Assistive+Technology

media type="youtube" key="bijjZng45Ig" height="390" width="640" TypeIt ReadIt Breigh King

TypeIt ReadIt is a free download through School Freeward LLC. This softwear is a text to speech technology and is designed to help users who are visually impaired, cannot read, or need help with comprehension. TypeIt ReadIt reads the text aloud to the users, highlighting as it reads. This program with 2.266 downloads in the past year is easy and user friendly to use. TypeIt ReadIt allows sound files to be exported into iTunes, CD, iPod, Audacity, and virtually any mp3 supporting program. In addition, students can then listen to files that they've created on a classroom sound device, which makes their work come to life. TypeIt ReadIt allows students with a speech difficulty to place sound files in a presentation, or in class in general. Additionally, this program can be used as an alternative to typing lessons.

This technology is an important tool for students with learning disabilities like dyslexia, dysgraphia, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Assistive technology tools help to make the field even for those students who do have a disability. TypeIt ReadIt is similar to programs such as Kurzweil 3000 and GhostReader. In addition to other assets, TypeIt ReadIt changes font size and color with ease for those who need the font size to be larger.

Some downsides to TypeIt ReadIt include that it is generally only downloadable for Apple users, although the video says otherwise. Additionally, it is still a new program and still has some lumps to roll out. There is also a great variation in student disabilities so, this program might not work for each student.

Comment by Alyssa McQuitty

Even though Typelt has some lumps to roll out as Breigh has mentioned, I think this is fantastic because it is so user friendly and so beneficial and it is FREE! There are not many assistive technologies out there any more that are so beneficial in more ways than one and yet are still free. It may be free because of the lumps that still have yet to be rolled out, but I think parents, students, and school systems should really take advantage of this great tool. Another thing I was fascinated with was once it is downloaded; you are able to export it onto iTunes, a CD, an iPod, or whatever you choose. All in all, I think this is a great technology and should really be taken advantage of while it is still free.

Comment by Alex Perez I like the idea of TypeIt ReadIt. It is a free program that is very useful for visually impaired students and those who need help with comprehension. It also gives the students with a speech difficulty the opportunity to present a project to the entire classroom. I would definitely use this program in my classroom. It has some downsides, but any program does. The program would benefit students a lot.

Comment by Sarah Boyer This program sounds wonderful for students who are having difficulty with reading. I definitely see it being beneficial when it comes to individual projects or presentations because the student wouldn't have to be worried about their disability getting the way of completing their assignment. The downsides don't seem to be very significant when compared to all the benefits; besides, every program out there has at least one down side.

media type="youtube" key="HH1SADGD0Yo" height="390" width="480" TapToTalk Jeff Stokes Tap to talk is an assistive technology used to help children with non-verbal, communication and /or speech disorders. Other individuals that may use this device would be children who are affected by Autism and other developmental delays. The product runs on a Nintendo DS which makes it fun, interactive and, possibly even more important, socially acceptable. The product works as a game but also has an important purpose to it as well. Images appear on the screen and when the child touches the screen the devices says the command. There are many different options for the child to choose from including emotions, food, etc. If the option that you or your child is looking for is not available, then you can record your voice and add a picture to the device for future usages. Using this device the child becomes more independent and not so dependent on others. If you go to taptotalk.com you may purchase the device for what is advertised at $99.95. There are hundreds of pictures and commands to choose from on the website and this device in undoubtedly enhance your child's learning experience while maintaining there social status with their peers. The positives to this device are shown and they outweigh the negatives. The device does cost nearly $100 which could be seen as a draw back, but the positives are more encouraging. This negative however does not compare to the price of a Nintendo DS independently and your child's success will ultimately never make you reconsider the small investment that you have made in the product.

Comment by Alex Bartlett I think TapToTalk is a perfect way to allow children to be independent and be able to communicate their needs to their peers in a fun way. My little brother is 8 and is obsessed with his Nintendo DSi. Whenever any of his friends get a new game, all the boys are amazed and want to see. I really think this assistive technology would be seen by others as a game, which would make the child with autism or other developmental delays feel included. Since it's on a device children love, the child using the program wouldn't feel singled out, and would thus give him/her and their peers a common ground. I think putting more programs like this on devices that children already use is a great step towards connecting children no matter if there's a disability or not. It's also extremely lightweight so children of any age would be able to just carry it around. I loved that it can be programmed by a parent to fit the child's needs and I think the price of the program (100) + the price of a DS (150) is a small one to pay for a child to feel accepted among his peers and still have his needs met.

Comment on TapToTalk by Joshua Millet The first thing that caught my eye was the Nintendo DS. I know the DS has many educational games available but was still surprised to see an assistive technology made for it. However, making software like this for the DS makes perfect sense. The DS is a great piece of hardware for kids to use. It has a simple interface, colorful touch screen, long battery life, and pretty durable construction for a device of it's size. I know that some children with disabilities have trouble socializing but find the confined area of a tv screen calming. This assistive technology would help out those children. The interface is very logical and simple to use with the touch screen. I like the ability to customize the software. I'm sure kids would find it helpful to have their own parents' voice come out of the DS speakers.

Comment by Merritt Levi Palmer

As Josh mentioned, the first thing I noticed was the video still of the Nintendo DS, this alone makes it very marketable as an assistive technology. I know most children, especially ones with disability just want to fit in, and what better way to include them then a popular video game device that most children own. The software appears to be very easy to use and is very customizable which is nice. Overall, I think this is a positive step for assistive technology because not only does it really help, it allows the child to seem like a normal kid and not have to worry about being picked on.

Comment By: Brittany Peyton I really like the TapToTalk software. I like that it is a devise for children who have limited to no verbal skills, and it helps children communicate with teachers, family and peers more easily. I think it was very clever to combine a common technology device that so many children play with and make it a device that can helps someone’s life. The Nintendo DS is portable, and socially expectable. The child will feel like they fit in more. Also, the parents can get online and customize the features. I also read somewhere that you can change the voice through the website. I like that the parents or guardians can change the voice depending on if the child is a boy or girl to make it even more lifelike.

Comment By: Amanda Detwiler I really like the TapToTalk software as well. Kids feel comfortable with the Nintendo DS so it wont hurt their self esteem as much. It also is small and can have different patterns as well, so they wont mind carrying it around. They wont be made fun of by other students either because it is a DS and other students use them as well. Also I think it is awesome that they can hear their parents voice come out of the speakers. Instead of a random robot speaking it is their own parents talking in which they are very comfortable with.

Comment By: Katie Rowell Wow! This device amazes me! I work at a daycare and the favorite free time activity is playing DS! There is one little boy that comes to mind when I think of the DS. He has Autism and as Joshua said he finds comfort in looking at the screen and playing the games. This particular little boy gets very upset when things do not go his way. By using this advice his mom may be able to calm him when he gets upset! I have never heard of this device but am very excited to mention it to the parents at the daycare!

media type="youtube" key="qiKWTTtGq7U" height="390" width="640" JAWS Kristan Eannone

JAWS is one of the most common screenreaders available, however, it is also very costly. Its retail value is a little over $1,000. Its acronym stands for Job Access With Speech. JAWS was designed for the visually impaired and relies heavily on auditory means. This video demonstrates how to navigate a computer by using the program but is not intended to train persons with visual impairments on what keystrokes they are to use in order to navigate a computer. Other additional training manuals that relate to the education on various keystrokes are more helpful and available. JAWS reads aloud information from the internet and word processing documents that are currently displayed on the computer screen. The user is able to freely navigate the computer without a mouse. Instead, there are numerous keystrokes that are used to navigate the computer. In the video, it is also mentioned how it is important for JAWS to be able to comprehend what you are trying to do on the computer. It is explained that the user can either be in edit mode or not in edit mode. It is crucial to be aware of what mode you are in so that you can navigate correctly due to the various combinations of keystrokes that can be used. For example, in the video it is said that when in edit mode, the user may type the letter "c" in order to try and find websites on google pertaining to cars. When the user is not in edit mode and is on a website, by typing the letter "c" a "combo box" may appear. Combo boxes are boxes that appear with multiple selections inside of them. This could be when making a purchase, a box will appear containing Visa, Mastercard, and Discover. It could also be evident when it is required to select a state and a box appears with a list of all of the states. Therefore to prevent any confusion between the user and the program, it is always imperative to be aware of what mode the computer is currently in. JAWS also reads to the user what he/she is currently typing. This allows for the user to be aware of any typos that may occur so that the user can promptly fix these typos. It also reads aloud the web address that the user is visiting as well as tells the user how much longer it will take for the web page to finish loading. JAWS will continue to reread the web address until the user presses "ctrl". The control button is used to stop JAWS from reading aloud to the user. The user will then use various keystrokes to navigate the rest of the web page he/she is viewing. People using JAWS need to go through training before attempting to use the program. There are various, important keystrokes that must be taught before navigation can be mastered. After learning how to use JAWS to navigate the computer, it can prove to be very helpful for students who are visually impaired. It will allow for them to type and submit their homework, papers, or other projects through a Word Document. JAWS will be able to reread what the student has typed to the student and act as a way for the student to self check what he/she has typed. Besides JAWS being costly, the only other disadvantage that I found relating to the screenreader is that it is only compatible with Windows. This may or may not cause issues depending on what computer access is available to the student with visual impairments. Fortunately, it is a disadvantage that could easily be fixed.

