NOTE: I am not sure what to call the title of this page and which areas I want to address here. So please forgive me for my lack of knowledge in these areas. I apologize if I step on someone's toes or hurt someone's feelings here. I certainly do not mean to do that. Rather, I am trying to share resources that might be helpful to someone out there. Thanks for your patience here as I learn more!

9/27/11 (A rare posting from DSC on this page)

Clinical Psychology Guide: Understanding Bullying and Victims -- from clinicalpsychology.net and Sarah Ruddell

1/20/10

FLVS to add Texthelp Read Aloud technology to online courses -- from The Journal by Dian Schaffhauser
Florida Virtual School, which provides online classes for K-12 students in Florida, will shortly expand deployment of a text-to-speech function it has been testing for its courses, according to an announcement at FETC 2010 in Orlando, FL. The new feature, powered by Texthelp Systems' SpeechStream, will be available on the course platform toolbar.

Texthelp Systems
...is the worldwide leader of literacy software solutions. We develop innovative, assistive software to support individuals with their reading, writing and research skills in Education, the Workplace and at Home. Our software supports struggling readers, those with literacy difficulties, learning disabilities such as dyslexia, mild visual impairments and where English is a second language. Texthelp has three core business divisions: Education & the Workplace solutions, Publishing and Speech Services.

1/16/10

Graduate Student's iPhone App Gives Voice to Disabled Users -- from The Chronicle by Mary Helen Miller
Not many iPhone applications get reviews that call them life-changing. Samuel Sennott, a doctoral student in special educaton at Pennsylvania State University's main campus, created an iPhone application that helps people with communication disabilities speak. He worked with David Niemeijer, an Amsterdam-based developer, to build the software, called Proloquo2Go.

1/11/10

1/5/10

Assistive Technology -- Technology Predictions for 2010

12/31/09

Muscle-Bound Computer Interface -- from SteveKnode.com
Researchers have come up with another way to interact with computers: a muscle-controlled interface that allows for hands-free, gestural interaction.

Communication 4 All -- from Teaching Learners with Special Needs
If you haven't been over to Communication4All lately it is worth a return visit.  Bev Evans has added a plethora of new activities and printables since I last posted about the site.  From board games to interactive story maker powerpoints there is so much to explore and try out.  Give yourself some time, have your printer ready (or at least your bookmarking tools) and think outside the box for ways to use these materials with out students!

12/17/09

Dragon Dictation is an easy-to-use voice recognition application powered by
Dragon Naturally Speaking that allows you to easily speak and instantly see your text or email messages.

With Dragon Search, you can simply speak your search queries and
get simultaneous results from a variety of top websites and content sources.

 

Tongue Display Unit (TDU) -- from the Tactile Communication & Neurorehabilitation Lab
The Tongue Display Unit (TDU), version 1, shown below, is a portable, battery-powered device that in a stand-alone mode can display static 12 X 12 tactile pattterns on the tongue. By connecting this device to a computer via RS-232 serial link, a custom command language can create real-time controllable tactile images on the tongue.

12/15/09

The Case for Special Education Vouchers -- from Education Next (Winter 2010 / Vol. 10, No. 1) by Stuart Buck and Jay P. Greene
Parents should decide when their disabled child needs a private placement.

Empowering Deaf Online Learners with Video Discussions -- from MPB Reflections

As I had expected, the faculty turnout for the workshop was small -- there was only one person who showed up. But this faculty member brought something very unique to my workshop. She was deaf. And she was there to learn about VoiceThread. Hmmm.

Embedded in my VoiceThread presentation, I had an example that Steve Muth, a Co-Founder of VoiceThread, had shared with me that showcases what I consider an amazingly innovative use of VoiceThread. What you see below is a VoiceThread that contains two slides. The first slide includes an introductory video comment by who I believe is a teacher (and I'm sorry I can't identify her). Then click on the "right arrow" icon to go to slide two. There you will view a discussion in which deaf children are empowered to engage in an online dialogue using sign language, rather than being required to type their thoughts. Imagine the liberating potential of this medium... [emphasis DSC]

Web accessibility no longer an afterthought -- from CNN by Tom Krazit

12/14/09

Screencasting for the Masses with Camtasia Studio 6 & Adobe Captivate 4 -- from Assistive Technology blog

-- my thanks to
Mr. Joseph Byerwalter
for this resource

12/11/09

Amazon's Kindle to get audible menus, bigger font -- from eSchoolNews.com
Changes come in response to criticism from advocates for the disabled
Amazon.com Inc. will add two features to its Kindle eBook reader to make the gadget more accessible to blind and visually impaired students and other users. The company's Dec. 7 announcement comes a month after Syracuse University in New York and the University of Wisconsin-Madison said they would not consider widely deploying the device as an alternative to paper textbooks until Amazon makes it easier for blind students to use. (See "Schools protest Kindle's setup for the blind.") Both universities bought some Kindles to test this fall.

-- requires iTunes

-- requires iTunes

12/9/09

50 Best Blogs for Special Ed Teachers -- from onlineuniversities.com

Bookshare.org: Accessible Books and Periodicals for Readers with Print Disabilities

• Bookshare is free for all U.S. students with qualifying disabilities. Student memberships are currently funded by an award from the U.S. Department of Education Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP).
• Bookshare dramatically increases the accessibility of books. Bookshare believes that people with disabilities deserve the same ease of access to books and periodicals that people without disabilities enjoy.
• A searchable online library. Bookshare offers more than 60,000 digital books, textbooks, teacher-recommended reading, periodicals and assistive technology tools.
• Readers of all ages. Bookshare offers affordable membership, unlimited library privileges and a community of Members, Volunteers, parents, publishers and authors.

