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Archive for Featured Teacher

200th POSTING SPECIAL! …This Month in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011

Posted by: | February 3, 2012 | No Comment |

200th Blog Posting Image Click For Special OpportunityClick The Image Above and submit your info for entry into a special drawing
for some PATINS Goodies and a Full-Day PATINS  AIM & AT Training on topic of your choice, at your school!

 

It’s hard to wrap my head around the fact that I’ve been posting to this blog for nearly 4.5 years!  For anyone who might be fairly new to the blog, it started as a replacement for sending out emailed newsletters to my contacts in the NE part of the state.  At the time, it just made a lot more sense to post that information in a blog format rather than emailed.  One of the greatest advantages is that all past  information in the blog is archived and searchable by month/year, by keyword, or by category!  So, I thought it’d be fun and interesting for this 200th Blog Posting to look back at this day in each of the previous years and see what the buzz was all about at that time!   Here we go!

September  2007, when this blog first started: 

 February  2008:

February  2009:

February , 2010:

February , 2011:

February 3, 2012!  For today, as a little bonus, you’re going to get a 2nd, separate, blog posting with lots of great tips including, “2/3/2012: 6 Free Ways to get Books on Your iPad, Mac OS LION Experiences & iBooks Author, Congrats Kristin from Wabash, Digital Learning Day, AIM For Young Children Reminder! “  Watch for it to post later today!  Also, remember that I post during all months of the year, not just February!  So feel free to browse the monthly and yearly archives on the right side of this blog anytime you wish!  There just might be some good OLD stuff back there!

Thanks for being a part of the blog over the last several years.  Many of you have left comments (though I wish more would) and many have emailed me, met me in person at conferences, etc., and many great discussions around Assistive Technology and Accessible Instructional Materials have resulted!

Even though it’s often a lot of work, it’s been a real pleasure to do the blog each week and it’s something I almost always look forward to!  I certainly hope to continue this blog for many years to come!  Remember you can always leave comments, questions, suggestions, requests, here on the blog or just click the image below to give us feedback.  We’re here to serve you!

Comments Ideas Suggestions for PATINS Image Link

under: 21st Century Skills, AAC, apps, AT Conferences, EduChallenge, Featured Teacher, funding, General Info, Hardware, Mac, NIMAS, Online Resources, Parents and Families, PC, Project Based Learning, RTI/IFS, Samples & Examples, Software, UDL, Uncategorized, Web 2.0 Tools, Web 3.0 Tools
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5/27/2011: New Featured Teacher Video! AAC and Whiteboard Apps, Upcoming Autism Training Info, Wrapping Up,

Posted by: | May 27, 2011 | 2 Comments |

Wrapping Up: For some of you, school will be finishing very soon.  Several others have a few more days or even weeks of snow/fog/flood days to make up.  As you begin to look toward summer, keep in mind a few things for those lazy days when you feel like expanding your knowledge a little bit and preparing for next school year:

  1. PATINS Online AT Overview Course Module (at your own pace): www.patinsproject.com/AT%20Overview%20Course/AT%20Overview%20Files/index.htm
  2. Many PATINS Trainings are already being scheduled for next year, beginning in August.  Keep an eye on the PATINS Website as these are made public: www.patinsproject.com
  3. Speaking of the PATINS Website; watch for a brand new, more efficient and user-friendly look coming very soon! Same address:  www.patinsproject.com
  4. Watch This Blog: I’ll continue to post short updates each Friday over the summer months!  There are some exciting announcements coming that you won’t want to miss!
  5. Introduce a Friend or Colleague to PATINS (5 Minute Video): www.teachindy.com/watch_video.php?v=4cfd9bd6e1daf7f

FEATURED TEACHER Video Interview: Mrs. Nelson, a Logansport teacher, has an amazing story about a struggling reader who reaches her as a sophomore essentially unable to read.

