Team of Advocates for Special Kids
Technology E-Newsletter

February 2014

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Upcoming Assistive Technology Workshops

 

iPad Bootcamp

Fri., March 7

9:00 am - 12:00 pm

TASK Anaheim

Call (714) 533-8275 to RSVP.

 

Reading and Writing Solutions through Assistive Technology

Wed., March 12

9:30 am - 12:30pm

SCLARC FRC, Los Angeles

Call (213) 743-3206 to RSVP.

 

APPtastic Adventure: Fun and Educational Apps for Special Education

Fri., March 21

9:30 am - 12:30 pm

Jeremiah's Ranch, North Coast Church, Fallbrook

Call (949) 233-6515 to RSVP.

 

AT 101

Fri., March 21,

12:00-2:00 pm

Kaiser Permanente, San Diego

Call (619) 282-0846 to RSVP.

  

For more workshops, including our workshops on special education and parental rights and responsibilities under the law, please visit the full workshop schedule on the TASK website.

 

  

  TASK Membership 

 

Please consider joining TASK as a member! Members receive the following benefits: 

  • Free TECH Labs and access to our lending libraries
  • Bimonthly 28-page TASK newsletters 
  • Membership is tax-deductible

Membership is as low as $35.00 per year, per family. We need your support to continue to provide a central resource center for legal rights and responsibilities information and to continue providing TECH Center services. You can join online; visit the Membership page on our website for more information.  

 

 

TASK Needs Board Members

  

Are you the parent of a child with special needs? Has TASK helped you in the past? Perhaps you are a professional that has worked with TASK advocates or attended one of our many workshops? TASK is currently recruiting members for our Board of Directors. Make a difference by helping to guide our organization into the future.  Please note that board positions are on a volunteer basis. Board members must be willing to participate in our monthly board meetings via toll-free conference call. Call Marta Anchondo, our Executive Director, at (714) 533-8275 for more information about this exciting opportunity or to request a board packet. 

 

 

IMPORTANT UPCOMING EVENTS 

 

Abilities Expo Los Angeles, February 28-March 2, 2014

TASK is sponsoring the Assistive Technology Pavilion at this year's Abilities Expo, located at the Los Angeles Convention Center. We will have iPads and over 1,100 applications at our booth available for hands-on exploration. Come on out and see us! Register for free today online.

 

CSUN's 29th Annual International Technology and Persons with Disabilities Conference

For 28 years, the Center on Disabilities, through the International Conference on Assistive Technology and Persons with Disabilities, has provided an inclusive setting for researchers, practitioners, exhibitors, end users, speakers and other participants to share knowledge and best practices in the field of assistive technology. In 2012, the conference drew more than 4,800 people to San Diego. Known as a forum that showcases cutting edge technology and practical solutions that can be utilized to remove the barriers that prevent the full participation of persons with disabilities in educational, workplace and social settings, the conference is the largest of its kind in the world. The conference will take place from March 17 to March 22, 2014 at the Manchester Grand Hyatt Hotel in San Diego, CA.

FREE ONLINE RESOURCES

 

Sign Language Printables

Choose from 145 sign language printables that you can download and print for free. Choose single letter or single number items, available both with and without labels, or grab an all-in-one single page with all letters, A through Z, and numbers one through nine.

 

The National Center for Learning Disabilities

This site has lots of good information and articles about different types of assistive technology for varying learning disabilities (as well as many other topics).

NEW AND NOTABLE VIDEOS! 

 

Microsoft 2014 Super Bowl Commercial: Empowering

For those of you who haven't seen it, this commercial shows the power of technology at its finest. Enjoy!

 

AT in Action Video Series: Meet Jean!

In one of FCTD's newest Assistive Technology in Action videos, you'll meet Jean, an engaging sixth grader who uses assistive technology to support learning and having fun with friends and family. Jean's mother and sixth grade teacher, Jacob Westman, provide interesting insights into Jean's technology use.