12/8/09

ITForum Discussion on Accessibility -- from etcjournal by Claude Almansi
The URL for the video below is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTvHIDKLFqc. The possibility to automatically caption YouTube videos in English was announced by Google on Nov. 11, 2009: a huge step forward for deaf people that benefits all users. And this is typical of most accessibility measures [emphasis DSC].

Schools protest Kindle’s setup for the blind (page 12 of 35) -- from eCampusNews
Syracuse, Wisconsin-Madison say they won’t buy Kindle e-readers until they’re easier for blind students to use.

From DSC:
Again...interesting how efforts aimed at accessibility are helping many more of us, such as this one:

12/7/09

Teaching Learners with Multiple Special Needs
Resources and ideas for teachers of learners with severe, profound, intensive, significant, complex or multiple special needs.

Software helps students with autism -- from eSchoolNews.com by Laura Devaney
Study showed improved communication skills among students using TeachTown Basics, which combines both on- and off-computer activities

Translate Text and Speech into Sign Language for the Deaf Using Avatars -- by Lance Winslow

HURSLEY, UK - 12 Sep 2007: IBM (NYSE: IBM) has developed an ingenious system called SiSi (Say It Sign It) that automatically converts the spoken word into British Sign Language (BSL) which is then signed by an animated digital character or avatar. SiSi brings together a number of computer technologies. A speech recognition module converts the spoken word into text, which SiSi then interprets into gestures, that are used to animate an avatar which signs in BSL. Upon development this system would see a signing avatar 'pop up' in the corner of the display screen in use -- whether that be a laptop, personal computer, TV, meeting-room display or auditorium screen. Users would be able select the size and appearance of the avatar.

12/4/09

NPR Inc Releases DVD: Assistive Technology- Powerful Solutions for Success -- from Assistive Technology blog

 

12/3/09

Five key trends in assistive technology -- from eSchoolNews.com by Meris Stansbury
Convergence, portability, and customizability are among the features that will define the next generation of AT devices for students. Once considered a highly specialized field, assistive technology (AT) now increasingly can be found in applications and devices sold to the general public, says a new report that highlights several key trends in AT development. The Nation Center for Technology Innovation (NCTI) presented the report during its annual conference last month. The issue brief, titled "Unleashing the Power of Innovation for Assistive Technology," comes at a time of great opportunity for both schools and AT providers, the organization says.

Download Unleashing the Power of Innovation for Assistive Technology

11/30/09

Website Accessibility and Usability: Ten Tips On How To Make Your Website More Viewer-friendly! -- from designreviver.com

11/25/09

11/20/09

11/19/09

Unleashing the Power of Innovation for Assistive Technology -- An Issue Brief from the National Center for Technology Innovation [11.16.09]

11/17/09

12 Tools To Check Your Site’s Accessibility -- from sitepoint.com by Sean Aune

-- My thanks to Dr. David Klein, Capella University, for this resource

 

Evaluating Web Sites for Accessibility: Overview -- from the W3C; my thanks to Mary Lessard for this resource

• Preliminary Review of Web Sites for Accessibility
  Describes an approach to quickly identify some potential accessibility problems on a Web site.
• Conformance Evaluation of Web Sites for Accessibility
  Describes an approach for detemining if a Web site meets accessibility standards, such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).
  
• Evaluation Approaches for Specific Contexts
  Describes evaluation during the development process, ongoing monitoring, evaluation of legacy sites, and evaluation of dynamically generated Web pages.
  
• Involving Users in Web Accessibility Evaluation
  Provides guidance on including people with disabilities ("users") in accessibility evaluation throughout Web development.
  
• Selecting Web Accessibility Evaluation Tools
  Provides guidance on choosing which Web accessibility evaluation tools to use to help evaluate Web accessibility.
  
• Web Accessibility Evaluation Tools List Search
  Provides a comprehensive list of Web accessibility evaluation tools that is searchable and sortable.
  
• Using Combined Expertise to Evaluate Web Accessibility
  Describes the composition, training, and operation of teams of reviewers evaluating accessibility of Web sites.
  
• Template for Accessibility Evaluation Reports
  Presents a format for communicating results of a Web accessibility evaluation.

11/16/09

Battling Back Against Background Noise - Dyslexia, Auditory Training, and Music -- from Eide Neurolearning Blog

-- resource from Tanya Krawford

11/14/09

11/13/09

Audiobooks, E-readers and Accessibility -- from InsideHigherEd.com by Joshua Kim

11/12/09

Some resources re: accessibility -- from User Interface Design and Evaluation by Stone, Jarrett, Woodroffe, and Minocha (2005):

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines

1. Provide equivalent alternatives to auditory and visual content.
2. Don't rely on color alone.
3. Use markup and style sheets and do so properly.
4. Clarify natural language usage
5. Create tables that transform gracefully.
6. Ensure that pages featuring new technologies transform gracefully.
7. Ensure user control of time-sensitive content changes.
8. Ensure direct accessibility of embedded user interfaces.
9. Design for device-independence.
10. Use interim solutions.
11. Use W3C technologies and guidelines.
12. Provide context and orientation information.
13. Provide clear navigation mechanisms.
14. Ensure that documents are clear and simple.