Comment by Tasha Carr: I think that JAWS seems like an effective assistive technology for people who are blind or have vision problems. I found that JAWS was created by Freedom Scientific as a screen reading software. I noticed that the device seems complicated to use but after training it could be very useful. JAWS assists users with operating a computer through the use of a standard keyboard, rather than a mouse. JAWS also allows users to listen to the text on the screen through the use of an integrated voice synthesizer on the computer. I feel that JAWS would be very useful for children with special needs because they could learn to operate a computer independently. For inclusion classrooms, teachers could do computer based projects and allow children with visual problems to use JAWS to complete the assignment. Although JAWS is very expensive, I feel that it is a valuable tool that will assist children with special needs in learning computer skills that have become essential in the 21st century.

media type="youtube" key="nAd3PzYYDYM?rel=0" height="349" width="425" Cosmobot Alex Bartlett

Cosmobot is a cute blue robot that works together with a mission control input device and software to be used as part of a play therapy program for children with all sorts of disabilities. This device was designed in 1999 by Dr. Corinna Lathan and Jack Vice. CosmBot gives children motivation to learn new skills than just traditional therapy. The way this system works is beginning when the therapist picks one of three modes: Free Play, Simon Says, or Playback. The therapist programs the lessons right into the software and CosmoBot performs accordingly. The CosmoBot can interact and deliver lessons while also collecting data that the child says or does with a microphone.Along with the modes Cosmobot has a huge brightly colored keyboard for these children that has only 4 buttons, and this allows for the children to operate the movement of CosmoBot, and there are also other sensors the child can use to cause movement. There is currently not an available CosmoBot for educational and rehab tharapy environments, but while that is trying to be developed, the most recent version (V3) is at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. This robot can help children with many kinds of disabilities including autism, Downs Syndrome, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, apraxia, neurodevelopmental disorders, and language development disorders. I think that CosmoBot is a perfect assessment tool for children with disabilities, because they feel like they are playing with a friend rather than taking tests and just performing tasks.

Comment on CosmoBot by Tracie Homsher I enjoyed this video about the CosmoBot and the personal story it shared. Kevin Fitzgerald is shown obviously enjoying his time with Cosmo. Kevin's mother stated she has seen improvement not only in Kevin's speech but also his social skills which she attributes to the use of Cosmo. CosmoBot was recognized by the U.S. government in 2004 when creator Corinna Lathan was invited to the U.S. Department of Commerce and Education's Assistive Technology Exhibit and Policy Forum to demonstrate Cosmo. Lathan used this opportunity to educate the public about the benefits of using technology such as CosmoBot for therapy and meeting educational goals. She said, "assistive technology is inclusive technology."

Comment By Kelsey Zakutney I watched a lot of videos on assistive technology for non-verbal children, but this is by far my favorite technology. The robot act as a friend to the child and allows to child to engage more actively in his education. The robot reminded me of my favorite childhood stuffed animal because I used my stuffed animal as a way to communicate when I was to shy to say something myself. Many non-verbal assistive technologies are programs that are based on a sitting computer, but this robot brings those programs to life. The Cosmobot is the first step to transforming the hundreds of computer programs that help non-verbal children into more imaginative hands-on learning tools.

Comment by Melissa Dantro I like the idea behind the cosmobot, but what I dont understand is why this is called assisstive technology. You could take any toy or stuffed animal and give a child a voice through this toy. A child who is quiet or cannot speak may be able to find their voice in anything that they like. I think the idea behind it is great but I feel like its only common sense that a child would like to use something else to speak for them. I understand that the robot part where the child can move it around and make it walk is entriguing for a child but there are many toys out there that do the same things, only they are not labeled assisstive technology. Cosmobot really seems to be working for kevin and that is great but I think that any toy robot could have the same effect and come with probably a much smaller price tag.

media type="youtube" key="g9u9KRBN6EU" height="390" width="480"

Mike Duttera Erica Eye Gaze System Originally I had found a demonstration video showing a person with Cerebral Palsy using this system to communicate with a speech synthesizing program using a screen typewriter visual which was amazing in how fast he was able to have the system synthesize his speech. The acoustics of the video were terrible though and the video didn't really explain the device well so I searched on Erica and found this video which explains it more. Basically the system has an infrared light and sensor (a sort of camera, in a sense) which bounces infrared light off the back of a persons retina, then detects the light that bounces off and returns to the sensor. It can track microscopic changes in the direction of what a person is focused on since eyeball movement changes the angle at which light returns to the sensor which can be sensed. The advantage of such a system is that it's apparently very fast, as fast as a person can change the direction of their gaze! It's designed to be used in conjunction with detection of head movements too and pressing a large button resembling the Staples Easy Button. The one demo I saw with terrible acoustics was amazing at how fast the person could talk with it, though I wasn't certain it was all really occuring in real time. The system is designed to integrate with the Windows OS of a PC so as the demonstrator above claims, it can be used to operate any Windows program. Obviously it could be used in a classroom so a student with a disability could communicate relatively quickly with the teacher and other students. The student could readily write reports, do calculations etc etc., anything that could be done on a PC. Nifty.

Comment on Eye Gaze System by Matt Esser I looked everywhere for a video on this technology because it is what Steven Hawkins uses to write massive speeches that last hours. It amazes me that the smartest person of our generation has Cerebral Palsy and still is able to use this Eye Gaze System to communicate. Hawkins gives many speeches that can last for hours on how the universe was formed and dimensional theory. Using only his one eye, the only movement that he can perform, Hawkins spends hours writing a speech that only takes an hour to perform. This technology is being used in colleges all over the United States so that current students can learn what Hawkins has to say.

Comment by Amanda Detwiler: I think this is amazing how someone can still operate everyday things such as calculating or write reports for school. A student could get through college if they really wanted to and that is awesome. It is nice that it is easy for them to communicate with other students and teachers as well. It can be used to open any windows program which could also be excell or a slide show. i think this is an excellent program. media type="youtube" key="N7b2AoeLylo" height="390" width="640" MELLISSA DANTRO

The assistive chat is an application that can be purchased on the iphone or the ipod touch. It is an application that helps the user write what they are trying to say. It almost works the same way that predicted texting works on your cell phone however it does not automatically change the word for you. Once you hit a letter, it brings up a selection of words that you might be looking for. For example if you are trying to type the word “the” and you hit a t…. a few choices pop up. You then click on the choice that you want and the word is produced for you. I think this is an excellent feature for someone with special needs who may need help typing or speaking. Assistive chat is a Augmentative Alternative Communication (AAC) app that allows the user to speak with text to speech. The user can type what they want to say and the voice will read it back. Once the user types a sentence or paragraph into the device it can be saved so that they can revisit the same thing later if they wish to. It also gives you the option to select the voice type that you would like to have. You can choose a male or a female. The only thing that I do not like about this application is that it is currently only available in English. I think an ELL student would benefit tremendously with something like this because it would really help them with their vocabulary. It would be good for them to have the words available to them in English and also in their native language. The assistive chat has different options such as landscape and portrait modes, adaptive learning of new vocabulary into the word prediction list, adjustable volume and speed for voices, large fonts and buttons for easy access, and word prediction to minimize keystrokes required. I think that a student who struggles with speech in a classroom could really benefit from this as it would allow them to have easier conversations with their peers and teachers.

Comment by Brittnie Frey: I agree that this is a great technology. However, it is unfortunate that it is only available in English. This is likely to change once it gains popularity though. I think I have seen a system like this used with autistic children. The fact that this an application that can be purchased for the iPhone or iPod Touch definitely makes it current. The only problem I see beyond the language barrier is the fine motor skills or children or those with disabilities. It may work fine with an iPad, but the iPhone and iPod Touch are very small. I do not see how children or anyone with fine motor skill difficulties would be able to use this application on such a small screen, especially because it is touch screen. Maybe, I am wrong in this, but it is something I thought about.

Comment by Kristan Eannone This example of technology is great. I really like how a variety of words appears on the screen when you begin to type a letter. This would help students who are looking for a word and are unable to correctly spell certain words on their own. For instance when the child is typing "library", some children spell AND pronounce it as "libary". The assistive chat application allows for the correct word to appear and the child will be able to recognize the word even though it may not be spelled the same way that they had tried processing it in their head. I also like that the application reads the text back to the student. It helps the student connect what certain words sound like both separate from the sentence and then integrated into a sentence. Another great thing about this application is that because it is so new, it will undergo many changes to improve itself within the next couple of years and other companies will piggy back off of it as well to make improvements to their programs.

Comment by Amie Benfield: I think this application would be great for a student who has trouble speaking. I really like the way that you can type in one letter and it brings up multiple words for you to choose from. We just talked about students with communication disorders in my SPED 312 class and I think this would be a great way for students with this disability to speak to the people around them. Students with an expressive communication disorder would especially benefit from the assistive chat. This would help these students be able to form the words that they are unable to express. I also like the suggestion that you made about having this application available in Spanish because I also agree that would be helpful for an ELL. Looking at this from a teaching standpoint, I think this would be a great device that would help decrease any communication barriers I might face in my future classroom. I think this would be a great assistive technology for any classroom that has students who have a communication disorder, or who have trouble speaking in general. Comment by Amanda Detwiler : I think this is an awesome technology, first off it can fit in the side of your pocket. I like how it corrects a childs spelling by the way they say it. It is nice that you can type in a letter and a whole bunch of words will come up that you can choose from. It doesn't overwell them students. It is also nice that the application will read words back to a student that they type in. i think its really nice that it is touch screen as well, it doesnt take a lot of effort to touch the letters and the children will feel so accomplished. media type="youtube" key="WDxdXkkbutU" height="390" width="480" Sarah Boyer Reading Pen

The Reading Pen is an assistive technology that can be used by a variety of individuals. The name itself pretty much describes exactly what it is; it is a pen that will read for you. Some people would say that having technology that reads for a student will hinder them from learning how to read better; however, they would be wrong. The pen not only reads for an individual but it also gives definitions; there is also a version of the pen that allows you to use it like a virtual highlighter. This version allows the student to run the pen over the passage they want to highlight, take the pen to their computer, plug it in, upload their highlights, and then print the highlighted passages. The pen itself has a history of 80 words worth of memory. It can read back either a single word or an entire sentence; users can either put the pen to their ear in order to hear it speak, or else plug in headphones. The Reading Pen has a dictionary containing over 240,000 words! The LCD screen will show a word broken down into syllables so that the user can comprehend the word easier. The Reading Pen is an excellent tool for individuals with Dyslexia, learning disabilities, Autism, or even the “typical” college student! It is a tool that would definitely be extremely helpful in a classroom setting!

Comment by Brittnie Frey: The first thing I thought when I watched this video is that it may not be a positive technology because it may hinder children from learning how to read. However, children are said to benefit from being read aloud to. Since the child is following along, it actually may help the child learn unfamiliar words, especially because it gives definitions. I think this would be a great assistive technology for the struggling reader and those with other disabilities. The only problem I see is that it might get frustrating for a child trying to run over each line, or at least it would frustrate me. However, I think it is a tool that can be used periodically when the child needs it.