 

AT in Action Video Series: Meet Brody!

Meet Brody, a bright young sixth grader who uses assistive technology to help him write and participate in class. In this video, we also hear from Brody's teacher, JoAnn Olsen, as well as Annette Ceretta, the AT specialist for Brody's school.

 

The AT in Action video series is brought to you by the Family Center on Technology and Disability (FCTD) and PACER Center. Funded by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education Programs, this fully captioned video series is designed to strengthen awareness of AT devices that help individuals with disabilities participate fully in school, at home and in the community. You are invited to view and share these videos with your family and/or colleagues.

ALL ABOUT APPS

 

Smart Apps for Android: 14 Free AAC Apps for Android

Smart Apps for Android has had a few requests for AAC apps on Android, so they have compiled this list. Please support Smart Apps for Android by using their download links and sharing this list with your family and friends. Thank you!

 

Looky Looky App: Great Visual Discrimination Practice

How good are you at finding things? Test your ability to search for specific items before the time runs out, and collect cool badges! This app is available for both iOS and Android.

 

Parental Time Lock App, by Omar Mody (99 cents)

Finally, a time limit application that actually works! Now you can effectively manage your child's daily usage. No gimmicks; the app just works! The timer will reset automatically each day, at which time the device is enabled again, so you can finally have a hands-free way of managing your child's usage. 10 seconds before time has expired, the user will get an alert that time is about to expire so that they can finish up gracefully before the device is disabled. You can download the app from the App Store or watch a detailed video of the app in action.

 

Sheldon's Adventure: Cornered! (FREE!)

Cornered! is the story of a little green turtle named Sheldon, a curious turtle who likes music, sports and eating flies. In fact, he's pretty normal except for one little thing: his shell is square and not round. And all Sheldon wants more than anything is to fit in and look like every other turtle. But because he looks different, all the kids tease him and call him names. Sheldon's mom tries to tell him that his four-cornered shell is a gift, but he's not buying it. One day he has to do one of the bravest things he's ever done, and he realizes that who he is on the inside is what really matters. Sheldon's brave deed saves the day, and he learns quickly that being a little bit different can be a very good thing!

 

Kids Countdown Visual Timer for Preschool Children, by Idea4E (FREE!)

Do you struggle to have your kid accomplish a task within given time boundaries? With Kids Countdown, daily routines like cleaning, teeth brushing and dressing up become fun and competitive. That's because this application helps children understand how times go by. You can set the time duration and select a favorite animal picture that will be slowly revealing during the countdown. The child can hear nice music, and when time is up, he or she will be notified by the sound of the selected animal.

 

Voice Dream Reader (FREE trial or $9.99 full version)

With high quality text-to-speech and a configurable user interface, Voice Dream Reader makes written text accessible to everyone. Control how text sounds in speech and how text looks on screen to suit every reading style from completely auditory to completely visual, plus a synchronized combination of both. Load PDF and Word documents, DRM-free e-books, articles and web pages. Connect to Dropbox, Google Drive, Evernote, Pocket, Instapaper, Gutenberg and Bookshare. All 36 enhanced VoiceOver voices plus 78 premium voices in 20 languages from Acapela and NeoSpeech. Download the light version for free or check out the full version for $9.99.    

 

As always, these apps are available to try out in both of our TECH Centers. Just call (866) 828-8275 and make an appointment for an individualized lab. Happy APP-ing!

 

Laura Simmons-Martinez

Technology Project Director

Team of Advocates for Special Kids

TASK is a nonprofit Parent Training and Information Center that serves all ages and all disabilities. TASK is funded in part by grants from the U.S. Department of Education and the California Department of Education. The views expressed in this e-mail newsletter do not necessarily represent those of TASK, the U.S. Department of Education, the State of California or any other funding source, nor are they an attempt to aid or hinder the passage of any bill before congress. Advertisements or refernces to trade names, commercial products or organizations do not constitute endorsement by any of the above.