From Jim Thatcher.com:
Here is the comparison of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines and the Section 508 standards:
Side-by-side comparison - Section 508 vs. WCAG

11/11/09

Site simplifies text for students with disabilities -- from eSchoolNews.com

AccessText Network streamlines access to textbooks in alternative formats for college students with print-related disabilities.
A new national online database is making it easier and quicker for college students with print-related disabilities, including blindness or dyslexia, to obtain the alternative textbooks they need for their academic courses. The AccessText Network contains more than 300,000 textbook and novel titles available in alternative formats. To date, more than 650 colleges and universities have enrolled. The Association of American Publishers (AAP) developed the database in conjunction with the Alternative Media Access Center (AMAC) at the University of Georgia.

11/9/09

11/7/09

11/6/09

Pearson Announces New HTMLbooksTM For Students with Disabilities and Struggling Learners -- from B2E
Technology innovation provides equity for all at the click of a mouse; first releases in high school literature, biology, economics, and government  
New York and Chicago (via PRWEB) October 28, 2009 -- At the Assistive Technology Industry Association's (ATIA) conference in Chicago, the education services and technology company Pearson today announced new Pearson HTMLbooks™, digital versions of the company's course materials designed for students with learning, print, speech and language disabilities; auditory learners; children with autism; struggling readers; and homeschoolers.

The first of many to come, HTMLbooks are available currently for the titles Prentice Hall Literature 2010, Magruders American Government, Prentice Hall Economics and Miller & Levine Biology. Additional mathematics titles in the subjects of Algebra I, Algebra II and Geometry will be available in January 2010. The Pearson HTMLbooks are available for the same price as the print book.

11/2/09

Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic - Individual Membership is now Free -- from Assistive Technology

10/31/09

Google: Accessible Search FAQ

10/30/09

Amundson mentions five ways to have an accessible classroom website:

• Organize for easier navigation (incorporating headers, use of colors, concerns with scrolling – especially horizontally, adjustable text sizes)
• Navigation without a mouse (using the Tab key, rollovers and drop down menus are difficult to use without a mouse, use of access keys)
• Text explanations for images (provide text for every item in the web page that is not in the textual format)
• Use text that makes sense
• Using web validators

ContentQuality.com

10 Quick Tips -- from the W3C's Web Accessibility Initiative

1. Images & animations: Use the alt attribute to describe the function of each visual.
2. Image maps. Use the client-side map and text for hotspots.
3. Multimedia. Provide captioning and transcripts of audio, and descriptions of video.
4. Hypertext links. Use text that makes sense when read out of context. For example, avoid "click here."
5. Page organization. Use headings, lists, and consistent structure. Use CSS for layout and style where possible.
6. Graphs & charts. Summarize or use the longdesc attribute.
7. Scripts, applets, & plug-ins. Provide alternative content in case active features are inaccessible or unsupported.
8. Frames. Use the noframes element and meaningful titles.
9. Tables. Make line-by-line reading sensible. Summarize.
10. Check your work. Validate. Use tools, checklist, and guidelines at http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG

Understanding Accessibility
A Guide to Achieving Compliance on Web Sites and Intranets

10/28/09

What Is Betsie? -- from the BBC
Betsie stands for BBC Education Text to Speech Internet Enhancer, and is a simple Perl script which is intended to alleviate some of the problems experienced by people using text to speech systems for web browsing. For an explanation of that in plain English, see the 'About Betsie' page. For the complete technical details of Betsie, visit the 'Betsie Technology' page.

How to be a leader with assistive technology -- from eSchoolNews.com by Meris Stansbury
Two AT trainers recommend easy in-class solutions -- and share their strategies for success

10/26/09

10/23/09

10/22/09

Text-to-Speech Technology Reaches an Inflection Point -- from the NYT by Ashlee Vance

People with speech-impairing conditions like A.L.S., autism, Down syndrome and strokes have started to discover that general-purpose devices, equipped with downloadable text-to-speech software, can in many cases help them communicate better and more cheaply than the proprietary speech devices covered by Medicare and private health insurance.

Free Software: ChipSpeaking (PC), Etriloquist (PC), MyFTC (PC), MyVoiceX (PC and Mac), NaturalReader (PC), pVoice (PC) and ReadPlease (PC).
$30 to $300 Software: ByteCool ($30/PC), NextUpTalker ($100/PC), GhostReader ($40/Mac), Proloquo ($300/Mac and $200/iPhone), TextSpeechPro ($60/PC), UniversalReader ($80/PC) and Read the Words (Web service that costs $35 a year).
Hardware: The leading makers of text-to-speech devices are DynaVox Mayer-Johnson and Prentke Romich. I’ve also been pointed to Zygo Industries as a producer of lower-cost text-to-speech devices.
Netbooks are widely available, while the iPhone can be purchased from Apple or AT&T.

Resource from "Autistic Carly" -- from Around the Corner-MGuhlin.org

10/21/09

Consortium Pursues Online Learning for the Visually Impaired -- from The Journal by Scott Aronowitz
As pervasive as the Internet has become, there is one group of people that is still unable to realize many of its benefits. However, thanks to the work of CANnect, a consortium of schools and philanthropists dedicated to overcoming this obstacle, the visually impaired may soon acquire unprecedented access to the Web and much of its affiliated technology.

