Reduce – Reuse – Recycle

Sign up by August 30, 2013, and Apple will collect any brand of computers and peripherals from your school for free recycling.* Secure and environmentally responsible, the process Apple uses results in a high recovery rate of commodities. And all recycling is done domestically, so you can rest assured that your old electronics won’t be shipped overseas.

To learn more about why Apple recycling is good for your school and to register for pickup, visit www.apple.com/education/recycling or call 408-862-0008.

   App of the Week

This week’s app is Crazy Brain.  According to the creators it is, “the easiest and most enjoyable way of keeping your brain sharp in just minutes a day.”  I think Crazy Brain is a fun way to relax and keep your edge during your summer vacation!

In introducing the Hoosier Family of Readers Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction, Glenda Ritz says, “I strongly believe that a reader is not simply someone who can read; a reader is someone who does read.”  She goes on to encourage them to, “read anything that interests them –including graphic novels, non-fiction books, magazines, and newspapers – whether online or in print.”

Through the Hoosier Family of Readers initiative, students and their families across the state will have unlimited access to reading material on myON, giving families an opportunity to share rich literacy experiences together regardless of their socioeconomic status or whether or not there is a proficient reader in the home.

To find out more about this program, click on the link below

Included in this reading program are more than 3000 digital books from myON Books.  To get started follow this link:

myON Books

App of The Week 

   FREE BOOKS – 23,469 classics to go! is the tag line on this app.

This is not the only free book app.  Just search free children’s books in the app store and you will find many options.

Other Information

CIESC Newsletter :  http://bit.ly/13GhovZ or on our web site www.ciesc.k12.in.us

Attention All Teachers & Administrators! - Registration is now open for our first Summer eLearning Conference at Lebanon High School.

August 1-2, 2013

8:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Lebanon High School

• Are you interested in learning ways to increase student engagement?
• Do you need to integrate technology to enhance instruction?
• Do you want to prepare for the new school year with new energy, creativity and inspiration?
• Are you wanting to learn how to go from a textbook curriculum to more of a digital curriculum?
• Would you like to learn about new tools such as Weebly, Digital Badges, Blogging and LiveBinders?
• Maybe you just need an opportunity to dig a little deeper into Mimio or My Big Campus.

We are honored to announce Heidi Hayes Jacobs, PhD. will provide keynote sessions both days of the conference as well as breakout session opportunities.

Over two dozen additional breakout sessions will be offered.

$50 per person that includes a networking lunch both days

http://lebanonelearning.weebly.com

University of Indianapolis – iLead Scholarships $1500 – 3000 applications due by August 30, 2013 – APPLICATION

Click here to see full announcement 

An important PATINS email should be coming to you soon!

In it will be a survey that will help to develop the interstate assistive technology and universal design for learning webinar series for the 2013 – 2014 school year. All responses are confidential, and we would like to receive it back by May 31, 2013. This interstate webinar project is a collaborative effort among Indiana (PATINS), Ohio (OCALI), Michigan (MITS), Texas (TATN) and Minnesota Department of Education. The survey has 2 questions so it won’t take very long to complete.  When you get your email, we encourage you to forward this survey to all of your colleagues, including general and special education teachers, building level, district level, and special education administration, related services professionals, IT professionals, AT consultants, etc.   Thank you in advance for your feedback!

What’s that you say?  You want to take it right now?  Well, Ok, just click on the red “I Can’t Wait!” and the survey is all yours!

I Can’t Wait!

Speaking of surveys… our app this week is AnswerGarden.  It is a simple app that can be used as a feedback tool.  As people answer the question it creates a word cloud of the answers!  Please click on the icon below to view my question for you!

News

The Autism Society of Indiana in partnership with the Indiana Governors Council of People with Disabilities is presenting in 2013 the 1st Annual Indiana Youth Leadership Forum (IN-YLF), which is based off of the California Youth Leadership Forum.  The program is an exciting five-day leadership program for students with disabilities (any and all types) where students will learn everything from technology to resource agencies to creating a “Personal Leadership Plan” to help reach education and career goals.  In addition, the students and their peers will be able to meet and interact with leaders in the State; professionals and role models from the “disability community”.

We need your help in getting the word out to students that you know that fit the criteria for the forum. The students are to be between the ages of 16-21, in 11th or 12th grade in high school and have a disability. The disability may include a variety of disabilities such as learning, visual, mobility, mental health, developmental, hearing, and neurological impairments.  In addition, the students have to show leadership at school and/or in the community.  Please visit our website at to learn more http://www.inylf.org/ our program.

We will be selecting, from all the applicants, 25 students that will attend this year’s forum which will be held July 27th – July 31st, 2013 on the Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) campus in downtown Indianapolis. Please help us by spreading the word to any organization, group, or school that you know in your area that may have students that qualify. Any way that we can help you spread the word such as a newsletter or website blurb that we can provide for you, please let us know. Attached is the student application. Please help us by forwarding the application to anyone that would know of a student that could meet our criteria. It is also available online electronically – this is the preferred method of submittal. The applications are due May 24, 2013.