Comment by Tasha Carr: After watching the video, I saw how useful the Reading Pen can be for children of all ages and all disabilities. When children read books they often stumble on difficult words but the Reading Pen is a useful tool that assists children in learning and understanding new words. The Reading Pen assists with pronunciation and grammar, as well as provides definitions for words. I think the device could be helpful to students with reading difficulties, such as dyslexia, or children of a second language. I feel that teachers could use the Reading Pen to help increase fluency and comprehension for struggling readers. My only concern is how would it affect the classroom if only the struggling readers were given the Reading Pen. I also feel that students could become too dependent on the device, so teaches may have to monitor how much it is used.

Comment by Jeff Stokes: The Reading Pen seems like it would be a positive assistive technology asset for teachers to have available in their classrooms for students. I did not think that this was going to be an effective product when I first glanced but then I learned more about it than I had even considered before research. I think that it is pretty interesting that this product will not only read words for you but it will give you a definition as well, containing over 240,000 words. That is incredible. Personally I believe that the only problem that we could see with this product would be the fact that it can only retain 80 words in memory. That really is not that much memory and would take several trials to get multiple paragraphs recorded but besides that the product seems promising.

Comment by Alex Perez I believe that the Reading Pen would really help students build vocabulary and help with reading fluency. Students may not be able to have dictionary in hand when they are reading, but with the Reading Pen, all the student has to do is drag the pen across the word and the definition is said to them. I like that it allows students to highlight words from a passage or even a textbook, and they can upload it on their computer and print it out. That is a great way for keeping important information in their class notes. I also think it is amazing that it contains over 240,000 words. That is going to be so helpful for any student.

media type="youtube" key="DmDVEvJYQV4" height="390" width="480" Katie Rowell iCommunicator is a type of communication technology that is used to foster literacy enhancement and independent communication. In this video people of different ages are shown using the iCommunicator in their everyday lives in all natural environments. The video tells a story about Morgan Greene who is the first high school student to use this device. The video does an excellent job of giving an overview of what the iCommunicator is and how it works. Stated below is more information that I gathered through research about the device as well. This device can be used in K-12 education, post-secondary institutions, government, and public access venues in both the United Stated and Canada. The youngest known user of iCommunicator is in third grade. Before someone can use this device they should be either formally or informally accessed to make sure that the device is a good match for them. The device is not intended to replace sign language interpreters but is intended as another form of interpretation. iCommunicator is a software that gets downloaded to your computer. The download takes less than 30 minutes to install the software and establish a beginning speech/voice recognition file. At this time the iCommunicator software can only be used with a PC platform. This software program has a built-in dictionary and thesaurus. It offers a 30,000 word signing library as well as a 250,000 English word library. One nice feature to the software is that the signing speed can be adjusted to best fit the user. This is done through accessing the Signing Options Menu. The speed works as followed: the lowest level is the actual speed at which the video sign was filmed. The speeds on signing increases incrementally depending on the users comfort level. Here is an example of how the speed works: speed two equals about one and a half times the actual film speed. Speed three equals two times the actual film speed and so on. Most users prefer to use speed four or five. Research shows many positive improvements in independent communication from iCommunicator users.

Comment By: Melissa Dantro <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">I really like how the video for the icommunicator has closed captioning. That was a smart idea on their part becuase they are promoting a device for the deaf, hard of hearing, or someone with speech problems. This is a really good device and I think it would be very helpful to someone who struggles with hearing. One thing I did notice is that the young man Morgan Greene featured in the video seemed to be getting greaa use out of the device. However did you notice that it looked as though he was in a one-on-one classroom with the teacher? I wonder how well this device would work in a classroom full of students. It would be nice if the device could assist in hearing by sign langauge and closed captioning all while including the student in the regular classroom. I like how the device offers not one but 2 options for students to follow along. They can read what is being said, or they can watch the woman on the side who is signing as well. This is good because it offers different ways to reach the students or people who are deaf or hard of hearing. media type="youtube" key="1Jorc9UyvOA" height="390" width="480" Evie Maldonado

I found a video on a product called the Neater Eater. While it’s not one of those extremely high-tech assistive devices like the, I-pad, I-phone or robot students, it does assist with a very basic need. I choose this video because, being able to feed yourself isn’t something people really think about, it’s just one of those things you just assume everyone is able to do. The Neater Eater is a system made of different parts that can be put together in a way to meet the need of each individual. Some of the components that make up the Neater eater are the arm, which can be set at specific levels to reach the mouth, with or without spring action, depending on the individual and their need. Also, the arm has a built in mechanism to keep the utensil level as it is moved. Special high sided, ceramic or plastic, plates with the option of spinning it electrically or remotely is included. People with a wide range of abilities are able to use this equipment, such as: cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, motor neuron disease, head injuries, spinal injuries, rheumatoid arthritis, muscular dystrophies, upper limb amputations, cerebella ataxia strokes, Parkinson’s disease, learning difficulties, and many other neurological conditions and disabilities. This device gives these individuals the benefit of learning movements, improving posture and mouth control, being able to take part in the social aspect of mealtimes, maintaining dignity and self-respect, and the option for increased independence. []

Comment By Alex Bartlett Wow, I have never seen a device like this and it was really eye opening to me. When I thought of assistive technology I pretty much only thought of things to assist a child with learning. However, food is the most basic of needs, and this device helps people be independent while eating. Of course a device like Neater Eater is essential before you can even think about improving learning styles. It's crazy the things you take for granted being able to do on your own and this video made me realize that. I think since it can be adjusted to start and stop at different heights or be moved by a person, it is truly a positive technology for all ages. I also like that it helps improve posture, and allows children especially that are just learning to try to feed themselves to ability to learn movements and mouth control.

Comment by Amie Benfield: WOW!! I have never seen an assistive technology like this one used with students with special needs. I think this would be a great helping hand for students who cannot do a simple everyday task, like eating. Not only would this be beneficial at school, but it would be great to have at home for the child to use as well. I like this product because it gives the student a sense of independence. I feel like many students with special needs are sometimes made to feel like they have no independence. This product allows the student to sit down at a table and enjoy a regular meal just like anybody else would on a daily basis. I also like how the device can be adjusted to meet the individual needs of the person using it to eat. I think the attachments are a great way to make eating feel easy for a student who cannot do it on their own. The people in this video looked so happy while they were eating with the Neater Eater, which proves that this device can have a positive impact on someone’s life. I think many schools should try to gain access to the Neater Eater so a student with special needs can experience having lunch with their peers and interacting with them. Comment By Kelsey Zakutney One of humans most basic needs in the need for food. We learn how to eat starting at birth and being able to feed ourselves in one action that makes a person independent. This assistive technology does not just help feed a person, but it gives a person their independence. Children as well as adults may have trouble using their fine motor skills when eating with utensils. However, the Neater Eater lets a person use their own movements to feed him or herself. I think that this technology really concentrates on the person and not just on the disability the person has. The Neater Eater allows a person to feel as if they are still controlling their own movements and not feel as if a robot is feeding them. This technology is extremely important because it allows a person with a disability to live without having to give up his or her independence or without having someone feed him or her at every meal.

Comment by Jeff Stokes: More often than any of us would like to admit, we take for granted what seem to us as everyday, normal and basic functions including feeding ourselves. However, when that basic function is not there anymore we realize the importance of it. This assistive technology not only helps children who lack the ability to feed themselves but anyone who lacks this ability. It is important that the device be able to be customizable to different users because no two people are the same. I think that this technology is genius and can really assist people with disabilities in a positive way. It may be difficult and a stretch, but if schools are dealing with children who have an inability to feed themselves, these schools may want to look into investing in a few of this device to assist them.

Comment by Sarah Boyer This device seems wonderful! Not being able to feed yourself is something that most of us take for granted. I honestly wouldn't consciously think of people not being able to do something that is so automatic for myself. The large variety of individuals who could benefit from something this simple is amazing! Also, I never really thought of assistive technology as being anything beyond items/programs to help students in school or things like wheelchairs; this device is definitely an eye-opener!

Comment by Nicole Brubaker <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I have never seen anything like this before. I think the Neater Eater looks like an amazing assistive technology for people with difficulties feeding themselves. And the fact that people can easily adjust the Neater Eater to fit their needs is what is great about it. It isn’t just a product that people have to adapt to because they can adapt the product to fit them. I never would have thought that there was anything out there like this product.

media type="youtube" key="P3KSTxDShZo" height="390" width="640" Amie Benfield Kurzweil 3000 I found this video on YouTube and it shows a teacher using the Kurzweil 3000 Educational System in his classroom. Blake Middle School in Medfield, Massachusetts started using the Kurzweil 3000 system with their learning disabled students. The video shows teacher Steven Guditus using the Kurzweil 3000 system with not only his learning disabled students, but with all of his students. The video shows all of his students using this system in the classroom and in the library. He also talks about the impact this system had on all of his students, not just the students with special needs. I like how this video shows that a system meant for students with special needs can benefit the whole class. During the video, Steven highlights some of the features of the Kurzweil 3000 system that he uses all the time and how they have been very beneficial to all of his students. The Kurzweil Computer Company was developed in 1996 by Ray Kurzweil. This company develops various types of Kurzweil Educational Systems that are used to help struggling learners. The Kurzweil 3000 Education System is the latest educational software that the company has released. The Kurzweil 3000 is a reading, study skill and writing program that educators can use to meet the needs of struggling learners, with its main focus on struggling readers. This program enables educators to provide differentiated instruction without having to differentiate the curriculum. This program benefits students with learning disabilities, like dyslexia, attention deficit disorder and even English Language Learners. The Kurzweil 3000 system enables struggling readers in grades 3 and above to learn from the same content as their peers. This is made possible because the program gives the struggling readers access to any text or curriculum, including print, electronic and Web-based documents. This system supports the principles of Universal Design for Learning and the Response to Intervention tiers of instruction. To use the Kurzweil 3000 Educational System, the teacher scans a printed document onto the computer and it appears on the screen for the whole class to see. You can then have the program read the document out loud while highlighting the print as it is being read. Some other special features of Kurzweil 3000 include, but are not limited to, math and science text translations, access to Bookshare.org, a picture dictionary with graphics in English and Spanish, human voice pronunciations, brainstorm templates, a Create Draft button, highlighting feature for notes, and much more. You are able to purchase Kurzweil 3000 DVD software on its website for both Windows and Mac and it each DVD costs approximately $1495.