Working with a $50,000 grant awarded in November 2008 by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, CANnect is pursuing three projects aimed at giving the visually impaired new opportunities for full access to Internet technology:

Website Accessibility and Usability: Ten Tips On How To Make Your Website More Viewer-friendly! -- from Designer Reviver

10/20/09

Accessibility in Moodle
This block provides a set of buttons allowing users to customise font sizes on the page.

Accessibility Options in Moodle
We needed to find a way for our students to change the font size and background colour of our Moodle site. Here’s how we achieved it.

 

10/17/09

Free Webinar: Technology Supports for Writing -- from Assistive Technology
Join authors Brian Friedlander, Ph.D and Joan Green M.A.CCC-SLP for a free webinar to learn about their new interactive video ebook. See https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/440908155. Learn about a new interactive guide to cutting-edge technology tools, strategies and resources to improve the writing process. This video ebook is now available at www.ittsguides.com.

 

Online Resources-- from Innovative Technology Treatment Solutions

1. Sites for multiple disability groups such as: American Disability Association Council for Exceptional Children National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders Medline Plus

(Read More)

2. Sites grouped by diagnosis and disability such as: Alzheimer's Disease Aphasia Brain Injury Learning Disabilities

(Read More)

3. Products to promote independent living such as: AbleData Enable Mart Interactive Therapeutics Maxi Aids

(Read More)

4. Technology training and information such as: Alliance for Technology Access Center for Disabilities Quality Indicators of Assistive Technology State AT Programs

(Read More)

5. Resources for professionals such as: Speech-language pathologists Occupational therapists Special educators Neuropsychologists (Read More)

10/16/09

New Digital Products Target Needs of Autistic Children -- Digital Directions by Katie Ash
Advancements in assistive technologies, as well as an increased focus on addressing the needs of students with autism, have spurred an emerging roster of new digital products designed to facilitate better communication between parents and teachers of children with autism and provide more affordable, higher-quality education to those students.

10/13/09

From Open University: What is Browsealoud?
Browsealoud is a speech tool that you can download and use on OU websites. It converts online text to audio, so you can have the content of OU websites read to you. It is available for anyone who uses OU websites.

Subject: Disability Awareness Events -- from Calvin College
It is Disability Awareness Month and the Disability Services office is partnering with students and other departments on campus to put on a few events. We'd love anyone to come join us. We're adopting the theme from the CRC of "Everybody Belongs, Everybody Serves".

Disability Awareness Chapel:"Everybody Belongs, Everybody Serves"
Wed., October 14th -10 am-10:20 am | Come & enjoy a chapel service led by a few of our students with disabilities.

Misunderstood Minds: The Documentary
Wed., October 14th -4 pm-5:30 p.m. | Bytwerk Theatre
"For one in five students, learning is an exhausting and frustrating struggle. Often mistakenly called "lazy" or "stupid" by their teachers, classmates and even their families. [This] can have a devastating impact on the students' self-esteem and social success. This film shines a spotlight on this painful subject, following the stories of five families as, together with experts, they try to solve the mysteries of their children's learning difficulties."

Diagnosis Aspergers's: Nick Dubin's Journey of Self-Discovery
Wed., October 21st - 4 p.m.-5:00 p.m. | Bytwerk Theatre
"Imagine living twenty-seven years, knowing something was different about you, but not being able to pinpoint it. Imagine feeling an unexplainable disconnect from others, in spite of having an above average IQ and a friendly personality". That is how Nicholas Dubin felt for the first twenty-seven years of his life, until the summer of 2004 when he was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome. Now, this young man is sharing his story: from struggling as a nonverbal three-year-old, to pursing a doctoral degree in psychology, and all the ups and downs in between."

 

10/10/09

10/7/09

Special Ed Vouchers Level the Playing Field for Disabled Kids -- from EducationNext

The following links/resources are from Study Tactics > Education (A service of MBS Books)

