Adaptive/Assistive Technologies
Even though there may be a software product or website highlighted for a specific learning need, many of the suggested resources can be used if some, if not all, of the special needs areas.
The technology tools listed all apply to the theme of Library Skills and range from Information Literacy, to Literacy, to Research Literacy skills.
The technology tools listed all apply to the theme of Library Skills and range from Information Literacy, to Literacy, to Research Literacy skills.
Sensory Difficulties
Natural Reader
Natural Reader offers a free download for text to speech software. The program supports file formats like Word, PowerPoint, email, Excel, Outlook, and even converts eBooks into audio. The software can address many disabilities such as dyslexia and vision impairments. Not only does the software allow for documents in Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Outlook to be translated from text to speech, but a student can also highlight a passage on the Internet to be read aloud, or download an eBook for audio version.
Storyline Online
This website is sponsored by the Screen Actors Guild. SAG actors read aloud a picture book to the viewer and the video is recorded and posted on YouTube. The videos are of a professional production quality complete with images from the picture book and background music. The actors not only act out the parts of the book through voices and facial expressions, but the video goes back and forth between the illustrations. The video is of such quality that there is a sense that the listener is being read to in person. The text of the book and whatever the actor is saying is closed captioned as well. So both visually and hearing impaired students can benefit from this website. This site is a great way to get kids excited about reading. The actors present the story with appropriate narration and inflection for students to see and hear, so that students will understand the flow of the story. Watching these professional actors has also helped me as an elementary school library. I am adapting same of the same oral presentation techniques as I read stories to students.
Below is a sample book read by Ernest Borgnine.
Physical Difficulties
Bookshare
This website is “an accessible online library for people with print disabilities”. Members do pay a fee with proof of disability. However, all US students with print disabilities can be a member of Bookshare for free as funded by the US Department of Education. Individuals who do not have the physical ability to hold a book or turn a page qualify as well. Individuals with severe learning and reading disabilities also qualify to be a Bookshare member. Many publishers allow Bookshare to scan and publish their books online as long as they are only available to members. Bookshare also operates under the US exception to the copyright law granting access to books to individuals with disabilities.
Intellikeys
This device is an alternative keyboard to help meet the keyboard needs of individuals with physical disabilities. Intellikeys plugs directly into the USB port of a student’s computer so that the large keyboard overlays can operate. The keys are large, brightly colored, and spaced far apart to guide students.
At-Risk Students
CAST Strategy Tutor
Demo of Student Research Project Tour
A free, online tool for ages 10+ to guide students in reading and researching on the Internet. There are a number of features that provide customizable student support to guide students in performing quality research on the Internet. For example, there are learning coaches that may ask questions for the student to think about, and a rubric that provides strategies. There is also a worklog so that students can keep track of their web searches and sites. There are also step-by-step instructions to help the students stay focused. Essentially, it is everything that a school library media specialist tries to teach and reinforce in the library, but now it is a tool for students to use. Since At-Risk students tend to have a hard time remembering tasks, the Strategy Tutor provides prompts and sequence of steps for researching on the internet. Click here for a link to a video demo on evaluating information on the Web. CAST even provides a teacher website to guide on how to use CAST in their curriculum and instruction.
Voki
The Voki site is a free, online tool that allows users to create talking avatars. There are many different characters from which to choose, and students will enjoy exploring the different avatar characters and ways to individualize them. Students can then add text to the avatar and a computer generated voice will read the text out loud. Students also have the option to call a phone number and record their own voice. Since the end product of this online tool involves the students listening to their own avatar with their own voice or text, students are motivated to write. Go to this teacher’s website to read about a personal experience using Voki avatars with at-risk students. Visit the blog Teaching Generation Text to listen to a student created avatar and read about the at-risk student's personal story, and how he blossomed into a writer.
Cognitive Difficulties
Kidspiration
This software program uses visuals and graphic organizers to help a student recognize words and organize thoughts to stimulate the writing process. The activities are open ended, making this software suitable for all levels of cognitive ability as well as aid in individualizing instruction. There is also a Math component as well that uses visuals to teach math concepts. Once the students create a graphic organizer in symbol view, they can then switch to writing view to help turn their symbols to words to sentences. There is also a text to speech feature to further understanding. This software will be using for guiding students in writing book reports.