MORE AAC Apps for the iPad/iTouch/iPhone:

Verbally: …”the first FREE iPad app to provide a complete assistive speech solution for creative communication“   http://verballyapp.com/

TouchChat: Not free, but looks very full-featured and can include word prediction.  We will have this app on our lending library devices soon:  http://www.silver-kite.com/touchChat/

Doceri: Not free, but full featured app turns your iPad into a wireless slate basically.  Allows you to teach, give presentations, etc., and still walk around your space.  Pretty cool! http://doceri.com/

Upcoming Autism Spectrum Disorder Training Info:

Vendor Offered Discounts: Remember to check often, the PATINS Vendor Offered Discounts page before making purchases.  These are continually updated. www.patinsproject.com/buys.html

under: 21st Century Skills, AAC, apps, Featured Teacher
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5/6/2011: Roger Ebert, “Remaking My Voice,” Apple Voiceover, Air Display, Free Legal Music Downloads, Cell Phones in Class Ideas, Next Gen Digital Book,

Posted by: | May 6, 2011 | No Comment |

Roger Ebert, “Remaking My Voice”: www.ted.com/talks/roger_ebert_remaking_my_voice.html Consider for a moment, the importance of having a voice and what having a voice really means. “Online, everyone speaks at the same speed.”  Do you provide ways for your students to have a voice online?  Do you need help coming up with ways for your students to have online voices?

Air Display: Very cool! Not free, but I can think of all kinds of uses for this in classrooms!  What ideas do you have?

http://avatron.com/apps/air-display

Free, Legal Music Downloads: www.jamendo.com/en

Cell Phones in Class Ideas: www.cellphonesinlearning.com/p/lesson-ideas.html

Next Generation Digital Book: While I don’t think this book is perfect, with regard to accessibility, it’s very cool and very clearly demonstrates where this market is headed quickly.

Next Week:

  • New Featured Teacher Video Interview with a Logansport teacher!
  • ICAM Webinar video recording
  • Lots More!
under: 21st Century Skills, apps, AT Conferences, Featured Teacher, General Info, Mac, Online Resources, Software, Web 2.0 Tools
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4/15/2011: PATINS Tech Expo 2011 Videos! DRM Podcast Interviews, Creative Commons and Copyright, Great Highlighter Tool, Free Software, Upcoming Events

Posted by: | April 15, 2011 | No Comment |

Tech Expo 2011 1Tech Expo 2011 2Tech Expo 2011 3PATINS Tech Expo 2011 took place this past Thursday at the Crown Plaza in Indianapolis!  Thank you to all who came and helped make it a success!  It was a great event with lots of information from many assistive technology vendors including many presentations and hands-on opportunities with both software and hardware! If you missed it, first thing to do is mark down this annual event on your calendar for next April!  Then, check out these Video Samples from this year’s tech expo.  These Videos should open with iTunes or Windows Media Player or VLC Player on either a Mac or PC, but let me know if you have trouble. They are all VERY short samples and should give you an idea of what the PATINS Tech Expo is all about.

ICAM Logo image DRM Spotlight Podcast: Remember to subscribe to our Digital Rights Managers (DRM) Spotlight Podcast here.  About once per month, I spend 10-15 minutes talking with one of Indiana’s outstanding DRMS’s about what they do, how they do it, what works well, what doesn’t and advice or suggestions they might offer other DRMs in other Indiana school districts.  It’s free advice and suggestions from people who are doing it!  A new episode  (#7) with Wayne Township DRMs posted yesterday!

Creative Commons Website LogoDiscover Ed: Some of you may remember me blogging about Creative Commons and copyright issues back in July of 2008 (HERE) and perhaps you were able to participate in the DOE’s 21st Century Learning Labs podcast episode on March 28th (HERE) on Creative Commons.  “DiscoverEd is a search prototype developed by Creative Commons to explore metadata enhanced search, specifically for OER.” (Open Educational Resources).  Definitely worth spending some time here and familiarizing yourself with CC licensing in General!   http://discovered.labs.creativecommons.org/search/en/

If you don’t think Creative Commons Licensing applies to you and your classroom/school, here are three questions to ask yourself:

  • Do my students create anything digitally?  (photos, artwork, drawings, word documents, audio recordings, blogs, podcasts)
  • Do my students contribute to a class or school Wiki, Blog, Facebook page, etc?
  • Do my students go online to gather digital resources (photos, videos, audio, text, etc).

