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Training and Technical Assistance Center |
Assistive Technology Network E-News |
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| Publication information: Copyright ATN E-News" 2005 - 2006. All Rights reserved. Copies may be distributed without alteration electronically free of charge. This newsletter may be reproduced without alteration, for non-commercial purposes without prior permission. "ATN E-News" does not assume responsibility for advice given. All advice should be weighed against your own abilities and circumstances and applied accordingly. It is up to the reader to determine if advice is safe and suitable for their own situation. | |
Welcome to the Assistive Technology Electronic Newsletter designed to provide educators with tips and tricks when integrating technology in the classroom. Contents:
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| Using Handheld
Devices for Educational Supports
Handheld devices can be a great source for providing visual supports to people with autism, ADHD, and others who have difficulty with time, communication, short term memory and organizational skills. They have changed quite a bit in the past two years. If you haven’t checked them out, now is the time. There are different types of handheld devices; however, the distinct difference is the operating system. Palm handheld devices use the Palm Operating System. Other types of devices are referred to as “Pocket PC” and they use the Operating System, Windows CE, also referred to as Windows Mobile. There are pros and cons to each device and Operating System. Some have cameras while others have voice recorders, Bluetooth, and wireless Internet access. The key is to find out what you need the device to do, and then look for the device that will do it. 1. Visual Timer – For Palm
devices you can use PocketDoan, a freeware program you can download
from PalmSource.
You can set the minutes and the display will show the passage of
time.
A timer with visual symbols is also available for Pocket PCs and
some mobile phones. To download go to: https://dl.infonet.cs.ehime-u.ac.jp/download/welfare_index_e.aspx
2. Graphics for Receptive Language – Some of
the handheld devices have a graphics viewer included. If you don’t
have one, you can view graphics using a free software program,
JPGview which you can download from Palm
Gear. For the Pocket PC, you can use XnView Pocket 1.35 to view images.
It is free and available at PocketGear.
3. Graphics for Expressive Language – Using
graphics and photographs on a handheld device to communicate to a
person with autism is an important modeling technique. It may
eventually enable the individual with autism to reciprocate the use
of graphics and photographs to communicate to others. When setting
up communication pictures on a handheld, try thinking outside the
box. For example, many of the newer devices allow the user to add a
picture in the Contact List/Address Book. For easy access, use the
Contact List/Address Book as the list of items to use. Type the item
name in place of a person's name, and then add a graphic. 4. Visual Schedules – Date book and calendar
software programs can be integrated with icon programs to develop a
visual schedule. Most software programs for handhelds have demo
trial periods. Try a few until you find one that works for you. 5. Calendar – Individuals who are able to read
can use the Calendar on the handheld device to structure their day.
Most of the devices also have an alarm that can be attached to an
event. Because of the variety of alarm sounds, you can attach
different alarms to corresponding events. 6. Dictionaries: Individuals with Asperger
Syndrome (AS) and Higher Functioning Autism (HFA) may benefit from a
dictionary of idioms. There are several programs available that will
allow the user to look up the meaning to idioms, keep a running list
of most often heard and practice matching idioms and meanings with a
drill and practice component. A free dictionary of idioms is
available at Palm
Gear. You can also download a free
reference dictionary with over 7,000 words. An inexpensive program for the Pocket PC is available at PocketLingo.
7. Mini Schedules for Task Sequencing – Some
students need visual assistance to follow individual steps of a
task. For example, to complete the activity of washing their hands,
seeing a picture of each step (turn on the water, get soap, rub
hands together, etc.) can promote independence. There are several
ways to accomplish this on a handheld device. You can purchase a
pricey software program from AbleLink
Technologies or develop one using MS PowerPoint. Documents
to Go, for Palm devices, will allow you to view PowerPoint
presentations, but not edit. 8. Organizational Tools for School – There are
many free and inexpensive programs that will help keep track of
schoolwork and homework. Available for the Palm
and the Pocket
PC. 9. Tools to Assist in Writing – Programs for concept
mapping are available for Palm and Pocket PC from Inspiration.
For a free software program for the Palm, try Idea
Pad. PiCoMap
is also available for both devices from GoKnow (Free 45 day trial,
but the price is elusive). Word Prediction: Inexpensive software for Palm called TextComplete
which you can download a trial at or Ender
available at or a free version based on the input used for text
messaging on cell phones – PKWrite
Rapid Text Entry. TextPlus
is an expensive word prediction program for both the Palm or
PocketPC. Writing: EdgeWrite,
a unistroke text entry method for handheld devices, is designed to
provide high accuracy and physical stability for people with motor
impairments, people "on the go", and other who just
don’t like handwriting. 10. Vocabulary Development – Literacy – Math - Dictionaries – ASL and ESL Tools. For thousands of choices for Palm Software go to the site and type in a keyword. For PocketPC and Windows Mobile, go to PocketGear |
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| Ideas From Our
Readers
Diane Postman, from Gloucester, has donated some great ideas that she uses in her early childhood class: I make visual cues using BoardMaker pictures and digital photos. Some are two-sided. I make them small, laminate, and then attach to popsicle sticks. I place them in containers in various locations in my room. When I need to cue a child for behavior, I reach for the popsicle stick pictures. Initially I show the stick while providing a verbal and physical cue. Once the child understands the cue, I simply show him the stick or hand it to him for a visual cue. Finally, I need only to reach towards the stick and the child knows what to do (or not to do). I have even had kids cue each other using the popsicle stick pictures. Some examples of popsicle stick pictures include...
Thanks Diane! Your gift is on the way... |
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| ARCHIVES If you've missed past issues, you can visit the ATN E-News archives by going to our website at www.ttac.odu.edu. Select Info Topics at the top menu, then scroll down to find the archives . |
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