School assessment season is in full swing, as the ones requested for Fall 2009 are done, and more are waiting for Winter 2010. This year we got a late start due to a delay in the contracts department with the contractors who do assessments. These assessments do not cost your school district anything. They are funded by a grant from the Idaho State Department of Education.
To request an assistive technology assessment for a child in or under 12th grade, go to the link to IATP in the leftt margin and from there click on the link for "school based services". Anyone on the student's IEP team may complete the application, including a parent, but it is a good idea to let the other team members know that you are applying, since they will be part of the process.
Pre-school children with physical disabilities may also qualify. If your student does not have an IEP, contact Nora Jehn at 1-800-IDA-TECH with your request for an assessment.
So what happens next? A certified ATP will be sent to your school to conduct the assessment. In the case of students who are home schooled or are pre-school aged, the assessment will happen in the home. This person will interview team members, observe the student, and do some practical testing to see what technologies hold the most promise. The primary goal is to provide equal access to the curriculum or to prepare for transition from home to school and from school to adult life. Within two weeks you should get a detailed report with information about the technologies likely to help, and how to go about obtaining and implementing them. You can get additional training for your team too.
Idaho has been blessed to have a goodly number of highly qualified people to do assessments throughout the state. To get a current list of the ATP's you can call Nora Jehn.
Showing posts with label assistive technology. Show all posts
Showing posts with label assistive technology. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Monday, April 13, 2009
Reading Access with a Mobile Telephone
http://www.knfbreader.com/
This year's Technology & Persons with Disabilities Conference, better known as the CSUN Conference (CA State University at Northridge), was a showcase of many great new devices for people who use assistive technology.
My pick for the best new technology at the conference this year goes to knfb Reading Technology, Inc. They have produced two different reading systems that are packed into a Nokia mobile telephone. The first one is called kReader Mobile. You can take a digital photograph of printed matter, such as a newspaper, and the phone will convert it to e-text and read it back to you out loud while it displays the text and highlights each word. You can control text size, contrast, and reading speed. This model is targeted to people who can see but have difficulty reading for other reasons.
The second version is called the knfb Reader Mobile, which has been configured with blind users in mind.
These systems work on either the Nokia N82 which sells for $500, or the Nokia 6220 which sells for about $350. The retail price of the software is $995.00, or a package that includes the phone is $1600. This is a working cellular telephone, but the phone contract is not included in the purchase price. These phones do not recieve internet.
It should not be a surprise to learn that the development team was led by Ray Kurzweil, one of the best recognized names in the industry.
Keep Looking Up!
This year's Technology & Persons with Disabilities Conference, better known as the CSUN Conference (CA State University at Northridge), was a showcase of many great new devices for people who use assistive technology.
My pick for the best new technology at the conference this year goes to knfb Reading Technology, Inc. They have produced two different reading systems that are packed into a Nokia mobile telephone. The first one is called kReader Mobile. You can take a digital photograph of printed matter, such as a newspaper, and the phone will convert it to e-text and read it back to you out loud while it displays the text and highlights each word. You can control text size, contrast, and reading speed. This model is targeted to people who can see but have difficulty reading for other reasons.
The second version is called the knfb Reader Mobile, which has been configured with blind users in mind.
These systems work on either the Nokia N82 which sells for $500, or the Nokia 6220 which sells for about $350. The retail price of the software is $995.00, or a package that includes the phone is $1600. This is a working cellular telephone, but the phone contract is not included in the purchase price. These phones do not recieve internet.
It should not be a surprise to learn that the development team was led by Ray Kurzweil, one of the best recognized names in the industry.
Keep Looking Up!
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Nice AT blog for Special Educators
http://teachinglearnerswithmultipleneeds.blogspot.com/
Here is a blog for special ed teachers that makes mine look pretty simple. I don't write a new blog daily, and I don't have all the bells and whistles that this one does. Rock on, Kate, nice job and I hope you win on the voting for best education blog.
Keep Looking up!
Here is a blog for special ed teachers that makes mine look pretty simple. I don't write a new blog daily, and I don't have all the bells and whistles that this one does. Rock on, Kate, nice job and I hope you win on the voting for best education blog.
Keep Looking up!
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Assistive Technology for Math
http://itcnew.idahotc.com/DNN/Training/AT4Math/tabid/942/Default.aspx
The Idaho Training Clearinghouse has just added an online audio-visual presentation I prepared for the Idaho AT Project called "Assistive Technology 4 Math". This 30-minute presentation reviews some of the many resources for teaching and learning math for those students who struggle for whatever reason. Be sure you are ready to take some notes, this is a resource-rich presentation that covers beginning concepts to higher math, and how to get professional help with a student when you need it.
Keep Looking Up!
The Idaho Training Clearinghouse has just added an online audio-visual presentation I prepared for the Idaho AT Project called "Assistive Technology 4 Math". This 30-minute presentation reviews some of the many resources for teaching and learning math for those students who struggle for whatever reason. Be sure you are ready to take some notes, this is a resource-rich presentation that covers beginning concepts to higher math, and how to get professional help with a student when you need it.
Keep Looking Up!
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