How Many Crayons Are In Your Box?

I like the smell of crayons. No matter how old I am I always have an urge to buy a box of new crayons at the beginning of the school year. And not just the 24 colors - but the great big box with the built-in sharpener. I remember if you had that box as a kid, you were livin' large. These were essential tools in early elementary. While I didn't run out and buy crayons this year, I have been very fortunate to be able to add to my essential tools by purchasing new assistive technology equipment with the Education Stimulus Funds made available to public schools. This has included many useful items that will benefit students of all ages and abilities. There are so many items out there it can be overwhelming to choose. Parents and professionals alike often ask advice on what to purchase. For schools interested in AAC, I suggest looking at www.aactechconnect.com. Debby McBride, CCC/SLP, and her group offer a variety of tools for matching devices with features students need. They list all the major devices and comparison charts. Now, I think I may have to run out and look for crayons...I wonder if they make crayon-scented candles?

Back To School with Stimulus Funds

It's back to school for many of us. With the Educational Stimulus money made available for public schools, going back to school has a new meaning this year. We are able to provide additional assistive technology equipment and other opportunities for our students. With the equipment comes the need for additional training and staff development; but what a great chance to get lots of new equipment. I'll be writing purchase orders and unpacking boxes for quite a while - more on what our new items will be later.

Rain, Rain, Rain?

As I sit here looking out my window it is raining AGAIN! Here in Indiana it has rained just about every day the entire month of June. With outdoor activities limited I've been thinking about some of the projects I have brewing. One of them is to present "Switch It Up: Move to Communicate" at the Assistive Technology Industry Association conference in Chicago October 29-31. I love this presentation because it lets me highlight some of the great kids I've worked with who have moved from basic cause and effect with switches to more sophisticated computer and communication device use. Positioning is critical for this to happen. Tiffany, my excellent physical therapist colleague, and I presented this session at the ATIA in Orlando in January and the PATINS conference in Indianapolis in November 2008. If you are a midwesterner - do not miss the Chicago ATIA conference - this is the first year that they are coming to us. Or, if you want a winter break, go to the Orlando version in January. Last January while I was there here at home the kids got 3 snow days and 12 inches of snow (not sorry to miss that). Go to www.atia.org for more information. Wow, I think it has stopped raining? No, false alarm - it just slowed down some. Hopefully next time I post it will be sunny.

Do You Use Audacity?

Have you found Audacity yet? It's the free audio editing software that lets you do so many things. Teachers use it to record podcasts for their students, students can use it at home to record their homework and email it to the teacher for an alternative to writing, and speech-language pathologists can use it for articulation, voice, and language feedback. I use it to add audio to my video clips because it is easy to change your voice pitch and speed - so I can be an entire cast of characters from my voice! Do you work with students who are nonverbal and use digitized speech devices? Instead of a teacher's voice coming out of the Step-By-Step, it is easy to use Audacity to change the pitch of the recorded voice to sound like a child. Then, just play the sound clip on the computer and hold down the "record" button of the device to record the message from the computer. Be careful - too much pitch change it you sound like Mickey Mouse! You can also clip portions of music to use for videos, websites, PowerPoint slide shows, and so much more.

Go to http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

AAC for your iPod

The new Prologu02Go software has been released with great reviews! Samuel Sennott,one of the creative minds behind this app for the iPod/iPhone, has several examples of adults and kids using this innovative, inexpensive tool on his website www.alltogetherwecan.com as well as the site www.proloquo2go.com. You can go to the iTunes store to get the app for a reasonable $149.00. The volume of an iPod Touch or iPhone isn't loud enough for communication, so you'll need a small speaker (you can get these for 5-10 dollars at various discount stores. But what a breakthough in technology!

Boardmaker Plus Player Provides Access

I blogged about Boardmaker Plus a few weeks ago....but did you know that the Boardmaker Plus Player gives students access to teacher-created activities at home or on other computer stations at school? At approximatley $125.00, the Player version allows you to open any activity made in Boardmaker Plus and experience the interaction without having to have the complete Boardmaker software (which is about $399.00). So, parents can have the Player at home and open activities e-mailed to them or sent home on a USB drive or go to adaptedlearning.com and find free downloads posted by others. Because you can customize the pictures and text, you can create personalized learning activities with your own photos, video clips, and information. This is a powerful tool that can engage students as well as provide access to the curriculum.

Go to www.mayerjohnson.com for details

WHEE! Wii! We!

Thanks to WHEE! grant from the Buddy Learning Center, highchool students in our self-contained special education program will be using the Wii gaming system to promote fitness, and increase physical as well as social skills. We are excited to be one of 15 schools out of 200 applicants selected to receive this grant! Students with limited physical access to their environmnent are able to play a piano, race a care, bowl or play baseball with a slight gesture when the Wii interactive remote is secured in their hand. Students with Autism often have limited social skills. Use of the Wii interactive games are visually stimulating and promote turn-taking, waiting for turns, sharing, and good sportmanship. We will be collecting data and providing results to the Buddy Project (www.btlc.org). Stay tuned for results of this project over the next school year.