If you answered YES to any of these three questions, then CC and copyright really is an essential piece of your curriculum.  If you didn‘t answer YES to the above three questions,  are you really preparing your students for life and work in the 21st century? Awesome Highlighter: One I’ve blogged about before, but was reminded of this morning in a skype presentation I was giving.  www.awesomehighlighter.com Vendor Discounts: Don’t forget about the current Vendor Discounts through PATINS:  www.patinsproject.com/buys.html Free Software: …also, don’t forget that these 3 pieces of great software can be obtained FREE OF CHARGE through PATINS -ICAM

Upcoming Events:

under: AT Conferences, Featured Teacher, General Info, NIMAS, Online Resources, Web 2.0 Tools
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9/17/10: iTunes Account w/out Credit Card, Learning Connections Groups, AT – Access – IEPs & the Law, PATINS Lending Libraries

Posted by: | September 17, 2010 | 6 Comments |
The_Learning_Connection_Image-Logo

Learning Connections! Don’t forget to join the Learning Connections Communities: “Accessible Instructional Materials,” “ICAM,” and “AT & UDL.”
https://learningconnection.doe.in.gov

Tell PATINS What You Need: If you haven’t done so already, please consider taking 2-3 minutes to fill out this survey for PATINS.  We’re trying to prepare trainings that will benefit you most during this school year.  Thanks!

Survey Here: www.surveymonkey.com/s/2010NeedsAssessment1

iTunes_Logo

iTunes: Create an iTunes account WITHOUT a credit card (Thanks Jeff). iTunes tends to be the easiest, by far, way of working with content and managing your iPads, iPods, iTouches, iPhones, but a lot of people aren’t comfortable putting a personal credit card into iTunes when they create their account.  Further, the way I know some school districts are handling the purchasing of APPS is via iTunes Gift cards, which I think is a great idea!  Using this method that Jeff found, you don’t need to enter a credit card at all and yet you can still utilize iTunes Gift Cards.  I’m doing it myself for PATINS apps that I send out on my loaned iPads and iTouches and it works great!  YouTube Demonstration Video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHCTjvzPfKk

Assistive Tech, Accessibility and IEP’s: Do you know what the law says and what best practices are about Assistive Tech and Accessibility being addressed in your Case Conferences and IEPs?  I’ve had a few questions in the past couple weeks and I need to make it perfectly clear that I’m no lawyer, that you should contact your district’s legal team and your special education director for specific advice.   Additionally, the info here is in no way comprehensive or specific to YOUR district’s requirements.  I do, however, have a limited few resources that I thought might be helpful to share:

Additionally:

Most of you probably know this, but  I feel like it’s my job to say it :)   leaving the AT section of an IEP blank isn’t just bad practice, it’s likely against the law!  AT has to be considered in a case conference, even if no AT is chosen for implementation with that student.

(l) Unless the student’s CCC determines otherwise, the public agency is not responsible to provide basic equipment that may be required at home as well as in the educational setting, such as the following:

(1) Wheelchairs.

(2) Braces.

(3) Glasses.

(4) Hearing aids.

  • Here are the definitions in Indiana’s Article 7 for AT Devices and Services:

511 IAC 7-32-7 “Assistive technology device” defined Sec. 7. “Assistive technology device” means any:

(1) item;

(2) piece of equipment; or

(3) product system;

whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of a student with a disability. The term does not include a medical device that is surgically implanted or the replacement of such device.

511 IAC 7-32-8 “Assistive technology service” defined Sec. 8. “Assistive technology service” means any service that directly assists a student with a disability in the selection, acquisition, or use of an assistive technology device. The term includes, but is not limited to, the following:

(1) The evaluation of the needs of a student with a disability, including a functional evaluation of the student in the student’s customary environment.

(2) Purchasing, leasing, or otherwise providing for the acquisition of assistive technology devices for students with disabilities.

(3) Selecting, designing, fitting, customizing, adapting, applying, maintaining, repairing, or replacing assistive technology devices.

(4) Coordinating and using other therapies, interventions, or services with assistive technology devices, such as those associated with existing education and rehabilitation plans and programs.

(5) Training or technical assistance for the following:

(A) A student with a disability or, if appropriate, the student’s family.

