VODPOD: You’ve probably noticed that for the last two weeks, there are some new videos just to the right of the main content area of the blog. This area is usually referred to as the “widget area” and one of my new “widgets” is the VodPod! It’s a free tool that allows me to collect videos that I like in one place and then embed a widget to them in something like a blog or a website. It works with videos that I might find while surfing the net or I can search for videos on a specific topic/keyword. I can create multiple ‘themed’ collections of videos, etc. Check it out, it’s FREE! http://vodpod.com/ **Please be advised that vodpod is just a tool, a resource for making collections of videos that you might find on the internet, such that you can group them for efficiency. As with most other tools, real or virtual, this resource could be used for collecting appropriate/educational videos or potentially inappropriate content. Of course, my intentions are always educational and my belief is that teachers are professional enough to explore tools in an appropriate way as well. Just be advised that vodpod could display links to content that could be inappropriate for the classroom depending on what sort of content you are searching for. The way I’ve utlized the tool however, demonstrates one appropriate and powerful use of this resource.
TypeIt Read It Update: Last Summer, I blogged a little about an application called TypeIt ReadIt for Mac and I actually used this program to create audio for a podcast from a transcript of a class I was teaching one day a week. Version 1.5 is now available and includes some nice features like increased font size to 200pt, more fluent reading, user settings saved, more consistent text to audio and more. However, one feature they removed was highlighting or tracking of the text. This may not be important for your uses (especially if just using for text to audio files), but remember that the research supports tracking or highlighting of the text for all users of text to speech software. TypeItReadIt is also dual platform meaning it’ll work on your Macs and your PC’s, and it’s FREE! 
Check it out here: www.schoolfreeware.com
There are also some video tutorials available for using it on both Mac and PC here:
The video tutorial for TypeIt ReadIt Mac is found at:
http://blip.tv/file/1830515
The video tutorial for TypeIt ReadIt Windows is found at:
I’ll be speaking to a group of college students from Empire State College in NY on April 1 & 2 in the evenings about what PATINS does in the state of Indiana with regard to Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Assistive Technology. Their island is intended for university students preparing to be science teachers to have classes and to become familiar with immersive worlds technology. You should consider visiting their place in SL, especially if you are involved in science education: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Empire%20State%20College/58/90/23 I stumbled across this opportunity while visiting ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education) Island in Second Life and started talking with the professor of this class at Empire State College. …just another example of the amazing networking potential of this tool!
Virtual Guidedogs! I spent about 45 minutes with a lady last week in Second Life, who’s visually impaired in Real Life. She uses a scripted guidedog in Second Life named Max, to help her navigate the virtual world and interact with it. She spent about 45 minutes training me to use the guidedog as well and I have to say that I’m very, very impressed.
Sage Math: www.sagemath.org I also attended a math class in Second Life this week. This was a math teacher demonstrating how a math class could be taught almost entirely in Second Life, which was quite impressive. One of the tools he was using to teach with was the Open Source Sage Math. I’m sure many of you math teachers are already familiar with it, but it was new for me and quite exciting. I’d love to hear comments from those of you using it already or who likely have more knowledge than I about teaching math. It’s definitely worth taking a look at though if you haven’t yet!
Also, while in this Second Life demonstration of a math lesson, I connected with a director at NASA. She noticed that I was using the virtual guidedog and we ended up talking and exchanging links about accessibility. Check out this website she shared with me. I’m sure I’ll be talking more about it in the future: NASA, Accessibility and Second Life: http://prime.jsc.nasa.gov/
NEW! Comment on this blog with your own video and/or audio! Who will be the first to post a video comment to the PATINS Rapid Fire Blog? I think this is really exciting and such a powerful example of an alternate form of response! Remember UDL principle #2; multiple and flexible means of response! I’m so excited about this new feature of the blog that I’m offering a prize to the first one of you who responds with a video and/or audio comment! The prize isn’t much, but it is something useful, it is something real (not virtual) that I’ll send to you and it has to do with PATINS and UDL! So, it’s got to be good right?
Don’t forget to register for the Tech Expo:
www.patinsproject.com/training.html
…and Download your copy of Read:OutLoud Text To Speech Software at no Cost:
www.icam.k12.in.us/DJ/DJLogin.aspx
And Remember to Suggest Workshops for me here: www.patinsproject.com/ne.html