Response by Breigh King: I think that the Kurzweil 3000 is an amazing teaching tool. I like how the video shows the implementation for both special needs children and traditional students and how they both can benefit from this program.I think that the highlighting feature is very impactful for students to be able to follow along. I believe that the highlighting action is much more beneficial than a teacher with a pointer. Additionally, but scanning the text into the program, students are sure to be able to see the writing clearly as the text can be zoomed. The only downside to this program is the expense. Perhaps there is an alternative way to model this program so that it is cheaper and more school can access the resource?

Comment by Katie Rowell: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">I have never heard of the Kurzweil 3000 until I watched this video. What a neat tool to help the teacher! The teacher in this video seems to really be proud of the success he has created in his classroom through this tool. One point that really stood out to me was that you can extract the notes that you have highlighted and then put them all on a separate sheet together. Kurzweil 3000 is unique in the sense that it can be beneficial to both visual and audio learners. Many times in the classroom it is hard to find tools that suit both visual and audio learners and this one does just that. The fact the ELL students can also benefit from this tool is a huge positive.

Comment by Merritt Levi Palmer

As with Amie and the other responses I really enjoyed what I saw in the brief video about Kurzweil 3000, I think that it is a tool that could directly impact all learners and make the class friendly for both students with disabilities and regular students. Having multiple options for how the document is taught is nice. You can hear it, see it highlighted, and even have definitions and synonyms of keywords given. Yes the software is pricey, but at $1,495 I would imagine that they were able to get licensing for the whole school, but that is just a guess. At any rate, with education being so essential I can see why schools would spend almost $1,500 on such a great program. Kurzweil is something I would use in the classroom if given the opportunity.

Comment by Kelly Kapp This seems like a great resource for teaching organization and study skills. I especially like the way the teacher in the video models how it works on a daily basis. He does not just introduce it and then expect the students to use it. It is a part of the students' daily routine so it becomes second nature. The coolest part is that once those skills are mastered with the Kurzweil system and the student recognizes the process of organizing, he can then do the same process on his own with actual implements like highlighters and notebooks if he's ever in an environment where the Kurzweil is not available.

media type="custom" key="8376720" Erin Bumbaugh Proloquo2Go

This video shows a story on a how Proloquo2go has changed a family’s life, making them finally able to communicate with their daughter, who has autism. The parents previously were unable to understand her and she was unable to express herself for them but now her frustration is gone. Her teachers at school see a huge difference as well and now she is able to participate like everyone else. All together the young girl is a calmer and happier child, all thanks to the iPod App Proloquo2go.

Proloquo2go is a program made by AssistiveWare that gives a voice to those who have trouble communicating or speaking. Children or adults with disabilities such as Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, Developmental Disabilities, or Apraxia have trouble expressing themselves, and this program has provided significant differences in their lives. It has also been used in hospital settings for rehabilitation where patients have suffered from strokes or traumatic brain injury and have lost their communication skills. The application is provided by Apple for iPod touches, iPhones and iPads. The application is $189.00 but compared to medical equipment and devices, Proloquo2go is thousands of dollars cheaper and far more convenient and lightweight. In the case of children, it helps them not stick out in the crowd because they are simply just carrying around their phones or iPods. It comes programed with over 7,000 vocabulary words and phrases that are categorized into separate sections of your basic versus extensive phrases. It also has the option of being expanded and personalized by the consumer at any time in the section labeled “My Spaces”. The program keeps a list of all your recent selections up to one week, making it possible to see all your history. With this program you are also able to type full sentences or paragraphs and at the tap of the screen the message is read aloud. Another feature is that the sentence or paragraph can be automatically symbolized for later use when you click “save”. This program makes home life easier as well as the educational setting which allows the person to feel included and typical. Everyone around the person using Proloquo2go benefits in endless ways.

Comment by Kristan Eannone I think that this is a great program. Many children who struggle to express themselves can only benefit from this program. It promotes interaction instead of the continuation of the students being frustrated and closing themselves off from their peers. I think that Ana's teacher makes a great point when she discusses how every kid has or uses an iPhone and that Ana "fits in" with the rest of the students by being able to use this tool to communicate with other people. This video definitely demonstrates how modern technology is for everyone.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Comment by Matt Nelms <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">This seems like a very good application for children that have trouble communicating with their families or friends. I like how each user can customize the application to best fit their personal needs. When doing research for this assignment, I came across some very expensive devices that have the same functions of Proloquo2go. This application is not only cheaper and more cost effective for the consumer, but it is also very convenient since many children today have iPhones or iPads. In the end, it was nice to see how this technology can make a young child happier.

Comment by Alyssa McQuitty I think this is a great program that gives those who would not typically be able to communicate an opportunity to communicate. For the price of the application compared to other assistive technologies, you cannot beat it! It is nice to see that the application can be personalized to meet each individual’s needs. The one thing that I really like about this application is the convenience of it. It is nice to not have to carry around another electronic device other than your iPod, iPhone, or iPad. Also, if a child is non-verbal, he or she is already going to have negative labels placed on him or her. If he or she is carrying around an iPod, it looks cool. It places a valued social role on that student and then the student not going to be devalued as much. This idea is crucial to students with disabilities and it is important that we as future educators do what we can to place as much value on our students as possible.

Comment by Nicole Brubaker <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I think this app is absolutely wonderful! What makes it awesome is that it is smaller than other technology like a dynavox. It is also a lot cheaper. I like the fact that they mentioned how a lot of kids have iPod touches so it makes the kids with this app blend in a lot better. It is amazing how they mentioned that we wouldn’t have had this technology a few years ago. It is just a great product and I would definitely use this if I had the need for it.

media type="youtube" key="pTPqWl9HuoM" height="390" width="480" Nicole Brubaker- iPrompts The video was taken from a news station in Connecticut. They talked to the parents of Evan, who is 4 1/2years old and has autism. He didn’t have that many communication skills. They created a picture book but it became uncomfortable to take that in public. She had bought an iPhone and thought “Why can’t I take all of this and put it in this?” That is when they decided to create an app that would use pictures in order to do different things. They show the dad showing his son the timer feature and saying “When the green is gone we’re gonna go…” and then Evan said “Brush our teethies.” iPrompts is an app by HandHold Adaptive that was launched in May 2009. You can get it from iTunes for the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad for $49.99. It is used by parents and special educators who deal with individuals who are developmentally challenged and language-impaired. It is the #1 app in the medical category and 10% of the sales benefit Autism Speaks. The app was created by the parents of a boy with autism and a certified speech-language pathologist. It helps individuals transition from one activity to the next, understand upcoming events, make choices, and focus on the task at hand. Picture schedules are used so that caregivers can create and present sequences of pictures to guide them through any activity. They can choose pictures from the app’s library, take their own using the iPhone’s camera, or add pictures from their computer to their device. The visual countdown timer displays a picture of the current or upcoming even along with a graphical timer used to tell you how much time is left. The choice prompts menu lets caregivers offer choices between images for those who can’t vocalize their preference. Under the image library tab there are hundreds of useful illustrations. Users can add pictures to the categories, create their own categories, and delete pictures and categories. iPrompts is portable and easy-to-use. It is an excellent “green” alternative to using Velcro-backed and laminated cards. The app seems like it is very simple and if I would ever have the need for this app I would definitely consider it.

Comment By: Melissa Dantro I think this application is AWESOME. What I like most about it is that it is not only for a child with autism but it can be used for all kinds of children. The fact that it has a timer where you can let your child know " when the green is gone it's time to take a bath" is excellent. I think this would really help a child get into a routine and obtain some structure in their everyday activity. This application makes it much easier for parents with young children to go out in public so they dont have to carry big cards with pictures on them along. The other thing that I really like about this application is that it was created by the parents of a child with autism. It wasnt created by some company who does not have a child with special needs, but by actual parents who live through this as their daily life. It makes it much more relatable and I think much more sellable to the general public. I also like that once you purchase the application you can add your own pictures to it and tweek things to customize it to your own child's needs. This is great and really makes it a great tool for all parents.

Comment By: Adelis Rivera This is such a great application for families that have young children, children with Autism and other disabilities. It can be so hard for parents to communicate with children with Autism and just as the video stated this app is helpful in that they don't have to carry around pictures and other devices to communicate better with their children. Now all parents have to do is carry something like an I phone or I pod that is compatible with being able to download the app.

Comment by Amie Benfield: This was such a touching story. I love how the family took the time to create an application that could help families around the world that are struggling from the same circumstances as they do. I think this app for the iphone accomplished everything that the parents wanted it to. This application could be helpful for so many people who are dealing with a student who is autistic. I think that autism is such a complicated disability because there are some many different forms that are spread out on a huge spectrum. This application makes it easier for parents use pictures, which is helpful for all types of autism, to communicate with their child. I love the feature that lets you download your own pictures, which makes the application more personal for your child. The timing feature is also great too and it would really make the day go a lot smoother. I think this video shows people that technology can really make your life simple, and it is becoming the way of life for some people. I really liked this video!Comment by Erin Bumbaugh:There are so many amazing applications for Ipods and for a lot of people they're life changing. This app could be used for not only children with autism but also in any typical family. Children need to be on schedules and be aware of what their supposed to do so even teachers could use this in their classrooms for class management. if their were children in the classroom with autism then it'd be a perfect way to accommodate for them at the same time. Comment By: Brittany Peyton I loved this assistive technology because it not only helps families communicate better, but 10 percent of its sales contribute to autism speaks. The family had a wonderful idea that will probably help people who have children with special needs communicate. I think this tool would be very helpful in the classroom too. The teacher would be able to transition into new lessons more easily with this application.

media type="youtube" key="h9hdMJmAZ5Q" height="390" width="640" Tasha Carr IntelliKeys USB This video is about a young girl, named Nicole, who uses an assistive technology called IntelliKeys USB. Nicole uses the keyboard to ask questions on Ask.com and to write a letter to her friend. IntelliKeys USB is an easy to use alternative keyboard that plugs into any computer with Windows. According to Intellitools, “It enables students with physical, visual or cognitive disabilities, who has difficulty using a standard keyboard, to easily type, enter numbers, navigate onscreen displays and execute menu commands”. Instead of having the standard keys, IntelliKeys USB uses printed overlays that consist of large, well-spaced keys in high contrast colors. There are six standard overlay patterns but a teacher could create custom overlays if needed. These durable overlays allow students to work on writing, math, and drawing programs. This assistive technology is useful for students with limited range of motion, weak fine motor skills, low vision, and other learning disabilities. According to an article by Intellitools, “In an inclusion classroom, IntelliKeys USB helps special needs students feel part of the group”. By using IntelliKeys USB, teachers can assist students with accessing the Internet and email. Teachers can use also use IntelliKeys USB to help children prepare for the standard QWERTY keyboard by using the alphabetical overlay. According to an article by Gerry Kennedy, IntelliKeys USB is a time saving, efficient way to work with concepts and language in the primary classroom and it can have many applications for students of all ages. Although IntelliKeys USB is slightly expensive (around $400 each), I feel that it is an excellent assistive technology that would have many benefits for students with disabilities.

