For higher incidence learning disabilities.

Hear Your Writing Word Talk is a free add on to Microsoft Word. It reads your writing aloud and highlights in the color of your choice as it does so. Power Talk does the same for Power Point www.wordtalk.org.uk and fullmeasure.co.uk/powertalk Free slide show tutorial www.slideshare.net/paulhami/word-talk Good for learners with reading, spelling and attention troubles.

Word Talk is a free add on to Microsoft Word. It reads your writing aloud and highlights in the color of your choice as it does so.

Power Talk does the same for Power Point

www.wordtalk.org.uk and fullmeasure.co.uk/powertalk

Free slide show tutorial www.slideshare.net/paulhami/word-talk

Good for learners with reading, spelling and attention troubles.

Use Your Camera Phone Qipit and Scanr are free program that allow you to take photos with your camera phone and send them to their websites which will, in turn either publish them online or allow you to print what you shot. www.qipit.com, www.scanr,com Good for learners with handwriting and memory troubles.

Qipit and Scanr are free program that allow you to take photos with your camera phone and send them to their websites which will, in turn either publish them online or allow you to print what you shot.

www.qipit.com, www.scanr,com

Good for learners with handwriting and memory troubles.

Use Mind Maps and Graphic Organizers There are many website that offer free mind mapping tools here are a few: Bubbl.us Mindomo.com Mind42.com Other sites offer us various graphic organizers to try here are a few: exploratree.org.uk freeology.com/graphicorgs/ webenglishteacher.com/graphic.html Good for learners on the autism spectrum and those with some kinds of reading disabilities

There are many website that offer free mind mapping tools here are a few:

Bubbl.us

Mindomo.com

Mind42.com

Other sites offer us various graphic organizers to try here are a few:

exploratree.org.uk

freeology.com/graphicorgs/

webenglishteacher.com/graphic.html

Good for learners on the autism spectrum and those with some kinds of reading disabilities

Micro Blogs Use micro blogs to post assignments or update your students on the any classroom news Or if you are a real technophile have your students micro blog to turn in assignments, comment and keep in touch. Some micro blogs to consider: tumblr.com jottit.com

Use micro blogs to post assignments or update your students on the any classroom news

Or if you are a real technophile have your students micro blog to turn in assignments, comment and keep in touch.

Some micro blogs to consider:

tumblr.com

jottit.com

Store it Online We all know the student who will loss the work sheet between here and the locker, or will forget to bring it home. Save a copy of worksheets online so that students only have to worry about the return trip using free online storage programs, this also means that students can do make up work immediately when they are out Sites to use: diino.com dropboks.com Google documents Zoho documents

We all know the student who will loss the work sheet between here and the locker, or will forget to bring it home.

Save a copy of worksheets online so that students only have to worry about the return trip using free online storage programs, this also means that students can do make up work immediately when they are out

Sites to use:

diino.com

dropboks.com

Google documents

Zoho documents

Note to self… Encourage your students to figure out what how to best use technology combined with their learning style to get things done. (Let’s face it after high school very few of us stick with the assignment notebook system.) At the end of every period insist that all students record the assignment in their assignment notebook but also in some other method which could include: Jott – a free web program that allows you to call yourself on your cell phone and then e-mails you the right info at the right time www.jott.com Sandy – a free web program that provides you with Sandy, a personal assistant, iwantsandy.com Using a voice recorder or a voice recorder attachment to an iPod E-mailing yourself on a Blackberry or iPhone SMS (texting) yourself on your cellphone Using calendar software on a Palmpilot, Blackberry or iPhone Using calendar software online, such as Google’s iCal Use free to do list programs like Remember the Milk (www.rememberthemilk.com) Toodledo (www.toodledo.com) or Ta Da List (www.tadalist.com)

Encourage your students to figure out what how to best use technology combined with their learning style to get things done. (Let’s face it after high school very few of us stick with the assignment notebook system.)