General Education
	A World of Prevention
	From the Texas Youth Commission this site is a directory of programs , resources and references dedicated to the prevention of child and adolescent problems.
	About.com: Teacher Freebies
	Links to free resources for teachers.
	AboutSchool.com
	Educational site for teachers, parents, and students K-12.
	Awesome Library
	Awesome Library organizes the Web with 22,000 carefully reviewed resources, including the top 5 percent in education.
	Beginning Teacher's Tool Box
	Tips and resources for new teachers.
	Cable in the Classroom
	Good resource mostly for teachers, some parent and student items.
	California Subject Examinations for Teachers
	Information on the CSET test.
	Campus Alberta Repository of Educational Objects
	CAREO is a project supported by Alberta Learning and CANARIE that has as its primary goal the creation of a searchable, Web-based collection of multidisciplinary teaching materials for educators across the province and beyond.
	CanTeach
	Resources for educators. From Canada but has resources any educator will find useful.
	Characteristics and Behaviors of the Gifted
	Informative article on gifted children.
	Chronicle of Higher Education
	This World Wide Web site is a service of The Chronicle of Higher Education. Published weekly, The Chronicle is a news source for college and university faculty members and administrators.
	Comparative Education Review
	Education journal with an electronic version.
	Current Issues in Education
	A peer-reviewed scholarly electronic publication.
	Discovery School.com: Lesson Plan Library
	Original lesson plans written by teachers for teachers.
	DiscoverySchool.com
	Good resource for student, teachers, and parents. Homeschool section.
	Dr. Mac's Amazing Behavior Management Advice Site
	Tips from a special education professor at Hunter College, CUNY.
	Early Childhood Care and Education Resources
	Links to articles and other sites on many issues in early childhood education. From a early childhood specialist.
	Earlychildhood.com
	Professional resource for teachers.
	edHelper.com
	Lesson plans, worksheets, resources, etc.
	Education Index
	The Education Index web site contains an annotated guide to some of the best education-related sites on the Web.
	Education International
	The world's largest educators' federation representing 25 million members through its 311 member organizations.
	Education Next
	Journal dedicated to education reform.
	Education Week
	Education Week covers local, state, and national news and issues from preschool through the 12th grade. They also provide periodic special reports on issues ranging from technology to textbooks, as well as books of special interest to educators.
	Education World: The Educator's Best Friend
	Lesson plans, resources, and much more.
	Educational Testing Service (ETS)
	ETS's primary purpose has been the development of tests and other assessment tools to provide information (including test scores and interpretative tools) to test takers, educational institutions, and others who require this information.
	EducationNews.org
	A Leading source in education news.
	Eduscapes
	Education resource for teachers, parents, and students.
	ERIC Clearinghouse on Educational Management
	Provides access to literature pertaining to every aspect of education.
	eSchool News
	A monthly newspaper that provides news and information to help K-12 decision-makers.
	Everything Preschool
	Themes. Lesson plans, craft ideas, songs, and more!
	Fair Use Guidelines for Educational Multimedia
	Guidelines for the proper use of multimedia for educational purposes.
	Federal Resource for Educational Excellence
	More than 30 Federal agencies formed a working group in 1997 to make hundreds of Federally supported teaching and learning resources easier to find. The result of that work is the FREE web site.
	Gateway to Education Materials
	Consortium of teacher resources.
	Gifted Advocacy
	A site full of articles dealing with gifted students. For teachers and parents.
	Google for Educators
	A teacher's guide to Google products.
	Harvard Education Publishing Group
	The Harvard Education Press will publish innovative, authoritative books covering critical issues in education. Our books will influence and inform education practice and administration, explore ongoing debates, and report on important research.
	Imagine: Links to Academic Competitions
	Links to activities in a variety of academic subjects.
	Internet4Classrooms
	Helping teachers use the Internet effectively.
	Kathy Schrock's Guide for Educators
	Kathy Schrock's Guide for Educators is a categorized list of sites useful for enhancing curriculum and professional growth.
	KidSource: Challenging Gifted Students in the Regular Classroom
	An article dealing with the special challenge of dealing with gifted students.
	Kidstuff: Interesting Web Links
	A page for students and parents, links to interactice games, homework help, tests, and more.
	Learning Haven
	Site for preschool-6th grade teachers.
	Lesson Plans Page
	Over 2,000 lesson plans and other resources.
	Literacy Center
	Dynamic exercises for pre-readers.
	MERLOT: Education
	Links to online learning materials are collected here along with annotations such as peer reviews and assignments.
	Montessori Online
	Online resource provided by the Montessori Foundation. Find Montessori teacher education programs.
	National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification
	Professional organization that deals with teacher certification and standards.
	National Center for Education Statistics
	Collects and analyzes data pertaining to education in the U.S. and around the world.
	National Child Care Information Center
	A national resource for child care professionals and families.
	National Forum Journals
	A family of scholarly, refereed, peer-reviewed professional journals on the leading edge of academic excellence.
	National Institute of Education
	NIE is the sole teacher training institute in Singapore and a part of the Nanyang Technological University.
	National Lincs
	LINCS is the literacy community's gateway to the world of adult education and literacy resources on the Internet.
	Neag: Center for Gifted Education & Talented Development
	From the University of Connecticut: news, resources, curriculum guides, and more.
	New Horizans for Learning
	A leading-edge resource for educational change. Good information and links for all aspects of education.
	No Child Left Behind
	Information on the Elementary & Secondary Education Act.
	Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools
	From the U.S. Department of Education.
	Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration
	The Journal of Distance Learning Administration is a peer-reviewed electronic journal offered free each quarter over the World Wide Web.
	PBS TeacherSource
	Lesson plans and activities.
	Peak Learning Systems
	Educators resource center.
	Pics4Learning
	Pics4Learning is a copyright-friendly image library for teachers and students. The Pics4Learning collection consists of thousands of images that have been donated by students, teachers, and amateur photographers.
	Reading Lists
	Page of links to many book lists for eager readers.
	Resources for Early Childhood Educators
	List of links created by doctoral candidates at Pennsylvania State University.
	Revolution in Earth & Space Science Education