Comment on Intellikeys USB by Joshua Millet One of the first things that grabbed my attention was the amount of disabilities that this technology can help with. Not knowing a thing about this assistive technology I initially doubted its ability to help out with such a broad range of disabilities. How could one piece of technology do so much? However, after watching the video with Nicole I can see how this could help many different people with varying disabilities. The customizable overlay is a wonderful idea. Being able to tailor the technology to a specific persons needs is very helpful. The usable area on the Intellikeys is also very large. These attributes, amongst others as well, makes this technology very useful and versatile.

media type="youtube" key="WPHM5iGnU9U" height="390" width="640" Brittnie Frey The PEBBLES Project <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 200%;">PEBBLES is a new assistive technology that is “revolutionizing the educational and emotional experiences of hospitalized and/or homebound children”. It utilizes the video-conferencing technology, //Telepresence//, which duplicates three-dimensional human-experience that can normally only be attained via face-to-face encounters. The PEBBLES system is comprised of two child-size robots with the capabilities of transmitting video, audio, and documents to one another. The system puts a new and revolutionized spin on distance learning labs across the country. The system works by placing one robot with the hospitalized or homebound child, while the other robot is placed in the child’s regular classroom. The virtual experience becomes very realistic due to the high-speed connection between the two robots. The swivel of the robot’s head mimics human head/neck movement, and the robot even has the ability to raise a hand and get the teachers attention. Not only does the hospitalized or homebound child feel connected with their classroom, the teacher and other students feel as if their friend never left. There is a great need for this technology since there are more 600,000 children each year in need of long-term hospitalization. In many instances, this hospitalization results in some form of academic failure or mishap. These children have a very hard time completing school on schedule or completing school at all due the discontinuity; the traditional tutor or hospital classroom are not sufficient. Along with the academic consequences, the results of hospitalization can also have negative social impacts. The PEBBLES Project can eliminate these problems. In fact, the system has yielded impressive results in Canada, while being piloted at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. Now, the PEBBLES system is available free of charge for selected hospitals and schools across the country; it can also be purchased from the Telbotics company in Canada. Overall, this is a great system that can have positive effects if it is used correctly by the school and hospital personnel.

Comment by Evie Maldonado The pebbles project is just amazing. I didn’t even know stuff like that existed to be honest; I mean I knew we had all that video stuff of actually being in a class, but to have an actual robot just shows how far technology is moving ahead. It even has the hand to raise when she has a question! I think this is great, not only is she able to feel like she is actually in school but she can socialize and interact with people. One question I do have are about the document, which stated that they were shared on the Pebbles but, can she print it out to have it right away or does she have to read it directly off the screen, or even have to wait to receive a paper copy?

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Comment by Matt Nelms <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I remember seeing the PEBBLES project on the news one morning this week. A young boy used it for school and to go to other events he could not physically attend. The boy and his family were talking to the newscasters from their home and the robot was in the studio. It was interesting to see the boy use the robot to communicate and even walk through the studio. He and his parents were grateful to have the robot and the boy mentioned himself that it has significantly changed his life. It is wonderful to see this kind of technology being used because so many children cannot be in school because of medical reasons.

Comment by Erin Bumbaugh: Wow I never thought of or heard of a project like this. This kind of technology is incredible and makes lives so much more convenient. Children with long term illnesses can be hospitalized and focus on getting better without worrying about how far behind they are in school. When they're sick,it's not their fault and they shouldn't be penalized and this project definitely eliminates that worry. It's free in some hospitals which is even better.

Comment by Jessica Feliciano I absolutely love this particular assistive technology! My niece was diagnosed with Lymphoma Leukemia when she was five. Consequently, she had to miss many weeks and sometime months of school for hospitalization if something would go wrong, or if she would even catch a cold. I had no idea technology like this was out there to assist children who really cannot make it to the classroom. I think the next time I do go to Hershey Medical center, I will make mention of this PEBBLES project program; so many children can continue to feel like their apart of a community of peers with this technology instead of cut off and isolated by what they used to know!

media type="youtube" key="fdxL88jXQjE" height="390" width="640"

<span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Bookshare
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Books, magazines, newspaper, and journals are available for most people at the click of a mouse. Thanks to the Internet, online stores, library systems, and news websites allow us to download or buy any information instantly. However, those people who are blind may not be so lucky. If a person is blind then he or she must track down books and articles in Braille to use, instead of just logging on to the Internet. My video features a blind high school senior named Curtis. Curtis attends the Alabama School for the Blind and he has found it to be a difficult process to read for school or for pleasure. Bookshare is an assistive technology that has changed the way boys like Curtis read and access books. ====<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Bookshare offers over 90,000 digital books, textbooks, periodicals, and teacher recommended readings and it is available for free to any student who qualifies as having a disability. Bookshare allows you to download books on to any type of computer. The books are downloaded in Braille Ready Format (BRF), which allows the readers to listen to the books text-to-speech and read digital Braille. Having access to Bookshare allows someone who is blind to have their own personal library on their computer. When Curtis goes off to college he can download his textbooks on to his computer, which will allow him to listen and read the books at his own leisure. ==== ====<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Bookshare has made a technology like the Internet, which provides online books and journals, available to students like Curtis. He is able to use this technology throughout his educational career and life to read textbooks, articles, and to read books for pleasure. Curtis, like many other blind students are able to participate in more educational experiences and not let their lack of sight become a handicap in the classroom. Bookshare has changed over 100,000 peoples lives and it continues to help students like Curtis read everyday. ====

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Comment by Kristan Eannone <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">I thought that this was a great video to watch. It definitely put into perspective how difficult getting an education or just trying to read leisurely can be. I never really thought about how lucky we all are to have so many books, magazines, newspapers, and journals available to us. In fact many of us dread doing research and having to look up information from these resources. We all usually tend to go to the internet first, but in this video Curtis definitely caused me to realize how lucky we are to have all of these resources. It was neat to see him demonstrate how to use his Bookshare. I was suprised to find out that he can bookmark his spot and come back to it later if he chooses to do something else on his Bookshare. It is a similar feature to bookmarking websites or saving websites in a "my favorites" folder. It was very uplifting to see how this piece of technology has helped make reading easier for Curtis. Not only will it help him with reading his textbooks in college, but it also will lessen the weight of the objects he has to carry to his classes!

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Comment by Evie Maldonado <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">This is very neat! I would have never even thought of the disadvantage of not being able to use a laptop from blindness. Laptops are used so much in school and having some kind of laptop accessible to everyone with different needs is, I think, a very important part of not only education but life in general. I think Eye site is another thing that so many people take for granted. I like how he is able to read books for enjoyment as well with his book-share laptop.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Comment by Princess Cartagena: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">This was the first video I had ever seen about technology for the visually impaired. It was a very good v ideo that shows how opportunities are opening up for people with visual impairments. Bookshare is one of many wonderful devices that help the visually impaired with everyday tasks. I have seen another video where a woman, who is blind and works for NASA, is able to do all of her tasks because of computers, printers, clocks and many other things that are made specifically for those with visual impairments. These devices, however, can be very costly. I wonder how much Bookshare costs.

Comment by Jeff Stokes: This is such a neat assistive technology. As the boy said in the video, in college their are many books that you have to read, and are we to say that people who are blind can not read so they should not consider furthering their education? No! This is a great way to help people who are blind still receive the same independent enjoyment from a book that any other person has the opportunity to receive. It was funny when he said that the negative to this device was that he is unable to put the books down that he picks up. This obviously has a positive impact on individuals and can and should be used more often in classroom settings where there are children who are unable to experience the world with their eyes alone. They deserve to use their ability of imagination as much as the rest of us.