At the end of every period insist that all students record the assignment in their assignment notebook but also in some other method which could include:

Jott – a free web program that allows you to call yourself on your cell phone and then e-mails you the right info at the right time www.jott.com

Sandy – a free web program that provides you with Sandy, a personal assistant, iwantsandy.com

Using a voice recorder or a voice recorder attachment to an iPod

E-mailing yourself on a Blackberry or iPhone

SMS (texting) yourself on your cellphone

Using calendar software on a Palmpilot, Blackberry or iPhone

Using calendar software online, such as Google’s iCal

Use free to do list programs like Remember the Milk (www.rememberthemilk.com) Toodledo (www.toodledo.com) or Ta Da List (www.tadalist.com)

Change Your Font Certain fonts may be more helpful to learners with the visual kind of dyslexia or those learners with low vision. Here are some links to downloads of fonts: www.fonts.com/AboutFonts/Articles/fyti/Typography+for+Children.htm www.k-type.com/fontlexia.html

Certain fonts may be more helpful to learners with the visual kind of dyslexia or those learners with low vision.

Here are some links to downloads of fonts:

www.fonts.com/AboutFonts/Articles/fyti/Typography+for+Children.htm

www.k-type.com/fontlexia.html

Install a Screen Reader A screen reader will read what is on the computer screen to your students. There are many free text to speech utilities out there. One is built into Windows, look under accessibility in the control panel. Firefox, the web browser, has one of my favorites, Click, Speak (go to “get extensions”) or www.clickspeak.clcworld.net . Others you can download, such as: www.naturalreaders.com/download.htm

A screen reader will read what is on the computer screen to your students. There are many free text to speech utilities out there.

One is built into Windows, look under accessibility in the control panel.

Firefox, the web browser, has one of my favorites, Click, Speak (go to “get extensions”) or www.clickspeak.clcworld.net .

Others you can download, such as:

www.naturalreaders.com/download.htm

Enable Your Web Browser Firefox has many accessible add ons that can be installed together in the form of accessibar. (accessibar.mozdev.org/). It includes: Web page fonts and background colors can be changed from a selection of 70 colors on current session Full Page Zoom interface now available (for Firefox nightly builds only). Icons with configurable shortcut keys to increase and decrease Font size. Line spacing can be increased or decreased to five different spacing settings incrementally. All images (including Flash) displayed on a web page can be selected as being hiden or shown. All changes made to web page display can be restored to original page settings by pressing “Restore Page“. Changes made to the currently displayed web page persist until “Restore Page“ is selected. Integrated Text To Speech reader. Reads out strings hovered over as well as focused elements. Reader settings can be configured allowing the selection of the voice, volume, speaking rate, pitch, and voice range. Toolbar functions have configurable Hotkeys (keyboard shortcuts).

Firefox has many accessible add ons that can be installed together in the form of accessibar. (accessibar.mozdev.org/). It includes:

Web page fonts and background colors can be changed from a selection of 70 colors on current session

Full Page Zoom interface now available (for Firefox nightly builds only).

Icons with configurable shortcut keys to increase and decrease Font size.

Line spacing can be increased or decreased to five different spacing settings incrementally.

All images (including Flash) displayed on a web page can be selected as being hiden or shown.

All changes made to web page display can be restored to original page settings by pressing “Restore Page“.

Changes made to the currently displayed web page persist until “Restore Page“ is selected.

Integrated Text To Speech reader. Reads out strings hovered over as well as focused elements.

Reader settings can be configured allowing the selection of the voice, volume, speaking rate, pitch, and voice range.

Toolbar functions have configurable Hotkeys (keyboard shortcuts).

