These products now ship with all for colors included!
Partner One/Stepper
Sequence messages forward or in reverse!
Jelly Beamer with Wireless SLAT
Now the functionality of a Switch Latch and Timer without being tethered to the device.
Accessible Workstations and Tables from AD-AD Solutions
Many styles from which to choose.
Senseview Duo
Handheld vision enhancement for close up or distance viewing in one device!
Classroom Suite Research Document available!
Many districts are considering Classroom Suite for use with RtI and have asked for a research paper. This document gives the research basis for Classroom Suite and there is also rigorous research is currently being conducted using the program with elementary math students.
Implementation Services
Getting the most from your software depends on good planning prior to purchase, good communication with IT to get it in the right places, and good training for teachers on how the program can impact instruction. If you need help with implementation of Assistive Technology products, please give us a call. Product-specific and best practice training in classroom use are offered.
RESOURCES & IDEAS
BookShare.org
Bookshare.org
Library is now free to all U.S. students with qualifying
disabilities:
http://www.bookshare.org/web/Welcome.html
If
you’re working to accommodate a student who qualifies for Chafee,
a free version of Read:OutLoud is offered through Bookshare.org.
Other free screen readers are also available. These tools do not
have imbedded study skills features or have the additional writing
components of more robust programs that allow students to interact
with the text materials.
Free Symbols
Did you know
that you can download all 3,385 PRC icons in BMP, GIF, and
JPG
format? PRC Pictures (3,385 of
them)
http://alltogether.wordpress.com/2008/07/23/prc-pictures-3385-of-them-wow/
WebAnywhere
New
software, called WebAnywhere, launched in July lets blind and
visually impaired people surf the Web on the go. The tool developed
at the University of Washington turns screen-reading into an Internet
service that reads aloud Web text on any computer with speakers or a
headphone connection.
"This is for situations where
someone who's blind can't use their own computer but still wants
access to the Internet. At a museum, at a library, at a public kiosk,
at a friend's house, at the airport," said Richard Ladner, a UW
professor of computer science and engineering. The free program and
both audio and video demonstrations are at
http://webanywhere.cs.washington.edu.
Creative
Uses of Flash Drives
Chris Bugai says ”most students are in the car/bus for 1 to 2 hours a day going to and from school. When you ask them what they do, they ALWAYS includes "listen to my mp3 player". Then I show them how RWG can take a text file and change it into an .mp3. The students gufah in amazement and come up with uses immediately. "I could listen to spelling lists", "I could listen to my study guide.", "I could listen to my essay.", " I could cram for the test.", " I can quiz myself" and so on. The teachers in the trainings come up with uses for themselves too! We finish off by hammering home the point that if they spent the time in the car/bus studying that would be more time they'd have at home to do fun stuff.There are other text-to-speech programs that convert to .mp3 than just RWG but the concept and applications are the same.I hope this helps. “
Jim Nuttall says, “flash drives as an accessbility tool: a number of companies are now putting out their accesibility software on portable flash drives, so you do not need to install the software on a computer. You still need the computer to run the software. The software resides on the flash drive. Premier Assistive has a flash drive with all of their software on it. The drive is also an mp3 player. Kurzweil now puts their software to be run on a flash memor drive. ZoomText also has their software on a flash memory drive. These are special flash memory drives that allow software to run from the drive, not just any flash drive will do that. So when you purchase the software it is installed on the drive. This allows the student to carry their adaptive software around with them and makes any computer they are working on accessible. Other than that most mp3 flash players can also be used as a flash drive to carry documents around. So a student can place their homework paper on the mp3 player to be carried back to school. “
Using Video to Support Reading &
Writing
From Sam Sennott (QIAT Listserve) Connecting video to
the reading and writing process can be powerful, as we are seeing in
the AAC writers camp I was a part of this summer at Nova Southeastern
University. Here are two key benefits:
You can so
powerfully build background knowledge in the Guided Reading and Self
Selected Reading Domains.
Videos are a powerful motivator in the
writing process, especially for beginning writers.
I would like to
share the videos we are using. Enjoy.
http://alltogether.wordpress.com/2008/07/08/video-writing-setups/
There
is a great deal more to share about how we are connecting SRSD and it
looks like we are going to come out with a webcast on the subject in
August.
Clip-art graphics related to
assistive technology?
Looking for some clip-art type graphics
related to assistive technology? Freedom Scientific recently launched
a new Media Center. It is a Web page that contains images
that anybody can use. The site contains product shots
plus some rather generic shots. The images are of people of all
ages using products for visual impairment or learning disabilities.
Each image includes both a low-res version for screen use, and a
hi-res version for printing. Here is the link to the
site.http://www.freedomscientific.com/about/media-center/media-product-images.asp
Kurzweil 3000 Wins EDDIE Award
ComputED Learning Center, San Diego's leading computer education resource, recently announced the winners of its 10th Annual Education Software Review Awards. The Awards target innovative and content-rich programs and websites which provide parents and teachers with the technology to foster educational excellence--including augmenting the classroom curriculum and improving teacher productivity. Winners are selected from titles submitted by software publishers around the world. Selection is based on academic content, potential for broad classroom use, technical merit, subject approach and management system. All submitted titles are made available to school districts, teachers, and the public through ComputED and the Educational Software Preview Service of San Diego Center for Educational Technology (a nonprofit organization). Kurzweil 3000 won in the Multi-Level Special Education (Reading) Software Category. See http://computedgazette.com/page3.html for more information.