Please feel free to contact me or Jennifer Coffey, IN-YLF Coordinator (Jennifer@inautism.org or 1-800-609-8449 x66) if you have any questions or would like to be involved even as a volunteer for the event. Anything I can do to help you and your organization to spread the word, please let me know. You can also follow us on Facebook (Indiana Youth Leadership Forum) or Twitter (@inylf) for updates about the event as well.

via: David Goetz, david@inautism.org Rural Outreach Ally, Autism Society of Indiana,  1800 – 609 – 8449, ext 333

CIESC and Apple partnered to offer a Train-the-Trainer Summer Camp June 18 through June 21 for Technology Integration Specialists to further support innovation in schools with iPad 1:1 digital learning initiatives. The Apple courses to be covered are iOS Creativity , iOS Productivity, iBooks Author, iTunes U Course Manager.

Register at http://bit.ly/Y406Cq or www.ciesc.k12.in.us. Only 20 registrants are accepted. Send a Team! For more info see flyer: http://t.co/0HBPvWmgCf 

WE HAVE ONLY 8 SPOTS LEFT, WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOU!

Through the National Federation for the Blind students can attended the BELL Program – Braille Enrichment for Literacy and Learning   The goal of the program is to provide 2 weeks of Braille instruction enrichment to children ages 4-12 who are blind or have low vision.  The program runs from Monday through Friday for six hours a day and incorporates all of the great summer camp activities like:  crafts, games, projects and field trips.  All of these activities will be related to the NFB BELL curriculum.  THE DEADLINE FOR SIGN UP IS MAY 15th! 

Click here for more details!                     Link for sign-up.

Here are some other links to articles with lists of summer camps for students with disabilities in Indiana.

Friendship Circle Blog list of summer camps

Indiana Resource Center for Autism Summer 2012 Camps and Programs

I get asked all the time, “What is your favorite app?”  In general it depends on what is supposed to be accomplished.  That said, I try a lot of apps!  I do have some that I really like.  I hope that I can highlight some that will help you.  So, to this end, I will be posting an app each time I blog.  This first one is a blockbuster!

Native Numbers  $4.99 

Native Numbers is a completely complete way of learning what a number is and what it represents.  Students will first work with rods, no numbers.  They will be asked to “touch one”.  They will then see a square white rod and will need to touch it to make it continue.  They will then see a rod called 2 (appropriately sized), 3 and 4.  Then they are given the rods in sets of 2 and asked to touch the one that is named.  This goes on through nine.  Once completed they are introduced to sets.  The next lesson reviews and then has them compare rods and sets.  Finally the 4th lesson introduces numerals.  Though the scope of the app they will work with tallies, counting up, counting down and counting on.  The final group of lessons involve demonstrating mastery.  I thoroughly enjoyed the process and would love to see it applied to foreign language, science and anything else the developers at Native Brain can come up with!

Have a great week!

A new update to the Kindle app came to my iPhone this week.  It is now compatible with VoiceOver.

Update: National Federation of the Blind comments on Amazon Kindle App: https://nfb.org/national-federation-blind-comments-amazon-kindle-app

Michigan State University is proud to present an exciting college transition program for high school students with disabilities. The Venture program invites students ages 16-18 to join us for a unique on-campus pre-college experience. Venture offers students the chance to “try on” university life through an interactive experience at MSU. This experience will benefit all students, regardless of whether they are planning on attending a 2 or 4 year college.

Students will:

• Talk directly with current MSU students with disabilities who have “been there” and understand the journey
• Consult with university disability specialists to learn skills for college
• Experience firsthand the latest assistive technology through breakout sessions during the program
• Attend a college class, stay two nights in an accessible residence hall, and build connections with other high school students with disabilities
• Become aware of self-advocacy skills and resources for a successful transition
• Develop a long-range goal that includes a vision of higher education

Learn more and apply now at https://www.rcpd.msu.edu/programs/project-venture!

Do you have information you would like to see in this blog?  Let me know.  Post a comment or send me an email.   sepatins@ciesc.k12.in.us

This replaces the online dictionary with Thefreedictionary.com, and corrects the inability to add a bookmark for .html/web pages in the Mac OS version.

Download Fix Here

This is not a standard question to guide your meditation, like “What is the sound of one hand clapping?” but for my mind it works just as well.   So many answers, all right or wrong depending upon the situation.  Consider this example:  A student is having difficulties accessing text.  They can’t see it well enough.  What to suggest?  Zoom Text? iPad? Large Print Texts?  In this case, a slant board was all that was needed.  The student did not have sufficient mobility to manipulate a text to the optimum reading position.  Going high tech would be overkill.  Same question different student, only now it is vision related.  The student can not decode text at the size printed in a standard text book.  Now the questions regarding high tech are appropriate.  This is where the case conference committee must look at what is the least restrictive option for that student.  What options do we have to create an environment where a student’s disabilities become inconsequential. The lowest tech option in this case would be large print, but does that create an environment with the least restrictions?  While it is hard to imagine a big book causing harmful effects, it is easy to understand where it might cause some restrictive differences.  Some to consider are:

• Decreased access to full instructional opportunities;
• Diminished access to the full range of the curriculum;
• Lack of opportunities for social interaction;
• Decreased self-esteem;
• Stigmatization; and/or
• Isolation from peers in the educational setting.

