Team of Advocates for Special Kids
Technology E-Newsletter

July 2015

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Upcoming Assistive Technology Workshops

 

The ABC's of AAC

Tuesday, July 14

10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Westside Family Resource and Empowerment Center

Culver City

Call Jennifer Hernandez at (310) 258-4246 for more information or to register for this workshop.

 

APPSolute Fun: Apps for Early Learning

Friday, July 17

9:00 am - 12:00 pm

TASK South Gate 

Call (562) 529-5599 for more information or to register for this workshop.

 

APPsolutely Amazing: iDevices and Apps for Kids with Special Needs

Tuesday, July 21

9:00 am - 12:00 pm

TASK Anaheim

Call (714) 533-8275 for more information or to register for this workshop.

 

Facilitating Language Development with AAC Users

Wednesday, August 5

10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Inland Regional Center Family Resource Library

San Bernardino

Call (909) 890-9630 for more information or to register for this workshop. 

 

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 Brenda Smith, our Acting Executive Director, at (714) 533-8275 for more information about this exciting opportunity or to request a board packet. 

 

Summer is in full swing! This month, I have quite a few free resources for you to take a look at:

 

"How To" video tutorials:

  

Set Restrictions on iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch Devices: This video tutorial instructs how to set restrictions on iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch devices.

 

Delete an App from your iPad or iPhone: In this video tutorial, you will learn how to delete an app from your iPad or iPhone that you no longer need using the iOS operating system.

 

FREE Resources 

 

Enabling Devices has some great free resources for download or print. Examples include activity guides, comparison charts, app charts and more.

 

Preschool Reading Screener: literacy is the single strongest predictor of adult health, and about 30 percent of all children struggle with learning to read. You can share this free preschool reading screener with parents who have kids ages three to five. The screener's 31 questions cover oral language, letter knowledge, phonological awareness and beginning writing. The screener takes only a few minutes to complete, and it enables parents to create customized action plans for their children.   

 

Free Online Money Practice Games: WOW! This collection of online money games will keep your kiddos busy for weeks! Different levels available.

 

Newly Archived Professional Webinars

 

Georgia's Tools for Life has a number of recently archived webinars, including some from EASI. They offer an audio and PDF file for each. Titles include Exploring College and Career Readiness through Assistive Technology; Get Ready, SETT, Go: Helping IEP Teams focus on Students; Considerations in Multimedia Accessibility ; EASI: Creating Accessible Documents for Individuals with Learning Disabilities; EASI: Diving Beneath the Surface, Selecting Tablets, Apps and Accessibility Features; and EASI: Assistive Technology Solutions for Writing.   

The Center on Technology and Disability's recently recorded webinars include Don't Wait to Communicate: Why Your Child Needs Augmentative and Alternative Communication; Parenting a Child with Special Needs: How Internet Technology Can Help Build Your Network of Support and Knowledge; and Successful Transition to College: The Role of Technology and UDL and Online Learning.  

 

Ability Tools Blog Article

 

Revisiting Microsoft Windows Speech Recognition Software: An Underrated and Under-Marketed Features of Windows 7/8 is a great article by Chi Hung Luke Hsieh, an assistive technology advocate at Community Access Center. He compares the popular Dragon Naturally Speaking voice recognition software with the speech recognition software included with Microsoft Office and points out some voice control cool features included in Microsoft Windows.   

Amazing technology:

 

This Cane for the Blind Recognizes Faces from 30 Feet Away

 

When you're blind, navigating the world involves more than avoiding physical obstacles. Just as important is navigating your social relationships, which can be a challenge when you're not always sure who's around you. Researchers at Birmingham City University in the UK are attempting to address that issues with a new cane design that will help the visually impaired recognize people from up to 32 feet away. Researchers are in the process of building the XPLoR, a "smart" cane that's embedded with a camera, facial recognition software and GPS. Their idea is to embed the capabilities of a computer into the prosaic cane, long considered to be an effective and affordable mobility aid. (Read the full article on the XPLoR cane on the CNN website.) 

Amazing apps:

 

Dyslexia Quest 

 

I have long been a fan of Dyslexia Quest, from Nessy Learning, Ltd., in which the games are designed to assess working memory, phonological awareness, processing speed, visual memory, auditory memory and sequencing skills.

 

Hairy Apps 

 

We recently came across the Hairy Apps series, also from Nessy Learning, Ltd.

 

This wonderful set of apps starts with Hairy Letters, where you learn the names and sounds of each letter with the Hairies and play games to blend and read.

 

After that, learn your sight words. In Hairy Words 1, learn 100 high frequency sight words and help the Hairies jump to safety. Hairy Words 2 helps you learn the second 100 high frequency sight words.

 

Next come Hairy Phonics, in which you learn consonant and vowel digraphs, phonemes, and more. After learning letter sounds, you need Hairy Phonics 1 to master consonant digraphs (sh, ch, th, ck, ff, ll, ss, zz and ng). In Hairy Phonics 2, you'll learn vowel phonics (ai, ay, ee, ea, ie, oa, oi, oy, oo). The final phonics app, Hairy Phonics 3, will help you learn "vowel r" and "magic e" with nine more phonemes (ar, or, er, ir, ur, a-e, o-e, I-e, o-e, u-e).

 

Best of all, the Hairy apps are available for Android in the Google Play store, as well.  

Our latest AAC workshop:

 

Facilitating Language Development with AAC Users

 

Supporting someone who uses an alternate method to communicate can be time-consuming. Set-up for a short interaction may require researching the topic, finding related icons, programming vocabulary and maybe even checking access modes. After all this is done, it's no wonder we sometimes forget to ask:

  • Is this activity furthering language development?
  • Was it provided at a level that challenges the user to grow?
  • Were any new skills introduced?

This workshop will help you develop critical thinking skills so you can review your AAC user's language level and develop suggestions for improvement.

 

TASK is offering this workshop, presented by Bernadette Kennard of Trivinity Consulting, on Wednesday, August 5 in San Bernardino and on Tuesday, August 11 in Anaheim.

We have lots of great advocacy and assistive technology workshops at many different locations throughout the summer. Take a look at our workshop offerings on our website.

 

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.