High+Tech+Communication+Tools

**Assistive Technology Continuum:** ** Low (//another wiki page //) to High Tech Tools (//shown below //) **

__**// HIGH TECH //** __
 * ** Loc Dots – ** raised plastic dots that are used to tactually identify keys on a keyboard or objects, e.g., house keys


 * ** Key Guard ** – clear lucite keyboard cover with holes cut out; facilitates selection of keys


 * **Zoomcaps** – enlarged individual stick-on key overlays make finding keys easier


 * ** Big Keys ** – one of several alternative large letter, abc order keyboards for young children or students with motor or cognitive challenges difficulties


 * ** Touch Window ** – touch sensitive screen that goes over the monitor


 * **Alternative Keyboard, e.g., IntelliKeys Keyboard** - use as keyboard without with software or with IntelliTools Software Suite (IntelliTalk III talking word processor/authoring tool; IntelliPics Studio multimedia tool; IntelliMathics manipulative math program; activities available online to download)


 * ** Accessibility features built into Mac/PC - ** control panels address a range of disability issues

**//__Visual/Reading Support Tools__://**
 * **BoardMaker** – Picture Communication Symbols software**;** create stories with text/symbols; picture dictionaries, supplement text with symbols, substitute text with symbols, create communication boards, etc.


 * ** Inspiration/Kidspiration ** (Inspiration) – graphic organizer software


 * **Slide Shows** – Kid Pix, ClarisWorks/AppleWorks, Power Point


 * <span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">**Earobics** (Cognitive Concepts) **–** auditory discrimination software


 * <span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">**Simon Sounds it Out** (Don Johnston) – phonics-based program using word families


 * <span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">**Beginning Phonics Reading** (Lexia) – based on Orton Gillingham


 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">** Reading SOS Strategies for Older Students ** (Lexia) - based on Orton Gillingham


 * <span style="color: black; font-family: verdana,geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">**Electronic books**, e.g., **Start-to-Finish Books (Don Johnston)** - high interest/low reading level sets; 2nd-3rd or 4th-5th reading grade levels; book, audiotape & CD that highlights text & reads it aloud to student


 * <span style="color: black; font-family: verdana,geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">**Text-to-Speech:** Shareware, e.g., **Tex-Edit** (Mac) & freeware, **Read Please** (PC); **IntelliTalk III** (IntelliTools) and **Write Out:LOUD**(Don Johnston) - examples of commercial word processors


 * <span style="color: black; font-family: verdana,geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">**Text readers** - e.g., Kurzweil 3000 (Kurzweil Educational Systems), **Read & Write Gold** (TextHelp) - read all text files, e.g., from the web, scanned, etc.


 * <span style="color: black; font-family: verdana,geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">**Word prediction that works with any word processor** - e.g., **Co:Writer -** anticipates what the student wants to say and provides a list of words to choose from


 * <span style="color: black; font-family: verdana,geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">**Electronic text (etext)** – text files found online, scanned, etc., to use with text readers


 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">** Online Virtual Manipulatives: ** http://boston.k12.ma.us/teach/technology/select/ The Select Math site provides links (paired with middle school standards) to online manipulatives. There are many more manipulatives for all levels at the linked sites, e.g., Project Interactivate, Illuminations, PBS Teacherline, & Explore Learning.

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">**// __Top-Ten Types of High-Tech Assistive Technology__: //** <span style="color: #1f1f1f; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">1. Augmentative and alternative communication devices hearing aid and/or <span style="color: #1f1f1f; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">assistive listening device, text to speech, picture to speech

<span style="color: #1f1f1f; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">2. Electric wheelchair

<span style="color: #1f1f1f; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">3. Alerting device environmetnal awareness for people who are deaf/heard of <span style="color: #1f1f1f; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">hearing, i.e. alert to file alarm, telephone, doorbell

<span style="color: #1f1f1f; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">4. Mouse alternatives track ball, touch pad, head mouse

<span style="color: #1f1f1f; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">5. Keyboard alternatives alternative ways of keyboarding, i.e. on-screen <span style="color: #1f1f1f; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">keyboard, touch screen

<span style="color: #1f1f1f; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">6. Screen readers accessing screen via voice or touch, i.e. JAWS, Window-Eyes, <span style="color: #1f1f1f; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">TelleBraille N’ Speak

<span style="color: #1f1f1f; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">7. Screen magnifiers magnify and manipulate look of the screen, i.e. built-in <span style="color: #1f1f1f; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">computer screen readers, ZoomText

<span style="color: #1f1f1f; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">8. Text to speech: Ureader; Read & Write; Built in on Mac OS; Kurzweil <span style="color: #1f1f1f; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">write or choose picture and device “speaks”, i.e. Ureader, built-in (MAC), <span style="color: #1f1f1f; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">Kurzweil

<span style="color: #1f1f1f; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">9. Voice recognition: Dragon Naturally Speaking; iListen (Mac) speak instead <span style="color: #1f1f1f; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">of writing or using mouse—Dragon Naturally Speaking, iListen (MAC)

<span style="color: #1f1f1f; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">10. Word prediction programs: Co-Writer; SoothSayer; Telepathic 2000 <span style="color: #1f1f1f; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">speak instead of writing or using mouse—Dragon Naturally Speaking, iListen <span style="color: #1f1f1f; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">(MAC )

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