media type="youtube" key="R8mbhQ7bkb0" height="390" width="480" Matt Nelms AbleNet Bookworm <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">I found this video on youtube that used assistive technology on a boy with autism named Josh. The assistive technology depicted in the video is called the BookWorm literacy tool which is produced by the company AbleNet. When Josh went to school for the first time, he was mostly non-verbal. He rarely talked to the other children and kept to himself. Josh’s teacher first tried the AbleNet SuperTalker with Josh to try to improve his language skills. Josh responded positively to this so his teacher proceeded to look for ways to further improve his language. Since Josh’s teacher knew he liked to look at books, she decided to use the AbleNet BookWorm to teach him how to read. The BookWorm instantly grabbed his attention and over time, Josh began to read on his own without the help of the BookWorm. Before using the BookWorm, Josh would only say a couple words while talking to someone. After using it, he can not only speak in sentences, but he is able to read picture books to his classmates without any help. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The BookWorm engages children and makes them want to learn. It helps children work on vocabulary, language comprehension, fluency, and print recognition. You can use this device with virtually any book. The BookWorm has an eight minute memory that can record up to thirty-two pages. To get started, you record the story into the BookWorm. You then attach a removable sticker to each page of the book which works as a guide when the child is reading the story. You can always re-record over books, or if you want to build a collection of books, you can buy additional memory modules.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Comment by Brittnie Frey: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">I really like this assistive technology, and while it is great for the autistic child, I think it can be useful for any child learning to read or struggling with reading. However, how much do the units cost? In order to do more than one story a day, the teacher would have to have multiple units because she has to record them before working with the child. It also means that only one or a few children can work with the tool at once, and it would have to be the same stories because there is not class time built in for the teacher to record stories during the day. Also, it cannot be a long book because the memory is only for eight minutes. Unless I am misunderstanding the use of the tool, these seem to be some critical issues that a teacher or school needs to think about before purchasing such a tool. How beneficial is it when there are multiple recordable stories on the internet that more than one student can access at once? I think this is a great tool, but I feel that there are more modern technologies that do this and more. However, this is simply my opinion.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Comment by Alex Bartlett <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">This video made me realize how important it is as teachers that we find the right technology for each of our students. I saw Josh's face completely light up when he was becoming successful with communication, and saw that this was just the bridge he needed to crossover from knowing what he wanted to being able to communicate. I'm a firm believer in thinking that if a student needs a tool to learn, then you as a teacher need to find it. While this product is $54 which comes with a 4 book module, I think that it is worth it. You can absolutely record over books, read with the student, and purchase additional modules. I noticed that Josh was able to read with others, but if the cost is too high then maybe you need to find something similar that is less expensive, but does the same thing. Maybe even try to color code pages with stickers and record things on a tape recorder. I just can't get over how happy Josh looked when he became successful due to this tool and as long as you're willing to find assistive technologies that fit into your budget and help the child it's a win-win situation. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 0px; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; overflow: hidden; text-indent: 0.5in;">media type="youtube" key="WmcUsd-eZ0Q" height="390" width="480"media type="custom" key="8409634" width="389" height="389" Joshua Millet ZoomText ZoomText is a screen enhancing software designed for people with low vision. People with low eyesight might have trouble seeing the screen but would rather not use a screen reader. This is where ZoomText fits in. Using Google Video search I found two great videos about ZoomText. The first video is a description of ZoomText by Megan Conway. She is a professor who uses ZoomText. She gives a great description of How to use the software, but doesn’t actually use it as much I as I would like. That is where the second video comes in. The second video is of a person using ZoomText on a spreadsheet. I think you can really grasp how someone uses the technology better in the second video. Some things the video doesn’t cover are that you can have a screen in screen function. This allows you to have one screen magnified (the small one) and the other screen unmagnified. This makes working with people who do not have low vision easier. You can also program ZoomText to have specific settings for certain programs. If you always want Word at x3 magnification but you always want Firefox at x2 magnification, you can do that. Millersville has this software installed in a few of the library computers if you wish to try it out for yourself.

Comment on ZoomText by Tracie Homsher

I think this is a great technology. I know someone who benefits from the technology ZoomText provides. There is a post-secondary school, The Baker Center for Learning, that uses multiple assistive technologies for its students, ZoomText being one of them. They use it for things such as typing papers, online courses, and filling out financial aid form. I think this is a way to help students with visual impairments who are included in a regular classroom to participate in activities their peers are, yet isn't a large print book that is obviously different from what their peers are using.

Comment by Breigh King:

Like Tracie, I think that this is a super piece of technology! My grandmother who has MS benefits from ZoomText daily. On a child level, I can see how the software would be tremendously beneficial. I like how you can set specific programs at different magnifications, this way it is easier for the user to use the program. I appreciate that ZoomText is "low profile" and in so, children who need this program do not have extra attention called to them. Additionally, I can see the benefits for the whole class using something like ZoomText when reading online documents!

Comment by Sarah Boyer I absolutely LOVE ZoomText!! My mom was a vision teacher for Capital Area Intermediate Unit for over 5 years, which is when I first learned about this program. She had several students who used it on a daily basis during their classes so they could follow along with the teacher. The school district would order these students an on-line version of the text book and then would load ZoomText onto a laptop for them. They took their laptop to every class and therefore would not have to feel like they were missing anything the teacher was showing the other students because they had their own textbook right in front of them, and were actually able to read it (something they could not do prior to getting this program).

Comment by Nicole Brubaker <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">This assistive technology is very useful for those who have problems with their vision. What I didn’t know about it is that it can also help those who have hearing problems by making the screen audible. I like the feature that allows you to put a circle around the cursor so it is easier to find. I also think it is really neat how it can allow the user to hear what they are typing as they are typing. This would make things a lot easier for those who have problems with their vision because they wouldn’t have to strain their eyes to read what they are typing.

media type="youtube" key="NHQ5pL_SvUs" height="390" width="640" Princess Cartagena Intel Reader "The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you will go."- DR. Seuss "Reading opens doors." We hear these and other similar quotes, but what about those who have difficulty with reading? This video presents the Intel Reader, an assistive technology to help those with challenges in reading, whether it be dyslexia, visual impairment, etc. In this video a 15 year old student with severe dyslexia speaks about the Intel Reader. The student loves the device and says it has improved his reading skills. He once dreaded coming to school because of his dyslexia, but this device has opened opportunities for him in school when it comes to reading. The Intel Reader is a mobile hand held device that is combined with a high resolution camera that takes photos of printed text and converts it to digital text, and then reads it aloud while highlighting the text screen. Readers can follow along as the device reads the text aloud. For large amounts of text, one could buy the Intel Portable capture station, which is a stand that holds the Intel Reader high enough to capture books, magazines, etc. In the video, the student is using the Intel Portable Capture station. This is device is very impressive and a good tool for students to get the help they need without having to wait for a teacher to help them. It is costly, as many other devices are. As I watched another video about the Intel Reader, I realized some negatives about this device. When the device reads aloud, it sometimes mispronounces a word, especially those with the same spelling and different pronunciation, such as Reading and reading. Another one is that the device reads in a mechanical (robotic voice) and at a quick speed, disregarding punctuation marks. This could be a problem with students that are trying to improve their reading fluency. Teachers try to teach students to pause at commas and periods, but it didn't seem like the device did that.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Comment by Matt Nelms <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I think this is a great assistive technology for children who have trouble reading. For some children reading does not come as easy to them as it does for others. Some children have trouble reading and are often embarrassed when asked to read aloud in their classroom. I like the Intel Reader because it not only helps by reading the book aloud to the child; it also helps the child learn to read because they can follow along in the book simultaneously. It was great to see the boy in the video so enthusiastic about reading after being introduced to the Intel Reader.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Comment by Erin Bumbaugh: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I think this is a good technology to give students that extra help for learning how to read because reading is so important and affects every aspect of education. Anything that can help improve reading skills is worth trying in my book. It's a shame though that the device mispronounces words because that could definitely cause confusion and more frustration. Only thing that wasn't mentioned was price, is it expensive or affordable for families?

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Comment by Jessica Feliciano <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I believe that this technology is great for students who have trouble reading! Not only can they still come to the classroom expecting to still be able to join the class in reading particular books, but they no longer have to feel like they are forced to do something they can't do based on their disability. To answer Erin's question, I looked up the price of the device (here is the link []) from an Intel reader company and saw that the price of the device averaged around $1500 (this is not including the other parts needed to really make this device work).

Comment by Nicole Brubaker <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I have never seen anything like this. I think it is pretty cool how the device scans the text and then reads it aloud for you. Not only does it read it to you but there is also a screen that highlights every word as it is being read aloud. I think this device would even be great for children without disabilities because it would help them learn how to read. They can just follow along on the screen as the words are being read.

media type="youtube" key="ln8NHzVfJkQ" height="390" width="640" __**FM Transmitters**__ being used in the classroom
 * Jessica Feliciano**

What in the world does FM stand for and what is a FM transmitter? FM is an acronym for, frequency modulation. Fm is a technology that refers to a type of wireless system that helps people better understand speech in noisy situations. Now how do you exactly use this technology? The FM system works like this: The person speaking wears or holds a transmitter microphone, and the transmitter is placed in the middle of the group (picking up speech from all around). Now while using harmless radio waves, the FM transmitter sends speech signals to the listener who wears a tiny FM receiver behind the ear. Now these little devices can be can transmit sound through objects, and not only can they be used for students/adults with hearing impairments, but also people without them. This system commonly works together with hearing aids and is also used by people who have normal hearing. Now you might ask, why do people with normal hearing use this system? Parents might use this system for their child to have more of an exposure to the English language. Many families say that using an FM system at home gives them more opportunities to interact with their child in daily activities. Some activities where FM systems work well are traveling in the car or van, visiting the zoo, playing in the park and shopping at the grocery store. The car is a difficult listening situations. This system can also help students with ADHD, because the transmitter enhances the sound of the voice of the teacher through the receiver, which helps the student focus on what he/she is teaching and not on the noise and distractions around him/her. The video I selected is called, “Hearing Loss in the Classroom.” This video basically describes what happens when a FM transmitter is not properly being used to assist the child. The video gives an example of how the class might sound to a child who has a hearing impairment and how it sounds when the FM transmitter has been forgotten to be turned on by the teacher. When the FM transmitter is not being used properly, the child with the hearing impairment is basically at a loss when it comes to what the teacher is teaching that day. The student becomes easily distracted and disengaged, because they do not know what is going on (you see this in the video). Also, when the FM transmitter is turned on, the child can hear only what the teacher is really saying and, not so much of his/her class mates responses. The video describes how important it is for the teacher to re-iterate what his/her classmates have said in response to what the teacher might have asked (this is also shown in the video as an example of what the child hears when his classmates respond).

Comment by Adelis Rivera: I believe this is great for students with ADHD as well as those who are hard of hearing. I love how even though the video advocated for the FM transmitter it still made it a point that the teacher should not solely rely on the device to make sure that student has received the information but to repeat things and to look for cues that the device is not working correctly through the student's actions. I like how the microphone can be passed around to classmates so that the student can be engaged not only with the teacher but the classmates as well. This tool can make students who often get swept under the rug feel as though they are a part of the classroom community.