(B) Professionals (including individuals providing education or rehabilitation services), employers, or other individuals who provide services to, employ, or are otherwise substantially involved in the major life functions of students with disabilities.

  • And Further! Here’s SOME of what Indiana’s Article 7 says about UDL and AT:

511 IAC 7-32-102 “Universal design” defined Sec. 102. “Universal design” means a concept or philosophy for designing and delivering products and services that are usable by people with the widest possible range of functional capabilities, which include products and services that are:

(1) directly accessible, without requiring assistive technologies; and

(2) interoperable with assistive technologies.

  • AND… what Article 7 says about the Case Conference:

(b) When developing a student’s IEP, a CCC must consider the following general factors:

(1) The strengths of the student.

(2) The concerns of the parent for enhancing the education of the student.

(3) The results and instructional implications of the initial or most recent educational evaluation and other assessments of the student.

(4) The:

(A) academic;

(B) developmental;

(C) communication; and

(D) functional;

needs of the student.

(c) The CCC must also consider the following special factors when applicable:

(1) Positive behavioral interventions and supports, and other strategies, to address any of the student’s behaviors that impede the student’s learning or the learning of others.

(2) Any supports, under 511 IAC 7-35-2, necessary to provide public agency personnel with the knowledge and skills necessary to implement the student’s IEP.

- 84 -

(3) The language needs of a student with limited English proficiency as those needs relate to the student’s IEP.

(4) In the case of a student who is deaf or hard of hearing or a student who is deaf-blind, the student’s:

(A) language and communication needs;

(B) opportunities for direct communications with peers and professional personnel in the student’s language and communication mode;

(C) academic level; and

(D) full range of needs;

including opportunities for direct instruction in the student’s language and communication mode.

(5) Instruction in braille and the use of braille for a student who is blind or has low vision or a student who is deaf-blind, unless the CCC determines, after a functional literacy assessment (sometimes referred to as a learning media assessment) of the student’s reading and writing skills, needs, and appropriate reading and writing media (including an evaluation of the student’s future needs for instruction in braille or the use of braille), that instruction in braille or the use of braille is not appropriate for the student.

(6) The student’s need for assistive technology devices and services.

(7) The IFSP for students who are transitioning from early intervention programs under Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 20 U.S.C. 1400 et seq.

REMEMBER PATINS has FIVE Lending Libraries of Hardware and Software that you’re welcome to borrow from us to trial with your students for 6 Weeks at a time, FREE OF CHARGE! Search our online Lending Library Catalog here:  www.patinsproject.com/lending.html.   If you want something that we don’t have (unlikely) let us know!  There’s always a chance we can get it for you to trial BEFORE your district spends valuable funds on it.  Contact us if you have questions.  We can help with ideas for you to try with a students as well!

Have a Great Weekend Image

under: AAC, Featured Teacher, funding, General Info, NIMAS, Online Resources, Project Based Learning, RTI/IFS, Samples & Examples, Software, Uncategorized, Web 2.0 Tools
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10/2/2009: Featured Teacher #2, Mac Accessibility, iPod Touch for Young Students, Flip Video Educational Pricing, PATINS Second Life Open House, Karen Kangas, Other workshops!

Posted by: | September 29, 2009 | No Comment |

8 Year Olds with iPod Touches: Check out this Learn 4 Life article and video on using iPod Touches with a classroom of 32 eight year old students.  They were all networked through an Airport AND allowed access to the internet! :) www.l4l.co.uk/?p=835

Featured Teacher! This week I spent a couple minutes talking to Maria Demopoulos about some of the things she is using video iPods for, specifically for social stories/scripts for some of her students on the autism spectrum.  Let me know if you know of other amazing teachers doing great things for students from a Universal Design for Learning or accessibility point of view!
Maria Featured Teacher 9292009

Flip Video Educational Pricing: Many of you have probably heard me talk about Flip Video cameras in my workshops and trainings and I wanted to point out that there is special educational pricing on some of their video cameras for teachers through the Digital Wish program.    http://www.digitalwish.com/dw/digitalwish/product?id=4310

Mac Accessibility: I got a couple questions this week, one from Warsaw and one from Jim about software to access an Apple computer.  Immediately coming to mind is the built-in Voice Over utility that comes on Macs and also some of the iPods now. www.apple.com/accessibility/voiceover

Karen Kangas: …a handful of seats remain!
Sensory Processing, Integration and Seating with Karen Kangas: PATINS is once again bringing Karen Kangas back to Indiana for 2 intense workshop days at no cost to you!   There are still a few spots remaining for this workshop.  If you’ve heard Karen before or heard me speak ABOUT Karen, you know this isn’t one you want to miss!  November 17, 18.   Click Here to Register!

