[Notetaking and OCR] IRISNotes Executive 2 special offer

A digital pen that converts handwritten notes into electronic text:


Special offer on both versions ($79 for IRISNotes 2 Express and $99 for the Executive version)

[Research] ECAR: Undergraduate Students and Technology (2012)

Educause Center for Applied Research just released a really great infographic based on the results of their Study of Undergraduate Students and Technology in .pdf format.

The full report can also be downloaded in .pdf format here.

[Updated] Web, Digital Learning and Document Accessibility Resource Links

Thanks to everyone who participated in yesterday's #highered #a11ychat on Twitter, I've been able to score some more great resources for improving web and online learning accessibility, which I've added to the links in the side frames of this site. They include:

Best Practices for Institution-Wide Web Accessibility 
Accessibility Guidelines for Digital Learning Products
Distance Education Accessibility Guidelines (.pdf download)
Triage for Accessifying Websites
Practical Web Accessibility Testing Tools

I also got a couple more good links to document accessibility creation tools from WebAIM:

Creating Accessible MS Word Documents
PDF Accessibility

All in all, very fruitful sharing of tools and discussion! The complete transcript of the event can be found here.

I'm really looking forward to the next chat on Accessibility coming up on October 15th, 2012 at 5PM EST - hope you can join in, too!

[Article] [How-to] Converting Books to Digital Copies

Short, summary how-to article from Simon Wheatcroft on how he converts textbooks into accessible electronic formats. He'll be posting a detailed, step-by-step tutorial in the near future as well.

[Professional Development] Free Webinar: Web Accessibility for Web Developers

FREE Webinar!

When: Monday, September 24, 2012 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM EDT

(Note: This is considered an "intermediate" level training.)

Join Dennis Lembree and The INDATA Project for a full-day training on web accessibility.  Topics include: Accessibility guidelines, POUR & POSH, Design techniques (Headings, Forms, Keyboard Access, Flash, ARIA, ARIA & HTML5), Accessibility testing (Checklists, Toolbars, Manual techniques and Screen readers), Question, Answers and Resources.

Mr. Lembree has over 12 years experience in web development. He's worked for a variety of startups as well as large companies including Ford, Disney, and now PayPal. He's presented at conferences such as Access U, CSUN, and AHG, and has written several articles for DesignFestival.com. Personal projects include EasyChirp.com (award-winning web-accessible Twitter app) and WebAxe.blogspot.com (blog/podcast on web accessibility).

Questions: Contact Nikol Prieto (nprieto@eastersealscrossroads.org)

Webinar Registration Page

[Professional Development] Disability-specific SNOW Workshops

This month, SNOW is starting a series of Introduction to Special Needs in the Classroom workshops highlighting learning tools to support students with:
Developmental Disabilities (September 17, 2012)
Behaviour Disorders (October 15, 2012)
Learning Disabilities (November 5, 2012)
Autism (November 26, 2012)

[Article] Preparing for the Post-Secondary Environment

Great article by Cheryl Lepard and Linda Petty (AccessAbility Services, University of Toronto Scarborough) for SNOW on Preparing for the Post-Secondary Environment: Strategies and Technology Supporting Organizational Skills includes methods of using technology to keep organized.

[Free] BlackBerry Screen Reader

The download of RIM's new, free BlackBerry Screen Reader can be found here.
Plus, here's a review article by AFB's Access World. 

[Free/Cheap Apps] Phone as Document Scanner

Great article from Ars Technica summarizing and comparing a couple of document scanning apps including:

- JotNot Scanner Pro (Free)
- CamScanner+ ($4.99) for both iOS and Android or the free versions here: iOS , Android

[Faculty/Staff Tools] Online Plagiarism Detection Tools

Another great article from Mashable, this time a survey of 10 Sites to Detect Plagiarism.

[Apps] Organizing Tools for Work, Home & School

Mashable just posted a list of 6 great to-do apps for 6 Fantastic To-Do Apps for Getting Organized, most of which are free.

Another good app they missed, however, is Orchestra.

[App] Fleksy Touchscreen Keyboard App

From the creators of BlindType comes a free trial of a touchscreen keyboard app that corrects your errors and can even allow you to type without looking at the screen.
Free trial download from iTunes here. Upgrade to the full version for $4.99 to gain access to the ability to copy text into other apps.

[Free Webinars] Apple - Education: "Tune-in Series"

This summer, Apple is offering a free webinar series of technology seminars for educators and IT leaders on the capabilities of Apple technology in education. The webinars run Monday through Thursday, from 9AM to 10AM Pacific from now until August 31, 2012.

[Free] Freedom Stick - Accessible, portable USB apps!

While portable/usb-sized app suites are certainly not a new thing, accessible ones are...until now.

Thanks to specialeducationadvisor.com for posting about the new and improved “Freedom Stick” (v.2.3.2) which includes:
 
Open Office, Balabolka text-to-speech, XMind concept-mapping/graphic organizer, Virtual Magnifier and Desktop Zoom screen magnifiers, Express Scribe transcription program, and a number of accessible Firefox plugins, to name just a few.

- Here's a complete list of all the apps included in the 4GB-sized suite. 
- Here's the download link.
- And also free tutorial videos.