Comment by Princess Cartagena: I liked how the video demonstrated proper and improper use of the FM transmitter and how the woman explains the cues the teacher should be looking for. As Jessica has said, there are many different uses for this device. Having this device is better than having a teacher speak loudly for the child with a hearing impairment, which would be more distracting. If this device isn't very costly, I can imagine having a classroom with desks arranged in groups and each group would have an FM transmitter to use for those classroom discussions. This could eliminate the need to pass around the transmitter. media type="youtube" key="ItgJ9PsvGQQ" height="390" width="640" I Pad App for Cerebral Palsy This video shows an App created by engineering students at the University of Michigan specifically for people with Cerebral Palsy. This app is very new; I believe it is called //Acessible Messaging//. “Cerebral palsy is a condition, sometimes thought of as a group of disorders that can involve brain and nervous system functions such as movement, learning, hearing, seeing, and thinking (U.S. National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health 2009).” This App makes it easier for people who have trouble with motor skills. A “scanning interface” will highlight each letter, button or link on the screen, one at a time. As the system highlights the desired item, you simply touch anywhere on the screen to make the selection. The team of students got together with C.S. Motts Hospital to develop this app. There are many other down-loadable apps ( not all by the University of Michigan) that help with making it easier for those with disabilities to navigate I Pads, I pods, lap tops and other technologies that are popular today. I believe this is a great way to make use of technology which allows all people to enjoy what these new gadgets have to offer.
 * Adelis Rivera**

Comment By Katie Rowell: // This app is very interesting. When looking further into the device I learned that this app won second place at University Mobile Challenge. The question that was posed when creating this app was as followed: “ //<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">What can we do to help people whose impaired motor movements make it difficult to manipulate touch-sensitive screens or press the small buttons on mobile keyboards?” (Clayton, 2011). The team of students that created the app answered that question and much more as their app becomes more and more popular. Although this is a relatively new app it seems like it would serve as a positive tool for its users.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Comment by Jessica Feliciano <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Wow! This was the first word that truly popped into my mind when I saw this video. I like how in order for this university to really get a feel for what is needed (in terms of technology for students with special needs) they go into certain schools and talk with people with cerebral Palsy. They get to see first hand what the issues are when handling certain technologies, and to develop a technology even based on the opinion of a student with a disability, to me, is very wise. When I looked up the I pad for cerebral Palsy, I found many testimonial websites stating how the app has helped them in so many different ways (here is a link to one website []). Most of the testimonials of this new app came from elementary school children who have fine motor skill issues, but found that this App could help them in more then one way.

Comment By: Brittany Peyton The application for cerebral palsy looks very beneficial. When I was reviewing my assistive technology, I was thinking the same thing regarding if the child struggles with their fine motor skills. I like that the screen acts as one big button with a scanning feature. I think this will be very beneficial for people with special needs in general. I think this will be a great tool to use in the classroom as well. Students who struggle with fine motor skills will be able to complete assignments using this application to make it easier and less frustrating.

Comment by Nicole Brubaker <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I think this app is really cool. The fact that you can hit anywhere on the screen to make your selection is really neat. And that can be very useful for people with disabilities like cerebral palsy who don’t have good fine motor skills. I think it is also interesting how the app was created by college students who had to create it for a class.

media type="custom" key="8397374" Brittany Peyton DynaVox

The DynaVox was created by Dynavox Mayer-Johnson and he is a developer in Pittsburg. His goal is to help people with special needs communicate and he makes augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices. The first DynaVox was created in 1991. It was the first AAC product to have a touch screen, and they have been evolving products ever since. The DynaVox is a device that helps people with physical, cognitive, or language impairments and are unable to communicate. This video gives a glimpse of the lives of two students with cerebral palsy. The first student is Ardarian and he has problems with fine motor skills and holding a pencil. The DynaVox is a way for him to take a spelling test in the classroom. The second student is Sara, and she uses the DynaVox for academic and musical purposes. She composes music and sings with her DynaVox, and it opened up many new opportunities for her. It allows her to attend college and participate in classroom discussion. It is important to her everyday life in and out of school. It allows her to communicate and be more independent.

Comment by Evie Maldonado The DynaVox seems like a very helpful assistive piece of technology. I like how Ardarian is able to use this to take a spelling test, and just isn’t left behind or put in a seclusive class just because his fine motor skills are not developed. I love how Sara is able to use this for singing and writing her music. She is able to communicate well and participate in academics and extracurricular activities that she enjoys!

Comment by Katie Williams I think that this is very helpful for students with fine motor difficulties. These students might have trouble holding a pencil and writing down words but with this technology they have big buttons to push in order to communicate with teachers and peers. I also like how the second student not only used the DynaVox for academic purposes but for singing and musical purposes. I found that Dynavox also produced V & V Max which has cell phone, text- messaging, and e-mail capabilities. I also found that you can get it in larger versions that can connect to wheel chairs or to help with visual impairments. I also found that Dynavox produced multiple other products that help people communicate, such as the EyeMax, which is controlled with eye movement. There is also Xpress, Tango, M3 and DynaWrite all to help students and other individuals with disabilities to communicate.

media type="youtube" key="AP7YJ4zUcWk" height="390" width="480" Alyssa McQuitty media type="youtube" key="BD_1sdNEwfg" height="390" width="640" Alyssa McQuitty

Above are two videos about Proloquo2go. The first video is of a boy who’s name is Max using an app on the iPad called Proloquo2go. The second video is an introductory video explaining how the program works. It is a beneficial assistive technology that is easy communication for those who have difficulty speaking. It is an easy to use app for the iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. It has a natural sounding voice, up to date symbols, and a vocabulary of over 7,000 words. It costs $189, which is relatively inexpensive for the convenience factor and the simple fact of what it does. It not only is convenient for the size, but socially it is ‘cool’. It places value on the student who needs the assistive technology because they will have an iPod, iPhone, or iPad.

Comment By Kelsey Zakutney I own an iphone and I am in love with it because of the technology I have at my fingertips 24/7. This is an excellent application because instead of carrying around picture cards or word booklets a non-verbal child can have access to an entire vocabulary by just carrying around one device. The only downside to this application is that a person can not personalize it. Everyone has different names and words they use in their lives and I think that this application needs to allow a person to personalize their vocabulary. However, this application is very easy to use, which makes it accessible to all types of people who may be non-verbal.

comment by Kelly Kapp I like the fact that this "tool" is actually part of a device that has other uses. Sometimes a family will purchase a device that they hope will work out for their child, only to find out that it wasn't the best option, and they have reservations about trying another option for fear of spending more money on a "dead-end". The usability of the iPad, iPhone, or whichever they choose, for other practical uses, may reduce some of the hesitation for parents to give it a shot. Also, sometimes a child with a language disability only needs assistance for a short while before they master independent speech. This is a good "starter" device a child can use until it is determined whether or not the need will be long-term or whether he will need more complexity in the assistance.

media type="youtube" key="7V2Fg_soAHI?rel=0" height="510" width="640"

**Merritt Levi Palmer**

 * HeadMouse, ScreenDoors, MagicCursor **

This brief video follows a student named Kara Dennison who does not have the use of her arms or legs, so she relies on assistive technology to complete her coursework and make day to day life easier. These technological advances allow Kara to do her research, text work, reading and writing. The first of the three things she uses is called Head Mouse, there is a dot placed on the center of her forehead and there is a camera mounted to the top of the computer screen which follows her movements and the mouse cursor will follow her movements on screen. There are two software programs that make Head Mouse function easier, they are Screen Doors and Magic Cursor, Screen Doors is an on screen keyboard that also includes word prediction. Magic Cursor enables her to do normal mouse clicks, and drag and drop functions that anyone would be able to do with a normal mouse. These programs have made Kara independent which has made her more interested in school and has vastly improved her grades.

As far as personal research goes, I found you can purchase HeadMouse Extreme for $995.00 from Origin Instruments and it is compatible with both PC and Macs. It helps people with a wide variety of disabilities that could not use a normal mouse the ability to use a computer and do just about anything you could do with a normal mouse. It connects through a USB port, and is mountable on top of a monitor and has a tilt sensor in case there is more unique mounting requirements. Pairing HeadMouse with the ScreenDoors and Magic Cursor is what will provide the more disabled users full “head-controlled” access to the full range of functions for both a keyboard and a mouse, including thousands of standard PC applications and full internet access. In addition to HeadMouse, I found that ScreenDoors retails at $295.00 from Madentec and also includes international language support so many different people would find this attractive not just English language speakers. And finally, MagicCursor was also for sale at Madentec for $195.00 these two programs are ideally paired with HeadMouse to make life easier. And are perfect for people with such disabilities as Quadriplegia, Cerebral Palsy, Multiple Sclerosis, Muscular Dystrophy, ALS, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and any other disability where the user has little or no control of their hands to use a standard mouse or keyboard.

Comment by Katie Williams This assistive technology is so helpful for these students, it’s amazing how they can just move their head to move the mouse and work the computer that way. This gives them access to so many new resources. I saw in Merritt’s research that the HeadMouse can cost up to $995.00, I found that expensive. I see that there were two other assistive technologies that Merritt talks about that goes along with the HeadMouse, they are ScreenDoors and MagicCursor. I think that this is an interesting technology and would like to see it in use, I feel as though it might be a little difficult to control the mouse with just your head, it may take a lot of practice.

NaturalReader Stephen Hartman media type="youtube" key="2HmGBKPmEc0" height="390" width="640"

Natural Reader is a free program that offers text to speech applications for the user. This technology allows the user to highlight text on the computer screen and then have the program read the text to the user. The program will read written text off Microsoft word, webpage, emails, and more. Scanned documents of books can also be read using this program. What happens though if you have to leave and can not finish listening? The program can also turn the files into mp3 recordings to go on a mp3 player or be burnt onto a CD. This tool can be used by all students when going over notes given to them by a teacher and when studying. The program can also help those who are learning the English language. You can affect the speed at which the reader reads the text. This way the listener can slow down a particular passage in order to clearly understand that the speaker is saying. The program can be minimized into a small bar that allows the user to easily highlight text and play it through the program. This program also has vast potential for those who have disabilities. If a person suffers from a speech impediment or cant even speak at all, this tool would still allow them to share their information orally to others in a presentation type mode. Other versions of this program are offered at a monetary cost. Specific versions were created for the educational environment that includes e-reader books and for Mac users.

Comment on Natural Reader by Tracie Homsher

The best feature of this technology is the price; it is free! There are so many great assistive technologies in our world, unfortunately many of them are unaffordable to those who would benefit most. Natural Reader is simple to use; there is no need to copy and paste text as in other similar programs, simply select the desired text and with one click of the mouse your document is read to you. I think the only real draw back to this program is the somewhat mechanical voice of the free version. I went to Natural Reader's web site where I found out that due to copyright laws, most voices are only available through the purchased version.

media type="youtube" key="ya8GxVHpT5Q" height="390" width="480" Alex Perez Big Talk Triple Play Communicator

In this video, the guy is showing how you can use Big Talk Triple Play for a book, such as Brown Bear Brown Bear. The child presses the switch plate in order to read a page, which is in sequential order. One feature is that you can set up a toy in order to “act” whenever the switch plate is pressed. The teacher can set it to go off for every message or just a certain one. The second feature is one that helps with sentence structure. The teacher records one word at a time, and then at the final press of the switch plate, the teacher records the full sentence. The third feature is randomizing. The teacher can record random numbers or names, and on the back of the panel there is a switch for randomizing those numbers or names. The fourth feature is what the teacher could use in order to express the student’s daily events, such as the student had a snack, went to therapy, read a book with the teacher, had lunch, and then took the bus home. The parent could also take this, record the activities that the student did at home, and bring it back with the student so that the teacher can hear. The last feature mentioned is for students who may not be able to press the switch plate. There is a device that could be plugged into the switch input jack, and this device detects head movement from the student in order to express what is on the recordings.