CAST Science Writer
For students who loathe writing a report and always seem to have a difficult time getting the writing process started, the CAST Science Writer is a free, online tool that provides step-by-step instructions and walks students through the writing process of a Science report. The students write their Science report in small chunks, and animated characters are available to help clarify each step and show examples. The sentence starter feature is a great way to get the students to think about what to write in their Science reports. There is also a text to speech toolbar available to have the students’ writings read aloud to them to check for clarification. The text to speech toolbar can even read aloud the directions on the Web pages. This is a great tool to use as a supplement for Information Literacy and Research Skills instruction.
Gifted and Talented Students
MIT + K12: Making Video to Make a Difference
In collaboration with the Khan Academy, MIT students produce and create instructional, hands-on demos of Science experiments specifically for use at the K-12 grade levels. MIT spearheaded this unique program in 2012 in effort to excite students to follow a STEM career path. Gifted and Talented students can use these videos as an extension of their Science curriculum, especially if the students are moving at a quicker pace than other students. If the students have the lab and science resources available to them, then they can even recreate demos from the videos. This website offers a great resource for Science teachers. As a librarian, I will make sure to bookmark for research purposes.
Zunal WebQuest Maker
WebQuests are a great way for the Gifted and Talented students to work at their own pace, perhaps even accelerate their studies, while using inquiry-based thinking skills. Zunal is an online WebQuest maker for teachers to use to create WebQuests. Gifted and Talented students can also create WebQuests as projects. Student created WebQuests can serve as a great way the students to express their knowledge and skills while continuing to develop their thinking processes at their levels.
Resources
Cast, Google introduce udl editions, strategy tutor. (2008, April 23). Retrieved from http://www.cast.org/about/news/2008-04-23.html
Chandler, D. (2012, April 24). MIT launches student-produced educational video initiative: Original short videos, in collaboration with khan academy, aim to fuel k-12 students’ interest in engineering and science.. Retrieved from http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2012/k-12-education-video-initiative-0425.html
Educators review software: Kidspiration. (2002, March 20). Retrieved from http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/tech123.shtml
Hernandez, B. Kidspiration. Retrieved from http://homeschooling.about.com/od/langwriting/gr/kidspiration.htm
Ivan, I. (2008, May 2008). Kidspiration, your personal mary poppins. Retrieved from http://www.softpedia.com/reviews/mac/Kidspiration--Review-86750.shtml
Linclau, L. (2012). Voki: An innovative technology tool for special education. Retrieved from http://innovations2010unco.pbworks.com/w/page/52156525/Voki Special Ed
Walsh, K. (2011, January 30). Voki is a fun, free animated avatar application that’s easy to use in the classroom. Retrieved from http://www.emergingedtech.com/2011/01/voki-is-a-fun-free-animated-avatar-application-thats-easy-to-use-in-the-classroom/
Chandler, D. (2012, April 24). MIT launches student-produced educational video initiative: Original short videos, in collaboration with khan academy, aim to fuel k-12 students’ interest in engineering and science.. Retrieved from http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2012/k-12-education-video-initiative-0425.html
Educators review software: Kidspiration. (2002, March 20). Retrieved from http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/tech123.shtml
Hernandez, B. Kidspiration. Retrieved from http://homeschooling.about.com/od/langwriting/gr/kidspiration.htm
Ivan, I. (2008, May 2008). Kidspiration, your personal mary poppins. Retrieved from http://www.softpedia.com/reviews/mac/Kidspiration--Review-86750.shtml
Linclau, L. (2012). Voki: An innovative technology tool for special education. Retrieved from http://innovations2010unco.pbworks.com/w/page/52156525/Voki Special Ed
Walsh, K. (2011, January 30). Voki is a fun, free animated avatar application that’s easy to use in the classroom. Retrieved from http://www.emergingedtech.com/2011/01/voki-is-a-fun-free-animated-avatar-application-thats-easy-to-use-in-the-classroom/