Use Visual Supports Learn about visual supports: www.usevisualstrategies.com www.polyxo.com/visualsupport www.card.ufl.edu/visual.htm Use them by: Using picture or text schedules and lists Making the rules visual Using visual cues for transitions Use First/Then, Now/Later, and To Do Lists Use the international “no” sign (red circle with line through it) when something is not an option Providing “maps” so students can “find their way around” everything from inside their desks, to the building to their papers, to bibliographies In the lower grades or with non-readers using photographs and picture symbols Make step by step photographic or picture based instruction for things like science labs or art projects Consider making The Visual Dictionary (http://visual.merriam-webster.com/index.php) your online dictionary Consider using your computer monitor, power point and words or symbols to visualize transitions This will help all visual learners, all multi-modal learners, those on the autism spectrum, those with dysphonetic dyslexia, those with non-verbal learning disabilities, those with Fragile X and Down Syndrome.

Learn about visual supports:

www.usevisualstrategies.com

www.polyxo.com/visualsupport

www.card.ufl.edu/visual.htm

Use them by:

Using picture or text schedules and lists

Making the rules visual

Using visual cues for transitions

Use First/Then, Now/Later, and To Do Lists

Use the international “no” sign (red circle with line through it) when something is not an option

Providing “maps” so students can “find their way around” everything from inside their desks, to the building to their papers, to bibliographies

In the lower grades or with non-readers using photographs and picture symbols

Make step by step photographic or picture based instruction for things like science labs or art projects

Consider making The Visual Dictionary (http://visual.merriam-webster.com/index.php) your online dictionary

Consider using your computer monitor, power point and words or symbols to visualize transitions

This will help all visual learners, all multi-modal learners, those on the autism spectrum, those with dysphonetic dyslexia, those with non-verbal learning disabilities, those with Fragile X and Down Syndrome.

Free Photographs and Picture Symbols for Visual Supports www.do2learn.com – mostly schedule and personal care related line drawings www.imaginesymbols.com – 4,000 full color drawing for use in schedules, communication and education materials www.sclera.be/English/index.htm - 14,000 pictograms for education, schedules and communication all are black on white in design Don’t forget that you can use your digital camera, Google images and website like Flickr as well.

www.do2learn.com – mostly schedule and personal care related line drawings

www.imaginesymbols.com – 4,000 full color drawing for use in schedules, communication and education materials

www.sclera.be/English/index.htm - 14,000 pictograms for education, schedules and communication all are black on white in design

Don’t forget that you can use your digital camera, Google images and website like Flickr as well.

Turn Your Computer Screen into A Timer This works especially well if your teacher computer links to the T.V. screen or a smart board. Download a time from this site: http://www.harmonyhollow.net/cool_timer.shtml Or link to a live timer at this site: http://edtech.kennesaw.edu/intech/javatimer/javatimer.html Now your students have a visual measure of how much time is left to a task.

This works especially well if your teacher computer links to the T.V. screen or a smart board.

Download a time from this site:

http://www.harmonyhollow.net/cool_timer.shtml

Or link to a live timer at this site:

http://edtech.kennesaw.edu/intech/javatimer/javatimer.html

Now your students have a visual measure of how much time is left to a task.

Other places to find links to free AT Teaching Every Student Blog http://teachingeverystudent.blogspot.com/2007/06/free-technology-toolkit-for-udl-in-all.html Free Assistive Technology You Already Own http://speaking.stanford.edu/Back_Issues/SOC68/highlights/Free_Assistive_Technology.html One Stop for Free A.T. http://www.onlineconferencingsystems.com/at.htm Free Resources From the Net for (Special) Education Blog http://paulhami.edublogs.org/ OATSoft http://www.oatsoft.org/

Teaching Every Student Blog http://teachingeverystudent.blogspot.com/2007/06/free-technology-toolkit-for-udl-in-all.html

Free Assistive Technology You Already Own

http://speaking.stanford.edu/Back_Issues/SOC68/highlights/Free_Assistive_Technology.html

One Stop for Free A.T.

http://www.onlineconferencingsystems.com/at.htm

Free Resources From the Net for (Special) Education Blog

http://paulhami.edublogs.org/

OATSoft

http://www.oatsoft.org/