The purpose of this device is to help children and adults that have a communication disability. This device contains many features for sequential and random capability, takes four AA batteries, and has a plastic cover over the switch plate that can protect a picture. If you turn the panel upside down there is a dial that controls volume and power to the machine, record button, selector for random, sequential, and single mode. There are four levels, seventy-five levels for each level, and holds up to 300 seconds. On the side of the panel, there is a microphone. You speak six to eight inches away from the microphone in order to record your voice. On the back of the panel there are switch and device input jacks, and a speaker. The switch input jack is for external switching, and the device input jack is for controlling toys or devices. The sequence capability is great for story-telling. The random capability is useful for playing games that use dice, spinners, cards, and more.

Response by Breigh King: I am in my Special Education placement for SPED 237 right now and the classroom i'm in (S June. Smith Center in Lancaster City) uses the Big Talk Triple Play Communicator. The classroom I am in is a multiple disabilities preschool classroom. The teacher, Miss Sally uses the communicator when she wants children to make announcements or give directions. Miss Sally records her voice saying the announcemnt/direction and then the child must press the communicator again so it's as if they are saying the announcement or direction. Since many students cannot verbally communicate, this is a great way for them to be able to communicate and be a leader in the classroom. When a student is using the communicator, she does not let the activity begin until a student can either verbally say the directions themselves or press the communicator with her voice in it. There are also three Big Talk Triple Play Communicators in the classroom, that way for some phrases, Miss Sally can just leave them always recorded, and the children can associate a color with the words in that prompt. The only downside to this equipement is that there are many times where Miss Sally's voice will not be recorded properly. This is probably because she records so rapidly however (right before the students would need to press the button).

Comment by Nicole Brubaker <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The communicator is really neat how you can record a book and then each time you press it, it reads the parts of the book in order. This is also another device that I have seen that could be used by students without disabilities. Younger children could use this device when they are learning to read. But it is very useful for students with disabilities too because it can allow them to hear the story. They can easily be on their own and listen to a story as they follow along in a book.

media type="youtube" key="1CNiPTilSUc" height="390" width="640" <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Katie Williams <span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 130%;">BrailleSense OnHand Braille Sense OnHand is a device that allows notes or text to be converted to Braille or speech. This video was created by the manufacturer of the product, Enable Mart. The speaker in this video goes over the features and capabilities of the device. This technology is a small hand held device that allows those with visual impairments to take notes in Braille. This device reads these notes aloud to the user as well as plays MP3 and DAISY files. The DAISY file is a type of file format that many books are downloaded in. This allows you to download books and then have those books read to you aloud or transformed into Braille. It holds 4 GB of information, as well as has a spot for a SD card. This device can also work as a GPS, it tells you where you are and the places that are available around you. It also has Internet access, where you can check your e-mails. You can also use this device to hook up to any computer and it will transform the information on the screen into Braille. This is very useful for Students and Teachers. Students will be able to access books and textbooks and have them transformed into Braille or read aloud to them. Students will also be able to take notes and write papers in Braille, for the teacher these papers will then be transformed into written letters. Another way that this is useful for Students and Teachers is it has an external portable LCD screen which displays what the student is typing, this allows for teacher and students to communicate with the student using the device.

Comment on BrailleSense OnHand by Joshua Millet The BrailleSense OnHand is a brilliant little device. This device has lots of useful functions. I think the most surprising feature is the GPS. I imagine the GPS could be valuable to a lost person who is blind. I think a person could easily fit this device into a cargo pocket or purse. The ease of portability could be a good selling point for this technology. I imagine that a person who is blind might carry other assistive technology with herself/himself as well and would like the idea of an easily portable braille notetaker. While I thought the video was great, I was waiting for him to mention the price of the item. He never did and I can see why. The BrailleSense OnHand retails for $4,995. The price could be prohibitive to some people. However, having a high price tag for something that can produce braille, record braille, record audio, read text aloud from different sources, and many other things makes sense. This device could be worth five thousand dollars to many people who are blind.

Comment from Kelly Kapp This is a great example of how technology can level the playing field for people with disabilities. With this device, a person who is blind can fully participate in any activity he chooses. The compact size, the many features, the compatibility with popular word processing systems, the translating from braille to text and vice-versa, etc. all allow a person to navigate his environment with confidence. I've seen a similar program used on a typical laptop, but that was in a meeting room, and it was not as convenient or practical as this compact device.

media type="youtube" key="kOPKDMECHD8" height="390" width="480" <span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">Interact - AS closed captioning system Kelly Kapp

Designed to help people with communication barriers, this device is incredibly useful in may settings, including classrooms, conferences, personal conversations, and everyday communication opportunities. This is an instant closed-captioning device that can be purchased as a preloaded, stand-alone device or as a program that can be loaded into almost any PC. The small size and portability of the hand-held device make it a very convenient communication method. Here’s what it does and how it works. Any voice input received through the microphone - teachers, lectures, conversation, radio /tv broadcasts, phone conversation, etc. - is instantly typed on the screen for the user to read. Conversely, any information typed or written on the Tablet by the user will produce real-life sounding voice output to be heard by the other party. The voice output settings, such as gender and speed are controlled by the user. A transcript of all communication is saved in case the the user wishes to view/print it later. Another feature is a text reader that will read aloud documents the user has saved or downloaded. This would allow the user to participate in classroom activities like “reading” his essay, poem, or other composition to the class. An option available for the Interact –AS is a language module that translates up to 35 languages. By selecting a language, any voice input in that language is instantly translated to English when it is typed onto the screen, and of course, anything typed or written by the user in English, is translated to the chosen language before it is voiced aloud. Imagine how useful this would be for a hearing impaired student (or ANY student!)studying abroad.

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Comment by Katie Williams This technology is very helpful in classrooms especially. It will help with students to interact with other students and with the teacher. This will also help the students take notes and write papers. One thing about this that I found interesting was that when the guy gave the phone number the device recognized that and formatted it the way it was supposed to be. Also, the device distinguished the difference between right and write. I found this very interesting and useful to both students and teachers. media type="youtube" key="l_P8OG04wqc" height="390" width="480" Amanda Detwiler In this video a manuses an ECO 14 as his primary source of communication.He accesses the ECO-14 through a method of selection called scanning and uses a single switch positioned at his temple and a 4 quadrant column/row scanning pattern. He also uses a lap tray for partner assisted scanning. Partner assisted scanning is an access method used by nonverbal people who cannot physically point to pictures or words themselves when using a no-tech system such as a picture communication board, multilevel symbol book, or an alphabet and word board. With using the lap tray his partner will ask him a question and she points to letters and pictures to help him understand the question. The lap tray contains over 100 picture symbols. Due to physical limitations, he is unable to point to pictures himself and thus, he must rely on his communication partners to point to the pictures in an agreed upon pattern with an agreed upon method of selecting symbols. This access method is called partner assisted visual scanning. He was tired of having to always be dependent of other students and people when communicating. He then started getting speech therapy and help to use is ECO 14, it takes a lot of time for him to repsond to others so he hopes that people will be patient with him. He wants people to know that he is intelligent and he has important things to say. There is also a single switch scanning to access a dynamic display voice output communication device.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt;">Comment by Tasha Carr: <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">While watching this video, I noticed how much the assistive technology has helped Mr. P communicate with others easily. Mr. P uses ECO-14 which a fully integrated advanced auditory computer device similar to Windows. People who use this device are able to communicate using eye-gaze, head-tracking, switch access, and direct selection. ECO-14 is a useful tool for students with severe physical or neurological disabilities and speech disabilities. According to an article by Sara Rider, ECO-14 provides individualized services to over 1,600 children, teens and adults with disabilities each year. I feel that this assistive technology would be very useful for anyone with severe special needs or speech difficulties. Teachers and speech therapists could use ECO-14 to assist children in communicating with the world around them in a more effective manner. Mr. P, like many other ECO-14 users, is able to express his needs with little dependence on other people.

Co:Writer submitted by Tracie Homsher

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">media type="youtube" key="Z81UJG6UUK4" height="390" width="480"

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Co:Writer is a word prediction program. There are four ways to use this program: finished sentence, in-line prediction, selected word from the list, and speech feedback. Finished sentence, and in-line prediction are the two most often used options. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The finished sentence portion requires the user to type into a sentence window. When the student finishes a sentence, they simply press enter. Next Co:Writer analyzes the context of the words within the sentence to offer the student with suggestions for other ways to correctly write something they may not have gotten correct. While this way is effective, it is somewhat tedious due to the fact that the sentence has to go through a word processor to analyze the sentence content. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Using Co:Writer through the in-line prediction mode allows users to place the prediction right where the cursor is. This way effectively wipes out the middle man of word processing to predict as mentioned above. The video briefly highlights the in-line option. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Co:Writer is currently used in schools as a writing support. The ability to select the settings (finished sentence, in-line prediction, and selected word from the list) means the program can be tailored to meet individual student needs. There is even a speech feedback option that repeats the text entered. Critics argue that this program slows the writing process too much while some hail Co:Writer as a great tool that helps students predict appropriate words to be used, correct grammar, correct spelling, and have speech feedback, all in one program. Supporters feel the benefits far outweigh the delay in the writing process especially since the typical user of the program is working through the writing process at a naturally slower pace.

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;">Comment by Merritt Levi Palmer

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;">I like the idea of Co:Writer, I think that it would be very useful for slower students who have a poor grasp on grammar, spelling and how to form proper sentences. I also think it is a good idea for ELL students who maybe know some English but would generally have trouble forming proper sentences or are poor spellers because they do not understand the complexities of the English language. I do agree it would drastically slow down the writing process, but if progress is being made as a writer, and more quality work is being generated it would certainly be worthwhile as long as they do not rely on it as a crutch for future writing.