[Free Webinar] MyVoice 101

Free 30 minute webinar with MyVoice Creators on July 12 at 1pm EST. Draw for free MyVoice at end of session, sign up now!

[Computer Lab Management] Classroom Management Software

NETOP Vision and MyVision Classroom Management Software

NetSupport School (Windows) & Assist (Mac and Linux) Classroom Management Software



It looks like both programs have similar features that would be helpful in a computer-accommodated test/exam setting, such as the ability to:
- remotely log in/out of the computers and launch applications
- control access to applications and the internet
- supervise the students' work in real-time
- track/record students' activities on the computer
- immediately contact the student via chat/messaging to relay last-minute updates/info from the instructor

[Links] AT resources for students with Learning Disabilities

greatschools.org compilation of articles on assistive technology for students with Learning Disabilities.

[Notetaking Tool] Livescribe

"How Smartpens Help Students with Learning Disabilities"

[Free Webinar] Making the most of TechSoup.org

"Interested in finding more about what TechSoup has to offer? Check out our webinar on Thursday, July 12 at 11 a.m. Pacific time, Making the Most of TechSoup.org.

During this webinar we will be hearing from TechSoup staff members Lara Franklin and Shala Harris on the different aspects of the TechSoup website, our software donation programs, resources, and more."

[Free App] New Kurzweil 3000 firefly app for iPad

The firefly iPad app is free to Kurzweil 3000 - firefly Web License customers – offering users easy, effective, mobile access and expanding their opportunities to learn with a popular, engaging portable device.

The firefly iPad app benefits all users with:
- Mobile access to instructional and personal reading material
- Exciting, modern, and engaging user interface
- Accessibility for those with physical limitations
- Multiple reading modes
- Adjustable display size
- Customizable reading rate
- Four high quality voices


For customers of Kurzweil 3000 - firefly Web License edition, the firefly iPad app is EASY to use! Simply install, enter existing firefly login credentials, and immediately access any private or public documents from your Universal Library.

Anyone can download and try the Kurzweil 3000 - firefly app using the sample documents included.

Learn More


Don't own Kurzweil 3000 – firefly? Download a free trial

[Accessories] AfterShokz Bone Conduction Headphones

AfterShokz, a unique brand of open-ear headphones powered by patent pending bone conduction technology, announces it has entered into a partnership with U-R-Able, a North American company that provides assistive technologies for persons living with vision loss. U-R-Able has recognized AfterShokz headphones as the solution to a significant problem for all people dependent on hearing for their work, life and play.

In honour of Helen Keller's birthday

"Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved."

- Helen Keller, author, educator, activist and the first deafblind person to receive a Bachelor of Arts degree (1880-1968)

[Free Webinar] MyVoice 101: June 26, 2012 6-7PM EST

Join the creators of MyVoice for a fun and fast introduction to the groundbreaking communication aid for iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch.

Audio and video of real users, illustrative graphics, and free printable reference sheets help make this training webinar both useful and memorable.

Format: A 30-minute presentation, followed by a 30-minute, interactive question and answer session.

Register here.

[Prototype] New device to translate sign language into audible words

Sign language translation technology MyVoice may finally eliminate the communication barrier between those who can hear and those who can’t.

[Awareness] Video game lets players immerse themselves in world of the blind

Yet another example of how awareness-raising can take on a fun and entertaining form as well. Kudos to the developers for taking this on!

"Pulse is a first person, suspense/survival game in which you play as a young blind girl named Eva.

First person? Blind? What's the catch? Eva uses a process similar to echolocation to "see" her environment.

Sounds in the world allow her to imagine what the area looks like, and in turn allows the player to navigate."

Read the Globe and Mail article featuring the project here.

[App] Proloquo2Go 2.0 released

"Version 2.0 introduces two new, research-based vocabularies: Basic Communication and Core Words. An analysis of commonly used sentences has shown that the Core Words vocabulary reduces the number of steps to build a sentence by more than 30%, when compared to previous versions of Proloquo2Go..."

[Apps] Display Recorder hits App Store

ATs wanting to share demos of the built-in accessibility of i-devices or video reviews of 3rd party accessibility apps will want to jump on this right away before Apple pulls it from the App Store.

It's just $1.99 from iTunes.

[Free Webinar] Cutting Edge of E-books and E-readers

If you were like me and missed the EASI webinar on Mainstream E-book and E-reader Accessibility last Friday, you're in luck: Norm Coombs has made their slides and audio recordings from the webinar available here.

IOS 6 Accessibility Features Overview

Inclusive learning technology blogger Luis Perez summarizes the new accessibility features coming in Apple's IOS 6. And here's a quick summary of all the new features straight from the horse's mouth.

MyVoice (App) - Communication Aid

MyVoice is an award-winning communication aid for kids and adults with speech disabilities including autism, cerebral palsy, and aphasia.

Spark communication with voice output, storytelling, social skill development, visual scheduling, and more.

[$190.00 from the Apple iStore]

CAST Science Writer (Free, Online Tool) for Science Reports

CAST Science Writer - a free, online tool designed to help middle and high school students write better science reports.