The following is a direct link to the form a case conference committee must fill out prior to the determination of large print as the needed specialized format(s) is appropriate for the student.

http://www.icam.k12.in.us/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=28&Itemid=34

Helping educators to make these decisions by allowing students to try some of the higher-tech solutions available is one of the services the PATINS Project provides.  The Coordinators are always willing to work through meditative debates with educators so that the students receive the education they deserve.

Are you an educator who is using technology to support innovative inquiry-based teaching and learning activities in their classrooms.

Matthew Callison, who helps run the Jacobs Educator Award Program at Indiana University, Bloomington recently posted this opportunity:

The Jacobs Educator Award Program at Indiana University Bloomington recognizes K-12 teachers across the United States who are using technology to support innovative inquiry-based teaching and learning activities in their classrooms.

Each selected Jacobs Educator will receive:

• $1500 stipend at the end of their one-year appointment,
• $1000 to be used to purchase technology resources to support their teaching,
• funds to support travel to Indiana University in order to participate in periodic events throughout the year.

Applications are now open and we are accepting applications until July 15.

Learn more: http://education.indiana.edu/jacobs

April is Autism Awareness Month!

Are you a family member, teacher, therapist or other service provider struggling with the complexities of autism? Need help solving the puzzle? This series of autism trainings was designed for you!

Know Your ABC’s + Technology and Autism

Event to be held at the following time, date, and location:

Thursday, June 20, 2013 at 8:30 AM – to - Thursday, July 18, 2013 at 4:00 PM (EDT)

Indiana Wesleyan Education and Conference Center
3777 Priority Way S Dr
Indianapolis, IN 46240

Registration and More Information 

There is a new switch access device for the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch from RSL Steeper in the PATINS library.  The Pererro is very small, but has some great features (per RSL Steeper)

• Works with almost any VoiceOver enabled app
• Plug & Play
• Two scan modes; Auto Increment & Press to Increment, enabling you to continue using your preferred scanning method
• Direct input so no Bluetooth battery drain
• Powers directly from your device
• 3.5mm mono jack socket for universal switch input
• ‘Charge through’ ability to charge your device without disconnecting
• Just 36 × 29 × 9 mm

By downloading the free Pererro app (iTunes Store) you can customize the features and settings so that when the Pererro is moved from device to device it will interact with the app to apply individualized settings.

A couple of teachers and I tried it on an iPad and had success in navigating both on the home screens and within some apps.  If it sounds like something you would like to try, contact your PATINS coordinator.  We have them to lend out!

Did your district receive a special ed improvement grant?  Contact your Coordinator regarding your specific training needs.

See you at the EXPO!

This is what I was listening to while writing.

I started out researching “SpeakIt”, a free app on the Chrome Web Store.  For those using the web browser Chrome, once installed, this app will translate all highlighted text to speech while on the internet.  SpeakIt adds a speaker button to the right of the bookmark star just outside of the URL address box on the Chrome browser.  The user just needs to highlight the selection to be spoken and press the speaker symbol.  The pictured box will appear and read.  To get this app, go to https://chrome.google.com/webstore/category/home  search SpeakIt in the search window and follow the instructions.  While I would not recommend this app for all text to speech needs, it is free, easy to download and can be used in some non-essential ways.  One of my favorites is for proofreading.  I will let the computer read what I have written while I listen for content.

So how did one thing lead to the other?  I pulled up this article http://edudemic.com/2013/04/cycle-of-productivity/ ”This Is The Modern Cycle of Productivity” by Katie Lepi on Edudemic.  I was testing SpeakIt for this post.  It is a quick fun article and lead me to focus@will.  Try the app on the article and you will notice that the graphic will not read.  That is because it is just a picture of the original graphic.  This is an issue that has been discussed and will continue to be discussed when looking at truly accessible reading material.

Don’t forget that it is Autism Awareness Month.  The Appy Mall as well as Appolicious have been listing several free and reduced autism apps!

See you at the PATINS Tech Expo!

PATINS 2013 Tech Expo

Thursday, April 18, 2013

The Fountains
502 East Carmel Drive
Carmel, IN  46032

• http://www.appolicious.com/
• www.freeapps.org/
• http://www.appymall.com/#
• http://theappyladies.wordpress.com/
• http://appadvice.com/appnn

17 Days until PATINS Tech Expo!

Check out the CIESC Newsletter here:  http://www.ciesc.k12.in.us/

Let me know some of your favorite sites for searching for apps!  I know I missed some good ones.

See you at the Expo!

Sandi

 * as of 3/26/2013 Mac User Magazine reports - Apple’s iOS App Store passes 800,000 available apps by KENNY HEMPHILL on MARCH 26, 2013

mrrrrr apps! (Zombify Me – app used for picture)