	Works to help create a science-literate citizenry.
	SchoolLaw.com
	Access to legal information and resources.
	Smithsonian Education
	Resources for educators, families, and students.
	State Child Care Profiles
	Demographic information on children, their families, and child care in each state. Contact information for state agencies as well.
	Teachers
	Links for teachers of the gifted and talented child.
	Teachers College Record
	The voice of scholarship in education.
	Teachers from the Occupational Outlook Handbook
	Job information from the U.S. Department of Labor.
	techLearning
	The resource for education technology leaders.
	The Chalkboard
	Free activities, resources, and ideas for Pre-K and Kindergarten teachers.
	The Core Knowledge Foundation
	The Foundation conducts research on curricula, develops books and other materials, offers lesson plans, and many more resources.
	The Creative Teaching Site
	Articles, ideas, and information for creative teaching.
	The Educator's Reference Desk
	A personalized Internet-based service providing education information to teachers, librarians, counselors, administrators, parents, and anyone interested in education throughout the United States and the world.
	The eServer Collection: Literacy and education
	Links to papers on literacy and education.
	The George Lucas Educational Foundation: Edutopia Online
	A nonprofit organization that documents and disseminates stories about exemplary practices in K-12 public education.
	The Hollingworth Center for Highly Gifted Children
	A national volunteer resource and support network for highly gifted children, their families, schools, and communities.
	The Idea Box
	Ideas for songs, crafts, activities, and more for early childhood educators.
	The Kids on the Web
	An on-going list of sites that offer information for and about kids. Good educational activity resource.
	The Literacy Project
	A resource for teachers, literacy organisations and anyone interested in reading and education, created in collaboration with LitCam, Google, and UNESCO's Institute for Lifelong Learning.
	The Perpetual Preschool
	Provides childcare professionals with up-to-date Internet resources.
	The William T. Grant Foundation
	This foundation invests in research and programs that help young people reach and realize their full potential. Look for grant information here.
	U.S. Department of Education
	Web Corner Index: Teacher Pages
	Organized links related to early childhood issues.
	You Can Handle Them All
	A free discipline resource for teachers (and parents) from The Master Teacher.
Education by Field
	A Teacher's Guide to the Holocaust
	Resources for teachers and students.
	American Literature Association
	A coalition of societies devoted to the study of American authors.
	Center for Civic Education
	The mission of the center is to promote civic education to all citizens.
	Children's Literature Web Guide
	Information on children's and young adult literature.
	Creative Drama Theatre Education Resource Guide
	Resource for using creative drama in the classroom.
	Department of Energy: Teaching About Energy
	Information for teaching about energy.
	Edcational Research Information Cernter
	Provide educational materials, services, and coursework.
	Eisenhower National Clearinghouse
	K-12 math and science teacher resource.
	ExplorePAHistory.com: Lesson Plans for Teachers
	Teachers, let ExplorePAhistory help you with your lesson plans. Choose criteria to search for and find lesson plans relating to a particular era, story, region of the state, and/or discipline of your choice.
	Foreign Language Teaching Forum
	Their topic is foreign language teaching methods including school/college articulation, training of student teachers, classroom activities, curriculum, and syllabus design. Check out the WWW Foreign Language Teaching Resources!
	Geometry Through Art
	For faculty: lesson ideas and downloadable graphics for lessons.
	Holocaust Teacher Resource Center
	Resources for history teachers and others that teach about the Holocaust.
	Houghton Mifflin Social Studies: GeoNet Game
	An interactive game that tests students' geography knowledge.
	Humanities and Social Sciences Federation of Canada (HSSFC)
	The Federation currently represents 67 learned societies, 69 universities and colleges and over 24,000 scholars and graduates active in the study of languages, sociology, literatures, religion, geography, psychology, anthropology, history, and philosophy.
	Journal of Vocational and Technical Education
	Electronic journal.
	Language Arts Lesson Plans
	Lesson plans for K-12.
	Latin Teaching Materials-St. Louis University
	Resources for classical languages teachers.
	Learning From the Fossil Record
	Educational resources for geology and other earth science educators.
	Lesson Plans and Resources for Social Studies Teachers
	Various lesson plans.
	Math Forum @Drexel: Mathematics Education
	Resources for math educators including teacher education. Mostly for adult education.
	MERLOT: Education
	Links to online learning materials are collected here along with annotations such as peer reviews and assignments.
	My Wonderful World
	A National Geographic society campaign to boost children's geographical knowledge.
	NASA Educational Links
	Science links for teachers from NASA.
	National Counsel for the Social Studies
	An information service for educators.
	National Foreign Language Center
	The National Foreign Language Center has served as the nation's principal institutional resource for strategic planning and drafting of policy for language in the United States.
	National Science Digital Library
	A digital library of resources and collections for educators and students of all ages. NSDL is a National Science Foundation program.
	Orpheus
	Resources for students and teachers.
	PBS Online: BUILDING BIG
	For students and educators, this site deals with large structures and the engineering behind it.
	Reading Lists
	Page of links to many book lists for eager readers.
	Science Olympiad
	Information and resources on the tournament.
	Space Science Education Resource Directory (NASA)
	The Space Science Education Resource Directory is a convenient way to find NASA space science products for use in classrooms, science museums, planetariums, and other settings.
	TechLearning: A Virtual Tour of the Smithsonian
	Educators can start here to learn how the Smithsonian Institute can help them teach.
	Test Your Geography Knowledge
	Interactive world geography quizzes for older students and adults.
	The Kennedy Center ArtsEdge
	ARTSEDGE supports the place of arts education at the center of the curriculum through the creative and appropriate uses of technology. ARTSEDGE helps educators to teach in, through and about the arts.
	The Learning Page
	A resource for history teachers from the Library of Congress.
	The Math Forum@Drexel: Pre-Kindergarten Teachers' Place
	Ideas and resources for teaching Pre-K mathematics.
	The National Park Service: Links to the Past
	Resources for study and teaching.
	The Tech Museum: Robotics
	Designed to introduce the design and science behind robotics. Includes classroom activities, history, and more.
	whitehousekids.gov: Teacher and Parent Guide
	Resources for teachers and parents.
	WriteNet
	Source for treachers of creative writing.
Professional Organizations
	Academic Leadership
	On-line journal and links for educators.