PATINS Project Island Main

PATINS Project Island Main

PATINS Island Open House! Don’t forget to spend 10 minutes:

  1. Creating Your Free Avatar:
    www.secondlife.com
  2. Download and Install the Second Life Software.  Remember this can be installed to a $5 Thumbdrive and run from there.  No need to install to your computer’s hard drive if you’d rather not.
  3. Make sure you can access the Second Life Grid by trying to log in once step 1 & 2 are completed above.
  4. If you cannot log in, contact me.  I have some ideas that could help.

On OCTOBER 20, ALL DAY LONG, at least one PATINS Staff Member will be available on our Island to greet you, give you a tour, answer your questions, provide you with training demonstrations, etc.  Contact me with questions via email or leave comments on the blog!  Additionally, if you want to log in to SL earlier than October 20th to explore our island and would like one of us to meet you there, just let us know!

Additional Resources for learning about Second Life and getting started:

Remember you can register for any of the FREE trainings PATINS offers:
www.patinsproject.com/regional.html

Article on Sight-Words: www.donjohnston.com/enewsletter/teacherleadermcnulty.html

Have a Great Weekend Image

under: 21st Century Skills, AT Conferences, Featured Teacher, funding, General Info, Hardware, Mac, Online Resources, Software, Web 3.0 Tools

8/28/2009: Featured Teacher Video, FETC Virtual Conference, Karen Kangas Returns, Camtasia for Mac, Getting Started in SL

Posted by: | August 28, 2009 | No Comment |

Featured Teacher Follow Up: Last week I praised the efforts of Richard Glass in his classroom at Warsaw.  This morning I asked him if he’d be willing to do a short interview with me via Skype as a follow-up:
Mr. Glass

Karen Kangas! …is coming back to Indianapolis November 17 and 18! If you saw Karen last year when she presented for us on Seating and Positioning for Success, you know what sort of treat you’re in for by attending this year’s 2-Day workshop on Sensory Processing, Sensory Integration, and
Seating & Access.

FETC Virtual Conference: Last year I attended an FETC online virtual conference with Sandy and we both really enjoyed it.  It’s an experience you should consider if at all possible.  October 22 from 10am to 6pm.  Details and registration here: http://virtual.fetc.org/Microsites/FETC-Virtual/Event-Home.aspx

Fall 09 PATINS AT Overview Course: Don’t forget to register!  This is a great opportunity to become more familiar with Accessible Technologies and how you can help increase access to the General Ed. Curriculum in your building! As always, this course is free and provided by the PATINS Project.  It will run from 9/28 through 11/6.  More info here:
2009 AT Overview Coarse FAQ
2009 AT Overview Course REGISTRATION FORM

Time Zone Converter: Between Second Life Time (SLT), which is the same as PDT and EST, where I live and work and CST where some of the other PATINS Sites are and Australian time, where my in-laws live, and England where my brother-in-law lives, I tend to get confused now and then!  Here’s a resource that might be worth bookmarking for you and your students.
http://www.timezoneconverter.com/cgi-bin/tzc.tzc

Camtasia For Mac: YES!!! All I can say is that it’s about time!  Camtasia is hands-down my favorite program for recording screen tutorials, but until  this week it has been unavailable for Mac.  Here it is!  Unfortunately, it’s not a free one.  But, it is one that’s well worth spending the money on if screen recordings are something you intend to do right. www.techsmith.com/camtasiamac

Getting Started in Second Life: Second Life Getting Started Informational Sheet

Have a Great Weekend Image

under: 21st Century Skills, AT Conferences, Featured Teacher, General Info, Mac, Online Resources, Samples & Examples
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