	American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (AAHPERD)
	AAHPERD is your inside track to the health, physical education, recreation and dance communities and your link to an international network of more than 25,000 professionals from around the globe.
	American Alliance for Theatre and Education
	The mission of the American Alliance for Theatre and Education is to promote standards of excellence in theatre and theatre education.
	American Association for Health Education (AAHE)
	The American Association for Health Education serves health educators and other professionals who promote the health of all people.
	American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT)
	American Association of School Administrators (AASA)
	AASA's mission is to support and develop effective school system leaders who are dedicated to the highest quality public education for all children.
	American Association of Teachers of French
	The largest national association of French teachers in the world with nearly 10,000 members.
	American Association of Teachers of German
	The mission of the AATG is based on the belief that bringing the language, literatures and cultures of the German-speaking world to all Americans is a vital humanistic endeavor which serves an essential national interest.
	American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese
	Organization that serves Spanish and Portuguese educators.
	American Association of University Professors (AAUP)
	AAUP's purpose is to advance academic freedom and shared governance, to define fundamental professional values and standards for higher education, and to ensure higher education's contribution to the common good.
	American Coaches Federation (ACF)
	The mission of the American Coaches Federation is to unify the interests and goals of athletic coaches and coach associations at all levels of amateur sport.
	American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Language
	Dedicated to the improvement and expansion of the teaching and learning of all languages at all levels of instruction.
	American Educational Research Association (AERA)
	The American Educational Research Association is concerned with improving the educational process by encouraging scholarly inquiry related to education and by promoting the dissemination and practical application of research results.
	American Federation of Teachers (AFT)
	Teachers' union web site.
	American Library Association
	The American Library Association provides leadership for the development, promotion, and improvement of library and information services and the profession of librarianship in order to enhance learning and ensure access to information for all.
	American Political Science Association (APSA)
	The American Political Science Association is the world's largest professional organization for the study of politics.
	American School Counselor Association (ASCA)
	ASCA supports school counselors' efforts to help students focus on academic, personal/social and career development so they not only achieve success in school but are prepared to lead fulfilling lives as responsible members of society.
	American Society for Ethics in Education
	The American Society for Ethics in Education (ASEE) is dedicated to: Stopping abusive practices in our schools that harm children, Exposing corruption in our schools, etc.
	American Sociological Association (ASA)
	The American Sociological Association (ASA), founded in 1905, is a non-profit membership association dedicated to advancing sociology as a scientific discipline and profession serving the public good.
	Association for Educational Communications and Technology
	The mission of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology is to provide leadership in educational communications and technology by linking professionals holding a common interest in the use of educational technology and its application.
	Association for Science Education
	The ASE is the professional association for teachers of science.
	Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD)
	ASCD's mission is to forge covenants in teaching and learning for the success of all learners.
	Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE)
	This purpose of AACE is accomplished through the encouragement of scholarly inquiry related to information technology in education and the dissemination of research results and their applications.
	Association Montessori Internationale
	Site dedicated to the education ideals of Dr. Maria Montessori.
	Association of Library Service to Children (ALSC)
	The Association for Library Service to Children is interested in the improvement and extension of library services to children in all types of libraries.
	California Mathematics Council
	Resources and information for California math educators.
	Education Law Association
	The Education Law Association, formerly NOLPE, is a nonprofit, nonadvocacy organization open to anyone interested in education law.
	Joint Association of Classical Teachers
	Works to promote the teaching of Classics.
	Mathematical Association of America
	Largest professional society that focuses on undergraduate mathematics education.
	Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education & Evaluation
	Postsecondary accrediting agency for Montessori teacher education programs.
	National Art Education Association (NAEA)
	Works to promote art education through Professional Development, Service, Advancement of Knowledge, and Leadership. NAEA is a non-profit, educational organization.
	National Association for Bilingual Education (NABE)
	Promoting educational excellence and equity through bilingual education, the National Association for Bilingual Education (NABE) is the only national organization exclusively concerned with the education of language-minority students in American schools.
	National Association for Humanities Education (NAHE)
	NAHE is especially interested in the exploration of humanities education.
	National Association for Multicultural Education
	Cultural diversity in education site.
	National Association for Music Education (MENC)
	The National Association for Music Education's purpose is to advance music education by encouraging the study and making of music by all.
	National Association for the Education of Young Children
	The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is the nation's largest and most influential organization of early childhood educators and others dedicated to improving the quality of programs for children.
	National Association of Biology Teachers (NABT)
	The National Association of Biology Teachers empowers educators to provide the best possible biology and life science education for all students.
	National Association of Black School Educators
	NABSE is dedicated to improving the educational accomplishments of African American youth through the development and deployment of instructional and motivational methods that increase levels of inspiration, attendance and overall achievement.
	National Association of Elementary School Principals
	Advocates and supports elementary and middle school principals.
	National Association of Gifted Children
	A non-profit organization of parents, teachers, and other professionals who unite to address the needs of gifted and talented youth.
	National Association of School Psychologists (NASP)
	The National Association of School Psychologists represents and supports school psychology through leadership to enhance the mental health and educational competence of all children.
	National Association of Secondary School Principals
	Their mission is to promote excellence in school leadership.
	National Board for Professional Teaching Standards
	Promotes quality teachers for better learning.
	National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE)
	NCATE is the profession's mechanism to help establish high quality teacher preparation.
	National Council for History Education (NCHE)
	The National Council for History Education is a non-profit corporation whose Board of Trustees is dedicated to promoting the importance of history in schools and in society.
	National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE)
	The National Council of Teachers of English is devoted to improving the teaching and learning of English and the language arts at all levels of education.
	National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
	The mission of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics is to provide the vision and leadership necessary to ensure a mathematics education of the highest quality for all students.
	National Education Association
	NEA has a long, proud history as the nation's leading organization committed to advancing the cause of public education.
	National Institute for Literacy (NIFL)
	The National Institute for Literacy (NIFL) is a federal organization that shares information about literacy and supports the development of high-quality literacy services so all Americans can develop essential basic skills.
	National Middle School Association (NMSA)
	Since its inception in 1973, National Middle School Association (NMSA) has been a voice for those committed to the educational and developmental needs of young adolescents.
	National School Boards Association
	A nationwide organization representing public school governance.
	Philosophy of Education Society
	Technology Standards for School Administrators (TSSA)
	Works to develop a national consensus on Technology Standards for School Administrators.
	The Association of Educational Publishers - AEP
	They provide print and digital publishers with the resources needed to thrive in today's changing education and publishing environment.
	The Higher Learning Commission
	Committed to developing and maintaining high standards of excellence.
	The National Clearinghouse for Professors in Special Education
	Career and education information for special educators.
	The National Foundation for Gifted and Creative Children
	Information and articles on gifted children.
	The Rural School and Community Trust Web Site
	Works with a network of schools and community groups striving to improve the quality of education.
Special Education
	Apple's, The Disability Connection
	Information on computers and special needs persons.
	Autism Society of America
	This association works as an advocate for those with autism and their families.
	Band-Aides and Blackboards
	This site is about growing up with medical problems.
	C.H.A.D.D. Online
	Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD) is a national non-profit organization founded in 1987 in response to the frustration and sense of isolation experienced by parents and their children with AD/HD.
	Center for Effective Collaboration and Practice
	Works to improve services for children and youth with emotional and behavioral problems.
	Down Syndrome
	The Down Syndrome WWW Page was established in February of 1995 and has been (and still is) compiled from the contributions of members of the Down Syndrome Listserv and others. Has information about special education.
	Federal Resource Center for Special Education
	The FRC supports a nationwide technical assistance network to respond to the needs of students with disabilities, especially students from under-represented populations.
	IDEAPractices
	The IDEA Partnerships inform professionals, families and the public about strategies to improve educational results for children and youth with disabilities.
	Intellectual Disability
	This site provides information about mental retardation, causes and prevention, and the economic impact of the disability.
	International Dyslexia Association
	A non-profit organization dedicated to helping those with dyslexia and their families.
	Internet Special Education Resources
	ISER is a nationwide directory of professionals who serve the learning disabilities and special education communities.
	LD Resources
	Resources for the learning disabilities community.
	LDOnline
	Web site on learning disabilities for teachers, parents, and other professionals.
	MERLOT: Education
	Links to online learning materials are collected here along with annotations such as peer reviews and assignments.
	National Center for Learning Disabilities
	NCLD strives to be an effective, easy-to-use resource for people seeking authoritative information on learning disabilities (LD).
	National Council on Disability (NCD)
	The National Council on Disability (NCD) is an independent federal agency making recommendations to the President and Congress on issues affecting 54 million Americans with disabilities.
	National Institutes of Health
	An agency under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
	Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP)
	OSEP is dedicated to improving results for infants, toddlers, children and youth with disabilities ages birth through 21 by providing leadership and financial support to assist states and local districts.
	SchwabLearning.org
	A free resource for parents and teachers of learning disabled children. Find articles, support, managing skills, and more.
	SparkTop.org
	A free web site designed for kids ages 8-12 with learning difficulties.
	Special Olympics
	The purpose of Special Olympics is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for all children and adults with developmental disabilities.
	The Institute on Community Integration
	Works to improve services and social supports for individuals with disabilities and their families.
	The Learning Disabilities Association of America
	Their purpose is to advance the education and general welfare of children and adults of normal or potentially normal intelligence who manifest disabilities of a perceptual, conceptual, or coordinative nature.
	The Special Education Homepage
	Up-to-Date Facts, Resources and Ideas for Special Education students and their families.
	Tourette Syndrome Association
	The official web site of the national Tourette /Syndrome Association.
	U.S Department of Justice American with Disabilities Acts

10/1/09

Using Acrobat Professional to convert an image of text to editable text -- by Daniel Christian and William Overbeeke
This will help those students who use a screen reader, where the image of text doesn't help them and where they need the actual text. Acrobat Professional has built in Optical Character Recognition (OCR) which comes in very handy here.

Brain Research May Point to Changes in Literacy Development -- from Edutopia.org by Sara Bernard
New scientific findings spell difference, not disability, for struggling readers.

9/18/09

Experts: Prepare now for autism's rising flood -- from eSchoolNews.com by Laura Devaney
Autism-related challenges expected to grow exponentially in the coming years

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